so little curious or inquisitive how could Christianity ever have been received in the World when they should have persisted in the blind Heathenish Idolatry of their Forefathers esteeming Christ rather as an Upstart and Innovator than what he really was the only legitimate Son of God The generality of men are but like so many Religious Parrots who are taught to say they believe the Scriptures but why or wherefore they know not only that Mr. A. the Minister of their Parish bids them For my part neither Socrates Plato or Aristotle shall perswade me if my Judgment be not convinced by Reason of what they say Reason is the only Mistress I court and to her alone will I pay my Devotion Those Arguments which will deceive in a false Religion cannot instruct in a true one but the beginning at Faith and ending at Reason would deceive in a false Religion therefore it cannot instruct in a true What proceeds from common Reason we know to be true but what proceeds from Faith we only believe it and there is a vast difference between knowing and believing I will never embrace an Opinion only because a great many hold it because then I must turn Turk that Religion being the most universal of any we know Neither will I build my Religion upon that weak Basis of Antiquity lest some Iew or Pagan come and supplant me Nor upon Martyrs lest the Indians of Bengala who crush themselves to pieces under the wheels of their Idol compare with me or lest the Hereticks we our selves have put to death put in their claim to a share in the Crown of Martyrdom Nor will I altogether depend upon Miracles lest Simon Magus Pharoah's Magicians Apollonius and others pretend to be my Rivals Nor to those Rules of Self-denial Mortification and Patience which our Doctrine teaches since Monsieur Tavernier gives us an account of some Indians that may likewise exceed us in that way No I will rely wholly upon my Reason and yet not obstruct my Christianity Men do not any where more easily err than where they follow a guide whom they think they may safely trust and the greatest part of the World is led rather with the Names of their Masters and with the reverend Respect they bear their Persons and Memories than with the soundness and truth of the things they teach For as Vadian saith in his Paradice Magnos errores magnorum virorum autoritate persuasi transmittimus Whilst we are young our Judgment is raw and green and when we are old it is forestalled so that Inter Iuvenile Iudicium Senile Praejudicium veritas corrumpitur I cannot but laugh at those Pedants who have no stronger Argument for the truth of what they say than to alledg 't is a Maxim as if their Maxims are more certain than their other Propositions However I 'le believe them when they shew me a Philosophy whose Principles can neither be question'd nor doubted of and wherein all the World agrees otherwise 't is ridiculous for 't is easie to prove any thing when one adjusteth Principles to Opinions and not Opinions to Principles Again one main Argument which I have often heard used is that St. Ierom or Thomas Aquinas says so In the same manner one told Dr. Harvy that Galen was of a contrary opinion to him whereupon he wisely replied I have read as much and lived longer in the World than ever Galen did therefore he is no Authority to me Moreover how do we know but that those Ancients no more than we have not always written what they believed The Law and Religion of their Countrey may have often obliged them to accommodate their Precepts to the Politicks of their Government for as Montaign well observes The wisest man must write something contrary to his own Genius to get his Book Licensed All men ought to reverence Antiquity but not conclude it infallible yet says Mr. Osborn I should take her word sooner in Divinity than any other Learning because that is clearest at the beginning whereas all other Studies more muddy receive clarification from experience However we may likewise in these matters for fear of running upon infidelity split upon credulity Therefore let us remember that when Livy says the Gods made an Ox speak in not believing the miracle 't is not the Gods but Livy we disgrace For although God can do every thing yet I am not bound to believe he does all things that men report Enim à posse ad esse non valet consequentia 7 Every man in his humour makes all things easie and pleasant as well in Conversation as Religion for it is neither Policy Reason nor Religion to persecute men for conscience sake so long as they disturb not the publick Peace First That it is not Policy appears for that the greatest people of the World in their most flourishing condition have always permitted it As for instance The Romans that had conquer'd the greatest part of the then known World made no scruple of tolerating any Religion whatsoever in the City of Rome it self unless it had something in it that could not consist with their Civil Government nor do we read that any Religion was there prohibited save only the Iews who thinking themselves the peculiar people of God held it unlawful to acknowledge subjection to any mortal King or State whatsoever The Inquisition-Principles of Persecution lost Holland from the Spaniard notwithstanding all the Power of Spain and Treasure of the Indies All wise Princes till they were over-born with Faction or solicited by peevish persons gave toleration to differing Sects whose Opinions did not disturb the publick Interest And the experience which Christendom hath had in this last Age is Argument enough That toleration of differing Opinions is so far from disturbing the publick Peace or destroying the Interest of Princes and Commonwealths that it advantages the publick and secures peace because there is not so much as the pretence of Religion left to such persons to contend for it being already indulged to them When France fought against the Hugonots the spilling of her own bloud was Argument enough of the imprudence of that way of promoting Religion together with the prosperity she hath enjoy'd ever since she gave permission to them The Affability and Clemency of Margaret of Parma had almost extinguish'd that flame which afterwards the Duke of Alva made greater than ever when by managing the matter of Religion with Fire and Sword his Religion and his Prince too had almost both been turned quite out of the Countrey for the being restrain'd and made miserable mutually endears the discontented persons creating more hearty and dangerous Confederations In England although the Pope had as great power here as any where yet there were no Executions for matter of Religion known till the time of Henry the Fourth who because he usurped the Crown was willing by all means possible to endear the Clergy to his purpose by destroying their enemies Secondly
lib. 3. ch 4. Herodotus Pliny Solinus and our Philostratus say that these Walls of Babylon were 480 Furlongs in compass being situate in a large four-square Plain environ'd with a broad and deep Ditch full of Water Strabo saith the compass of the Wall was 380 Furlongs and Curtius will have it but 358. whereof only 90 Furlongs inhabited and the rest allotted to Husbandry Again Concerning the thickness and heighth of the Walls they also disagree The first Authors affirm the heighth 200 Cubits and the thickness 50. and they which say least cut off but half that sum so that well might Aristotle esteem it rather a Countrey than a City being of such greatness that some part of it was taken three days by the Enemy before the other heard of it Lyranus out of Ierom upon Esay affirmeth that the four-squares thereof contained 16 miles apiece wherein every man had his Vineyard and Garden to his degree wherewith to maintain his Family in time of Siege The Fortress or principal Tower belonging to this Wall was saith he that which had been built by the Sons of Noah and not without cause was it reckon'd among the Wonders of the World It had an 100 brazen Gates and 250 Towers This Bridge which Philostratus mentions was 5 Furlongs in length The Walls were made of Brick and Asphaltum a shiny kind of Pitch which that Countrey yieldeth She built two Palaces which might serve both for Ornament and Defence one in the West which environed 60 Furlongs with high Brick Walls within that a less and within that also a less Circuit which containeth the Tower These were wrought sumptuously with Images of Beasts wherein also was the game and hunting of Beasts display'd this had three Gates The other in the East on the other side the River contain'd but 30 Furlongs In the midst of the City she erected a Temple to Iupiter Belus saith Herodot lib. 2. with brazen Gates and four-square which was in his time remaining each square containing two Furlongs in the midst whereof is a solid Tower of the heighth and thickness of a Furlong upon this another and so one higher than another eight in number In the highest Tower is a Chappel and therein a fair Bed cover'd and a Table of Gold without any Image Neither as the Chaldaean Priests affirm doth any abide here in the night but one Woman whom this God Belus shall appoint and she I presume a very handsom one because his Priests had the custody of her some say the God himself used to lye there which Report I conceive was given out only to make way for such another Story as was that of Paulina in the Temple of Isis recorded by Iosephus and which I shall mention hereafter at large where if she was modest they lay with her in the dark and heightned her fancy with the conceit that 't was God Belus himself had gotten her Maidenhead and if she happen'd to conceive her spurious Issue was honour'd with the title of a young Iupiter But to proceed Diodorus affirms that in regard of the exceeding heighth of this Temple the Chaldaeans used thereon to make their Observations of the Stars He also addeth that Semiramis placed on the top thereof three golden Statues one of Iupiter 40 foot long weighing a 1000 Babylonian Talents till his time remaining another of Ops weighing as much sitting in a golden Throne with two Lions at her feet and just by her side many huge Serpents of Silver each of 30 Talents the third Image was of Iuno standing in weight 800 Talents her right hand held the Head of a Serpent and her left a Scepter of Stone To all these was in common one Table of Gold 40 foot long in breadth 12. in weight 50 Talents also two standing Cups of 30 Talents and two Vessels for Perfumes of like value likewise three other Vessels of Gold whereof one dedicated to Iupiter weigh'd 1200 Babylonian Talents all which Riches the Persian Kings took away when they conquer'd Babylon Of this see more in Herodot lib. 2. Pliny lib. 6. ch 26. Solin ch 60. Diodor Sic. lib. 3. ch 4. Strab. lib. 16. Quint. Curtius lib. 5. Aristot. Polit. lib. 3. ch 2. Daniel 4. 2 A Woman of the Median Race who this Woman was is already expounded by Herodotus when speaking of the Kings of Babylon he saith there were many Kings who contributed to the adorning of Babylon both in its Walls and Temples and amongst them two eminent Women whereof the first was called Semiramis who reign'd five Ages before Nitocris the other and from a Level raised a most magnificent and stupendious Wall which encompassing the City round did very much preserve it from those frequent Inundations of Water wherewith it was before infested Herod lib. 1. Likewise Ovid confirms the same saying Coctilibus Muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem Concerning the Original of Semiramis Historians vary Reineccius in his Syntagmate Herâ—ico p. 47 will have her to be the Daughter of Sem. But Diodorus Siculus writes that she was born at Ascalon a Town in Syria and presents us lib. 3. ch 2. with this Fable of her Original There is saith he in Syria a City named Ascalon and not far from it runs a Lake well stored with Fish near unto which stands the Temple of the Goddess Derceto who having the Face of a Woman is all over her Body like a Fish the occasion whereof is by the Inhabitants fabulously related to be thus viz. that Venus meeting one day with this Goddess Derceto made her fall in Love with a beautiful young man that sacrificed unto her who begot on her a Daughter but the Goddess asham'd of her misfortune banish'd the Father from her sight and exposed the Child in a desart place full of Rocks and Birds of whom by divine providence the Child was nourish'd Yet however the Mother being conscious to her self of what she had done went and drown'd her self in the Lake where she was metamorphosed into a Fish for which very reason the Assyrians have says Diodorus even to our time abstain'd from eating those kind of Fishes adoring them as Gods Furthermore they tell another miraculous Narration viz. that the Birds sustaining the Child on their wings fed her with Curds which they stole from the Shepherds adjoyning Cottages and that when the Child was a year old in regard that she then stood in need of more substantial meat they nourish'd her with Cheese taken from the same Cottages which the Shepherds having discover'd by the continual pecking of their Cheeses they soon found out the Child which they had educated amongst them and afterwards for her exceâ—lent beauty presented her to Simma the King 's Superintendent over the Shepherds of that Province who having no Children of his own with great care educated her as his own Daughter calling her Semiramis after the name of those Birds which had fed her and which in the Syrian Tongue are so called and were from that time
dangerous than in a Prince since as well Children as Subjects Quem metuâ—ni â—denâ— Again â—n some Northern Parts of this Kingdom the Parents are guilty of another sort of partial Cruelty which extends only to their younger â—â—ildren when for the honour of their Name and Family they bequeath â—ast Estates to 〈…〉 Sons and leave the rest in a manner Beggars or at most but a small Annuity 〈◊〉 to make them their Brother's Faulconer or Huntsman as if the vain-glorious Fâ—â—s â—alu'd the ridiculous Title of a Name or Family more than the true Off spring of their own Body Such a person would for want of Children bequeath his Estate to a drunken Porter of his own Name rather than to his Sister's Son of another Name Is not my youngest Son as much my own as my eldest Had I not rather see my own Children that are immediately descended from my own Loyns prosper than Grand-children that are three or four removes off from me Certainly no custom can be more barbarous or inhumane than this The Scriptures allow'd but a double Portion and that only when the Priesthood was annex'd to the Eldership Neither ought any man to be punish'd for that which he could not help such as 〈…〉 of Juniority For my own part not Interest but Reason inclines me to this opinion the Indulgence of my Parents having been such to all of us that none haâ—e cause to complain few except themselves have resign'd up their All amongst their Children even in theiâ— own life-time which not out of vanity but gratitude I must ever acknowledge So that although some there are who want this natural Affection to their young ones which is here ascribed to Beasts yet are they but rare and not to be cited as an Objection against this supream Dictate of Nature the preservation of our own Species and Children The getting Children is to satisfie our own lustful Appetites and noâ— ouâ— of consideration oâ— good or ill to what we do beget which act of generation iâ— rendred juâ—â— and honourable according to the care we bestow upon our Children when born since the most sinful act in Marriage is to bring Children into the World and then to take no care of them Nay did not Religion teach 〈◊〉 otherwise I should think that Child who is left at another man's door in a Hand basket had no other Parent nor ow'd a 〈◊〉 duty to any but those who were at the charge of breeding him 2 Elephants I rank next after men for Vnderstanding c. In the great Shows at Rome Elephants were frequently seen taught to move and dance certain Dances of strange turnings and changings at the sound of a Voice Arrius proâ—esteth to have seen an Elephant with Cimbals tyed to his Thigh and Trunk make variety of Musick to other Elephants whilst they danced Also that they have been observ'd to practise their Lessoâ—â— with much study and care for fear of their Master's anger Piâ—â—nâ— lib. 2. dâ— Hiâ—roglyph makes mention of an Elephant called Hanno afterwards presented by Emâ—nuâ—l King of Portugal to Pope 〈◊〉 the 10th who understood the advice of his Master as well as any man 〈◊〉 nor could ever be perswaded or compell'd to do contrary thereunto 〈◊〉 lib. 2. hist. Medit. saith that the Lord of Busbeck the Emperor of Germany's Ambassador at Constantinople saw an Elephant play very artificially at Tennis which is no less strange than that Story of Terence concerning an Elephant that walked upon a Rope Iuba King of Barbary reports that when any Elephant happens to fall into those Pits that are laid for him his Brethren will come with Stones and pieces of Timber to help him out An Elephant's Keeper in a private House in Syria being used to rob him of half his Provender he discover'd it thus his Master feeding him one time himself and giving him his whole quantity the Elephant looking sternly on his Master divided it in two parts with his Trunk Another having a Keeper who to increase the measure of his Provender was used to mingle Stones with it came one day to the Pot wherein his Keeper's Meat was seething and filled it with Ashes By all which we may justly conclude that there is more difference in Understanding found between some men and others than between some men and this Beast We find mention of three sorts of Elephants namely of Marishes of Mountains and of Fields They that are born and bred in Marishes have more agility but less wit the Mountainers are wicked and trayterous they of the Champain Countrey are easilyest tamed and most apt to learn the Elephants of the Indies are the fiercest of all others and very hard to tame they of Lybia are the least which cannot abide the smell nor voice of man and fly away before the Elephants of India as appear'd in that memorable Battel fought between the Kings Ptolomeus and Antiochus near to Raphiâ— and described by Polybius lib. 5. 3 Wolves being continually intent on their Prey The Wolf is a ravenous and devouring Beast therefore rightly sirnamed Spoil-Park those of the common sort have grizzled Hairs being white under the Belly with a great Head long Teeth sparkling Eyes short prickt Ears and Feet like the Feet of a Lion therefore call'd Lupus from Leopes Quia pedem quasi pedes Leonis habet Where these Creatures live the people are much infested with them When they come to the Sheep-folds they observe which way the Wind bloweth and then come marching against it that thereby they may the better deceive the Shepherd and his Dogs When they prey upon Goats they hide themselves under the Leaves of Trees that they may the more easily obtain their desires And when they catch little Children it is said they will play with them for a while as a Cat plays with a Mouse and at last devour them The great cunning of this Creature appears by a Tradition they have in Ireland of a foot-Traveller who having a Gun upon his Shoulder and passing through a Wood was assaulted by a Wolf who no sooner observed his Gun but presently quitted him whereupon the man being gone a mile or two from the place far enough as he thought out of the Wolfe's reach and meeting a Passenger who was going the same way as he had come he told him of the Wolf he had met and lent him his Gun to defend himself now being come where the Wolf was and he spying the same Gun immediately pursued the first Traveller whom he overtook and being then unarm'd tore him in pieces which must proceed from his knowledge of the Gun as well as from his observation that the other must be therefore unarm'd Pliny lib. 8. ch 22. and from him Olaus Magnus write that Egypt and Africa bring forth small Wolves in respect of those which are in the Northern Parts of the World for as the Elephant detests cold so does the Wolf heat therefore in those cold Countreys of Suetia and Norway you
Aspendus is reckon'd by Ptolomy amongst the Mediterranean Cities of Pamphylia and by him said to be far distant from the Sea lib. 5. ch 5. Also Strabo affirms it to be 60 stadia distant from the Sea lib. 14. Nevertheless Montanus thinks that it is a Town hanging over the Sea from that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that being situated on a Hill it might overlook the Sea and yet be some distance from it Mela 1.13 Now Aspendus has the prospect of that Sea wherein happen'd the great Engagement of the Athenians under the Convoy of Admiral Cimon against the Medos and Persians mention'd in the first Book of Thucyd. As also by Dionysius 9. Eurymedon a River that rises out of the Mountain Taurus and runs thorow the middle of Pamphylia Melâ— Wherefore Ptolomy errs in placing the City Aspendus remote from the River Eurymedon as he doth in his Tables 10 Tiberius's Statues It is no doubt saith Polyd Virgil. lib. 1 ch 5 but that in the Infancy of Government men did highly advance their first Kings honour and praises when either for their wonderful courage and virtue or to flatter the condition of their dignity or for some special benefit from them receiv'd they magnified them as Gods erecting Images to them and taking pleasure in beholding the same Macrobius writes that Hercules was the first inventer of Statues or Images Lactantius attributes them to Prometheus and Diodorus to the Aethiopians or Aegyptians Rachel when her Husband fled out of Mesopotamia from his Father-in-Law Laban did steal away her Fathers Gods or Statues And some think that men took occasion from God to make Images who willing to shew to the gross wits of men some representation of himself took on him the shape of men and appear'd to Abraham and Iacob from whence men receiv'd the manner of making Images of God to keep him fresh in their memory Thus Spurius Cassius in Rome erected the Image of Ceres in Brass Afterwards the Statues of Men were made to excite others to Noble enterprizes And for that cause the Athenians set up the Images of Hermodius and Aristogiton who slew and expulsed the Tyrants Leontinus Gorgias made himself an Image of pure Gold without any hollowness and erected it at Delphos in the 78 th Olympiad Likewise Pharnaces caused one to be made of Silver like himself which Pompey in his Triumph removed In Italy M. Atilius Glabrio erected the first Statue of Gold on Horse-back in remembrance of his Father There were also Images made of Brass Ivory Wood and Marble See more at large of this Subject in Pliny's Natur. Hist. lib. 34. The manner of the Romans was to set up their Images cover'd but the Graecians form'd them all naked These Statues of Tyberius mention'd by Philostratus might be those which Tacitus speaks of in the 14th Book of his Annals ch 8. as also in the 3d. Book of his An. ch 8. where it is said That every wicked Fellow if he could but catch hold on Caesar's Image might freely and without punishment injure honest men c. At first there was no Statues nor Pictures in the Christian Church but they crept in by little and little and men made private Images of the Cross of Christ and him upon it after the Example of Moses who set up the brazen Serpent as also of Agbarus Duke of the Edissenians who sent a Painter to draw the Image of our Saviour Christ but not being able to behold the brightness of his Face Christ laid a Napkin thereon wherein by his divine Power he printed the resemblance of his Visage and so sent it by the Painter to the Duke Polyd. Virg. lib. 6. ch 10. We also read that St. Luke had the Image of the Virgin Mary in a painted Table But Images were never publickly receiv'd and worshipped in the Church till about the year 630. in the sixth Council held at Constantinople by the Command of Constantine and Iustinian the 2d his Son it was so decreed 11 Olympia a City near the Hill Olympus wherein Iupiter Olympius had his Temple it is now call'd Langanico or Stauri as Castaldus writes and not far distant from Elis and Pisa two Cities of Greece This City was famous for its Celebration of the Olympick Games every fifth year Strabo tells us that it was anciently called Arpina lib. 8. CHAP. XII How Apollonius's time of Silence being expired he went to Antioch Also concerning the Temple of Apollo-Daphnaeus and of Daphne and the great concourse of the Assyrians that followed him Likewise his Precepts to his Disciples and what they were to do the whole day AFter this the time of his Silence being expired he came to 1 Antioch sirnamed the Great and there entred into the Temple of 2 Apollo-Daphnaeus to whom the Assyrians apply the Arcadian Fable asserting that Daphne the Daughter of the River Ladon was born there for there is indeed a River with them called Ladon and they revere the Laurel in commemoration as they say of the Virgin Daphne Also Cypress Trees of an immense heighth stand round about the Temple and the Countrey yieldeth pleasant and gentle Springs of Water wherein they report Apollo uses to bathe himself The Earth of that place yields also a Grove of Cypress Trees in memory as they say of 3 Cyparissus an Assyrian Youth and truly the beauty of the Tree gives credit to the Metamorphosis But perhaps I may seem to recite too youthful Stories whilst I mention these 4 Fables which nevertheless I do not for the Fables sake but in order to my following Discourse Now Apollonius observing the Temple to be pleasâ—nt but without any discipline being inhabited by men half barbarous said Oh Apollo change these dumb men into Trees that they may at least make a noise like the Cypresses Furthermore observing the Springs how quietly they ran without making any manner of noise he said The silence of this place is such as it doth not permit so much as the Springs to speak And when he beheld 5 Ladon he said Not only thy Daughter Oh Ladon is changed into another form but also thou thy self in that of a Greek and Arcadian thou art become a Barbarian After this when he minded to discourse with them he refused the rude and disorderly manners of the Inhabitants saying That he had need of Men and not of Clowns Yet nevertheless if he saw any civil persons and such as were of good behaviour he admitted them into his Conversation He dwelt amongst the Priests and at Sun-rising perform'd certain Religious Rites in private which he communicated only to those who had exercised four years silence with him But afterwards if he happen'd to be in any Greek City where the Religious Rites were made publick he would discourse Philosophically with the Priests of the Temples concerning the Gods and correct what errors he found amongst them But if he came into any barbarous City that had peculiar Manners of their own he always enquired
as well for its vicinity with their new acquests as for the beauty and magnificence of the Place It is at present under the Dominion of the Sophy of Persia being now call'd Châ—s and the Countrey round about it Chusistan or as Marcus Paulus the Venetian hath it Curdistan It hath been subject to the Kings of Persia ever since Apollonius's time In all ancient Writers Susa and Ecbatan are ever mention'd together for that the Persian Kings have ever resided at Susa all the Winters and at Ecbatan all the Summers So Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 8. Strabo lib. 15. Plutarch de Exil Athenae lib. 12. Eustath in Dionys. Aristid in Orat. de Roma This Place hath ever been famous for Archers Armantur Susa sagittis Prop. lib. 2. as also for Magicians since it appears both in Daniel Herodotus and Plutarch that the most eminent in that Science were ever to be found in this Court both under Nebuchodonozor Baltazar Cambyses Artaxerxes and Alexander the Great and that with them the Kings consulted in all arduous Cases 9 Ninus or Niniveh and now call'd Mosul was an ancient City built by Ninus the Son of Nimrod or Belus Of this see lib. 1. ch 3. 10 Io the Daughter of Inachus having little Horns ready to shoot out on both sides her forehead Io or Isis a Goddess of the Aegyptians was as the Poets inform us the Daughter of Inachus also a professed Whore and yet the Priest of Iuno She perswaded Iupiter to yield to her Lust but Iuno's jealousie pursuing after her Husband found them together Iupiter in the form of a Cloud and Ino in the form of a white Cow for Iupiter had transform'd as well her as himself that he might not be suspected of his Wife who nevertheless discover'd his subtlety Wherefore she begg'd the Cow of Iupiter who being afraid by his refusal to discover the intrigue granted her Iuno which she presently committed to the custody of Argus with his hundred eyes where she continued in much misery and persecution until Mercury was sent from Iupiter to deliver her who playing Argus asleep with his Musick intended to steal away the counterfeit Cow but an unlucky Boy named Hierax giving notice to Argus awaked him as the other was departing with his prize Whereupon Mercury seeing no remedy but that he must either neglect Iupiter's Command or kill Argus he took up a great Stone and knock'd him dead upon the place also changed Hierax into a Hawk for his ill office Iuno was not a little displeas'd at the loss of her faithful Servant therefore she transform'd him into a Peacock which yet retains the number of his Eyes in his Feathers Also she sent some Creatures to vex Isis in so much that she became mad and ran up and down the World swimming over the Seas into Ionia unto which she left her Name as also to the Sea that bounds that Countrey At last she return'd back to Egypt where she married Osiris her Son by Iupiter was called Epaphus After her death she was adored by the Egyptians her Hair being preserv'd as a sacred Relique in her Temple at Memphis She was honour'd as the Goddess of Weather and Navigation Her Statue was as 't is here mention'd with Horns on a Cows head or as others say a Dogs head unto which Ovid alludes calling her Latrator Anubis The Romans had a great veneration for this Goddess notwithstanding they banish'd her because her Priests had consented to defile her Temple with Whoredoms as you may read in Iosephus but afterwards she was admitted again Her Priests were initiated with Bloud and Water they had their Heads and their Beards shaven and did all wear white linen Garments At the entry into her Temple was the Statue of a Sphynx to signifie that she was a mysterious Goddess for her sake the Egyptians did keep iâ— a corner of her Temple a white Cow which when it died they did all mourn as for a Prince until another was substituted in its room See Ovid's Metam lib. 1. Nat. Com. lib. 8. This Fable hath an Historical allusion unto Argus that old and prudent Argive King who was slain by Mercury in hopes to succeed him and when banish'd for that fact by the Greeks fled into Egypt But Allegorically in that skill and industry is more available in Husbandry than the influence of the Stars the Cow wandring through many Regions is the propagation of that knowledge and in that Egypt exceeds all other Countreys in the richness and fertility of its soyl Io is there feign'd to recover her own Figure Others have wrested this Fable to Morality That Iupiter the mind of man falling from Heaven and joyning with Io the Body in a Cloud is turn'd into a Beast as forgetful of its own original and captivated by his vices but when of more maturity in age and judgment Mercury is sent to kill Argus in that Reason bridles and subdues the exorbitancies of the Affections and then Iuno is said to let loose her Furies which are the stings of Conscience As for Inachus the Father of Io he was the first that ever reign'd in Argos and being accidentally drown'd in Carmanor that River was afterwards called by his Name 11 Likewise how many Languages are spoken by the Barbarians such as the Armenian Median Persian and Cadusian Mr. Leigh in his Religion and Learning divides all Languages into Oriental and Occidental 1. Oriental which contains the Hebrew Chaldee Samaritan Syriack Arabick Aethiopick Persian Armenian and Coptick 2. Occidental which also comprehends the Greek Latin Spanish French Italian German English and Slavonick which is spoken very generally And of all these the three principal or learned Languages are the Hebrew Greek and Latine The Oriental Tongues are all except the Aethiopick and Armenian written and read from the right hand to the left Also the Graecians did at first write forward and backward from whence arose that phrase Literas exarare and Linea are called Versus Now to treat of all these Languages separately we will begin with the Oriental and of them first with the Hebrew because it is esteem'd not only the most ancient but was also the most pure without any mixture or corruption whereas there is no other Language which had not certain words derived and corrupted from the Hebrew and others as we shall shew hereafter The Hebrew Language was the first most ancient and only Language before the building of the Tower of Babel for which presumption as Iosephus and others write God sent a confusion of Tongues among the Workmen so as rendred them unable to proceed in their Work Wherefore the Nation and Language of Israel borrow their Name Hebrew from Heber whose Son was called Peleg Division relating to the Division of Babel And this I take to be a more probable account than that of Arias Montanus who derives the Name of Hebrews from Abraham as if they were call'd Hebraei quasi Abrahaei The same Author likewise telleth us that
to relate what he did amongst the Barbarians Now although my Relation doth hasten towards more great and admirable Subjects yet not so as to neglect these two things First The Fortitude of Apollonius in travelling through 8 barbarous Nations that were addicted to Robbery and unsubdued by the Romans and secondly His Wisdom in that after the manner of the Arabians he came to understand the several Voices of living Creatures for this he learned of the Arabians who understand and practise it the best of any also it is yet common to the Arabians to hearken to the Voice of Birds as foretelling whatsoever Oracles can This Converse with irrational Creatures they gain by eating some say the Heart others say the Liver of Dragons Illustrations on Chap. 14. 1 MEsopotamia a large Countrey of Asia limited on the East with the River Tigris on the West with the River Euphrates on the South with Babylon and on the North with Caucasus It is call'd Mesopotamia as Philostratus here observes from its situation between the two Rivers Tigris and Euphrates By the Hebrews it is called Aram Naharaim i. e. Syria fluviorum duorum Heretofore it was named Seleucia as Pliny informs us lib. 6. Olivarius saith it is at present known by the Name of Halapia though others call it Apamia some Adiabene and some Azamia Arrianus names the Inhabitants of this Countrey Incolas inter amnes lib. 3. Cicero says that the River Euphrates makes it very fertil Natur. Deor. lib. 6. 2 Publican a Farmer of publick Rents or Revenues belonging to the Crown such as we call an Excise-man 3 Tigris is a River in Asia so call'd from the swiftness of its current alluding to the swift flight of a Dart or Arrow which in the Median Tongue was call'd Tigrin viz. Sagittae Strabo Geogr. lib. 11. It runs with such an impetuous and speedy current thorow the Lake Arethusa that neither the Waters nor the Fish mingle with those of the Lake It runs into a hole on the side of the Mountain Taurus and rising out again on the other side of the Mountain continues its course till running into Mesopotamia it there divides it self into two branches whereof one evacuates into the Persian Gulph and the other into Euphrates For its Original Iustin and Solinus derive it from the Armenian Mountains But of this see Iustin lib. 42. Solin ch 40. Lucan lib. 3. verse 256. Boetius de Consol. lib. 5. Arrianus lib. 7. de Exped Alex. writes that this River was heretofore called Sylax Eustathius and Plutarch Sollax Arrias Montanus say the Hebrews name it Hidekel Iosephus calls it Diglath and Pliny Pasitigris But at this day Castaldus saith it is known by the Name Tegil 4 Euphrates a famous River of Mesopotamia arising as saith Strabo out of Niphates a Hill in Armenia this is one of the Rivers that cometh out of Paradise and passeth through Babylon I conceive it takes this Name Euphrates from the Arabick Tongue wherein Pharata signifies inundare to overflow Some will have its Name from the Hebrews Hu-perah Gen. 11.14 Boetius will have it that Tigris and Euphrates have both but one head Tigris Euphrates uno se fonte resolvunt This River far exceeds Tigris in magnitude Strabo lib. 2. As well Lucan as Cicero takes notice how much this River conduces to the fertility of Mesopotamia Sparsus in agros Fertilis Euphrates Phariae vice fungitur undae Lucan lib. 3. Of this River you may see a description at large in Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 5. ch 24. Also in Strabo lib. 16. There was a famous Philosopher of this Name who lived under the Emperor Adrian till being troubled with some grievous Disease which rendred his life burthensom he with the Emperor's consent did voluntarily by a mornings draught of Hemlock pass into the other World 5 Taurus the most famous Mountain of Asia which beginning at the Indian Sea stretches out its two arms Northward and Southward also Westward to the Aegean Sea In which manner extending it self through many Countreys it receives in each a several Name Thus in Cilicia it is call'd Taurus Taurusque Cilix Ovid Met. 2. in Lycia Cragus in Pamphylia Coracesius and Sarpedon in the Lesser Armenia Antitaurus in the Greater Armenia Moschicus and Pariedus in Mesopotamia Chaboras in Syria Amanus in the Confines of Mesopotamia and Armenia Niphates or Gordiaeus in Colchos Coraxicus in Iberia and Albania Caucasus in Media Zagrus in the Confines of the farther Assyria Orontes Iasonius Coronus and Choatras in Parthia Paracoathras in Carmania Strongylos in Bactria Paropamisus in Scythia Imaus between Scythia and India Emodus all which were in general by the Greeks call'd Ceraunios in the Word of God it was called Ararat So that we see this Mountain through each Countrey it ran receiv'd a new Name However Q. Curtius seems to make Taurus and Caucasus two distinct Mountains Taurus especially in Cilicia is at this day called Cambel Bacras and Giulich 6 Armenia so call'd as Strabo affirms lib. 11. from the Name of one of Iason's Companions which followed him in his Navigation out of Harmenia a City of Thessaly or as others say from Aram the Son of Sem is a Countrey of Asia divided into two parts the Greater and the Lesser The greater hath a part of Cappadocia and Euphraâ—es on the West Mesopotamia on the South Colchis Iberia and Albania on the North the Caspian Sea and Media on the East Part of this greater Armenia is now call'd Turcomania and the other part contain'd in Georgia Ptolomy reckoneth many principal Mountains in it as the Moschici Paryarges or Pariedri Vdacespes Antitaurus Abos and the Gordaei which the Chaldaean Paraphrast calleth Kardu Quintus Curtius Cordai and Berosus Cordyaei On these Hills it is said the Ark rested and Haithon one of the same Countrey calleth this Mountain Arath little differing from the Scripture Appellation Ararat Now for the lesser Armenia which is call'd Prima it is divided from the greater or Turcomania by Euphrates on the East it hath on the West Cappadociae on the South Cilicia and part of Syria on the North the Pontick Islands It was sometimes reckon'd a part of Cappadocia till the Armenians by their Invasions and Colonies alter'd the Name The Armenian Countrey being conquer'd in the year of our Lord 1515. by Selimus the first was annext to the Ottoman Empire and subjected to its Tyranny The Armenians are now much dispers'd all over the Turks Dominions through the encouragement of Traffick and Commerce to which they are much addicted As for their Constitutions the Men are naturally of healthy strong and robustious Bodies their Countenances commonly grave their Features well proportion'd but of a melancholy and Saturnine Air On the contrary their Women are generally ill-shaped long-nosed and not one of a thousand so much as commonly handsom The men are in their Humours covetous and sordid to a high degree heady obstinate and hardly to be perswaded to any thing of
of Faith but also of his Goodness Besides I conceive my self bound to believe that God had many other means to destroy Ahab then in such an oblique way as this I would gladly know therefore whether the Minor may be reputed of equal validity and force with the Major for framing a good Conclusion to this Syllogism It may be answer'd That we find in the Book of Iudges ch 9.15 Isa. 19.14 something to this purpose in the point of Gods imploying wicked Spirits which also will not seem so strange if we consider that in some cases God may imploy them as his Ministers for the execution of Justice as the Prince does the Hangman for the punishment of Malefactors But as concerning the particular of Micaiah's saying that he saw God sit on his Throne and that the Host of Heaven was on his right hand and on his left unless it be taken otherwise than in a Literal sence I hope I may without offence so far declare my self as that I should not easily give the Minor in the ballance of Reason at least an equal poize with the certainty of the Major unless our Divines help it out with some Allegorical Interpretation Especially when I consider'd that the narrative part of Micaiah's Vision as was said before depended only on his single Testimony and seem'd to be approved of no otherwise than by one single event in the fall of Ahab which in a Battel might yet happen upon many occasions Others and particularly the Adversaries of our Faith will more boldly object that Ahab's Prophets being confident that the Armies of Iudah and Israel when joyn'd together would get the day perswaded the King to fight whilst themselves according to their usual manner stay'd at home and prayed and that it was not unlikely that all things might come to pass as they did without God's sending a lying Spirit into the mouths of Ahab's Prophets And finally because God had so many ordinary ways to procure Ahab's distraction they would say that it seems incongruous for the divine Wisdom and Goodness to choose this For which and many other Reasons also if they rejected not the narrative part as improbable they would however not allow it to go in equal ballance with the Major Nevertheless in this as in all other controverted points it were good to consult our Divines before any thing be determined Now the Reason why many false Prophets have deliver'd most of their Precepts Aenigmatically and Parabolically is either upon the same account as the Heathens did their Oracles that they might be expounded several ways according to several Interests and so likely to speak truth one way or t'other or else that some might get their Living by expounding them knowing that all who live upon their Doctrine will not fail to speak well of the giver of it as we see by Mahomet's Priests Prediction or Prognostication are in a manner the same with Prophesie differing only as Credulity and Faith whereof the former is usually applied to temporal things and the latter to things divine Now Prognostication is thought by many to be but a happy guess which from the vast experience of what is past directs its Prospect to judge of things to come when meeting with the same actions and circumstances as in former times also well knowing that mankind ever was is and will be the same and subject to the same Passions they have reason to expect the like success for the future Now of all sorts of Prophesies those which respect general Things and remote Times are most of all to be suspected To foretell that such a Kingdom shall be invaded or embroyled in Wars as were we now at Peace throughout the whole World to prophesie that there should be great Wars between the French and the Spaniards or that in time the Mexicans and West-Indians should revolt from the Dominion of Spain that such an Empire should be destroy'd such a Countrey infested with the Plague or such a great City fir'd are things that require little Art or skill for that unless some time be limited wherein these things should happen such a Prophesie can never be proved false until it be fulfill'd which in all probability if they be any of the foremention'd things will come to pass once in a thousand years Again To prophesie of the end of this World or of the other World without some divine confirmation by a Miracle renders the truth of such a Prediction very uncertain and makes men jealous that the Prophet spoke of so remote a time and laid the Scene of his Prophesie at such a distance only that he might not live to see himself contradicted well knowing that whilst the World endured no man could disprove him Cur Mundi finem propriorem non facis ut ne Ante obitum mendax arguerere sapis Owen upon Napier Prithee why plac'd you not the Worlds end nigher Lest ' ere you dy'd you should be prov'd a Lyar. 'T was wisely done Prognostications and Prophecies do often help to further that which they foretell the silly people wilfully running into such a predicted Fate as if inexorable because foretold Again others as craftily may endeavour to fulfil a Prophecy which is to their advantage so that the first Prophecy may produce a second Prophet as some of the Ancients receiv'd their titles of Wise only from the Oracles But without some of these helps you will find little more credit to be given to Prophecies except the Sacred ones than to our common Almanacks of which as Montaign observes where they say warm should you say cold and in lieu of dry moist ever setting down the contrary of what they foretell Were I to lay a wager of one or t'others success I would not care which side I took except in such things as admit no uncertainty as to promise extreme heat at Christmas and exceeding cold at Midsummer c. Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosâ nocte preâ—it Deus Ridetque si mortalis ultra Fas trepidat Horat. lib. 3. Od. 29. For my part this ignorance of my own Destiny I look upon to be one of the greatest blessings Almighty God hath bestow'd upon me I would not know the time or manner of my death for the World if I knew the time I might not as perhaps I now may live with that joy content and pleasure till the very hour before my death nay it might then he irksom to me some years before it happen'd when I could positively say on such a day in such a year and such a month I must certainly dye so that the uncertainty of the time doth in some measure extenuate the certainty of the suffering Neither would a certain knowledge of the manner and place of my death be less irksom to me for if I knew it was to be by some fall out of a Coach or off from a Horse it might disable me from travelling either way lest the first time I rid so might prove
Nymphs and some say to Ceres to be educated by them who in reward of their good service were receiv'd up into Heaven and there changed into Stars now called Hyades Ora micant Tauri septem radiantia Flammis Navita quas Hyadas Graius ab imbre vocat Pars Bacchum nutrisse putat pars credidit esse Tethyos has neptes Oceanique senis Ovid. lib. 5. Fastor When Bacchus came to be of age he passed through greatest part of the World and made War upon the Indians whom he overcame and in their Countrey built the City Nisa here mention'd by Philostratus He is said to be the first that introduced the custom of Triumphing at which time he wore a golden Diadem about his head his Chariot was drawn by Tygers his Habit was the skin of a Deer and his Scepter was a small Lance adorn'd with branches of Ivy and Vine-leaves He invented the use of Wine which he gave to the Indians to drink who at first imagined he had given them poyson because it made them both mad and drunk They did at first frequently sacrifice men unto him but since his Expedition into India he was content with other Sacrifices such as Asses and Goats to signifie that those who are given to Wine become as sottish as Asses and as lascivious as Goats Sine Cerere Bacchâ— frigâ—â— Venus Bacchus was brought up with the Nymphs which teacheth us that we must mix Water with our Wine He never had other Priests but Satyrs and Women because the latter had follow'd him in great companies throughout his Travels crying singing and dancing after him in so much that they were called Bacchanales Mimallones Lenae Bassarides Thyades and Menades Names that express fury and madness The greatest Solemnities perform'd in honour of this God were celebrated every three years and call'd therefore Trieteria or Orgya from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a transport of anger because the mad Women cloathed themselves with the skins of Tygers Panthers c. when with their Hair hanging about their ears they ran over the Mountains holding lighted Torches in their hands and crying out aloud Eu hoe Evan eu hoe Bacche which is Good Son a Name given him by Iupiter when in the War with the Giants this Bacchus in the form of a Lion ran violently upon the first and tore him in pieces Bacchus was usually painted riding on a Tyger having in one hand a bunch of Grapes in the other a cup full of Wine with a Mitre on his head an ornament proper to Women or with a bald pate which signifies the effâ—ct of the excess of Wine He wore sometimes a Sickle in one hand a Pitcher in the other and a garland of Roses on his head He did always appear young because Wine moderately taken purifies the Bloud and preserves the Body in a youthful strength and colour His Temple was next to Minerva's to express how useful Wine is to revive the Spirits and enable our Fancy to invent for which reason the Heathens did sacrifice to him the quick-sighted Dragon The chattering Pye was also sacred to Bacchus because Wine doth cause us to prattle more than is convenient his Sacrifices were usually perform'd in the evening and at night Also it is reported of him that he carried a Torch before Proserpina when she was led to be married to Pluto the infernal God Iuno could never endure the sight of him wherefore she labour'd to drive him out of Heaven and to banish him from all society he fled from her fury and as he was reposing himself under a Tree a Serpent named Ambisbaena bit him but he kill'd it with a Vine branch which is a mortal poyson to some Serpents Iuno continued her hatred for him because he was her Husband's Bastard until she cast him into a Fit of madness which made him undertake an Expedition against the Indians and over-run all the Eastern Countreys Lusus was his Companion from whom Portugal is called Lusitania The truth of this Fable is that Liber otherwise call'd Dionysius Bacchus or Osiris by the Egyptians was a King of Nysa a City in Arabia Faelix who taught his people and the Inhabitants of the adjoyning Countreys many useful Arts as the ordering of the Vine and the preserving of Bees He establish'd several good Laws and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He perswaded the people to sacrifice to their Gods for the which he was much honour'd by all civil Nations The Grecians establisht several Festival days in honour of him the chief are their Trieteria kept every three years in remembrance of his Indian Expedition perform'd in that space of time also their Apaturia their Phallica and their Lenaea in the beginning of the Spring for his blessing upon their Vines This latter Festival was named Orgya because his Proselytes did express in it nothing but fury and madness although this Name is sometimes taken for all his other Festivals The Romans had appointed the Ascolia in honour of Bacchus at which time they carried the Statues of this God about their Vineyards as the Papists do beyond Sea their Host or the Priest's God about their fields that he might bless the Fruits of the Earth Afterwards the Procession of Bacchus did return to his Altar where raising the consecrated Victim on the top of a Lance they did burn it to the honour of Bacchus then taking his Statues and Images they hung them on high Trees imagining that they would contribute to the increase of their Grapes and Vines This Festival is called the Festival of God and was celebrated about the month of May. Tit. Livius lib. 39. relates a strange Story of the Festivals of Bacchus in Rome introduced by a Fortune-teller of Greece that three times in a year the Women of all qualities did meet in a Grove called Simila and there acted all sorts of Villany those that appear'd most reserved were sacrificed to Bacchus when that the cryes of the murder'd and ravish'd Creatures might not be heard they did howl sing and run up and down with lighted Torches but the Senate being acquainted with these night-meetings and filthy unclean practices banish'd them out of Italy and punished severely the promoters of them Now the Beasts that were dedicated to Bacchus were the Goats and the Dragons the Egyptians offer'd Sows The Trees consecrated to him were the Ivy-tree the Oak the Fig the Vine the Smilax and the Fir-tree It was the custom that all those who sacrificed to Bacchus did approach the Altars with a Branch or Grown of one of those Trees in their hands which they offer'd unto him Bacchâ—s was sometimes seen with a Garland of Daffâ—dil or Narcissus about his head His Priests as I said before were Women painted in frightful shapes with Snakes for their Girdles and Serpents twisted about their Hair to represent their Cruelty This God did as the Poets tell us punish all those persons who neglected or opposed his Worship
of the Judges who as we may gather from Plutarch vitâ Cimoniâ— were ten in number and called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So highly esteem'd were these three Poâ—ts by the Ancients that by a Law made by Lycurgus and ratified in Athens Aeschylâ—â— Sophocles and Euripides had their Statues erected in Brass for the continuation of their memory Neither were any permitted to act their Tragedies without first reciâ—ing them to the publick Scribe Plut. viâ—a 10 Rhet. Euripides was the first who set out the Argument of the Fable in the beginning of the Tragedy leading the Auditor as it were by the hand to the last and principal point of that one Action which he would represent The several other Judgments that have passed upon this Author I shall omit and only touch upon some few Reflections made on him by that ingenious modern Critick Monsieur Rapin in his Reflections on Aristotle's Poesie which is lately rendred into the English Tongue by the no less judicious Mr. Râ—ymer his Observations are these How much doth Euripides teach us to contemn the Favours and Grandeurs of this World in the Character of his unhappy Queen Hecuba who so pathetically deplores her Misfortunes How doâ—â— he wean us from the unguided Passion of a too violent Love by his Fable of 〈◊〉 where the Passion of Phaedra for her Son-in-law causes the Misfortunes of 〈◊〉 and the Disorders of Theseus's Family What a compassion for Vertue doth the same Fable inspire us with when one cannot see Hyppâ—litus die by the Plot of his Stepmother Phaedra without being highly touched therewith since he was a Martyr only for Chastity and Vertue How agreeable are all his words and persons with their Characters Polyxena and Ipbigenia truely generous How conformable are his very thoughts as well to the Persons as Subjects whereon he treats Thus Queen Evadâ—â— in the Suppliants of Euripides after the death of her Husband Capaneâ—s may be seen to express all the extremity of her grief by force of a sorrow the most generous that ever was her affliction oppresses her without extorting one word from her that betrays the least weakness Nay rather than be guilty of any undecent passionate Clamours he makes Hecuba fall into a Swound on the Stage thereby the better to express all the weight of her sorrow which could not be represented by words The narration of the death of Polyxena in his Hecuba is the most lively and moving in the World The Tragedies of Euripides have more of Action of Morality and of wonderful Incidents than those of Sophocles Nevertheless Euripides is not exact in the contrivance of his Fâ—bles his Characters want variety he falls often into the same thoughts on the same Adventures he is not enough a Râ—ligious observer of Decencies and by a too great affectation to be moral and sententious he is not so ardent and passionate as he ought to be for this reason he goes not to the heart so much as Sophocles there are precipitations in the preparation of his Incidents as in thâ— Suppliants where Theseus levies an Army marches from Athens to Thebes and returns on the same day The discoveries of his Plots are nothing natural but perpetual Machins Diana makes the discovery in the Tragedy of Hippolytus Minâ—rvâ— that of Iphigenia in Taâ—rica Thâ—tiâ— that of Andrâ—mache Castâ—r and Pollux that of Helena and Electra and so of others Lastly Aristotle condeâ—â—s Euripides for introducing Menalippa to speak too much like a Philosopher of the Sect of Anaxagâ—ras whose Opinions were in his time but new 3 Related by Nearchus this Nearchus was an Officer in Alexander's Army whom Arrianus mentions in his 8th Book concerning the Deeds of Alexander 4 The River Arcesinus of this River see Piiny lib. 6. ch 20. who speaks but to the same purpose as doth our Author Philâ—stratâ—â— 5 Overfloweth India like to Nilus as Gangâ—s and Indus are the most famous Rivers of Asia and Danubius of Europe so is Nilus of Africk which as Diodorâ—s lib. 1. writes takes its Name from one Nileus King of Egypt Eustathius saith it is so call'd from Nilus the Nephew of Atlantis but the most general opinion of the Learned is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriveâ— from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. novum limum singulis annis mittat Of this River of Nile two things have been much disputed among the Ancients viz. it s several Ostiaries and the true cause of its Inundation First For its several Ostiaries Homer hath given no number of its Channels nor we the Names thereof in use witâ— all Historians Eratostheâ—es in his description of Egypt hath likewise pass'd them over Aristotle is so indistinct in their Names and Numbers that in the first of his Mâ—teors he plainly affirmeth the Region of Aegypt which we esteem the ancientest Nâ—tion in the World was a meer gain'd grouâ—d and that by the settling of mud and limous matter brought down by the River Nilus that which was at first a continued Sea became raised at last into a firm and habitable Countrey Herodotus in his Eâ—terpe makes mention of 〈…〉 in his Geography naming but two Peleâ—fiâ—eum and Canopicum plainly affirmeth â—â—ere were more than seven There are saith he many remarkable Towns within the Currents of Nile especially such which have given the Names unto the Ostiâ—ries thereof not unto all for they are eleven and four besides but unto seven the most considerable that is Canopicum Bolbitinum Selenneticum Sebenneticum Pharniticum Mendesium Taniticum and Pelusium Ptolomy an Egyptian born at the Pelusian mouth of the Nile makes nine Hondius in his Map of Africa makes but eight and in that of Europe ten And Ortelius in his Map of the Turkiâ—â— Empire setteth down eight in that of Egypt eleven But Maginus Gulielmus Tyrius and Bellonius as well as all modern Geographers and Travellers say there are now but three or four mouths belonging to the River Nile For below Grand Cairo the River divides it selâ— into four branches whereof two make the chief and navigable Streams the one running to Pelusium which is now called Damiata the other to Canopium that at present is named Roscetta the other two saith Mr. Sandys â—un between these and are inconsiderable See Brown's Vulg. Err. lib. 6. The Ancients were much in the dark concerning the Head of this River as appears by all the Writings as well of their Poets as Historians Nile pater quà nam possum te dicere causa Aut quibus in â—erris occuluisse caput Tibull 1 7. Arâ—anum â—â—ura caput non prodidit ulli Neâ— licuit populis paâ—vum te Nile videre Amovitque sinus gentes maluit ortus Mirari quam nosse 〈◊〉 Lucan lib. 10. Te fontium qui celat origines Nilus Horat. lib. 4. Od. 14. Therefore Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 22. saith Origines fontium Nili ut mihi quidem videri solet ficut adbuc factum