subiecteth it selfe cōtinually to al mouings changings in the same perpetuity that the first mouer moueth formeth neuer faileth to produce these transitory things OF THE VICISSITVDE WHICH THE fower Elements haue amongst them selues and euery one by it selfe THat successiue alteration which is in the inferiour part of the world consisteth principally in the fower Elements of which it is compounded which doe receiue continual change both amongst themselues togither and eche of them seuerally First when the water is thickned it seemes to become a stone or a peece of earth when it vapours away to be breath or aire Also the aire enlightened is conuerted into fire the fire extinguished and thickned is turned into aire againe the aire thickned into mists and clouds whence proceedeth water Also we see of water earth and stones to be ingendred in such sort that they giue one to another by turne and course a continual generation Seeing then they neuer remaine in the same estate it is hard to discerne th one from the other But that which we see to be now of one forme then of another and like vnto fire we must not call it fire but like vnto fire neither water but such a thing as water and so likewise in the rest as thinges which haue not any stability Wee ought not to signifye them by names such as wee vse to demonstrate any thing as when wee say this or that for they flie and will neuer abide this demonstration being onely applyable to thinges which are stable but eche of them ought to bee called such and such according to his similitude as the fire and whatsoeuer else hath generation But that wherein they seeme to bee formed and fashioned agayne ought onely to bee designed by this or that remaining alwaie the same without diminishing either power or faculty and continually receyuing all without retayning euer any semblable forme It is the first matter exposed to all nature to receiue any forme and beyng stirred and formed by those thinges which happen on it sometimes it seemeth to be of one sorte and sometimes of another But the matter that is subiect to such à formation should not be well prepared or ordered if it were not of it selfe without forme and naturally despoyled of all the formes which it is to receiue for if it were like to any of these thinges when his contrary or any other nature should come it could not well represent it hauing the other already wherfore it behoueth it to be exempted of all shapes figures and formes which must receyue into it selfe all kindes Wee will not say than that the mother and receptacle of this inferiour world is the earth the ayre the fire the water or anything which is made of them or whereof they are made but that it is an inuisible nature without forme yet capable of any to be comprehended onely by the vnderstanding with reason and not to be perceiued by the senses that the fire seemeth to be somewhat that is heated and the water somewhat that is moistned likewise the aire and the earth according as it receiueth their formes suffering the other passions which depend of them by meanes whereof it seemeth to be of all formes But because it hath not forces or faculties neyther of the like qualitie nor of the same waight it keepeth not any equalitie but is vnequally moued or stirred of these kindes which againe are moued of it by which motion they are caried hither thither and discerned the one from the other by kinds qualities obseruing the order which is giuē them to the end that by the coherence of different bodies there should not remayne that confusion which was before the constitution of the world These foure Elements so different in natures and qualities and contrary one to another are assembled by such à proportion that those which are light are held downe by waight least they should mount higher and contrariwise the heauy least they should fall are hāged on the light ones which tend alwaies vpward remaining all by à like force cōstrained kept in their places by the perpetual circuit of the world which turning alwaies in it selfe holdeth the earth balanced in the midst as the lowest of al which againe in counterchange doth ballaunce the other Elements themselues which holde it as it were ballaunced and hanged in the midst of them The water is diffused rounde about it And the ayre is caried ouer them both making but one globe The fire is seated highest which beyng placed betweene the heauen and the aire is pure on that parte which toucheth the celestiall bodie and impure in that which is next to the ayre receyuing many chaunges in diuers formes And although in that parte next vnto heauen it haue no contrarie to corrupt it remayning in his naturall place apt for the conseruation thereof neuerthelesse the partes of it doe not alwaies perseuer in their puritie by reason of the difformitie or diuersitie of the motion which turneth it and shaketh them and forceth them downwards towards the aire euen to the earth where they perish are consumed Likewise the ayre is diuersly altered by the others which are next vnto it for being diuided into three partes the highest the middle and the lowest the highest parte next vnto the fire to the celestiall mouings and the starres is thinnest and purest the lowest next vnto the earth is thickest and grossest the meane or middlemost is temperate betwixt both yet colder notwithstanding then either of them both for the highest doth participate with the heate of the starres the inferior is warmed by the vapours proceeding from the earth and then againe by the repercussion of the Sun beams and also by the artificiall fires vsed amongst men and the naturall which are hid in the earth But the meane being secluded from both extremities doth continue in his coldnes The aire then being thus diuided is for the most part variable inconstant and changeable especially neere vnto the earth where it doth and suffereth much according to the diuers scituation of the places and according to the aspects and different course of the starres which by their contrary rising and falling doe raise exhalations and vapours from whence proceede the windes clowdes showers tempestes lightninges thunders haile frost snow and other calamities of the earth with great strife of natural things amongst themselues some striuing vpwards which are forceably kept downe by resistance of the starres others being violently caried away the raine descendeth the cloudes ascend the waters are dried the haile and snowe do fall the Sun beames reflexed doe heate the windes whirling about blow vnequally th one against thother being sometimes calme and sometimes stormie And the Northren windes are raised by Iupiter the Easterne windes by the sun the Southren by Mars the VVesterne by the Moon Or els by the foure triplicities of the twelue signes of the Zodiacke those three which are of qualitie hot and drie mouing
by the mediation of the first qualities hot and cold drie and moist being duely tempered for generation and vnproportionably distempered for corruption Secondly the Moone euery moneth increasing decreasing or at ful doth diuersly dispose those humors ouer which she is predominant shewing amongst other meruailes her manifest power ouer the ebbing and flowing of the tydes in the Ocean Then the other starres both wandring and fixed do breed in the aire changes of heat and cold winds thunder raine haile snow and by their aspectes eclipses oppositions coniunctions distances apparences obscurities greatnesse swiftnesse slownesse do bring foorth great and diuers generall and particuler euents of warres dearthes famines plagues of inundations of drouthes and heates according to the correspondency of the parts of heauen and earth the disposition of the matter which they meete with all and diuersity of the time in which they worke their effects So the causes both of these cotidian menstruall annuall and other the rarest mutations happening here below are attributed to the celestiall motions and to the quality of the matter whereon they worke Considering that in the world the elements and their compounds are as the matter the celestial bodies superior intelligences as efficient causes which by their heat light in proceeding giue motion to all inferiour things First the daily motion which the firmament maketh is cause both of liuing and of dying and the annuall course of the Sunne assisted with the Moone other starres of the continuation and successiue change But the most rare and admirable mutations in states sectes and arts ought to bee referred to the ninth and eight sphere the diuersity which is found in them proceeding of the variable motion of that sphere somtimes to the East somtimes to the West now to the South then to the North which is called the motion of trepidation The Arabians also haue diuided this longe space of time by the great coniunctions of the Plannets namely of the three superiour Saturne Iupiter and Mars which they maintayne to haue more power ouer the principall alterations of this inferiour worlde according to the qualities of the triplicities in the which they happen as fiery ayrie watery or earthly That there haue already beene seuen in the space of fiue thousand fiue hundred and thirty yeares for so many the Hebrewes reckon from the beginning of the worlde and that the eigth shal be in the yeare of Christ 1604. The Chaldees Persians Egyptians and auncient Grecians iudged of the notable euents of the worlde by the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone and by those Starres which haue their aspectes towarde the places of the Eclipse or which arise togither or which are in the midst of heauen Belus the Babylonian as Seneca alledgeth appointed the times both of the deluge and conflagration of the world affirming that then all earthly substaunces should be burnt when all the starres hauing now diuers courses should meete togither in the signe of Cancer vnder the same place in such a position as a straight line might passe through all their circles And then should all be drowned when the same starres in the like sort should meet in Capricorne both signes of great efficacy power in chāging of the yere The ancient Poetes vnder the fables of Phaeton of Deucalion and Pyrrha haue represented these two ruines of the world the one by fire the other by water Also the Egiptiā priest in Plato his Timaeus discoursing with Solon saith that many ruines haue come vnto the world shal come hereafter the greatest by fire and water the lesser by earthquakes wars famine pestilence And that the tale of Phaeton the sonne of the Sunne is not altogether estraunged from truth that is that being mounted on his fathers chariot not able to guide it aright he burnt things on earth and was slaine himselfe with lightning for as much as in long space of time do happen many such destructions by fire by reason of the disorder happening about the earth in the celestiall motions That then those which inhabite in the mountaines in drie places are sooner destroyed then such as dwell by the seaside or neare the riuers But contrarywise when it pleaseth God to cleanse the earth by inundations then the dwellers on plaines and valleys to be forceably caried into the sea by the impetuositie of riuers while the inhabitauntes of the hils remaine in safety That those which remaine after such tempests are ignorant of that which is past and vnfurnished of learning which by little and little they recouer afterward Others say that in long space of time there are certaine periods appointed for the world which while they endure all thinges do come to their vigour and which being ended they do al perish but that al of them end their course within the reuolution of the great yere And that when the one commeth to end and the other is ready to begin there are many strange signes seene both in earth and in heauen Wherefore many are of opinion that some great alteration doth approch considering the signes which within these fewe yeres haue appeared in heauen in the starrs in the elements and in al nature Neuer were the Sunne and Moone eclipsed more apparantly neuer were seene so many Comets and other impressions in the aire neuer did the Sea and the riuers so violently ouerflowe their bankes neuer haue bin heard such earthquakes neuer were borne so many and so hydeous monsters Neither hath there euer bin seene since the memory of man so many and so often changes to come to passe in Countries Nations Maners Lawes Estates and Religions The course of the sunne is no more such as it was wont to be in old time neither are there the same points of the Solstices and Equinoxes but within this fourteene hundred yeres since Ptolomey liued who was a most diligent obseruer of the course of the world it is come neerer vnto the earth then at that time it was about twelue degrees Moreouer they say that al the parts of the Zodiacke and the whole signes haue chaunged their places and that the earth is remoued from his first scituation being not entierly absolutely as afore it was the center of the world Some also as Hipparchus a famous Astrologer amongst the Grecians haue giuen out that the celestial motions in time to come shall go a contrary course and that the course of the starrs shal be changed the East becomming West and the South North. In the meane time the continuation of the successiue alteration which we see here belowe consisteth in the mouing cause and in the first matter The cause that moueth is of two sorts th one being the first and chiefe mouer immoueable thother the first mouer moueable by whose vertue and influence gouerned by the diuine prouidence the corruptible things in this sensible world are incessantly restored renewed through the meanes of generation while the first matter
winde from the oriental part vnder the equinoctiall line called East the three other cold and drie raising the Southern wind comming from vnder the Pole antarticke the other three hot and moist the West winde being also vnder the equinoctiall line the other which are colde and moist the North winde comming from vnder the pole articke which windes haue their different properties according to the places from whence they proceed and where they blow mouing about the water and the earth euen as the starres by which they are raised The foure principall windes haue foure other collaterall all which eight together are called entier or whole windes betwixt whom are placed eight halfe windes and sixteene other quarters of windes and by these is all nauigation ordered But the water on which they saile being contiguous or ioyning to the aire receiueth no lesse varietie than it and maketh but one globe with the earth For as the earth being drie of his owne nature cannot endure without moisture neither should the water haue any where to abide without resting it selfe on the earth they haue therefore bin thus by nature ioyned together the one opening the vaines and conduites of the earth the other passing through it both within and without to serue instead of à bande vnto it All water of his proper motion descendeth downe from on high but in the Ocean sea which enuironeth the earth are found three motions th one from East to West another from the North towards the South the third of the daily ebbing flowing for from six houres to six it aduaunceth and enlargeth it selfe then it abateth and retyreth The which motions are seene also in the Mediterranean sea towards the bankes The cause of the first motion from East to West is the daily mouing of the firm ament by whose impetuositie all the Spheres are moued with a good part of the fire and the aire The other from the North towards the South is because that the Sea is higher in the North parts then in the South in respect that the Northren cold ingendreth more water then the Sea can containe within the space distance and heigth of his bankes and the water which is in the South part is consumed and diminished by the heat of the same So one part of the water in the North forceth downe an other on that side which is lowest and moueth accidentally from the place of his generation The third followeth the reuolution of the Moone which alwaies increasing and decreasing appeareth sometimes horned sometmes half round some times almost round and sometimes spotted then by and by cleere great when she is at full and anon she is not seen at all Sometimes she shineth all night sometimes ariseth late sometimes she shineth all day supplying the brightnes of the sunne and comming to Eclipsie yet appeareth notwithstanding and at the monethes end hideth her selfe when she is said to trauaile Sometimes also she is low and sometimes high which neuer happeneth after one sort for sometimes one would say that she were fixed to the firmament other whiles that she touched the top of the mountaines so low she is abased she is sometimes found in the South side of the heauens and sometimes we must seeke her in the North. Since then that she is so variable it is no meruaile if the ebbings and flowings of the Tydes in the sea which are caused chiefely by her are also variable First in the daily motion which the Moone maketh with the heauen in twentie fower howers there are two tydes ebbing and two flowing the sea increasing by the space of six howers and diminishing six others which are twelue And it doth asmuch in other twelue howers which are twentie fower Their augmentations are not alwaies alike in all times and places for by the space of seauen daies the waters do increase when they call them liue waters and seauen other daies they decrease when they are called dead waters In such sort that from the first day of the change of the Moone vntil the eight which is the first quarter the waters are diminished and from the said quarter vntill the fifteenth which is full Moone they are still augmented and from thence till the third quarter they goe still decreasing and from that to the coniunction they are increased againe So the first day of the Moone is chiefe of the waters and the second day the waters are yet verie great and the third in like sort but the fourth day they begin to waxe lesse and so go diminishing from day to day vntil they come to the eight for then are the low waters and on the ninth likewise and the tenth almost the same then on the eleuenth is the rising of the waters when they begin a little to augment And from that time forwarde they increase euery day vntill the fifteenth when it is full moone and then it beginneth againe to be head water and on the sixteenth it increaseth likewise and almost vnto the ende of the seuenteenth But on the eighteenth it decreaseth and goeth so diminishing euery day vntill the thirtieth when as she is in coniunction And so on the first day it beginneth againe to behead water and proceedeth thus increasing and decreasing as hath bin said Yet in these increasings the waters are not so high at one time as at another but greater at one time and lesse at another Also the ebbing and flowing of tides are not equal in all places Neuertheles when the moone is at Northeast it is full sea and when she is at Southeast it is low water Also there is nothing perpetuall in the earth sometime the sea or some other water enclosed within it breaking out forceably doth couer a part thereof sometimes againe it retireth The Riuers and fountaines are dryed vp and there arise new in other places Some Countries are turned into standing pooles and marishes others into sandie deserts others into woodes then being husbanded and laboured they become fertile of barrain and againe on the contrarie barrain of fruitful The Mountaines are made plain and the plaines are lifted vp some places are swallowed by Earthquakes or scorched by exceeding heats When it hath long bin manured it waxeth wearie then by rest and cherishing it recouereth vigour In tract of time it waxeth old if not wholie yet at the least in his parts then is renewed and becommeth young againe We see euery yeare at the spring time and beginning of Summer how being watered with small rayne caused by soft windes and moderately heated it openeth the seedes of all things which before were shut vp and putteth some of them into herbes stalkes and eares others into stems and husks others into budds others into tender tops the garden trees yeeld buds flowers leaues and fruit the forestes and woods are clothed with greene bearing on their branches and bougâ—es the birdes pricked with a desire of engendring which record by themselues their melodious songs The Fishes leape and the
extremitie conioyned and knit togither Moreouer it is certaine that Nature hath not created any thing vnto which she hath not giuen a contrarie to withhold it and keepe it backe where hence proceede the Antipathies or contrarie affections in all things aswell animate as inanimate lyuing as without life In beasts as betweene the Cocke and the Foxe in fishes betweene the Mullet and the fish called Lupus which some take it to be the Pike in birdes betwixt the Crow and the Kite Amongst trees the Chestnut and Oliue amongst stones the Adamant and the Diamant What then shall we say of men which are so passionate and inconstant Truely that al in all ages and all kinds of life publike priuate solitarie contemplatiue actiue are inclined to contentions and partialities euen so farre as euery one to be at variance in him selfe hauing in his bodie and soule a perpetuall combate betweene reason and concupiscence And in this maner is the strife amongst children which yet haue no knowledge and amongst the Sauages which haue nothing proper or peculier There are Sectes in the schooles of Law Physicke Diuinitie Philosophie and in the conuents and monasteries amongst the Reclus and Recluses No maruaile is it therefore if there be seditions in Cities and Countries which make people of diuers estates euen to run hedlong as was sometimes in Rome that of the common people and the Nobility Yf there be warres betweene Lordship and Lordship kingdom and kingdom which respectiuely keeps them both in feare So were aunciently in Greece the Lacedemonians to the Athenians so to the Romaines the Carthaginians and afterward the Parthians So are at this day opposed the Scots to the English the English to the French the French to the Italians The Almaines to the Suitzers the Africans to the Spaniards the Turkes to the Christians the Persians to the Turkes the Zagathaines to the Persians being deuided amongst themselues by colours redd and greene and of that are called Caselbas and Cuselbas the Moscouites to the Polonians the Tartarians to them both In the Indies Cochim to Calecut in high Africk the Moores to the Abissins thorough out the countrey of the Arabians the inhabitants of the Mountaines to those that dwel in the Plaines The Black-moores amongst themselues And in Brasil the Sauluages euen to the eating of one another when they are taken in warre And it might seeme that these diuisions were in some sort necessarie thoroughout the world and such contrarieties as God hath giuen to euery estate almost to euery person profitable to keepe them in feare and humility for men will soone waxe proud and are easily puft vp with prosperity and riches and especially when they misconceaue from whence such grace proceedeth God is wont to send them aduersities for their chastisment Wheresore it is ordinarily seene that euery mighty estate hauing no forrain enemy findeth some within it selfe and when it is come to such greatnesse that it cannot be brought vnder or kept downe by any strange or foraine force then is it afflicted with partialities and oftentimes distroied or translated into some other nation with alteration both of Iustice and politike gouernment Moreouer when the Countries are to full of inhabitants and that the malice and subtilty of man is come to the highest then are they purged and empted by famines and pestilence to the end that the people which are in it being reduced to a lesse number and chastised may liue better But if herewith they amend not but waxe worse and worse then either are they exterminated by fire and water or by Earthquakes ouerwhelmed God vsing alwaies such rigours against those which perseuer in their wickednes as he is alwaies readie to receiue to mercie such as are truely penitent which turne to him and pray to him with their harts OF THE VARIETY AND INTER course of Shadowes Daies and seasons of the yeare and diuersitie of habitations on the Earth HItherto hath bin declared how the world is not onely conserned by the intercourse of the Heauens and Elements but also tempered by contraries Now to the end we may the better consider the difference which is found in respect of the diuersitie of places and aspectes of heauen aswell in plants trees fruits mettals sauours colours and tastes as in beasts fishes birds and euen in men themselues and all their affaires we will briefly touch as far foorth as shall belong to our present purpose the fiue Zones of the habitable earth the seauen Climats fower limits East West North and South the two sides or hemisphers longitude and latitude the three parts thereof Europe Asia and Africke vnto which is also added America the varietie of shadowes daies and seasons with the diuers maners of inhabiting because that all these considerations serue to the knowledge of the world and the chaunges which in times past haue happened therein and do euery day come to passe The Auncients diuided the Heauen consequently the earth into fiue Zones thinking that those two that are vttermost about the two Poles North and South did make those two parts of the earth which are subiect to them vnhabitable by their extreme continual cold Also that that part of the heauen which beholdeth the middle of the earth vnder the Equinoctiall made it likewise vnhabitable by reason that the Sunne hauing there his continuall course burneth with his beames beating on it so neere and perpendicularly all the countrie lying vnder that Zone That the two others which are betweene the burning Zone and the Poles were temperate as also those parts of the earth which are answerable vnto them But that one could not passe verie well from the one to the other because of the burning Zone being in the midst But by the latter voyages and nauigations the whole earth is found to be inhabited yea euen vnder the Poles themselues beeing both in the midst and in the vtmost parts frequented with men and with singuler commodities the heat of the middle-most accounted burning hoat being lesse vnder the Equinoctiall then the Tropicke not a whit hindering the passage from one of the temperate vnto the other For although that vnder the Equinoctiall the sunne-beames are perpendicular twice in a yeare yet do they but little harme by reason that they stay not long there the Zodiake being streight and not oblique or crooked in that place Then the nightes being there continually equall in length vnto the daies doe mitigate with their colde the heat of the dayes But vnder and neere vnto the Tropickes the Zodiacke beeing crooked the Sunne stayeth longer there and discendeth not so swiftlle vnder the Horizon makinge the dayes longer and the sunne hotter yet sufferable notwithstanding as wee see by innumerable people dwelling vnder the Equinoctial and betweene the Tropickes In the vttermost part of the North dwell the Liuonians Noruegians Lithuanians Swedens Moscouites Lapians and Brarmians last of all hauing in their depth of winter the aire full of foggs and great clouds
with much snow and frost In such sort that both by water and by land they make their traficke and warres on yce But when summer returneth the countrie is vncouered and made more temperate by the light which the Sunne giueth there longer in one place then in another according as it is neerer or farther remoued from the Pole Euen as in the hoat quarter some places by the presence of the Sunne are disinhabited or at least incommodiously inhabited which by his departure do recouer an habitable temperature The superficies or vpper face of the Earth hath bin also otherwise distinguished for by how much any countrie declineth on one side or other from the Equinoctial so much is their day the longer in Summer and their night in Winter In such sort that according to the diuers increase of the daies the spaces of the earth haue bin distinguished attributing to euery Climate halfe an howers increase And the places subiect vnto these Climates haue bin noted out either by famous Cities or riuers or mountaines as by Meroe Sienna Alexandria Rhodes Rome Borysthenes and the mountaine Ripheus fabulously inuented where the longest day is of 16. howers and a quarter and the Pole is eleuated 50. degrees The Auncients staied at this seauenth not knowing the Regions Countries Seas and Isles that are beyond it At this day by the same reason there may others be added The fower limitts or boundes of the worlde are the East West South and North differing in this that the South and the North are stable and immoueable But the East and West do neuer remaine in one estate by reason of the ascent and descent which the Sunne maketh in the signes of the Zodiacke Wherefore Eratosthenes following nature diuideth the world chiefly into two partes the South and North imagining that from them proceeded the diuersitie of all inferiour thinges according to their neerenesse or distance from the sunne True it is that thereby ariseth some difference but all consisteth not therein as hereafter shall be declared Moreouer nature hath indewed euery one of these extremities or vtmost partes with some singuler excellencie For toward the East there India brings forth Rubies Emeraulds Pearles and many other precious stones both out of the earth and the sea the great and mightie Elephants the high palme-trees full of wine and loden with nuts And Serica in that quarter hath first giuen vs the Silke which is had of wormes bred in Mulberie-trees Arabia in the South yeelds incense ebony and cotton Iewrie next vnto it the balsme and the cedar Ethiopia Cassia and Ciuet The Moluccaes in the farthest partes of the West Pepper spice cloues cinnamon ginger nutmeggs and other druggs The North the Alces Beares Ounces and other beastes which are not seen elswhere hony and waxe without the industrie of man throughout the large forestes exquisite skinnes of Martins Sables and others of great accompt in the other parts of the world to make furres for great Lordes Cornelius Tacitus saith that Amber groweth onely in Borussia and is fished there as in the South comes incense and balsme Also the earth being spherical or round is parted into two equall sides called Hemispheres and by the roundnesse of it from East to West it commeth to passe that there it is sooner day and night and by the roundnesse of it from South to North that there are alwaies seen some starres about the Pole Articke not about the Antarticke which remayneth hidden from vs which are one this side the earth as ours is also vnseen of those on the other side The longitude or length of the earth is taken from the West to East the latitude or bredth from the South to the North. The auncients as Isocrates diuided the earth onely into two parts Europe and Asia afterwards they added Africke for the third this diuision taking his beginning at the straight of Gibraltar where the Atlanticke sea engulfeth it selfe within the land making the Mediterranean or midland sea by which these three are diuided Africke remayning on the right hand Europe on the left and Asia in the midst On the other side the riuers Nilus and Tanais made these diuisions long agone But as for Tanais it cannot now stand for a bound so many innumerable people and countries beeing knowen now on this side which heretofore were vnknowen to the Auncients To these three also it is necessarie to add a fowerth taken of America and other landes newly discouered towardes the West and the South of which it is not yet knowen whether they be ioyned or no to Asia that is to say whether they ought to bee reputed maine land or Isles These thinges premised as necessarie to the vnderstanding of this discourse that followeth wee will intreat henceforward of the varietie of shadowes inequalitie of dayes and nightes intercourse of the seasons of the yeare according to the diuers habitations and will propose the diuersitie of thinges according to the difference of places Then comming to the shadowes wee find that they chaunge with the Sunne and from Countrie to Countrie for by how much the Sunne is higher the shadow is the lesse and by how much he is the lower the shadow is greater in such sort that alwaies it is greater in the morning and euening then at noonetyde Vnder the two Tropickes there is no shadowe at noone on the daies of the Solstices nor vnder the Equinoctiall in the daies of the Equinoxes The inhabitants on the one side and the other haue their shadowes opposite the one on the right hande the other on the left To those that dwell vnder the Poles they are round about them in manner of roundels or milstones The Sunne then going alwaies either towardes the North or on the Equinoctiall or towardes the South maketh fiue sortes of shadowes through out the world that is to the East to the West to the North to the South and one straight shadowe Towardes the East it maketh shadow when it setteth to the West when it riseth towardes the North when it comes from the South and when hee whose shadowe is made is neerer to the North then is the Sunne and towardes the South when hee that makes the shadowe is neerer then the sunne is to the South Also the straight shadow is when the Sunne is on our Zenith All these fiue sortes of shadowes happen onelie to those which dwell betweene the Tropickes and they which inhabite vnder the Equinoctiall haue but fower towardes East and West They that are vnder the Tropicke of Cancer haue their shadowe towardes the North and those that are vnder the Tropicke of Capricorne towardes the South And once in the yeare direct when the Sunne entreth into that Tropicke Those which dwell wythout the Tropickes haue but three shadowes towardes East and West and those which dwell in the North haue their shadow towardes the North and such as inhabite the South part haue their shadow towardes the South and neuer haue it direct or
aboue the earth and the six other vnderneath Againe the inhabitants of the earth compared one to the other are called Periecians Antecians and Antipodes Periecians may be called collateral and are they which dwell vnder the selfe same climate paralelle and Meridian drawen through the Poles They haue this common with vs First that they inhabite the same temperate Zone secondly that at the same time they haue winter and summer and the other seasons the increasing of daies and nights but differ in this that they haue not the same East and West and that when it is high noone with vs it is midnight with them Such are the inhabitants of the Canaries with the people of China Antecians are they which inhabit thother temperate zone towards the South turning their backes towards vs distant equally from the Equinoctial on their side as we are on ours Hauing then a contrarie latitude they haue also the seasons of the yere contrarie The Autumne in Aries when the Spring is with vs The winter in Cancer when we haue summer the spring in Libra when haruest is here the summer in capricorn which to vs is winter But because they are in the same longitude they haue at the same instant with vs midday and midnight Such are the Egiptians with the farthest Africans The Antipodes so called because they go with their feet opposite to ours hauing the Horizon Hemisphers opposed vnto whom al things are cōtrary winter sommer day and night East west OF THE VARIETY OF THINGS AC cording to the difference of places HEnceforward following our purposed order we will speake of the diuersitie of thinges according to the difference of places Where then the heat is neither to extreme and feruent nor the cold to excessiue and sharpe where there are neither vnmeasurable raines nor too violent windes but the seasons of the yere continue in moderate disposition there is found a conuenient temperature of the aire holsomnes of waters and fertility of groundes by meanes whereof the Countrey is made pleasant healthsome apt to bring forth corne and pulse to norishe all kinde of plants as well others as wilde bearing fruite abundantly in their seasons The beastes birdes and fishes are better formed more fruitfull and of better tast then elswhere But where as hot or cold drie or moist doe exceede they hurt euery thing and make it worse The Ethiopians being neere vnto the Sunne which burneth them with his beames are blacke hauing their heare and beard frisled or curled On the contrary they which inhabite the colde and ycie countries haue their skinne white and soft their heare yellow and vnited both the one and the other being naturally cruell by reason of their excessiue cold and heat They are in both countries of high stature which proceedeth of the abundance of heat in respect of the Ethiopians and of the abundant moisture in regard of those which inhabite the cold countries But the regions of the meane temperature are very good and fertile the people which inhabite there of meane stature quicke witted and well tempered of colour They are delicate in their maner of liuing and haue a good sharpe and quick witt readie to comprehend any thing And cōmonly the great Empires and famous monarchies are in their hands which are not foūd amongst people remoued from this temperature by reason of their beastly sauagenes and brutish immanity Likewise the beasts which are bred in the cold coūtries are lumpish and heauy And on the contrary they are light that are in the hoate regions the one sort very much differing from the other both in forme shape colours and properties The fishes from sea to sea the birds from countrey to countrey do differ much one frō thother as may be knowen by the sight of thē vnderstood by the books which are writtē of thē There is no lesse differēce amongst herbs trees according to the place where they are brought forth For they which grow in the hāgings of hils cold dry exposed to the wind are of greater vertu thē the others on the cōtrary such as grow on plains and shadowed places and waterie being hid from the wind are not of such efficacy Also the soile and season maketh them oft times to shoot forward or to be backward We see better trees fuller of leaues and better stored with fruit in one territory then in another because they like the place better Those trees which loue the hils are very great and faire as Cedars Firre trees pynetrees boxetrees and plaintrees In the Forests the okes beeches corketrees lotetrees elmes ashes and haseltrees do grow The alders poplars willowes and reedes on the riuers sides and in watrie places Some come not any where but in the South Countries as the orange tree the citron or lemmon tree palme or date tree and the sicamore Others in the cold Countries as appletrees and pearetrees The same difference is found both in herbes and lesser plants th one not growing but in hot countries the other in cold others in those that are meanely temperate Some grow in marishes others in standing waters There are some which are found ordinarily in moist places and some in drie others loue the fieldes others the vines and others the meadowes Some do better in the vallies then on the sides of hils others loue the high places exposed to the winde There are that finde norishment along the walles of Townes and Castels and betwixt the closures and ruines of houses Corne coms better in one place the vine in another and cattel in an other The aire is so temperate in Calecut that there is neuer any plague but continuall greenenes in the herbes and trees and there are euery moneth new fruits differing altogether from ours yet good neuerthelesse and maruelous pleasant The countrie of Syria chiefely about Damasco aboundeth with all sort of corne flesh and fruit especially with newe grapes all the yere long Also pomgranats quinces almonds oliues and roses of diuers colours very faire and odoriferous But their apples peares and peaches are of an euil tast In the west Indies as well throughout the Islands as in the Maine there are wilde vines that beare good grapes without industry or care of man But the kernels of the peaches plums cherries sowen in diuers places there do take no roote Oliue trees being planted there bring nothing but leaues without fruit The countrey of Babilon is most fertile in corne but the vine and figg-tree wil not grow there In Moscouia there is great abundance of hony and waxe riche skinnes and exquisite furres but not any fruit worth the reckoning The Tartarians and Arabians haue nothing but cattell The Moluccaes yeeld the aromaticall druggs of spicery and in all thinges else are barren In one place are the Emerauds Rubies Turkoises and Pearles In another is Corrall Ambor and Christall in one place there is gold found in another lead tinne and siluer Plinie esteeming the wheate of
curiously many workes which he can not imitate which because they can not speake are called mute or dumbe and vnreasonable creatures And although men are more sociable yet little would the similitude of nature which is amongst them auaile them vnto this societie if they did not vnderstand one an other and would rather chuse to conuerse with the dumbe creatures of diuers kinds then with other strange men which they vnderstand not Speech then being so necessarie to a ciuil man who by reason alone can not haue the companie of an other and being naturally giuen him to declare the conceits and affections of his mind notwithstanding it commeth to passe that the words are not alwaies and euery where the same as the thinges are vnto which they are imposed but do chaunge from countrie to countrie and from time to time according to the vse and custome of those that speake beeing receiued and vnderstood amongst them by their owne agreement and consent From whence proceedeth this varietie of Languages amongst men dispersed ouer the whole habitable earth being so spacious in length and bredth th one not vnderstanding thother but by signes or interpreters But if as there is in all men one first principle of reason and one common interiour intelligence it were possible that there were also but one common tongue to serue in arts and contracts they would loue one another better by the ceasing of that discord which commeth by the diuersitie and ignorance of tongues and employ that time in knowledge of things which they are now constrained to bestow in learning of words Diodorus the Sicilian following the auncient Philosophers hath written that men at the beginning had the sound of their voice confused and not to be vnderstood but that by little and little making distinction they named euery thing by his name And for asmuch as they were then dwelling in diuers partes of the world they did not vse all one speach and language whence it came to passe that they had also different Characters and letters Moses declareth in Genesis how the language of all the earth was confounded in the building of the tower of Babel wherehence hath proceeded the diuision of Nations and the beginning of the diuersitie of Tongues by the pride and presumption of men As in trueth it is a punishment for sinne that we haue so many which are changed vncessantly at the pleasure of the common people forging daily new words by the birth of which the former must needes decay Euen as the seasons of the yeare do spoile the earth of her flowers and fruites and do after cloath it a new with others Likewise time maketh words to fall and vse maketh new to spring in their places and graceth them making them to be in request vntill that being by age consumed by little and little they come also to die because that in the end both we and all things that are ours are mortall But such change and varietie commeth ordinarily of the mingling of diuers Nations and of great faires and armies where are people of diuers languages who assembling and communing together do continually forge new wordes which do either endure or perish according as of custome they are accepted or reiected And howbeit that speech is natural vnto men yet do they not speake but artificially nor do they learne it but in hearing others speake first their mothers and their nurses and afterwards the common people Wherefore it behoueth that the first which imposed names on things hauing no other of whom they might learne them did miraculously learne them in that tongue wherein the nature and trueth of things agreed with their originals and Etimologies which men euen to this present haue endeuoured to seeke in all tongues in the significations of words The Hebrewes attribute this honour to their tongue which they account the first and most auncient of the world Herodotus writeth that Psamneticus King of Egipt being desirous to know which was the first language gaue two young children of poore parentage to a Shepheard to be kept forbidding any word to be spoken in their hearing but commaunded they should be kept a sunder and that at certaine howers there should goates be brought to giue them suck which he did for a desire he had to heare what word these children would speake first And it hapned after two yeares when the Shepheard opened the doore to come in to the children they fell downe both at his feete and holding vp their handes pronounced this word Bec which is as much to say as Bread in the Phrygian tongues And so it was found that the Phrygians were more auncient then the Egyptians and their language the first Vitruuius the Architect speaking somewhat grossely of this matter saith that while men dwelt yet in the forrestes in some of the thickest places the trees shaken by the force of the windes and beating violently one against an other stroke fire wherat those that were neere being astonished fled and afterwards comming neere again when the noise was stilled they found that great commoditie came to the bodie by the heat of the fire and putting wood into it so maintayning it they called the rest and shewed vnto them by signes the good that came of it In this first assemblie their voices issuing diuersly out of their brests the words were made as they offred themselues by the which signifying oft the same things they began to speak at aduenture so formed the languages amongst them Pythagoras did attribute soueraine wisdom to him which first found out names for euery thing And Plato affirmeth in his Cratilus that it was done by a power more then humaine for in trueth man could not of him selfe without the helpe of God discerne innumerable thinges contained in the world by their proper names which otherwaies had remained vnknowen I say the Heauen his parts and mouings the fixed and wandering Starres the Elements with their qualities wyndes raines haile snowes thunders and other meteors birds beasts fishes herbs plants trees graines minerals stones pearles their natures and properties seas gulfes climates hauens ports isles riuers lakes pooles lands countries people nations villages hamlets townes and cities The inward and outward partes of the bodie sences and their obiects odours sauours smels and tasts maladies and their remedies infinite humaine actions victuals garments lawes magistrates iudgments gouernments ceremonies warfare reuenewes moneies so many arts and occupations with their instruments so many persons with names and surnames the affinities and alliances betwixt them The controuersie also in times past hath bin great amongst the learned whether words were imposed at the will and pleasure of them that speake or els by art and natural reason The varietie and continuall mutation which is seen in tongues made some think that this imposition was casual and arbitrarie founded on the consent and custom of men Others said that sithence the names are as instruments ordained to present things vnto vs which do
they killed one an other with their presse and disorder And when the greatest part of such as had escaped this ouerthrow were passed ouer the bridge which was made with boates on the riuer Indus Semiramis caused it to be broken and the king being warned by prodigious apparitions not to go beyond the bridge ceased the pursuit Such was the proofe of the Indian power Touching their wisdom the Brachmans made profession therof amongst them naked and austere being holiemen liuing according to their Lawes intending altogether the contemplation of God without making any prouision of vittailes for the earth furnished them alwaies with new and fresh the riuers gaue them drink and the leaues â—â—lling of the trees and the grasse yeelded them lodging And there was not onâ— amongst them reputed a holie or happie man if while he was yet liuing of perfect memorie and vnderstanding he did not separate his soule from his bodie with fire and did not go pure and cleane out of the flesh hauing consumed whatsoeuer was mortall in him And whereas the people were diuided into seauen sortes and degrees they were the first in dignitie being exempted from all charges not subiect vnto any man nor ruling ouer any but as men acceptable vnto the Gods and reputed to knowe all that is done in Hell they receyued of euery one his oblation made for sacrifices and tooke the care and charge of the dead receiuing great guists by occasion thereof Assembling and gathering themselues togither at beginning of the yere they fortold of drouths raines windes diseases and other things the knowledge whereof brought great profit to the people Their Artisans were very good as being brought vp in a pure and cleane aire drinking nothing but good and wholsomewaters The gouermeÌ„ts of the Indians being diuided into many parts it was not permitted vnto any to change his maner of liuing not seeming reasonable vnto them that a man of warre should till the earth nor that a Philopher should become an Artisan On the other part the ETHIOPIANS vaunted them selues to bee the first created of al the men in the world that they were brought sorth by the earth for considering that the heate of the sunne in drying the earth when it was moist had giuen life to all things it was also coÌ„sequent that in places neerest vnto the suÌ„ne there were procreated from the beginning al kind of liuing creatures They said that religion adoration of the gods was first sound out amongst them and the sacrifices processions pompes solemnities and al such things by the which honour was giuen them of men of the which they had such recoÌ„pense that they were neuer vanquished nor ouercom by any strange king that alwaies they had remained in liberty And howbeit diuers princes had assaied with great armies to bring them in subiection yet none of theÌ„ had enioyed their Empire Moreouer that they were the first that had inuented the formes and vse of letters and giuen themselues to the study of Astrology as well by reason of their quick wits and sharpnes of vnderstanding whereby they exceed all other nations as by the oportunitie of the Countrey which they inhabite and that therfore they haue continual serenity and tranquility of the aire and haue not the seasons of the yere disordered and variable but liue alwaies in one temperature Moreouer that the Egyptians were discended of them the Priests of both nations obseruing the same order and maner of doing their sacrifices vsing the like vestures and ornaments For the prerogatiue of antiquity there was in times past great contention between the Egyptians and the Scythians For the EGYPTIANS sayde that from the beginning when the world was created where other lands burned on the one side by ouergreat heate of the sunne others on thother side were frozen thorough the extremity of the colde in such sort that they could neither bring forth new men nor receiue straungers if any had come thither and especially before garments were inuented to keepe men from colde and heate and the artificiall remedies to correct the ill disposition of places Egypt hath alwaies bin so temperate that the inhabitants thereof are not molested with the great cold of winter nor with the heat of Sommer Also the land is so fruitfull there of all thing necessary for the life of man that not any where els is found a land so plentifull Wherefore reason would haue it that men should be first borne in that Countrey where they might best and with most ease be nourished On the contrary the SCYTHIANS saide that the temperatnes serued to no purpose to proue the antiquitie for when nature parted and deuided extreme heat extreme cold into diuers regions it is to be thought that the land which first remained vncouered vnclothed of theis two extreme qualities did incontinently bring forth men and beasts which might there bee nourished And concerning trees and other fruits they were varied according to the estate of the Countries And for as much as the Scythians haue a sharper aire then the Egyptians so are there bodies and their vnderstandings harder also then theirs Neuerthelesse if the frame of the world which is now diuided into two partes hath bin sometime all one whether the whole earth were inclosed and inuironed with water or that the fire which hath engendred all things held and possessed the whole world in both cases the Scythians were the first For if the fire possessed al it must needs be that by little little it was quenched to make place for the habitable earth In which case it is to be thought that it was first quenched on the north side because it is the coldest region and the Scythians are seated there whence it cometh to passe that euen at this present it is the coldest countrey that is knowen And in regard of Egypt and all the East we must thinke that the heate was there but lately remitted For yet at this day they haue meruailous heate there when the sunne is at highest Also if the whole earth were at the first enuironed with water it is to bee thought that the places that are hyghest were first discouered and that where the earth is lowest there the water remained longest and by consequent that there where the earth was first discouered and dryed there began first all liuing things to be ingendred But the countrey of the Scythians is higher then all other lands as appeareth by this that all the riuers which do arise there discend to the poole Meotis and from thence do take their course into the Ponticke Sea and into Egypt which Countrey of Egypt is so lowe and so subiéct to waters that although so many Kings thoroughout so many ages haue with great diligence and expence made so many rampyers so many bankes and dyches to keepe the land from being ouerflowen by the impetuosity of riuers because that when they held them in on oneside they ran out on the
plenty of all good things without pain or trauaile aud were driuen from thence for their disobedience and that of them two ioyned in mariage haue proceeded all men dispersed ouer all the habitable earth But Saint Augustine considering that of the fiue zones set downe by the auncient Astrologers and Cosmographers there were but two esteemed temperate and inhabited and that from the one it was thought they could not passe to the other by reason of the heate which was in the midst called the burning zone and that if it were so it must follow necessarily that the Antipodes came not of Adam he chose rather to deny that there were any Antipodes then to fall into any absurd impietie or to gainesay learned antiquity in this point But it is certaine both by the auncient and modern nauigations that there are Antipodes as those of Taprobana are to the Spanyards which is knowen by the aspect of heauen appearance of the starres hyding of our pole and eleuation of theirs hauing as hath bin said euery thing contrary vnto vs Sommer and Winter day and night East and West THE GREEKS in their fables said that Vulcan being amorous of Minerua shed his seed on the land of Athens from whence spong the Athenians who therefore vaunted themselues that they were borne of their owne land without taking any original elswhere vnderstanding by the earth al matter and by Vulcan the fire which moueth the earth and quickeneth it and that Ceres after the rauishment of her daughter Proserpina hauing wandered long throughout the world came into their Countrey where she showed them the vse of wheate wherehence afterward it was manifested to all men that their City hath not onely communicated such meanes of liuing to the indigent but also was the first that established lawes and set downe gouernment and that in part it inuented the arts seruing for necessity and pleasure and in part hath approued them or made them better and more exquisite obtaining the honour of Philosophy by which all theis things haue bin either inuented or amended and of eloquence which first tooke beginning in Athens and hath there bin brought to perfection that City hauing gotten by wisedome and eloquence such excellency and reputation that her Scholers were Maisters of others and that the name of Greeks was no more a name of a people or nation but of reason and vnderstanding and that the partakers of their learning were more esteemed Greekes then those which participated of the same nature with them At this day the wandring ARABIANS boast themselues to be the first of the world hauing neuer bin mingled with other nations and hauing kept entier as they say the nobility of their bloud BVT OMITTING all these disputings and boastings of nations all fantasies and humaine reasons of Philosophers we will rest our selues on the certainty of holy scripture touching the creation of the world and of mankinde And concerning the discourse of armes and of letters which are here in question we wil begin it by the Egyptians who being ingenious and valiant seeme to haue bin the first that haue excelled in wisedome and power from whom the Greekes drew almost all their knowledge which we vse at this day hauing not onely in estimation but also in admiration both Egypt and the Egyptians OF THE POWER LEARNING AND other excellency of the Egyptians AMongst others Isocrates that most excellent oratour praysing Busiris who made choise of that Countrey to raigne in as the most commodious of all the world writeth thus for considering other places not to be conueniently situated in respect of the nature of the whole world but that some are too much subiect to raine and others otherwaies molested and that region to be in the fairest seat of the earth and most abounding in all sorts of good things and enuironed with the riuer Nilus as with a naturall wall which not onely keepeth but fatneth it being inexpugnable to straungers that assaile it and much profitable to those which dwell neere it by the waterings and other commodities which they receiue of it whose industry also he hath made almost diuine in matter of tillage For by his meanes they haue both raines and drouthes in their disposition which are bestowed by Iupiter elswhere Their felicity is so great that if one consider the excellency and goodnes of the Countrey and their spacious fields he will thinke they inhabite the maine land if the commodities wherewith it aboundeth which are caryed out and those which not growing there are brought in thither from other places he will think that they dwell in an Island For the riuer running here there and watering it thoroughly doth furnish them with two meruailous commodities Busiris then began where wise men ought to begin choosing a faire place which supplied all things needfull for the inhabitants aboundantly Then diuiding them by orders and estates he appointed some for sacrifices others for handy crafts and others for warfare thinking that ordinary necessities and commodities ought to be furnished by tillage and by trades but that the protection of them was most assured by the exercise of armes and deuotion towards the Gods Accomplishing then all the perfection required in a good law maker he ordained that euery of them should alwaies exercise one trade knowing that they which change oft cannot vnderstand any thing well nor do any thing perfectly but those which are alwaies conuersant about the same things do commonly excell Whence it is come to passe that the Egyptians in euery art do excell so much all other Artisans as good workmen are wont to excel the vnskilful and ignorant Moreouer they obserue so good order in administration of their kingdome and al other publicke gouernment that the most famous philosophers disputing of such affaires prefer the gouernment of Egypt aboue all theirs Also to him we must refer as to the principal authour the study and exercise of wisedom for he so aduantaged the priestes first that they might maintaine themselues in chiefe place with the holy reuenues that afterwards great holynes being by their lawes required of them they might liue temperatly and being exempted from warfare and other charges they might rest in quiet THEY enioying then this commoditie haue inuented Physicke to helpe the body not that which vseth dangerous medicamēts but those which may as safely be taken as the daily meates and neuerthelesse are so profitable that they which vse them are seene to be lusty and able of body and to liue long And for medicine of the minde they haue proposed the exercise of Phylosophy which can make lawes and search out the nature of thinges Hee committed to the auncienter sort the best charges and perswaded the yonger leauing pleasures to giue themselues to Astrologye Arithmetick and Geometry which faculties are thought by some to be profitable in many things The others indeuour to show that they follow vertue earnestly Their piety and deuotion towards the Gods is worthy of great