mixture from the truest and ancientest Hebrew discipline It is manifest that in the Heathenish superstitions themselues many footsteppes haue bin discouered which will appeare by diuers Instances These arguments I confesse seeme very strong but yet not of sufficient strength to enforce credulity without other warrant To say peremptorily with Mr. Bodin that by the consent of ancient writers the Chaldeans are acknowledged the most ancient people is more then I dare to venter Neither is this opinion so strongly fortified with arguments but Reason may steppe in to haue a doubtfull assault Their first argument drawne from the testimony of holy Scriptures in th â—â— of Genesis seemes to stand on our side altogether against them For whereas it is said that they came from the east into the plaine of Shinaar it is manifest that the east was first peopled or else how should this people come from the east into these plaines of Shinaar to erect the tower of Babel Secondly whereas they vrge Arts Ciuility Magnificence of the Chaldeans wee shall find it rather to agree to the people which dwell farther east as is witnessed by the former instances And if any obiect that at this day is found the contrary for as much as we find the Indian to be a barbarous blind and ignorant Nation in respect of the Asiatickes and Europaeans we answere two wayes 1 First that we find not by experience the East-Indians to bee so altogether deuoide of ciuility but that wee may obserue not only amongst them the footsteppes but also the practise of many ingenuous Arts sage gouernment policy and magnificence as amongst the Chinois and the large territory of the great Mogull 2. It is not hard to imagine that in so large a tract of time the best setled common wealthes should be brought to nought arts ciuility magnificence be forgotten and the rarest inuentions bee cast into obliuion especially by those two enemies of ciuility warres and luxury both which hauing the raignes in their own hands are quickly able to abolish all wholesome discipline both in Lawes and Religion 3. Their argument drawne from the footesteppes of Languages in my shallow conceit proues nothing else but that all Lawes Arts and Learning was deriued to the Graecians from the Chaldaeans or the Nations neare adioyning which formerly receiued it from them But how farre Learning might propagate it selfe the other way towards the East is not a matter so cleare and out of question The preseruation of the Language for ought I â—ee might grow from the continuance of the Religion more firmely rooted and for a long time continued in Abrahams posterity whose abode was settled there about whereas the other farre diuorced aswell from their first spring as the monumentall seales of their religion quickly turned Religion into Pagan Idolatry Many reasons besides the disprouing of this former opinion may bee alleaged to proue the Easterne part of the world to haue bin first peopled amongst which I will only cull out this one grounded on the text of holy Scripture It is warranted out of the text 1 That when the waters begâ—n to decrease vpon the face of the earth and the Arke began to rest vpon the mountaine Araâ—at Noah sent out a doue to make tryall who returned with an oliue-branch in her mouth 2 That neare the place he issued out of the Arke with all his family he planted a vineyard and was drunke with the iuyce of the Grape not knowing the strength thereof out of which by all probable coniecture must needes bee collected that the Regions neare the place where the Arke first rested by the benefit of Nature afforded both Vines and Oliues for we cannot imagine the silly Doue at the time of the flood empty gorged to haue flowne very farre ouer the face of the waters to obtaine this Oliue branch nor Noah after the flood to haue gone very farre to seeke out a conuenient place for his Vineyard whence it is most likely that the Arke rested in such a place whose neare adjoining Regions are inriched with such commodities But this cannot bee verified of Armenia wherein for ought my reading informes me are found neither Vines nor Oliues whereas some places Eastward whereon the Arke according to this other opinion was supposed to rest afford both in great plenty To vmpite betwixt these two opinions I leaue to my frendly Readers because it is not in our power to command but obey Reason CHAP. XIV 1_OF the originall of Inhabitants of the Earth we haue spoken It remaines wee now treat of their naturall Disposition There is nothing more subiect to admiration then the diuersity of naturall Dispositions in Nations a matter euident to the eye of obseruation and needing no proofe or demonstration for who obserues not in all Nations certaine naturall or nationall vertues or vices which neither time nor Lawes could euer change or correct For not to 〈◊〉 farther off then our neighbouring Nations Confines what Writer in this kind almost were he not very partiall hath not taxed pride and ambition in the Spaniard leuity or rather as Bodin would haue it temerity in the Frenâ—h dangerous dissimulation in the Italian Drunkennesse in the Dutch Falshood in the Irish and gluttony in the English And howsoeuer many meanes haue bin put in practise either by the seuerity of lawes to curb such enormities or the subtilty of discourse to shroud these vices vnder the name of vertues yet these markes are found to stick as close as the spots vnto the Leopard as neither altering their pristine hue or yeelding to time or statutes And if it happened at any time that by extraordinary violence some litle alteration were wrought yet some few yeares would find it returne againe vnto his owne nâ—ture and disposition This variety of dispositions being very many and dâ—pending on sundry causes to helpe memory we will reduce into certaine heads out of which in the generall we may giue a iudgment leauing the rest to our speciall Tract The name of naturall disposition in this place we take in the largest sense so farre forth as it comprehends vnder it the Complexion Manners Actions Languages Lawes Religion and Gouernment All which so farre forth as they depend from the places we will shew Neither intend we to handle nicely all these specialities forasmuch as the Manners Customes Lawes and for a great part the externall rites of Religion depend on the naturall constitution of the Inhabitants so that little can bee spoken of the naturall constitution but of such actions effects and markes as shew themselues in their ordinary customes manners Wherefore we shall be constrained to treat of them together the one being a great furtherance to the explanation of the other 2 The naturall disposition of the Inhabitants of the Earth may suffer change and diuersity either in respect of the site or in respect of the quality of the soile or in regard of the Inhabitants themselues 3 The site is the respect
fed themselues with vnknowne substance and the Castilians with painted shadowes But to let passe the quantity as a matter of lesse moment and lesse questioned a great disparity will bee found in the Quality and Dâ—sposition For what one commodity almost was euer found in this Continent which is not onely parallelled but surmounted by this our Hemispheare If we compare the Mines of Gold and Siluer wherein consists the wealth and riches of both places our East Indies will easily challenge the superiority If Trees Plants Herbage and Graines let our Physicians and Apothecaries iudge who owe most of the medicinable drugges to India Let our Merchants answer which owe their Spices to Arabia their Wine to Spaine Italy the Mediterranean Graecian and Indian Ilands their Silkes Linnen Cloathing and their furniture almost wholly to Europe If wee compare the multitude and various kindes of Beasts bred and nourished in either place no question but Europe Asia and Africa can shew farre greater Heads of Sheepe Cattle and such like with farre greater variety of kindes then euer were found in this new found Continent If all these failed yet the well tempered disposition of the Europaeans and Asians in respect of this barbarous and vnnurtured place disdaines all comparison where wee shall obserue on the one side a people long since reduced to ciuility instructed as well in liberall sciences as handy-crafts armed with martiall discipline ordered by Lawes and ciuill gouernment bound with a conscience and sense of Religion on the other side a multitude of miserable and wretched nations as farre distant from vs inciuility as place wanting not only Gouernment Arts Religion and such helps but also the desire being senselesse of their owne misery 2 The difference of East and West cannot worke a diuersitie in two places by any diuersity of the Heauens East and West places compared together are either of equall or vnequall Latitude For places of vnequall Latitude no question can bee made but they receaue a greater variety of Temper from the Heauens as wee haue formerly proued but this disparity growes not out of the diuersity of East and West but the distance of North and South But that places alike situate in Latitude cannot vary by any diuersity of the heauens is plaine for as much as all things to them rise and set alike without any diuersity wherefore if any such diuersity bee at any place found we ought not to seeke the cause thereof in the heauens but rather in the condition of the Earth it selfe which no question suffers in diuerse places of the same Latitude a great variety 8 Either Hemispheare may againe Respectiuely be subdiuided into the West or East The West in this our Hemispheare I call that which is neerer the Canary Ilands the East that which lieth towards the Molucco Ilands to which points there are others correspondent in the other Hemispheare 1 Places situate towards the East in the same Latitude are hotter then those which are placed towards the West For the explanation of this Theoreme we are to examine two matters First what probability may induce vs to beleeue the East to bee hotter temper then the West Secondly what should bee the cause of this diuersity in both places being supposed equally affected in respect of the Heauens for confirmation of the former many reasons haue beene alleaged of old and late writers It is agreed on saith Bodin with a ioint consent of the Hebrewes Greeks and Latines that the East is better tempered then the West which hee labours to confirme First out of many speeches of â—zekiel Esay and the other Prophetâ— where the East seemes to challenge a dignity and prerogatiue aboue the West which betokeneth as he imagines a blessing of the one aboue the other But I dare not venter on this Interpretation without a farther warrant Secondly wee may here produce the testimony of Pliny in his seuenth booke where hee affirmes that by ordinary obseruation it is found that the pestilence commonly is carried from the East into the West which Bodin testifies himselfe to haue found by experience in Galia Narbonensis and many other history seemes to iustifie Amianus a Greeke Author obserues that Seleucia being taken and a certaine porch of the Temple being opened wherein were shut certaine secret mysteries of the Chaldeans that a suddaine contagion arose of incurable diseases which in the time of Marcus and Verus from the farthermost ends of Persia spread it selfe as farre as the Rhâ—â—â— and France and filled all the way with heapes of carkasses If at any time the contagion bee obserued to bee carried another way an vniuersall pestilence is feared as according to the histories there happened not long after from Ethiopia towards the North which infested the greatest part of the world A third proofe may bee drawne from the testimony of Aristotle Hippocrates Gallen Ctâ—sias and other graue Autâ—ors who affirme that all things are bred better and fairer in Asia then in Europe which must needs argue a better temperature To backe which Testimonies we need goe no farther then moderne obseruation Euery Geographer will tell you how farre in fertility Natolia in Asia surmounts Spaine and China vnder the same Latitude exceeds both who knowes not how farre Fez and Morocco on the Westerne Verge of Africa stand inferiour to Egypt a most fruitfull and happy Region And how farre short both these come of India situate in the same Climate An argument of greater heat in the Easterne places may bee the multitude of Gold and Siluer-mines Spices and other such like commodities wherein Asia excells Europe whereas such mettals and commodities as require not so great a measure of heat in their conâ—oction are rather found in Europe then in Asia whence there seemes to arise a certaine correspondency of the East with the South and the West with the North. The greatest reason of all is taken from the Temper and naturall disposition of the Inhabitants for as much as the European resembling the Northerne men shewes all the Symptomes of inward heat strengthned with externall cold The Asiaticke followes the disposition of the Southerne man whose inward heat is exhausted by externall scorching of the Sunne-beames and therefore partakes more of Chollâ—r-adust or melancholy But this point wee shall more fully prosecute in due place To shew a cause of this variety is very difficult Those which in wit and learning haue farre exceeded my poore scantling haue herein rather confessed their owne ignorance then aduentured their iudgement It were enough to satisfie an ingenuous minde to beleeue that Almighty God was pleased in the first creation of the world to endow the Easterne part of the Earth with a better temper of the Soyle from whence all the rest deriue their originall which seemes not improbable in that he made Asia the first resting place of man after the Creation the second Seminary of mankinde after the Deluge the onely place of our Sauiours Incarnation In this matter I
which one place in position beareth to another Here a Nation is diuided into 1 The Northerne or Southerne 2 The Easterne or Westerne 4 The Northerne is placed in the North Hemispheare betwixt the Aequatour and the Artick Pole The Southerne on the opposite side betwixt the Aequatour and the Antarticke Pole Of the Northerne and Southerne Inhabitants wee speake not here respectiuely as in regard of the same Hemispheare but absolutely in regard of the two Hemispheares and their Inhabitaâ—â—s How these 2 Hemispheares of North and South are varied in respect of the quantity and disposition of the soile is deciphered before What diuersity shal be found in the people or inhabitants shall be shewed in this Theoreme 1 The people of the Northerne Hemispheare aswell in riches and magnificence as vallour science and ciuill gouernment farre surpasse the people of the South Hemispheare The people of the Northerne Hemispheare wee vnderstand to bee the Europeans the Asiatickes the hithermost Africanâ— being the greater part the Inhabitants of America Mexicana with the hithermost part of America Peruana together with the people inhabiting the vnknowne land lying vnder the Artick pole with all the Ilands belonging to each of these The people of the Southerne Hemi-spheare contaiâ—e a moity Southward of the Africans the Inhabitants of America Peruana for the most part the people of the Tâ—rra Australis incognita or the soutth Indies with some Ilandâ— belonging therevnto Betwixâ— theâ—e two partitions If we make a comparison we shall find a greater disparity then euer any inuention of man could any wayes reduce to any shadow of Aequality or any Trauailers obseruation â—ould euer steppe in to diminish To begin with the riâ—hes It is certaine that the 〈◊〉 â—ase of it in any â—â—tion proceeds either fâ—om the benefit of the soile or from the â—â—ill and diligence of the inhabitants The benefit of the soile either in respect of the quantity of the ground or the quality of the soile in this southerne part we haue at large proued to be faâ—â—e â—nferioâ—â— to that of the Northeâ—â—e Hâ—mispheare The diligâ—â—ce of the pâ—ople we can measure no otherwise then â—y their Traffick with forraigne nations or their good husbandry of their owne commodities Their traffick with forraine nations is suspeâ—ted to be little or nothing at â—ll in respect of the 〈◊〉 theme Inhabitants haâ—ing small commerce or knowledge of forâ—eigne â—ations and â—hat rather enforced by violence and â—onquesâ—s them any way desâ—â—â—d of them Whereas scarce can be found any nation of the Eartâ— which cannot by commerce or traffick with forraigne Countries at least neighbouring confines both strengthen theÌ„selues and draw riches from other nations Lesse can be hoped from their homebred industrie which is content with sufficiency neuer aiming at farther riches then naturall necesâ—â—ty seemes to exact as may appeare by all records and Histories almost which haue treated of this matter If we consider the state magnificene of either wee shall acknowledge a great difference as disdaining all comparison The first offpring of all nations owes it selfe as we haue proued to our Northerne hemispheare which that Almighty Creatour of al things blessed with knowledge and ciuill gouernment before euer this Southerne coast was knowne or mentioned All the acts of the old and new Testament performed on this side of the Aequatour can speake the state and magnificence of these nations leauing the other as yet neglected without memory or History Neither hath the Christian religion the true ground of all settled gouernment euer bin so propitious as to smile on these â—iserable Nations as yet groaning vnder the seruile bonds of gâ—oâ—â—e â—gnorance and Pagan superstition Where shall we find in any records or antiquities any state amongst them to parallell the foure greater Monarchies of the Aeâ—syrians Medes and Persians Graecians and Romans or the later risen out of their ashes whereof this one age can produce no few examples What place is extant at this day in Europe Asia the Northern tract of Africk or America some few Deserts onely excepted which haue not been either by knowledge receiued from forraigne Nations or some other meanes in some sort reduced to ciuility At least to haue embrased some setled forme of gouernment Whereas the Regions dayly discouered in the Southerne moity are found most barbarous without lawes sciences or ciuility Or if any such perfection shew it selfe amongst them it is manifest that it is owed altogether to the industrie of the Europeans who with great cost and trauaile â—aue brought them such riches wâ—â—â—eof the poore wretches neuer knew the want Insteed of â—o many Colonies sent out of Europe Asia into these Southerne Regions no record I suppose can mention one euer sent from them vnto vs. Which is an argument of their ignorance and want of traffick What shall I speake of the vallour and prowesse of the Northerne inhabitants hauing by the sword erected so many kingdomes and as it were without resistance brought into captiuity those Nations of the South of Arts and Sciences what can be said but that the Northerne Inhabitant hath all and the other in a manner none For liberall and ingenious sciences and Schooles and Vniuersities dispersed in most partâ— of Europe and else-where can speake our glory Which for ought I could euer learne the Southerne Continent neuer saw and admit they know â—ome thing in some Mechanicall arts it is no more then necessity requires Neither in the number and extent of inuention or curiousnesse of workmanship answearable to that wee find at home The artes of Printing Artilery were I suppose neuer of their acquaintance except perhaps the later which I dare sweare hath had better acquaintance then welcome as that which neuer shewed it selfe but to their ruine No obiection can here take place in this comparison except some man suppose the monuments and Trophies of theâ—e nations either being very ancient haue miscarried by time or else being of a newer birth are hid wanting the light of discouery But this is a meere coniecture wanting ground For what Antiquity or record could euer shew so much as the footesteps or markes of any such monâ—ments as for the countries as yet vndiscouered no better coniecturall iudgement can be giuen then by that which is already found For where all other reason and obsernation is silent I alwaies hold equality the best measure Another argument not inferiour to the rest is the antiquity of the Northerne nations which without all question is farre greater then that of the Southerne Because we cannot â—magine any â—an so aduenturous to passe into these remote quarters till such times as the places neerer adioyning growing too populous consâ—rained them to seeke out a new haâ—itaâ—ion which no man could conceiuâ— to be but in many yeares after the vniuersall Deluge 5 Each Hemispheare with the Inhabitants therein contained may againe be diuided according to the longitude or latitude according to the Latitude Inhabitants may be called either the
truly they can rather admire then imitate and better set vs the materâ—alls then inuent the workemâ—nship like those distressed Israelites which were enforced to runne vnto the Philistines to haue their swords sharpened As we ascribe to those nations of the North this perfection in operatiue and externall faculties So cannot wee deny the Southerne man his due prerogatiue which is Religion Contemplation For these nations being aboue all other affected with melancholy willingly withdrâ—w themselues from common society into Desarts and remote receptacles more accommodated to abstracted meditation For contemplation being of the Hebrewes tearmed a precious death hath a speciall force to sharpen the wits of men and by separation as it were from the dregges of the vulgar not onely opens vnto him the seâ—rets of nature but giueâ— him wings to â—lie vp to heauen in sacred meditation Whence it cannot seeme strange that from these parts at first proceeded the Prophets Philosophers Mathematicians of great estimation Alâ—o that almost all Religions of any great moment owe their first originall to those parts we need roue no farther then the Hebrewes Chaldaeans Aegyptians Graecians whom wee shall find the first founders of Diuine and Humane sciences Which historicall obseruation dissents not any whit from the iudgement of the Naturalists Because as Huarâ—â—s obserues the true â—oment of the best vnderstanding consisâ—s in the cold and drye braine incident to melancholy And Aristoâ—le obserues that beasâ—s theÌ„selues are so much the more adiudged to approach the prudencie of man by how much they parâ—ake the quality of cold An instance of which may bee giuen in the Elephant whose bloud according to Plinys Testimony is coldest of all other Creatures To this I might adde for an argument of the râ—ligious disposition of the Southerne man 〈…〉 Afâ—r writes â—oncerning the vast number of Temples in â—ome places of Africke as about Fesse Morocco their strict obsâ—ruation of holy rites their â—igide Ecclesiasticall censure witâ— such like What is spoken by Aluarez of the hill Aâ—iarâ— in the midst of Africke of their strange Library Churches Pallaces with other matters of this purpose would serue well to my purpose had â— the ingenuity to beleâ—ue the Iâ—sâ—â—te But against this may be obiected perchance that the Chrisâ—ian Religion which is the truest and only Religion hath no great footing as yet amongst thoâ—e Southerne Nations Secondly that their Churches haue no perfect platforme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment as we find in other Churches towards the Northâ—rne tract To the first I answer that we here speake of the Inclination of men to Religious exercises so far forth as it depends on their naturall disposition not respecting this or that Religion for to bee informed in the true Religion and reiect all other depends not any way on the naturall Inclination of men but on the immediate gift of the Almighty God which is pleased oftentimes to make elecâ—â—on of one Nation before the other to make the one according to the Apostle a vessell of honour the other of dishonour To the second I likewise answer that in Religion two things are to be conâ—idered First the Religious and deuouâ— Inclination of man to embrace diuine contemplation Secondly the well ordering and gouerâ—ing of Religious aâ—â—ions according to Lawes and Statutes pertaâ—ning to the externâ—ll regiâ—ent of the Church The foâ—mer onely being granâ—ed to â—he Southerne man wee may ascribe the perfection of the other to the people of the middle Region whom we haue pronounced to bee most happy in the managing of â—iuill afâ—aires and Politicke gouernment Now to proue this people to bee bâ—st endowâ—d with this faculty many reasons may bee alleaged because according to the testâ—mony of most approued writers wee haue found Lawes Manners Statutes the best manner of gouerning Common-wealths to haue proceâ—ded from these Nations For Histories will shew vs that the greatest and bâ—st empires of the world haue flourished in Asia Greece Asyâ—ia Italy France Germany which lie betwixt the Equâ—tour the Pâ—le from the 40 to the 50 degrees And that out of these haue alway proceeded the best commanders the most prudent States-Men and Law-giuers the wisest Lawyers the most eloquent Oratours the wariest Merchants Whereas neither Africa in the South nor Scythia in the North could euer boast of many Law-giuers or States-Men worthy note whence Galen complaines that Scythia neuer brought forth any Philosopher besides Anacharsis of any great credit 3 The People of the Extreame Region towards the Poles in Martiall prowesse haue commonly proued stronger then those neere the Equatour but the middle people more prouident then either in the establishment and preseruation of Commonwealths The grounds of this Proposition wee haue layd before for the former clause that the people of the North should proue more puissant then these of the South may well bee concluded out of their naturall strength of body and their courage of the minde whereof the latter makes them â—eady to attempt the other to execute most chiualrous designes Neither want there most true and pregnant examples in history to second this principle for euery man that is indifferently seene in history may obserue with wonder how the strong Nations of the Scythians haue inuaded the South winning from them many Trophies and victories whereas wee seldome find any expedition set on from the South to the North except to the losse or ruine of the South worth any memorable relation To this many would haue these threatning prophecies of Ieremy Ezechiel and Esay to allude which foretold that from the North should issue warres troopes of horsemen and the Ruines of Kingdomes This we shall obserue to bee true not only in the generall but almost in all particular States which wee shall find propagated from the North to the South The Assyrians at first ouercame the Chaldâ—â—â—s the Medes the Assyrians the Persians the Medes the Greekes the Persians the Parthians the Greeks the Romans the Cartâ—aginians the Gothes the Romans the Turkes the Arabians the Tartars the Turkes and howsoeuer the Romans by their prowesse wanne somewhat towards the North yet found they by experience that beyond Danubius no great matter was to be expected for as much as these Nations could not be easily vanquished and being ouercome would not away with subiection which as some say was the cause that Traian hauing built a great Bridge of stone ouer the Danow was perswaded to breake it downe Tacitus expressely confesseth that the Germans were too hard for the Romans and could not haue beene ouercome by them but by the aduantage of the weapons and manner of fight wherein the Romans hauing long continued a ciuill Nation had practised themselues which he secondeth by many instances drawne from seuerall conflâ—cts betwixt the Germans and the Romans which he might well speake for as much as himselfe reports 210 yeeres were spent in the conquest of Germany and no Nation so much troubled them as this which notwithstanding when all was past was