shall shew you in our tongue The first letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aleph signifieth doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beth a house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghimel Fulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daleth Tables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vau and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zain That or she there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cheth Life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teth Good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iod Beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaph a Hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lamed Discipline or the Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mem Theirs or of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nun Continuall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech Aide or succour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ain a Spring or an Eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phe a Mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sade Iustice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coph Calling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resch a Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schin Teeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tau Signes All which may be thus put together and expounded The Doctrine of the Church which is the house of God is found in the fulnesse of the Tables that is the holy Scriptures This doctrine and that fulnesse of the tables is the life for what life can we haue without the knowledge of holy Scripture Out of these we learne Iesus Christ who is the life of them that beleeue And although this knowledge be excellent and perfect in God yet as for vs we know not but in part we see as it were by a glasse in darknesse But when we shall ascend vp into heauen and become like vnto the Angels then the doctrine of the house and the fulnesse of the tables of Gods truth shall be accomplished then shall we see face to face the Good prince to wit God himselfe the Soueraigne Good who is the Beginning of all things euen as he is in his owne nature In the mean-time we must lay Hand to the worke of our Calling by the meanes of a right Discipline or a true Hart assuring our selues that we shall finde Continuall Succour in this heauenly truth which is the Spring or Eye of the Mouth of Iustice namely Christ our Head whose Calling is in Signes or markes of Teeth or framed voyce of the Scripture I desire the Reader to take in good part this short Allegorie that I am bold to make vpon the Hebrew Letters and if he desire more in this kinde let him repaire to the Roots of the essentiall words of these letters there may he view the matter more at large For this time it shall suffice to haue shot this arrow toward the marke our Poet aymed at Now for the second point touching the names of seuerall men of Nations and Cities I will note you a couple of examples of each 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham signifieth a Father of many so was his houshold much increased temporally and spiritually hee is the Father of all the Beleeuers whose number is vncountable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moses signifieth taken out of the waters so was he by Pharaos daughter when his mother loth to haue him slaine according to the Kings cruell commandement had laid him forth in a pitched flasket by the Riuers brinke Exod. 2. By him also God guided his people through the waters of the red sea and wrought many miracles The Arabians are a people who euen at this day haue no certain place of abode they wander still vp and downe the champion countries and wildernesse they are famous theeues and lurking in secret places make often sallies out vpon their neighbours and set vpon all passengers vnawares Their name commeth of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab by Ain in the first Coniugation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hearib which signifieth to mingle day and night together and because that in a desert and waste place all things are confused as if day and night were mingled together therefore the countrie for the situation is called Arabia This agreeth right with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arab written by Aleph which signifieth to he in ambush or to lurke in dennes as theeues and rauening beasts doe The Aegyptians in the Scripture are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mitsraim because of their strong holds and places of defence that haue beene long amonst them the primitiue word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsor that signifieth to trusse close together In some places of Scripture Aegypt is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rahab that signifieth Proud so indeed they haue alwaies beene high-minded and greater braggers than any other people Now for Cities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ierusalem signifieth The vision of peace and iust according to the truth for the peace and grace of God hath beene seene and continued vpon that place many hundred yeares and chiefly because it hath beene a sigure of the Church militant and triumphant as often mention is made of the new and heauenly Ierusalem Babylon commeth of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Babel which is deriued of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Balal to confound mingle or trouble as water when it is mudded For so indeed the earthy Babel that was in Chadaea hath made a hotchpotch of the world and that Babel the spirituall that is spoken of in the Reuelation hath made so many confusions that it is vnpossible to name them all There remaineth the third point touching Birds foure-footed Beasts and Fishes whereof and euery of them I will name two onely for a patterne lest I seeme too long in the Annotations The Storke so commended for her loue toward those by whom she receiued life is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chasida that is to say dutifull louing and religious The Eagle is called Nescher that commeth neare to Shor and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iashar the one signifieth to looke the other to be rightfull and this bird of all other hath the sharpest sight and looketh against the Sunne There is further a liuely description of this bird in the 39. Chapter of Iob as also of the Ostrich and many other in diuers places of Scripture The horse called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sus is thought to come of the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nasas if rather this verbe be not thence deriued which signifieth to aduance himselfe for it is the brauest and siercest of all other foure-footed beasts as Iob finely describeth him in his 39. Chapter The Hebrues haue three names for a Lion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arieh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labi and Laâ—jsch the first commeth of a Verbe that signifieth to snatch and teare in sunder the second of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leb that signifieth the Hart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laab to be in solitary and desert places the third is commonly interpreted a great and roaring Lion not vnlike the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Losh that signifieth to surprise or deuoure for that this beast rampeth vpon and swalloweth
his booke De ant quitate linguae Hebraicae there are many such Treatises set forth by diuers learned men whereout and of the bookes aforenamed may be gathered infinite proofes of that which the Poet hath touched in this second reason The third is that there liues no Nation vnder the cope of heauen but keepeth still some words of Hebrew in their speech First the Caldean Syrian Arabian Egyptian Persian Ethiopian and many other as the Gotthicke Troglodyticke Punicke are so deriued thence that they come as neere it as Italian to Latine some more some lesse Secondly the Greeke Latine and those others that are farthest off haue yet here and there some words that we must needes grant are sprong from the same fountaine a man may set downe a many of them but it were too long here to coate the examples Thirdly the roots of many words that are taken to be Greeke or some other tongue are found to be Hebrew as Franciscus Iunius hath plainly shewed in his learned oration Deliuguae Hebraea antiquitate praeslantia The fourth reason is that the doctrine of the old Testament which is the doctrine of the first and most ancient people of the world was not written but in Hebrew No man denieth that the people that came of Sem the sonne of Noe is the most ancient among these remained the Church of God and the Hebrew tongue God spake not but in the Hebrew tongue by the high Priest that wore the sacred Ephod and the breast-plate of iudgement whereon was set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim Thummim words signifying lights and perfections which some thinke was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or foure-letered name Iehoua contained within the brest-plate others say it was the rankes of those twelue precious stones there enchased that on them had ingrauen the names of the twelue tribes of Israel as if it were a repetition of that which Moses saith in the 17 18 19 and 20. verses of the 28. chapter of Exodus where he speaketh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vrim Thummim in the 30. verse others hold they were certaine names others are of diuers other opinions Some late writers thinke those words were ingrauen in the breast-plate This is a secret the search whereof whether one dispute of the words or what they meant or what 's become of them c. is very painfull and needlesse for that now sithence the comming of Christ we ought to follow the truth it selfe and not stay vpon shadowes These words doubtlesse gaue to vnderstand that all light and perfection commeth of our Sauiour in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily dwelleth in whom are hid all the treasures of vnderstanding knowledge who is the light of his Church that is made vnto vs of God his father wisedome iustice redemption and holinesse In all iudgements demands oracles and reuelations that were made by Vrim and Thummim as may be gathered out of the 27. chapter of Numbers the first booke of Samuel the 13. and 30. chapters and other places where aduise and counsell was asked of God and answere was made by the mouth of the high Priest there appeared a cleere light a sure truth and perfection all which in Christ is accomplished Now these demands and answers were propounded and rendred in the Hebrew tongue long time before any other language was vsed in the world For so soone after their scattering at Babel they could not well be incorporated into a common wealth and as for religion that was not kept but in the race of Sem as Moses plainly declareth all through the historie of Abraham Concerning the Prophets their dreames and visions God spake not they vnderstood not neither answered or taught they the Church but in the Hebrew that significant vnmingled holy chaste and heauenly tongue whereas others lispe and stammer-out vncertaine sounds and are infinite wayes defiled through the dishonest foolish erronious and vngodly discourses of their inuentours I except the bookes of the new Testament and all writings drawne from the cleere fountaines of holy Scripture besides the which there is nothing but vanitie filth wickednesse and vngodlinesse in the world Moreouer the Lord himselfe setteth downe his law to his people and writing it twise with his owne finger and speaking with his owne mouth to Moses and his other seruants in the Mount vsed the Hebrew tongue So did the Angels and Prophets and Iesus Christ spake the Syriacke a tongue so deriued of the Hebrew that they are very like as their Grammars declare The Apostles spake diuers tongues and wrote also according to the people and persons with whom they had to doe yet for all that in their bookes may be noted an infinite many of phrases borrowed of the Hebrew as the learned interpreters of the new Testament haue exactly shewed The fift and last reason set downe by the Poet is that the Hebrew words especially the proper names some are alledged for example and many other may be added are of great waight and importance for sometimes they lay open vnto vs the chiefe things that doe befall the person so named Nay further if a man would take the paines to change the order of letters hee may sinde in them many goodly mysteries The Greekes haue found the way and followed it in the interpretation of their proper names but they come farre short of the liuelihood and maiestie of the Hebrewes who begun the thing before them many hundred yeeres As for other tongues the most part of their proper names haue no meaning they are deuised at-all-auentures so are they right tokens of barbarisme Some tongues there are more happy and plentious than others in this behalfe but their interpretations are for the most part vncertaine especially if the Root thereof come not from or neere the Hebrew Herehence againe the curious reader may take occasion of a large commentarie I leaue it vnto him 13. Then doe I theesalute It is not without cause that the Poet straight vpon the former discourse vseth these words considering the excellency of the Hebrew tongue and that he setteth out in so few verses her wonderfull perfections each one of them requiring a large treatise and himselfe being vnable to shut vp so great matters in so few words For example sake let vs consider but very briefly those three points that the Poet here toucheth to wit that the two and twenty Hebrew letters are full of hidden sense that the proper names of persons Countries and Cities in this tongue are as much as abridgements of their life and deedes that the names of birds beasts and fishes containe the history of their natures howbeit since the fall of Adam the knowledge thereof is greatly darkened To make the Reader somewhat more desirous to enter mediation hereon I will set him downe some examples Concerning the mysteries of the Hebrew Letter-row Eusebius and S. Ierom in his Epistle ad Paul vrbic which is the 155. expoundeth them as I
will sooner mount and light aire downward presse Then how thou'lt aske me come these huge and raging floods That spoile on Riphean hils the Boree-shakeÌ„ woods Drowne Libanus and shew their enuious desires To quench with tost-vp waue the highest heau'nly fires He aske thee Cham how Wolues Panthers from the Wild This refutes all the obiections of Atheists At time by Heau'n design'd before me came so mild How I keepe vnder yoke so many a fierce captiue Restored as I were to th' high prerogatiue From whence fath'r Adam fell how wild foule neuer mand From euery coast of Heau'n came flying to my hand How in these cabins darke so many a gluttonous head Is with so little meat or drinke or stouer fed Nor feares the Partridge here the Falcons beake pounces Nor shuns the light-foot Hare a Tygers looke or Ounces How th' Arch holds-out so long against the wauy shot How th' aire so close the breath and dong it choaks vs not Confused as it is and that we find no roome For life in all the world but as it were in toombe Ther 's not so many planks or boords or nailes i'th'arch As holy myracles and wonders which to marke Astonnes the wit of man God shew'th as well his might By thus preseruing all as bringing all to light O holy Syre appease appease thy wroth and land In hau'n our Sea-beat ship ô knit the waters band That we may sing-of now and ours in after age Thy mercie shew'd on vs as on the rest thy rage Annotations vpon the first Booke of Noe called the Arke 1 DIvine verse He complaines of the miseries of our time of his bodies crasinesse and care of houshold affaires which hinder his bold designes and make his Muse fall as it were from heauen to earth He calls the verse diuine because of the subiect matter which he handleth acknowledging withall that as Ouid saith Carmina proueniunt anime deducta sereno and this serenitie or quietnesse of spirit which is all in all for a Christian Poem is a gift from Heauen And therefore this our Poet In stead of calling vpon his Muse which is but himselfe or helpe of profane inuentions looketh vp rather vnto that power from whence commeth euery good and perfect gift that is the father of light 2 Oh rid me This is a zealous inuocation and well beseeming the Authors intent which also is enriched with a daintie comparison For verily the chiefe grace of a Poem is that the Poet begin not in a straine ouer high to continue and so grow worse and worse to the end but rather that he increase and aduance himselfe by little and little as Virgil among the Latin Poets most happily hath done Horace also willeth a good writer in a long-winded worke ex sumo dare lucem that is to goe-on and finish more happily then he began Who so doth otherwise like is to the blustring wind which the longer it continues growes lesse and lesse by degrees but the wise Poet will follow rather the example of Riuers which from a small spring the farther they run grow on still to more and more streame and greatnesse 3 As our foresire foretold Saint Peter in his 2. chapt of his 2. Ep. calls Noe the Herault or Preacher of righteousnesse and in the eleauenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is said that Noe being aduertised from God of things not yet seene conceined a reuerent seare and built the Arch for safegard of his familie through the which Arch he condemned the world and was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by saâ—th By these places may be gathered that Noe laying hold on the truth of Gods threats and promises as Moses also sheweth in the sixt of Gen. prepared materials for the Arch and in building the same did as well by worke as word of a Preacher condemne the impiety and wickednesse of men warning them of the iudgement which hung ouer their heads which also was put in execution at the very time appointed by the Almighty 4 When all were once i' th' Arke This historie of the Deluge our Poet had before touched in the end of the second day of his first weeke which passage I the Translator thought good here to insert that the description might be the fuller These verses and the rest to the end of this booke shew vs the fearefull iudgement of God vpon the sinnes of that former world set downe first by Moses in the 6.7 and 8. chapters of Genesis Were I to write a full commentary thereof I should discourse of Noes Arke and diuers questions which present themselues concerning that rare subiect with the precedents consequents and coincidents but I touch lightly these things to draw the Readers care and make still more and more knowne vnto him the great learning and Art shewed in this diuine Poem To see how our Author is his crafts-master let a man conferre this decription with that of Ouid in the first booke of his Metam concerning the Deluge of Deucalion Some of his verses I thought good here to set downe for encouragement of such as haue leysure more neerely to consider and compare the French with the Latine Protinus Aeolijs Aquilonem claudit in antris Et quaecunque fugant inductas flamina nubes Ennttitque Notum madidis Notus euolat alis Terribilem piceá tectus caligine vultum Barba grauts nimbis canis fluit vnda capillis Fronte sedent nobulae rorant pennaeque sinusque Vtqué manu latè pendentia nubila pressit Fit fragor densi sunduntur ab aethere nimbi Then speaking of the land and out-let of Riuers thus Intremuit motuque vias patesecit aquarum Eupatiata ruunt per apertos slumina campos Cwnque satis arbusla trabunt pecudesque virosque Tectaque cumque sais rapiunt penetralia sacris See the rest of Ouid who hath not so exactly described these things as our Poet. 5 Nereus By this word he means the Sea which at the Deluge ouerflowed the whole Earth because it was not then held within the proper bounds thereof by the powerfull goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator Ouid expresseth it thus Omnia pontus erant deerant quoquelittora ponto Virgil thus Spumeus atque imo Nereus ciet aequora sundo Natalis Comes in his Mythologie lib. 8. cap. 6. hath much of Nereus and the Nereides where also he giues a reason why the Poets so call the Sea 6 The Sea-Calues So I translate le Manat for the Veal-like flesh thereof though this be indeed a great Sea-fish described by Rondeletius in the 18. chapter of his sixt booke He is also like a young Bull with a broad backe and a very thicke skin they say he weigheth more then two oxen are well able to draw His flesh as I said before commeth neere the taste of Yeale but it is fatter and not so well relished he will be made as tame as a dog but hath a shrewd remembrance of
right nature of things in the right hand an Ewer because the speech of the wise dampeth and putteth out the flame of passions I might note hereof many examples but I leaue them for the diligent Reader to search meaning here to offer him but Annotations which I feare alreadie are growen too long The little chaines that come forth from the Images golden tongue and draw such a number of hearers by the eares and heart signifie the great power of a well framed speech the truth whereof appeareth chiefely in preaching the word in counsels of graue common-wealths-men and orations of good Magistrates and valiant Captaines In this manner did the ancient Frenchmen paint and set out their Hercules surnamed Ognius whereupon Alciat hath made a pretie Embleme it is the 180. expounded at large by Cl. Minos The summe of all is that Eloquence is to be preferred before force Our Poet aimeth at that description Further concerning the Bore the Tygre and the Beare lying tame at the feet of this Image it signifieth that a pleasant and learned speech appeaseth all angrie cruell and sauage men and cuen the maddest and most brutish people in the world it maketh the woods and hills to daunce and leape that is to say it moueth bendeth and instructeth very block-heads and such as are most hard of vnderstanding and this may be the meaning of those fained tales of Amphion Orpheus Arion and other like Lastly this Image is inuironed with a double ranke of pillers well and strongly grounded and vnder-pinned that beare vp in due proportion the nino languages following each by her owne chiefe authors and maintainers For euery pillar was wrought in fashion of a man and framed to the countenance of one of their best writers in a long gowne or stole And that is the meaning of the French à la Cariatide After the Carian right as Vitruuius writeth at large in the first Chapter of his first booke of Architecture This I note because the French Commenter lets it passe and it troubled my selfe to vnderstand it at the first 23. Among the blessed wits For chiefe props of the Hebrue tongue which he placeth in the fore-front of Eloquence as in euery regard it was meet whether we cofider the sweet grauitie the natural impliance the shortnes hautines liuelines of it or the sincerity holines light heauenly Maiestic he nameth first Moses because he is the most anciēt of those whose writings in this tongue are extant As for the book of the Prophesie of Henoch it was lost a long time agoe He describeth this holy Law-writer after an excellent manner as was requisite in a discourse of eloquence His face shineth like a blasing Star alluding to that in the Scripture that Moses comming downe frō the Mount where he had talked with God his face so shined that none was able to behold his countenance in so much as he was faine to weare a vaile ouer it the rest is very easie to be vnderstood especially of such as haue neuer so lightly turned ouer the history Now for the bookes of Moses they were written many hundred yeares before the Greekes were knowne who were not heard of in the world but a little before the reigne of Saul had but few workes in writing or none at all till after the time of Salomon as their owne Histories witnesse whosoeuer will take paines to turne them ouer Nay further all their knowledge came from the Aegyptians Phenicians and others who had leaned somewhat by conuersing with the Hebiues And to come againe to Moses he hath beene in maruellous account with insinite Heathen Writers If any haue lightly regarded or found fault with him it was either because they vnderstood him not at all or maliced him exceedingly which a man may easily finde in their writings The second Author of the Hebrue he counteth Dauid whose Psalmes he speaketh of much in few lines but little it is in comparison of their excellencie whereof many ancient and late Writers haue spoken notable things I will not heape them vp here assuring my selfe that all true Christians will grant me that the Book of Dauids Psalmes is as Saint Basil saith the Store-house and treasurie of all good learning for all men to come at and will confesse with Saint Ierome and Saint Chrysostome that nothing better becommeth a man be he Peasant or Crafts-man great or small than to sing vnto the Lord the praises and thankesgiuing in these excellent songs contained the very liuely and true Anatomies of a beleeuing soule O how cursed and abominable before God and his Church are those wicked ones that haue forbidden Christians the vnderstanding and vse of them and banished them out of Christendome that haue suffered allowed maintained commanded and commended vnto the people these shamefull and wanton Poesies these books of vanitie error and leasings which with their Authors deserue the fire not the quiet and peaceable persons that call vpon Iesus Christ and belecue stedfastly the life euerlasting The soule that feareth God will not take this my digression ill nor thinke it needlesse As for the vngodly let them spit at it if they will I regard them not The third Author and ornament of the Hebrue is reckoned Salomon in his Prouerbs the Booke of the Preacher and the Song of Songs bookes more besprinckled with golden words and notable sentences than his Crowne was with pretious stones and pearles embossed Happie is the man that taketh delight to marke and daily thinke vpon so profitable and necessary instructions The fourth is the Prophet Esay the sonne of Amos right such a one as the Poet hath described These foure hee thought sufficient to name because they haue most Writings extant and are withall exceeding cloquent as might easily be proued by particulars if I were to write a Commentary or a whole discourse thereof 24. The Greeke Homer his Illias and Odyssea containing 48. bookes is the most ancient Greeke Author we haue his inuentions are wonderfull his vaine naturall his verses smooth and full of Art and the more they are considered the greater grace they haue There is also in them a hidden sense and the very well-spring of all humane knowledge as may appeare by that infinite peeces of his poesies are cited in the bookes of ancient and late Phylosophers Geographers Historiographers and Orators as Plutarch and others witnesse The next to Homer is Plato not in time but in worthinesse he is called the diuine Phylosopher because he is so maruellous pure so high and lofty in all his disconrses the true scholler of him that professing himselfe to know but one thing namely that he knew nothing declared that he knew all things that might be learned in the world as touching the world For concerning the knowledge of saluation Plato and his maister both were ignorant and sith all other knowledge is nothing in comparison of that the more are we bound to God that haue it he said most truely
Bullinger thereupon As for Mosoch Ioseph saith of him are come the Cappadocians and for proofe thereof alledgeth a certaine Towne of their Country called Mazaca It may be gathered out of the 120. Psalme that Mesech or Mosoch was a neighbour people to Syria and Arabia which place the Chalde Paraphrast expounding vseth words of this import O wretch that I am for I haue beene a stranger among the Asians and dwelt in the Arabian tents The Poet considereth what might haue beene in continuance of time and how farre the mans posterity might haue stretched Madai sure was Author of the name of Medes whose Empire was very great in the higher Asia they destroyed the Chaldean Monarchie as may be noted out of Ierem. 51.11 Dan. 5.18 The Thracians Ioseph saith and the Poet are descended of Thyras Melancthou thinkes that of him are come the Russians but the Scripture speaketh not of his posteritie Plinie makes mention of a Riuer Tyra in the Russian or European Sarmatia Melancthon Goropius and others call it Nester Goropius in his seuenth Booke puts the Getes Daces and Bastarnes among the Thracians as all of one stocke and speaking almost the selfe-same tongue which also as he saith comes very neare the Cimbricke and Brabantish Iauan the fourth sonne of Iaphet gaue names to the Ionians who after with their neighbours were called Greekes and therefore the Latine Interpreter translating the place of Ezech. 27.19 for the Hebrue Iauan hath put Graecia so haue the seuenty put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the name of Greece for the same word As also in the 13. verse of the same Chapter and in the 19. of the 66. of Esay they both haue translated the Hebrue Jeuanim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci The Country of Athens hath in old time beene called Ionie as Plutarch saith in the life of Theseus and Strabo in his ninth Booke recites out of Hecataeus that the Ionians came out of Asia into Greece Now the Greekes as they were great discoursers they haue deuised a thousand tales of their first beginning but I let them passe because my notes are already waxen ouer long Ioy si-ie voulois ie ferois vne liste Discrete modestie du Poëte qui ayme mieux se taire que traiter de choses obscures cachees sous le voile de l'Antiquité De tous nos deuanciers marchannt sur la piste D'vn supposé Berose d'antres qui menteurs Abusent du loisir bonté des lecteurs Hardi i'entreprendrois de toutes les prouinces Nommer de pere en sils les plus antiques Princes Chanter de l'Vniuers les diuers peuplemens Et des moindres citez fouiller les fondemens Mais quoy ie ne veux pas abandonner ma voile Au premier vent qui souffle sans la clair estoile Qui luit sur touâ— les cieux temeraire ramer Sur les flos inconus de si lontaine mer Toute pleine d'escueils de Scilles profondes Où ne roulle pas moins de naufrages que d'ondes N'ayant autres Patrons que certains escriuains Forgeurs denoms de Roys autheurs decontes vains Qui sont tout à leur poste conuoiteux de gloire Sur vn pied de Ciron bastissent vne histoire He will not enter into matter farre out of knowledge Here if I were dispos'd vpon the ground to treade Of that suppos'd Berose abusing all that reade As he and others doe well might I let you see Of all our Ancestors a fained pedegree I boldly might assay of all the worlds Prouinces From father vnto sonne to name the former Princes To sing of all the world each peoples diuers lot And of the meanest to wâ—â—es to lay the grunsill-plot But what I meane not I as eu'ry wind shall blow To leaue the former course and rashly assay to row The bright Load-starre vnseene vpon the waues vnknow'n Of such an Ocean sea so full of rockes bestrow'n And Scyllaes glutton gulfes where tumbleth equall store Of shipwracks on the sands and billowes to the shore Not hauing other guide then writers such as faine The names of ancient Kings and romants tell vs vaine Who make all for themselues and gaping after glory On footing of a flie can frame a perfect story 12 Now. The like is seene in many bookes of late times and ancient that treat of the Kingdomes Countries and people of the world for many labour more to come neare Noes Arke and to finde there the foundation of their Townes and names of their first Princes then about other more certaine and sure grounds And they had rather forge names and deuise matter of their owne head than leaue to packe huge volumes full of tales witnessing the strange vanity of mans braine The Poet condemnes this foolish ambition and by good â—â—ght all the matter when it is at the best being very doubtfull and vnprofitâ—ble for man was placed on the earth to thinke rather on the seruice of God than so to trouble his head with curious out-search of his ancestors names 13 Of that suppos'ed Berose Who so desires to know that the Berose late printed is false supposed and cleane contrary to the right Chaldean cited often by Ioseph in his Antiquities against Apion let him reade the fourth booke of Goropius his Origines Antuerpianae And so let him thinke also of Manetho Metasthenes Fabius Pictor Sempronius Myrsilus Lesbius and others packt as they are into one volume by some one that thought to doe great matters by abusing so the Readers and holding them in amuse by false deuises from further search of the truth I will not here set downe the words of Goropius who at large discouers the forgednesse of this new Berose and his followers let it suffice to haue pointed at the place The true Berose was one of the Priests of Bel and at the commandement of Antiochus the third who succeeded Seleucus wrote three bookes of the Chaldean Historie so saith Tatianus Ioseph and Clemens Alexandrinus Some fragments of his we reade in Ioseph against Apion and they make flat against that other Berose published in our time Pourquoy la recerche de l'Antiquité est obscure coÌ„bien sont mal apuyez ceux qui sondent sur les etymologies allusions des mots L'allusion des mots n'est vn seur fondement Poury sur-maçonner vn ferme bastiment Veu que les monts plus hauts les riuieres plus belles Et les plus grandes mers changent bien qu'eternelles De nom à chaque coup que la posterité De celuy quibastit les murs d'vne cité N'en est point heritiere qu'ici nullerace En fief perpetuel ne possede vne place Ains qu'a ferme à louage ou par forme de prest Elle possede vn champ vn mont vne forest Et comme quand l'orage esmeut la mer profonde Migrations diuerses habitations des peuples Le flot chasse
haue in their discourses by word or writing to tend alwayes to some one certaine point or end as the only marke they aime or leuell-at Let the Reader finde out some better note hereupon for mine owne scarse contents me Seuenthly this Vnitie is said to be no number because a number taken as it is commonly for a name of multitude is composed of many vnities and more then number because it giues a being to all numbers and thus it hath a power to comprehend all numbers and is actually in all Let vs adde a word more to the praise of Vnitie God is one and the Church of many gathered together is but one yea there was but one Creator one world one man for of him was the woman framed one language before the confusion of Babel one Law one Gospell one Baptisme one Supper of the Lord one hope one loue one Paradise one life euerlasting Concerning the diuers significations of one and other numbers in holy Scripture I forbeare to speake because the Poet makes no plaine mention thereof But this I note further that out of these verses so artificially couched together nothing can be drawne which may any way seeme to fauour their vaine speculations who goe about to build vpon numbers the rules of Religion and such as are of force to establish or ouerthrow Common-wealths and least of all hath any support or rellyance for Arithmanticall Cheaters Magicians and other like mischiefes of the world who abusing the passages of holy Scripture where numbers are vsed thinke they haue found therein the way to foretell what is to come or power to raise vp Spirits and in a word to practise many things vnlawfull which the curious and profane haue taught by their bookes published in Print but let their names bee buried in euerlasting silence 9. Twaine The Pythagorians called the number of two or twaine Isis and Diana because as Diana was barren saith Plato in his Thâ—â—teâ—us so Two being the head and beginning of Diuersitie and vnlikenesse hath no such power as other numbers haue It is the father of numbers huen which the Poet calles esseminate because they bring forth nothing but are cause rather of the ruine of Vnitie For to diuide a thing is to destroy it as Aristotle argues very punctually in the eight Booke of his Metaphysickes Plutarch in his Treatise of the Soules creation saith that Zaratas the Master of Pythagoras called Two the mother of Numbers and One the father whereof he yeelds a reason which our Author hath in a word 10. Three Some account Three the first of all numbers for as for Two the Pythagorians doe not vouchsafe it the name of a number but call it a confounding of Vnities which are to speake properly no numbers but the roots and beginnings of numbers I will say nothing here of the praise of Three set downe by Plutarch in his Treatise of Isis and Osiris and elsewhere nor yet what say the Poets whose Chiefe hath this Numero Deus impare gaudet meaning not an odde number whatsoeuer as Fiue or Seuen but only Three which is the first of all the odde numbers and makes in Geometry of three surfaces only the first body that hath length breadth and thicknesse called a Triangle The Pythagoreans call this kinde of Solide Minerua and in their purifications and washings doe vse much the number of Three Virgil also toucheth vpon this secret in the 6. of his Aeneids Thus Idem ter socios purâ circumtulit vndâ and in the first of his Georg. thus Terque nouas circum saelix cat hoslia fruges And Ouid. 2. Fast thus Et digitis tria thura tribus sublimine ponit And in the 6. Protinus arbuteâ postes terin ordine tangit Fronde ter arbuteâ lamina fronde notal Infinite authorities haue we to this purpose to name one Plinie saith in translating I searched out the place Nat. Hist 28.4 Ternâ despuere deprecatione in omni medicinâ mes suit atque ex hec effectus adiuâ—are But for as much as this and the like fauours of superstition and witchcraft I leaue it and for beare also to shew further how curiously some apply this number vnto diuers mysteries of Religion contenting my selfe onely to expound the Poets words First hee saith it is a number proper vnto God and I thinke he meanes it of the holy Trinitie Father Sonne and Holy Ghost which is one true God for of nothing else can it be said that Three are One and One is Three Againe he saith it is the eldest brother of all the Odde numbers but of that wee spoke before Thirdly he saith that in this number Three is No number and Number well met Then he saith further it is a number well beloued of Almightie God I translate it Heau'ns fauour winning and it hath respect either to the sore-alledged place of Virgil or rather to the effects that God worketh in his creatures which would make a large Commentary for the number of three hath beene obserued by some in the Order of Angels sent downe vnto Men in Men themselues in Sciences in Vertues and other things so many as can hardly be numbred Moreouer he saith the number Three hath a Center and two Extremities of equall distance one from another which is easie to be vnderstood for the Center of Three is the second Vnitie which is equally distant from the first and the third and by this reason also is it the first of all number that hath End Middle and Beginning which is also very plaine to conceiue 11 Foure The Cube or perfect Square body in Geometrie hath a piedestall or base of foure corners and is the most perfect of Solide bodies representing stedfastnesse continuance and vertue whereof came the prouerbe of Homo quadratus not square faced like the Chinois Trigault in expedit one Iesuitica but a man disposed and dealing squarely a man sound constant and vertuous Reade Pierius his Exposition of this number with the rest before and after it I haue said much thereof in my Commentaries vpon the Quartaines of le Sieur de Pybrac Expos 39. where he saith that Truth is framed of a perfect Cube Now to the rest of our Poets words Secondly then he ascribes to the number of Foure this property that with his owne contents which are one two three he makes vp I en this is plaine Thirdly he saith it is the number of the name most to be feared that is the name of God For the Hebrues write the name of God with foure letters and say it is vn-vtterable and pronounce euer Adonai for Ichoua which name the Diuines call Tetragramaton Iohn Reuelm hath discoursed largely thereof in his Cabala and in his bookes de Verbo Mirifico Other Nations also haue giuen to God a name of foure letters The Assyrians Adad the Aegyptians Amun the Persians Syre the old Romans Aius the Greekes ΘΕΟΣ the Mahumetans Alla the Goths Thor the Spaniards Dios the Italians Idio the
and Winter Season holds the Basse our Phleme like the Autume time and Element of Water the Tenor our Blood like the Spring and Aire the Counter-tenor which runnes through all kinde of Notes our Choller as the Summer time and Fire the Treble as for all other parts vsed in Musicke they are euer correspondent to some one of these foure 51. See then the cause He speakes now of the effect and power of Musicke The Platonicks held the soule of Man to be composed of numbers and proportions the excellence whereof is chiefely in the heauens whereupon it ensues that Musicall harmony somewhat partaking with the nature of I se and soule diuersly mooues and affects all liuing Creatures capable thereof The Poet plaies vpon this opinion but still with a caueat that the truth and ground of this doctrine be rightly vnderstood For mans Soule is not made of numbers as the word is simply taken but thus much onely meanes the Platonist that these spirituall substances enclosed in mans body are so exquisite and as it were harmonious that all harmony concord and proportion delights them and contrariwise all discord and disproportion or confused noyse offends them as we see by daily experience Furthermore he that hath created all things in perfect concord and proportion would euen in such as seeme farthest from well agreeing haue the force of Musicke shew it selfe â—y the attention it commandeth of hearers and by their loue and reuerence thereof Whereupon I boldly dare auouch that soule not well ordered in it selfe or not well fitted with a body which cannot abide sweet harmony 52. Sweet Harmony In twelue verses here the Poet sets-out the force of Musicke both in regard of men and beasts whereof we finde in ancient History very notable examples as Teâ—â—aâ—der Timotheus Ariâ—â— and others whâ—â—by their Musicke haue done great wonders made the most offended to be friends one with another the most melancholy and sad to bee merry fooles to be wise and sum as were like to runne mad for loue to be stayed and what not It is reported also that against the Phâ—lâ—â—gies poyson there â—â—n helpe to ready and oueraigne as the well ordered sound of Musicall Instruments See what Aeâ—â—an Pâ—â—â—y and Plutarch â—y thereof 53. O what 's to Musicke hard He goes on yet further and shewes how Musicke is able to preuaâ—e euen with God himselfe And this he proues by three examples the first of Soul 1. Sam. 10. who meeting a company of Prophets with Instruments of Musicke began also to prophesie among them the second of Elizeus 2. King 3. who called for a Minstrell and when the Minstrell played the hand of the Lord that is his Spirit came vpon the Prophet the third of God anger appeased by deuout singing of Psalmes and namely those of Dauid which in the mouth of Gods faithfull seruants are of wonderfull power as by many particulars of these and former times may well be proued For God indeed hath promised to be neere vnto all those that call vpon him faithfully Psal 145.18 And it becommeth well the righteous to reioyce in the Lord and be thankfull Psal 33.1 To conclude here is the effect of a zealous prayer wherein heart voice and accent runne together most liuely set-out by the Poet describing with most elegant similitudes the fierce wrath of God against sinne and the sweetnesse of his mercy when he is appeased 54. But now as Heb'r had thought The Poet intending to make here an end of the second day of his second weeke brings-in Canan the sonne of Cham to seeke as it were by Fate along the bankes of Iordaine for the Countrey that was after to be inhabited by his posteritie So he comming toward the Pillar breakes-off the learned conference that was betwixt the other two And here therefore shall end our Commentary-Notes vpon these high conceits of this excellent Poet. FINIS The Epistle to the Lord Admirall 1596. WEighing how neare it concernes your Honourable Charge what strangers passe the Seas into England I was thereby and otherwise in humble dutie moued to giue your Lordship first intelligence of this Gentleman whom I haue newly transported out of Frame and also thought it necessary to craue your fauourable protection of him in this his trauell A worthy man is he my Lord in his owne Countrie howsoeuer here disguised and one of the sonnes of that Noble and Diuine Poet LE SIEVR DV BARTAS in my simple iudgement the properest and best learned of them all I am sure the best affected to England and the gracious Empresse thereof for which cause I made speciall choise of him and doe therefore the rather hope to finde fauour on his behalfe with your Honourable Lordship whose loyaltie to the Crowne the Prince by trust of so high an Office whose loue to the Land the people by ioynt consent of daily felt vertues haue so fully witnessed that the fame thereof hath spred it selfe farre beyond that your admirable Regiment In so much as this gentle stranger though he were at the first vnwilling Vlâ—sses-like to leaue his natiue soile especially now in this dangerous sea-faring time while all the world is in a manner troubled with Spanish Fleets yet after he called to minde what he had heard and written of the mightie Goddesse of the English Ocean and who there swayed the Trident vnder her trusting vpon such a Neptune he went aboord with a good courage and doubting not at all but that the proud Spanish Carackes if they be not yet sufficiently dismaid by the wracke they suffered in their former aduenture but dare againe attempt the like be they neuer so many more or greater than they were if more and greater they can be shall againe by the grace of God directing as before the courage and wisdome of Englands renowned Admirall be dispersed ouer the frowning face of our disdainfull Seas and drunken with salt waues regorge the bodies of their presumptuous Pilots And so my Lord with a fauourable wind breathing directly from the French Helicon by the safe conduit of your Honourable name and helpe of the Muses at length I landed my stranger in England Where since his arriuall he hath gladly encountred diuers of his elder brethren that were come ouer before some in a princely Scottish attire others in faire English habits and to the intent he might the better enioy their company whh by this time had almost forgotten their French he was desirous to learne English of me therefore I kept him a while about mee was his teacher at home and enterpreter abroad and now that he hath gotten such a smattering of the tongue as hee can so as hee can speake for himselfe may it please your good Lordship to talke with him at your leisure though I know you vnderstand very well his naturall speech I am of opinion it will much delight you to heare him vtter such counterfeit English as in so little time I was able to teach him He can say somewhat of the godly gouernment of good Princes the wicked practises of Tyrants as well in compassing as maintaining a Scepter both worthy your Lordships hearing for the manner sake though the matter be not vnknowne to your wisdome But some other things he doth report very strange as of NIMROD that was the first Tyrant of the world after the time of Noah the first Admirall of the world his aspiring minde and practises in seeking the peoples fauour his proud and subtile attempt in building the Tower of Babel and Gods iust punishment thereof in confounding the language of the builders Very truly reckoneth he that which few doe consider the great and manifold inconueniences that are befallen mankinde by the diuersitie of tongues Further he can tell of speech in generall whether man speake by nature or haue but onely an aptnesse to speake by vse and whether any other creature haue the like as for seuerall speeches he can prooue with many goodly reasons which is the best and most ancient of them all what altereth each tongue what continueth each in account what languages are in greatest regard now-adaies and what Authors haue most excelled in them And vpon occasion of the English tongue my Lord he setteth-out in such manner the Queenes princely Majesty her learning wisdome eloquence and other excellent vertues that I know your noble and loyall heart will greatly reioice to heare it at the mouth of such a stranger The rest if it be more curious then for the States weightie affaires your L. may intend to heare I wish referred vnto those goodly young Gentlewomen your noble and father-like-minded Sonnes whom after your L. I doe most of all honour there shall they finde profit so blended with pleasure learning with delight as it may easily win their hearts already vertuously aspiring from the wanton and faining Cantoes of other Syren-Poets wherewith many young Gentlemen and chiefely those of greatest hope are long and dangerously mis-led vnto a further acquaintance with this heauenly-Poeticall Writer of the truth who is now growne into such a liking of this Country chiefely for the peaceable gouernment thereof blessed be that Gouernor and free course of the Gospell God continue it and send the like into France that he is desirous to become a Freedenizen and hoping further to be an eye-witnesse of Gods wonderfull mercies towards this Land whereof in France he spake but by heare say to behold that precious Northerne Pearle and kisse her Scepter-bearing hand whose worthy praise he hath sung so sweetly he humbly beseecheth your gracious fauour to be enfranchised which if it may please you to grant my Lord vouchsafing also the patronage of him that vnder seale of your Honorable name he may escape the carping censures of curious fault-finders and enioy all honors priuileges liberties and lawes that belong euen to the naturall inhabitants of this noble Isle my selfe will vndertake to Fine for him at least hearty praiers for your daily encrease of honor and all such obedience as it shall please your L. to impose Whose I rest euer at command WILLIAM L'ISLE