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
trauayling in diuers exercises do obtaine alike excellencie and reputation they thinke that mens wits are nourished by emulation and that sometimes enuie sometimes admiration doth stir them vp and maketh them mount by little and little to the highest where it is hard to remaine since euery thing that can not go forward or vpward doth naturally discend and retire yea commonly much faster then it ascended And as they are prouoked to follow or imitate the first so after they dispaire of going beyond them or attayning to them they lose their courage of trauayling and labouring with their hope leauing the matter as alreadie possessed which falleth after by negligence and commeth to contempt Aristotle who affirmeth the world to be eternall and Plato who said that it had a beginning but that it should haue no end do both affirme that infinite things haue bin in one and the same kind and should bee infinitely that there is nothing whose like hath not bin that there should be nothing which had not bin and that nothing hath bin but should be againe That in this maner the Arts and sciences and other humaine inuentions cannot be perpetual those Nations being distroied where they flourished by reason of extreme heats and inundations which must needes happen at certaine times by the mouing and progresse of the starres either by the fire and water discending from aboue in exceeding quantitie or fire breaking out of the earth or the sea forcibly ouerflowing his bankes or by the increase and swelling of riuers which can not runne into the sea or that the earth trembling and quaking open it selfe and violently cast forth the water before inclosed in his entrailes But howbeit the Starres haue some power towards the disposing of inferiour things the situation of places and temperature of the seasons of the yeare do helpe concerning vnderstandings and maners the reward and honour proposed vnto mans industrie the learned ages and liberall Princes giue great aduancement vnto Arts and emulation serueth for a spur therevnto Notwithstanding for my part I thinke that God being carefull of all the parts of the world doth grant the excellencie of Armes and of Learning sometimes vnto Asia sometimes vnto Africk sometimes vnto Europe establishing the soueraign Empire of the world once in the East another time in the West another time in the South another in the North and suffering vertue and vice valiancie and cowardize sobrietie and delicacie knowledge and ignorance to go from countrie to countrie honouring and diffaming the Nations at diuers times to th end that euery one in his turne might haue part of good hap and ill and that none should waxe proude by ouerlong prosperitie as it will appeare to haue fallen out vnto this present by particuler recitall of the Nations accounted the first or chiefest of the world The end of the third Booke OF THE VICISSITVDE OF ARMES AND OF LETTERS concurring in the Coniunction of Power and wisdom through the most renowmed Nations of the world and who haue bin the first and most auncient of all that haue excelled in them both The fourth Booke INtending to begin our discourse by the most auncient Nations of the world I find my selfe hindered by the different which hath bin betweene some of them touching the honour of antiquitie and of precedence THE INDIANS inhabiting Countries of maruailous largenesse did boast that they were the true Originaries hauing neuer receiued any strangers among them neither sent any of theirs to dwell elswhere But that the first amongst them vsed such victuals as the earth brought forth of it selfe and skinns of beasts for their garments and then found out by little and little the Arts sciences and other things necessarie to liue well That their land is so fertile that they neuer found want of victuals For whereas it bringeth forth twice in a yeare all maner of Corne they gather one Haruest in winter at such time as they plant rootes and thother in summer when they sow Rice sesame and millet wherof there commeth great aboundance from thence for asmuch as the graines and fruits grow there without any help of man and that the rootes growing in the marishes of singuler sweetnes serue men in steed of other victuals verie sufficiently and that the customes do helpe that fertilitie much which they obserue in time of warres not to hurt the husbandmen nor endamage the laborers in any thing but to leaue them in peace as ministers of the common profit and not to burne the farmes and villages of their aduersaries themselues nor to cut their trees or corne which they had sowen THE strength of the Indians appeared then when they were assayled by Semiramis Queene of Assyria for being a woman exceeding couetous of honour and of glorie after she had conquered Egipt and Ethiopia she thought yet to make one warre more the memorie whereof should last foreuer Vnderstanding then that the people of the Indies was the greatest of the world and their Countrie aboue all others excellent in beautie and fertilitie where the earth as is said caried twice in a yeare fruits and seeds and where there was great quantitie of gold siluer brasse precious stones and all other thinges both for profit and pleasure she imployed all her forces against the Indians ouer whom raigned Staurobates and assembled her Armie in the which there were three Millions of foote fiue hundred thousand horsemen a hundred thousand chariots and as manie fighters on camels-backs with swordes of sixe foote in length two thousand barkes or shipps and made or fained Elephants in great number whose counterfaits were caried on Camels Which militarie preparation being vnderstood by the King of the Indians he assayed to exceed her forces and hauing ordained all things in a readines for the resisting of her he sent his Ambassadours before reprehending her of great ambition that without being prouoked by any wrong or iniurie of them she made warre against them blaming her besides in many and diuers respects and calling the Gods to witnesse he threatned her that if she were ouer come in battaile he would cause her to be hanged and crucified Whereunto Semiramis answered smyling that they must fight with prowesse and not with words The battailes then approching one against the other Semiramis had the better in the first encounter and in the second was ouerthrowen with her counterfait Elephants in such sort that almost all the Assyrians being put to flight Staurobates by chaunce meeting with Semiramis hurt her first with an arrow iâ— the arme and then with a dart in the shoulder and as she was getting to horse she was almost taken the Kings Elephant pursuing her The Assyrians in this maner ouercome tooke the way to their ships and the Indians pursuing their victorie slew many of them at the straights and narrow waies in the which the footemen and horsemen being intermingled hindred one an other in so much that there was no meanes to flie nor to saue themselues but
two last bookes hence forwarde shall be another proposed of the religion power knowledge and other excellence of the Arabians or Sarasens which requireth no lesse deduction then the former In the meane time whiles the Empire was afflicted by the barbarous nations and Christendome troubled with heretickes the Sarazens transported to themselues the honour of armes and of learning For whereas the church deuided by the Arrians Nestorians Manichees Donatists and Pelagians had lost much of her integrity Then the Empire in the East being vexed by the Persians in the West and South by the Gothes Vandales Alanes Hunnes and Lumbards and consequently the light of learning extinguished in such a confusion the people grieued and wearied with so many troubles harkned the more easily vnto Mahomet when he began to publish his law Which was so plausible in hatred of the former contentions that it was eftsoones receaued into many regions In so much that the followers thereof haue by succession of time possessed both Asia and Africke and a great part of Europe making them-selues Masters of the best Countries of the world out of which they banished the ghospell to giue place to their Alcoran which the greatest part of mankinde now followeth speaking the Arabian tongue in the affaires of religion and the disciplines euen as Latin is vsed in these partes So hauing ended so many conquestes and subdued innumerable nations they applied their selues to learning becomming by the quicknes sharpnes of their wits very learned in philosophy Phisick Astrology Geometry other arts By meanes wherof they got in their tourne great reputation in the exercise of armes knowledge of learning And as that vnmeasurable power of theirs extended into diuers countries so haue they had many valiant Captaines and famous princes for the conduct of their affaires But there is none more renowmed then MAHOMET the authour of the Alcoran and founder of the Sarazen Empire who being borne of an obscure poore parētage came to great riches power authority making himselfe the law-giuer of mankind making the people beleeue that he was the prophet and messenger of God His successors were Eubocara Homar Odmen Hali Alharen Moaui Iesid the Caliphes who prospered merueilously in a little time with those beginnings which Mahomet had giuen them spreading far wide togither with their dominion the Arabian language religiō abolishing in those countries which they conquered the Greek Latin Punick Persian which was a wonderfull strange mutation And as they haue bin excellent warriors so haue they bin no lesse studious learned For they haue had Auicen a man most learned in thir Theology and in all sciences Auerrois an expoūder of Aristotle whom those of his time and which haue come after him haue had in such admiration that they haue almost equalled him with Aristotle himselfe giuing him by excellency the name of the Commentatour Auempace Algazel Benbitar Abaren and Siphac Philosophers Mesue Rasis whom they cal Almansor Serapiō Zoar surnamed the wise Phisitians Albumasar Auenzoar Gebber Alpharab Alphragan Hali Rodoan Astrologers All which florished almost at one time haue bin followed by many others as Persians Syrians Egiptiās Africans Spaniards writing in the Arabian tongue which remaine vnknowen to vs by ignorance of the tonge diuersity of their religion They say that Rhetoricke is not needful because that nature plainly in few words declareth her conceyts albeit they haue as other nations many Historiographers yet they make but smal account of histories especially the Turkes saying that men dare not write the truth of princes while they are liuing and that after their decease the memory of them is lost There are few Architects amōgst thē because they giue not thēselues much to building the most part of them dwelling vnder tents pauilions The others build no houses aboue one story in height like to doue-houses as in Turkie mocking at Christiās that ar so curious in their houses as if they were to dwel in them perpetually or if they do build they are tēples bridges stoues baths hospitals other such like publick edifices caring little for the priuat which they comonly make of wood of earth seldom of squared stone such vanity being reproued by their Law They haue yet fewer painters statuaries cutters grauers caruers of images for feare of Idolatry which they abhor detesting by reason therof the pictures counterfeits of all liuing creatures They haue Poets enough which paint out their amarous passions such other fantasies The Alcoran it selfe is writtē in meeter is altogither poetical On which is groūded not only their religion but their politick gouernment Iustice warfare is ruled thereby Wherfore al Talismans Basis Subasis Cadis Cadilesquets are boūd to vnderstand it as neer as they can to accomodate their sentēces therunto The princes themselues haue Muphtis Patriarches neer vnto thē to take heed to their decrees ordinances to repeale them if they be foūd repugnāt to their religion For other things they folow the laws of the Sultans the customes of the countrey by reason wherof they haue no other ciuil law nor Lawiers The christiās which haue writtē against Mahomet do cal him a diabolical magician a lier a deceiuer say that he was the son of a Pagan borne of a Iew a theefe a whore-monger a cunning contriuer an idolater of religion poore of fortune presūptious of vnderstāding ignorant of learning renowmed for vilanies That at his beginning he was a Marchant a driuer of Camels afterwards being enriched by the mariage of a rich widow became a Captaine had charge of the Arabians vnder the Emperor Heraclius In which seruice he found meanes to get him power and authoritie For whereas the foure thousand Arabians which serued Heraclius had required to haue the military garment giuen them as wel as to the other men of war an Eunuche who was Treasurer at this vnhappy time answered them that the garment which was reserued for the Romain Souldior ought not to be giuen to doggs Which they taking in scorne fel to mutinie and with the same disdaine incensed the rest of that nation To whom Mahomet ioyning him selfe prouoked them farther and confirmed them in this rebellion Then was he chosen the chiefetaine by one parte of them as in sedicions they are wont to be chosen that support the multitude in their euill counsels and blame their superious Many despised in him the basenes of his stock and pouertie of his former life But to warrant himselfe from this contempt as it is easie towards the simple and ignorant multitude he vsed from that time forward a pretext of diuinity in his actiōs calling himselfe no more a Captaine chosen by military fauour but the prophet and messenger of almighty God to th end that vnder colour of this imposture al men should obey him the more willingly And whereas he fell
world and haue maliciously inuented many lies of his pretended excellencie heretofore rehearsed to th end to make him more admirable and to draw the more people to his beleefe THE POWER OF THE ARABIANS or Saracens compared to the Romain Macedonian Persian Parthian Assyrtan and Egiptian PLinie speaking of the Arabians saith that they were not inferiour to any people of the world They receiuing the law of Mahomet who was of their nation were called Saracens who in little time after they had receiued this Religion atchieued great conquests subdued many Regions tooke and ruinated Townes wasted countries ouerthrew kingdoms and namely the Romain Empire in the East But as they increased sodainly in dominions so they entred into partialities and diuided themselues vnder two Caliphes whereof the one was established at Bagdet in Assyria commaunding ouer all the East thother in Egipt who conquered all the rest of Barbarie with Spaine Being come to such and so great power albeit they were all of one religion or little different because they called one another Schismaticks yet had they not one Empire aunswering to one soueraigne Monarch and resident in the capitall Citie of the state as had the Assyrians Persians Parthians and Romains but being diuided into many Lords and euil agreeing they fought the one against thother which was the cause that made them diminish as soone as they were growen vp For the first Turks comming out of the North East parts of Asia on the differents of the two Caliphes they took Persia from them and possessed the Caliphat of Bagdet with the better part of the lesser Asia becomming Mahometists But the Latin Christians vnder Godfrey of Bouillon and the Corasmians ouercame these Turks then the Latins Corasmians being ouercome the Tartarians issued from the same quarter wherehence the Turks came before who in an instant ouerran a great part of the North of the East and of the South then drawing toward the West they ouercame the Ruthenians Lithuanians Polaques and pierced euen into Hungary Austrich and Germanie which if they had bin or were vnited would make an incomparable power But they are diuided by hordes of the Procopians Zauoglans Nogacians and Corasmians the one being gouerned by kings and the other by common weales A COMPARISON OF THE ARABIAN or Sarasen Learning with the Greeke Egiptian Chaldaick Persian and Romain or Latin AS the learning of the Greekes and Romaines augmented with their power so did that of the Arabians or Saracens And when they were the most mightie of the world then they became most learned especially in the demonstratiue sciences Amongst whom Auicenna Albumasar Gebber and Auerrois got the first praise Auicen hath bin the most vniuersall of them all being eminent in philosophie in the Mathematics in their Theologie in the Arabian poesie who writing also in Physick hath verie well handled according to the iudgement of the most learned in this art the signes and causes of diseases accomodating vnto them many remedies not vnderstood nor practised by the Greeks and Italians Auerrois hath learnedly expounded all Aristotle Abumasar vnderstood perfectly al the celestial motions and their effects hauing inuented the great coniunctions and many other goodly things which remained vnknowen vntill his time Gebber a verie expert Mathematician hath found faults in the demonstrations of Prolomey his Almagests And others in diuers sciences haue inuented many new things or reformed those that were inuented before both Persians Syrians Egiptians Africans and Spaniards writing in Arabian which possessed the schooles of the West before the restitution of the Greek and Latin Which I thought good to speak of by the way that it might be knowen that all learning is not comprised in these two languages that the Arabian ought not to be dispised which comprehendeth a good part They got such reputation in the Mathematicks that Alphonsus king of Castile going about to make his Astronomical tables had his principal recourse to them because that only they at that season could teach and restore such sciences to whom he made great presents to the value of fower hundred thousand Crownes Imitating therein the liberalitie of Alexander who disbursed the like summe to haue the natures of liuing creatures truely represented by Aristotle But the Caliphes seeing that the people too much giuen to Philosophie to the Mathematicks cared but little for their Law they founded Colleges for the intertainment of teachers and learners of their Alcoran and in some vniuersities they changed the Lectures of philosophie into those of their Law ordaining that whosoeuer from thence forward would studie the Alcoran should in no sort giue himselfe to Philosophie which hath made the exercises of the sciences to waxe cold in some places but not thorough out because that at this day there are found in Persia most learned Philosophers Astrologers A COMPARISON OF THE ARABIAN tongue with the Greek Latin and Hebrew WHen the Greeks and Romains were in their greatest prosperitie and rulers ouer many Countries they spred these two tongues with their dominions much people learned to speak thē either to please them therwith or to negociate with them then the Christian religion seruing it self with them hath preserued dispersed thē into diuers coūtries yet were they neuer vnderstood in so many places as the Arabian is now the which is common to almost all the inhabitants of Asia Africk a third part of Europe the affairs of the Alcoran being treated therin which is followed by th one half of the world or more and all sciences Euen as we vse Latin in these parts separated from the vulgar tongues and not vnderstood but by such as haue learned it in schooles It resembleth the Hebrew Chaldaick and Syriack in this that it is written as they are from the right hand to the left with points in steed of vowels and hath many words common with them and the phrase somewhat neere them but peculiar letters to it selfe wherin it is much different from the Greek and Latin which are written from the left hand to the right The end of the eigth Booke THE SEQVELE OF THE RELIGION and power of the Mahometists as of the first Turkes Corasmians Tartarians of the Souldan of the Ottoman and of the Sophy Where there is mention made of the great Cham of Catay of the King of Narsingue of the Moscouite and of Presbiter Iohn as hauing all begun or growen vp about that time albeit they haue other Religions The ninth Booke ON the different which was between the Caliphes The TVRKS comming out of the Northeast of Scythia went into Asia about the hundreth yeare of the Algier of Mahomet and after they had a long time wandered they staied in Persia whither they came being called by the Persians against the Arabians and others of the new Religion which oppressed them But finding at their comming the kingdom of Persia vanquished aswell by armes as by religion and seeing it was not possible for them
fewer in Asia which is come to passe by reason that these two last parts of the world haue had one or two soueraignties but few cōmon weales But Europe hath only had certain kingdoms but infinite cōmon weals Men become excellent make shew of their vertue according as they are employed aduanced by their Prince or cōmon wealth It is thē likly that where are many potentats there wil also be found many valiant men and fewe where there are but few potentats In Asia are found Ninus Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes Mithridates and a few others to beare them company In Africke are named leauing out the antiquitie of Egipt Masinissa Iugurtha and the Captains bred by the common wealth of Carthage the which yet in respect of Europe are but few For asmuch as there are excellent ones in Europe without number and more would be if those other were named which by the malignity of the time are forgotten For the world hath ben there most vertuous where there haue ben most great estates fauourers of vertue either for necessitie or some other humane passion There haue ben therefore few excellent men in Asia because that prouince was wholy vnder one kingdome which by the greatnes thereof remaining for the most part idle they could not there become excellent men for managing of affaires The same is also in Africk where likewise there haue bin few saue only in the common wealth of Carthage This being also obserued that there are more excellent personages found in common weales then in kingdoms in the which vertue is honoured and in kingdomes suppressed whence cometh to passe that in a common wealth the vertuous are cherished and in a kingdome not regarded Wherefore he that shall consider Europe shall finde it to haue bin full of common weales and principalities which for the feare they had one of the other were constrained to keepe in vigour the military orders and to honour and esteeme of such as were best skilled therin For in Greece besids the kingdome of Macedony there were many common weales in euery of thē were bred most excellent men In Italy were the Romains Samnites Toscans and Gaules Cisalpins France and Germany were ful of common weales princes likewise Spaine And although in comparison of the Romains there are few others named that coms to pas by the malignity of writers which follow fortune and honour none but the vanquishers But it seemeth not likely that amongst the Samnites and Toscans which maintained warres 150. yeres against the people of Rome before they were ouercome there were not many excellent men and likewise in France and Spaine But that vertue which the writers do not celebrate in particuler men they extoll generally in the whole nations exalting euen vnto heauen their obstinate defending of their liberty It being true then that where are most estates there arise most valiant men It followeth necessarily that where there are fewest there vertue from hand to hād diminisheth because there remaineth lest occasion to make mē vertuous Wherefore the Empire being since increased and hauing extinguished all the common weales and Seigniories of Europe and Africke and the greatest part of those of Asia it left no way nor meanes vnto vertue any where but at Rome so that there began to be few excellēt men in Europe as in Asia which vertue came since euen to his last ouerthrow forasmuch as all vertue being reduced vnto Rome when it was once corrupted euen almost all the world came to corruption therewith And the Northren nations were of power to come and spoile this Empire which had extinguished the light of others vertue and could not maintaine his owne Although then that by the inundation of these barbarous nations it was diuided into many parts yet the former vertue could not yet spring vp againe by reason of the difficulty which there is for a time to resume the former orders being ouerthrowen also because the maner of liuing at this day considering the christian religiō doth not imposethe same necessity of defending our selues which was in anciēt time For then those mē that were ouer come in war were either slain or els remained in perpetual bōdage leading a miserable life The conquered lāds were left desolate or els they draue the inhabitāts being spoiled of their goods like fugitiues throughout the world Insomuch that those which in wars were ouercome endured al extremity of misery Being moued with this fear mē alwaies held military exercise in vigour honored such as excelled therein But at this day this feare for the most part is taken away for there are few of the vanquished slaine they remaine not long prisoners the way being easy to deliuer them And although Cities should a thousand times reuolte yet are they not destroied but the men enioy their goods and the greatest euil they feare is an impost or taxe wherefore they will not submit themselues to the military orders and entirely beare the charges of the warre to preuent these dangers which they do not much feare since the prouinces of Europe are reduced to so fewe heads in respect of the time past All France being subiect to one king Spaine to another and Italy diuided into partes In such sort that the weake Cities are saued by associating them selues with the vanquishers and the other estates by the foresaid reasons do not feare their vtter ouerthrow Touching the Almaines and Switzers because there were amongst them many common wealths and Seigniories being iealous of their estates and constrained to maintain them by exercise of armes they haue brought forth whatsoeuer is good at this day in Military discipline in these parts Moreouer men in their food and norishment are no lesse different according to the diuersity of countries then in other things eche countrey hauing his peculiar meates and a seueral kinde of dressing preparing sauouring saulcing rosting and boyling them And in eche season of the yere nature yeldeth newe meates both by sea and land As then there are found diuers sorts of food so are there also diuers maners of liuing both of beasts and of men For being not possible for them to liue without nourishment the difference thereof maketh their maner of liuing to be diuers and different So that of beastes some liue in heards and flockes other seperated here and there as is most expedient for purchase of their liuing And some of thē feed on liuing creatures others on fruits others on euery thing so that nature hath seuered their liues according to the commodity and choice of these things But for as much as naturally euery creature hath not pleasure in the selfe same but some delight in one thing and some in another for this cause doe the liues of them differ which eate liuing creatures and which feed on fruits Likewise there is a great difference betweene the liues of men The Idler sort giue them selues to pasturage feeding on tame beasts without paines or trauaile but
of his person affable and as liberall as any prince might be Touching his sonne ALEXANDER hee did in a little time many great things and by his good wit and valure excelled all the kings that were euer renowmed for their great deedes since the world was first a worlde For in the space of twelue yeres which he raigned and no more he conquered a good parte of Europe and euen almost all Asia thoroughout whereby he got of good right exceeding great glory and not inferiour to the greatest Princes of auncient time who for the greatnes and excellency of their deedes and vertues haue bin reuerenced by their posterity as demy Gods From his childhood he gaue euident tokens of his greatnes to ensue Hee tooke no pleasure in women nor in plaies nor any other kind of pastime but his whole and onely delight was in armes And the more he sawe his father Philip to prosper the more sory he was saying that hee would leaue nothing for him to doe When the other yong Lordes of his age inuited him to goe to the Olympian games he aunswered them that he would willingly goe if hee thought he shoulde finde any Kings there with whome he might combat and iust The Ambassadours of the king of Persia hauing talked with him said that they founde in him more magnanimity then his age could beare King Philip being desirous to knowe who should be his successour sent to the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos where hee had aunswere that he should succeed him in his kingdome and enjoy the empire of the whole world whome the horse Bucephalus would suffer to get vp on him The which fell out to be true in Alexander For this Bucephalus was a horse of singuler beauty but fierce and not to be ruled by others which showed himselfe so tractable vnto Alexander that hee might doe with him what he would who kept him long reseruing him for battails or daungerous passages But such was the hap of Alexander that he neuer sought battaile but he wan and neuer besieged fortresse but he tooke it While he was yet but yong and euill-furnished with money and hauing but thirty fiue or fortye thousand men of warr he was so hardy and aduenturous as to passe the sea and to goe into Asia to assaile the king of Persia the greatest and most mighty king of the world very farre into his owne kingdome whome he discomfited three times putting to flight the armies of his aduersarie whereof the least was of foure or fiue hundred thousand fighting men After which ouerthrowes the king of Persia offred him two thousand talents and a part of his kingdome to raunsome his mother his wife and his daughters but he would not restore them giuing a magnanimous aunswere that as the worlde could not be guided by two sunnes so that there could not be two soueraigne kingdomes while the habitable earth remained Hauing conquered the whole estate of Persia he marched with his army euen to the extremities of the East thorough such rough and long waies for the most part and amongest so many different nations that with great difficulty might one goe thithen being lightly furnished on horsebacke or on foote besides the daunger of fighting Then retourning out of India to Babylon he was saluted king of all the world being about xxxiij yeares of age by Ambassadours sent from Carthage and from the rest of Africke from the Spaynes and Gaules from Sicilie Sardigna and Italy Such was the terrour of his name and the reputation of his greatnesse and felicity And hauing ouercome the East he threatned Carthage preparing great armies both by sea and land to conquere the West hauing purposed to marche thorough Africke euen to the pillars of Hercules and to passe at the straights into Spaine then from thence to retourne by Gaule and Italy into Greece when he dyed in the midst of his enterprises and victories He was so ambitious that vnderstanding how the Philosopher Democritus affirmed that there were many worldes he lamented that he was so long in getting of this one and was sory that he could not sooner inuade the rest He called himselfe the sonne of God and would be worshipped accordingly And after he was dead his body remained seuen daies without stinke or corruption which confirmed the opinion that was held of his diuinity Thus much touching the excellency of armes that was then and it shal not be besides our purpose to treate a little of that of learning which wil be found to be no lesse in Plato and Aristotle according to their quality These two then set Philophy as high as euer it was and haue surmounted not only the other former Philosophers both Greeks and straungers but also had neuer since their equals In so much that the world holdeth of them at this present the most part of that knowledge which it hath those books of theirs which remaine being translated into all languages and dispersed into all nations They haue knowen whatsoeuer it was possible to know in their time and whereunto the vnderstanding of man could then attaine There is no liberal knowledge nor art nor science whatsoeuer wherof they haue not spoken pertinētly properly There is nothing in the heauen in the earth nor in the sea which they haue omitted Wherunto the better to attaine they chose a maner of liuing quiet and peaceable fit for learning and contemplation which as neerest approaching to the heauenly life they thought worthiest of a wise man They shunned publick charges full of enuy and of trauailes seeking rest that they might study and write PLATO after he had long time conuersed with Socrates and hauing bin in Italie Sicile and Egypt although he loued well his Countrey and vnderstoode well matter of gouernement yet notwithstanding would not meddle with the common wealth because hee sawe the people of Athens euen to dote with old age and to be neere their end but employed all the time of his life in learning and seeking of truth showing by wordes by writing and by deedes the way of vertue to those that would follow it There is such maiesty in his speach that it hath bin thought if God would haue vsed the language of men that he would not haue spoken otherwise then as Plato did And Cicero calleth him the Father not onely of knowledge but also of speaking well hauing a stile in a meane betwixt prose and verse yet som-what neerer approching to that of Homer And where the Greeks went before into strange countries to study the strangers began in his time to come to Athens to learne knowledge Likewise ARISTOTLE was honourably sent for by King Philip who esteemed it much that he had such a person borne in his owne kingedome and in his time And especially for the instruction of his sonne Alexander where hauing remained eight yeres howbeit he had great credit in the Court of Macedon and might haue come to great Offices and riches he retired himselfe notwithstanding to
armes now into Spaine against Sertorius now against the Pyrates vnder colour of pacifying the sea He pretended these causes to th end he might continue his power What led him into Africk and into the North against Mithridates and into Armenia and against all the kings of Asia but onely an infinite desire of increasing in greatnes seeming only to himselfe that he was not great enough What did put Iulius so far forward into these publike euils glorie and ambition and a desire which he had without measure to excell aboue others He could not suffer one to be before him where the common wealth endured two What think you that Marius being once Consul indeed hauing taken away by force the six other Consulships when he defeated the Theutons and the Cymbrians and when he pursued Iugurtha thorough the deserts of Africa did aduenture these dangers by the instinct of vertue These men mouing all things were also moued themselues after the maner of whirle-winds which carrie away whatsoeuer they catch and thereby become more impetuous and can not be stil. Hauing then bin mischieuous vnto many they finally feele in themselues their pernicious mischiefe whereby they haue bin hurtfull vnto many The same Seneca It is all one saith he whether Cato ouercome or be ouercome in the battaile of Pharsalia The good being in him which could not be vanquished when his partie was ouercome was equall with the good which he should haue caried victorious into his Countrie haue pacified the affairs Wherefore should it not be equall seeing that by the same vertue euill fortune is ouercome and good fortune well ordered The vertue can not be greater nor lesser It is alwaies after one sort But Pompey shal lose his armie but the honest pretence of the common wealth and the Senate with the chiefest Lords of Rome following the part of Pompey being placed in the first rank of the battaile shall be ouerthrowen in one onely battaile and the ruines of so great an Empire shall be dispersed ouer all the world one part shall fall into Egipt an other into Africk an other into Spaine This miserable common wealth can not all fall at one time Let them do all they can The knowledge of the places doth not help the king Iuba in his kingdom nor the obstinate vertue of his subiects and the fidelitie of the Vticians being broken with so many euils faileth And should Scipio be abandoned in Africk of the fortune of his name It was already prouided that Cato should receiue no harme And yet he was ouercome Certainly the calamities were verie great in that conuersion of the world and there were strange aduersities mingled with the prosperities There was neither Countrie Citie Lordship or personage any whit renowmed but endured much The ruine of Carthage first presenteth it selfe which Citie seuen hundred yeares after it was founded had bin so flourishing and excellent in all things had borne rule ouer so many seas and lands and Islands and ships and so much riches and so many armes as nâ—ne more and had courage more then any other Fourteene yeares after the Numantines being besieged by Scipio AEmilian seeing that for want of victuals they were not able any longer to endure the siege themselues burned theiâ— Citie of Numantia and killed themselues part by the sword part by fire part by poison Cicero nameth Carthage and Numantia the two astonishments of the people of Rome Shal I tel how Syracusa was spoiled Corinth rased Antioch and Hierusalem taken Athens besieged and sacked Marsâ—illes borne in triumph how Rome saw her Senate flying her treasures taken away Alexandria found Cesar fighting in her and her king the yong Ptolomey dead how Thebes in Egipt was destroied Thirteen towns in Peloponesus swalowed vp with an earthquak wherwith Caria Rhodes also were shaken How ther came extraordinary inundations of the sea of riuers and of raines of tempestuous winds Monsters hideous in all nature signes in the aire comets eclipses of the sun and of the moone and other horrible things in the celestiall motions whereof ensued famins plagues and other diseases which were before vnknowen Cicero writeth that there appeared then not onely fierie impressions by night in the heauen flashes of of lightning and tremblings of the earth but moreouer that the thunder fell on the high towers of the Temples many Images of the Gods were remoued out of their places many statues of famous men throwen downe the tables of brasse wherein the Lawes were ingrauen were melted The Image also of Romulus the founder of Rome who was made as he were sucking and waiting at the tears of the wolfe striken with thunder Shall I tell of fower-score thousand Romains and their allies defeated by the Cymbrians and a hundred fortie thousand Cymbrians slaine by the Romains the armies of the Heluetians and Germains ouerthrowen the bondmen vp in armes and allies mutining And not onely the good townes and mightie armies did suffer but also the rich seignories and noble kingdomes were distroied the free nations either trauailed with warres or were brought vnder subiection As the Spanish French British Germain Pannonian Illyrian Armenian and Thracian Italie it selfe after it had about some fiue hundred yeares valiantly defended it selfe was in the end subdued Moreouer there were scarce any famous men either in armes or learning but either receiued notable iniuries or suffered violent death Scipio Africanus being returned out of the Senate was found the next day stifled in his bed which was thought to haue bin done by his neerest kinred Hannibal being driuen out of Italie and banished Africa poisoned himselfe in the Court of king Prusias The king Mithridates being besieged by his sonne Pharnaces slew himselfe and Pharnaces was in a moment ouercome by Cesar. Antiochus the great was depriued of the greatest part of Asia whereof he thanked the Romains And the king Prusias cald himselfe their slaue Perseus the last king of Macedonia was ouercome led in triumphe and died in captiuitie and one of his sonnes was the scribe of the magistrates Tigranes king of Armenia prostrated himselfe before Pompey and asking pardon he lifted him vp and put the Diademe on his head which he had throwen downe Ptolemey king of Cypres threw himselfe head-long into the sea knowing that by the instance of Clodius the Tribune Cato was sent thitherto carie away his treasures Syphax Iugurtha and Iuba being great kings in Africke ended vnhappely Sertorius was slaine by treason Marius flying from Rome in extreme danger of his life hid himselfe in the marish about Minturnes and went to sea in a squiffe without victuals to the fortune of the windes and the waues afterwards being returned he died being three score and ten yeares olde and almost mad His sonne slew himselfe at Preneste Sylla died eaten with wormes and lyce Crassus being ouercome beyond Euphrates by the Parthians was slaine as he parlied on safeguard Pompey was beheaded in the shore of Alexandria Cesar
murdred in the senate-house Cato Brutus Cassius Antonius were slain by their owne hands Cleopatra the last Queene of Alexandria was strong to death with an Aspe Cicero twice banished and his head and hand cut off with which he had written his Philippicks Mark Varro proscribed Nigidius exiled So many horrible things came to passe at that time that the verie remembrance of them striketh feare and horrour into me THE FALL OF THE POWER Learning and Eloquence of the Romaines THE Romaines then which for a time had meruailously profited liuing in libertie after that by the factions into which they were fallen they were brought into seruitude vnder the rule of one Monarch they waxed worse and worse by little and little decreasing the exercise of Armes and studies of learning And howbeit by the vertue of some good Princes the Empire seemed in some sort to rise againe yet was it the more brought low and afflicted afterwards by the loosnes of others the honour and venerable excellencie of this soueraine dignitie being transferred from the auncient families of Rome to strangers of all nations yea euen to certaine base and vicious persons who came to it by force and by corruption of whom the most part were slaine by the greedie souldiers which had created them and others were ouerthrowen by themselues Which disorders continued till such time as the Empire fatally approching to his end was abandoned for a pray to the barbarous Nations For these Emperours vnaduisedly thinking to fortifie themselues by the mercenarie and auxiliarie armes of strangers whom they sent for to their succour and seruice weakning the proper and naturall forces of the Empire which their auncestours had vsed in the getting of it they drew ere they were ware of it many of the Northren nations into the countries lands and seigniories of their obedience Moreouer by transporting the principal forces and riches from Rome to Bizantium diuiding of the Empire into the East and West they weakned much In such sort that the West was first distroied and then at length also the East which remayning vnited might haue long and almost perpetually resisted all inuasions Then was lost the puritie and elegancie of the Latine tongue the Italians leauing to speak Latin and in like maner the disciplines written therin came to contempt and ignorance and all liberall and Mechanicall arts were corrupted as is easie to iudge by the workes of this time yet remayning of diuers sorts And although in this mingling there fell out great things and strange meruailes yet met they not with men to gather them diligently and to write them worthely but they whole remained either buried in the darknesse of ignorance or wrapped vp in confusion or depraued by barbarisme which endured in Europe about a thousand yeares But howbeit that common weales haue their naturall conuersions fatall periods and prefixed times of continuance It seemeth notwithstanding that the chiefe cause of the ruine of the Romain Empire ought to be attributed to CONSTANTINE surnamed the great who transported the seate thereof out of Italy where it was begon and growen vp chaunged the fourme of gouernement in which it had bin maintained sithence Augustus time casserd the Pretorian souldiours made the fees hereditary which the men of armes before possessed onely for a time or during their life at most created newe Magistrates and ordained newe Lawes altering in a little time all the auncient forme of gouernement For Dioclesian being dead Maximian Maxencius and Licinius slaine who had bin all Emperours at the same time with Constantius associated by them when this CONSTANTINE the sonne of this Constancius and his successour in the Empire sawe himselfe alone peaceable Monarch he bethought him for the perpetuating of his memory and celebrating of it the more to build vpon the straight of the sea and the farthest part of Europe next vnto Asia in the place where Byzantium stood before a great citie equall in all things vnto Rome which he beautified with the same priuileges liberties dignities and honors To the end that by the force thereof the Empire toward the East might bee vpheld against the Persians whose power at that time was great and terrrible as in the west it was maintained against the Germains by the meanes of auncient Rome He would that these two cities should be reputed as one and that the citizens of th one as of the other should in like maner be chosen Consuls of whom th one should be resident here and thother there He ordained that there should be foure prefectures of the pretorie or Courts of soueraigne authority next vnto the imperiall by which all the affaires of the Empire should be ordered two for the west of Italy and of Fraunce two for the East of Ilyrian and of the Orient And in liew of the fifteene legions ordained by Augustus and intertained by his successours for defence of the Empire on the Riuers of the Rhene and of Danubius he there built certaine Castles and Fortresses putting in them but weake garrisons yet thinking neuerthelesse that they woulde bee strong enough to stop the courses of the Northren nations which he tooke to be altogither ouercome by the great victories which he had obtained ouer them Wherin he was greatly deceiued for as much as these barbarous people seeing the frontiers of the Empire weake and euill garded stayed not long from winning them entering into the prouinces of the Empire which they ouerran and inuaded miserably namely the Ostrogoths and Lombardes of Italie the Visigoths Aquitaine and Spaine the Frenchmen and Burguignons the countrey of Gaules the Vandales Bethicke and Africke Finally Rome which was called before the head and light of the worlde and subduer of countries was besieged taken spoyled and destroyed many times Which euils according to the saying of Ezechiel came out of the North which hath alwaies bin so fertile of men that not onely it hath filled with inhabitantes the wast wildernesses and huge Forestes of that quarter but also hath accustomed to cast out innumerable people which haue possessed Asia and Europe ouerthrowing the auncient estates to establish new But I retourne to the Empire which THEODOSIVS the first of that name held last entierly both in the East and West afterwards deuided it between his two sonnes HONORIVS and ARCADIVS vnder whom began the foresaid afflictions by the disloyalty and blinded ambition of Ruffinus and Stilicon their gouernours THEODOSIVS the second son of Arcadius was the last that may truely be called Emperour of the west vntill Charlemaigne Whiles Martian and Valentinian raigned GENSERICVS the Vandale who had intelligence with ATTILA king of the Hunnes made him come out of Pannonia into Gaulewith fiue hundred thousand men where he was fought with by the Romains Goths and Frenchmen It is not red that there were euer two greater armies any where opposed one against the other nor which fought more obstinately in such sort that there were slaine a hundred and fourescore
vntill the thirteenth which raigneth at this present hauing one after an other from the father to the sonne gathered together two Empires aboue twentie kingdoms and a great number of Cities in Asia and Europe gotten aswell on the Mahometists as on the Christians without euer losing any thing that they had taken They hold all that was in old time called Arabia Egipt Suria Mesopotamia Chaldea part of Persia and of Media Assyria Adiabena part of the greater Armenia and all the lesser and a part of Cholches which they call Mengrelles All Asia the lesser containing Cilicia Cappadocia Pamphylia Galatia Caria and Phrygia And in Europe a part of the Sarmatians or Getes the Dacians Mysians Thracians Macedonians Greeks Albaneses Dalmatians Pannonians Hongarians Iaziges and Metanastes In Africk Argier Tripoli and Tunez This vnmeasurable power so renowmed and terrible at this day vnto all the world is growen vp from so small a beginning as hath bin said to such heigth and reputation in the space of two hundred and sixtie yeares by their wise conduct in peace and in warre by sobrietie patience obedience concord diligence order valiancie abundance of men horses and armes and by meanes of the good militarie and politick discipline which they carefully obserue which hath made them to prosper with the hinderance of their neighbours being loose and corrupted or infected with seditions Peraduenture they are not entirely such as they haue bin as all impaire with time and being inriched with their victories gotten on the Persians are become more pompous in their apparell and harnes then they were before as prosperitie and riches depraueth people But as they change their maner of liuing so their fortune also will change and whereas they now beat others they wil also be beaten as they haue begun to be not many yeares sithence at the battaile which they lost at Lepanto against the Venetians which is the greatest aduersitie that euer they receiued sithence they passed into Europe Likewise VSVN-CASSANVS was a souldier vnder Tamberlain who restored this new kingdome of Persia. He being aduertized that there was in his countrie a Lord called Harduel of the race of the Prophet and the bruit that ran among the Persians of his holines and learning especially in the law whereof he was a Doctour and in Astrologie wherein he meruailously excelled he gaue him his daughter to wife of which mariage came the SOPHI ISMAEL Harduel then being more assured and hartned by this royal alliance tooke vpon him with the aide of Techel Cusilbas to bring in new expositions and ceremonies into the Alcoran following Haly who was preferred by them before Mahomet Whereat IACOB the sonne and successour of Vsun-Cassanus being angry banished him and his sonne because he feared that by the fauour of his adherents vnder colour of reforming the Religion he aspired to the estate When the SOPHI who at the time of his banishment with his father was but a child was waxen great hereturned by force into Persia setting vp the Sect which was begun by his father and was afterward left off for feare And vnder this pretence he drew much people to his part and conquered in few yeares the Seignorie not only of Persia but also of Media Armenia and Assyria finding at his returne Aleuant and Morat-Champ the sonnes of Iacob and his cozins at warre together whereof th one he slew in battaile and constrained thother to flie into Arabia wherefore he remained peaceable possessour of of the state But because his vncle Iacob was deceased before he might be reuenged of him he burned his bodie Of which inhumaine deed being reprehended by his Mother he put her to death or killed her himselfe And notwithstanding was called SOPHI which is asmuch to say as holie hauing gotten not by any merite of his owne but by the goodnes of his father this name which hath remained to his heires being reputed heires by the Turkes This SOPHI by the sodain successe of his conquests put all the East in feare spreding his renowme ouer all the habitable earth To whom the Tartarian Zagathain opposed himselfe warring continually against him and Selim Ottoman who assailed him with a mightie armie a good waies within his owne kingdome tooke and spoiled Tauris his chiefe Citie and wan the memorable battaile of Chalderan where were slaine many both of the one side and thother and the two chiefes were hurt the Turkes remayning victorious only by reason of their artillerie which at that time was vnknowen to the Persians After Selim defeated in an other battaile the Souldan who would haue holpen the Sophi which were the two greatest victories that hapned within these fiue hundred yeares Sultan Soliman following the footsteps of his father returned thither and got on the Sophi Damasco in Assyria and the imperiall Citie of Bagdet being the auncient seat of the Caliphat of Chaldea ouerthrowen by the Tartarians as also that of Caire hath bin distroied by the Souldan For they which beare the name now in both Cities haue but the titles putting the SVLTANS in possession without medling at all with the state who doing thus receiue because of their pretended right three thousand Seraphes to the end to retaine after that maner some forme of the former religion The soueraintie whereof is not gouerned any more by them but by Muphtis as hath bin said who are as Patriarches and Superintendents in diuine matters and Iudges in cases of conscience whom the SVLTANS hold nere about their persons or in the principall Townes of their estates So by the ruine of the Latin kingdome in Hierusalem and of the Egyptian Caliphat the estate of the SOVLDAN began in Egypt and Suria instituted by Syrracon and Saladine which was hereditarie vntil Menescala who ordained the MAMMELVCS amōgst whom it hath long time bin electiue Neuer was there seen nor heard a more strange or detestable kind of gouernment then that of the MAMMELVCS being al Christians reheaged and of seruile condition which tyrannically commaunded ouer the Egyptians and Surians being free vsing miserable indignities and cruelties towardes them In so much that such power deserued rather to be called seruitude then Lordship The MAMMELVCS then were taken when they were little boyes from the countrey of the Circasses neere to the Temerinde or black sea then brought and sold as slaues into Egypt Where some selected of them were nourished and hardened vnto paine and trauaile by continuall exercise of armes And such as were found to bee the best were enrolled in the order of the Mammelucs and to them succeeded from hand to hand not the sonnes of the Mammelucs deceased but others nourished and chosen after the same maner to whom pertained the honours and profits of the state which they deuided among them not committing the gouernments of prouinces and conductes of armies but to those that were experienced whose vertue was knowen and who had passed all the military degrees and by them and from amōg them was the SOVLDAN chosen
They held in most straight subiection all the people of Egypt and of Suria forbidding them to haue any weapons or to ryde on horsebacke They were not aboue sixteene thousand but they intertained many seruants vnder them and being men of great force and hardynesse they had not only tamed many bordering nations and beaten the Arabians but also made many warres against the Turkes enuying their prosperitie of whome they remained often victorious and were seldome or neuer vanquished by them But when as they were deuided and bandded in partalities Selim the Turke defeated them in two battailes killing in the first the SOVLDAN SAMPSON who was gone into Suria with an armie to helpe the Sophi then prosecuting his victory he went into Egypt against him that was chosen SOVLDAN in steed of him that was dead whom hee tooke and made him ignominiously to bee caryed on a poore Camell with his face backwardes all alonge the great streete of Cair and to bee hanged at the gate of that Citie doubling his power by the Conquest of such a state much reuerenced by those of the religion of Mahomet and redoubted because of the valyance of the MAMMELVCS whoe were massacred in suche sorte that there name is almost extinguished There remayne yet other great kingdomes of this time as of NARSINGVE in the Indies and of PRESBITER IOHN in Africke called Lacâ—gue Negus of the ABYSINS being baptized and circumcised Christians and of the MOSCOVITE in the north a Christian also but after the Greeke maner The king of Narsingue which is of the auncient religion of the Bramines yeldeth to no king of the world in riches power and magnificence intertaining forty thousand horsemen of ordinary and foure hundred elephants fitt for war with infinite dromedaries Touching PRESBITER IOHN he commaundeth ouer innumerable nations different in colours and hath vnder him forty kings tributary His landes and seigniories extende toward the West more then twenty daies iourney and he hath gold shut vp in a caue enough to buy the moitie of the world and the quantity is euery day increased and multiplied without taking any thing from it In the spacious kingdome of Ethiopia being so large neuer did the kings sonnes or brothers moue any sedition for the state nor defiled their hands in one anothers bloud but the line of the bloud royall is alwaies conserued by rare hap and neuer yet communicated to any other kingdome whatsoeuer Christian Hebrew Sarazen or Pagan They say it was once reuealed to one of their kings in a dreame that if he desired to haue his kingdome long maintained in peace and vnity he must locke vp all his children which were a great number on a mountaine and that he must keep onely him that he would haue to succeed in his kingdome and this custome remained eternally to his posterity as a thing ordained of the heauens Otherwise that one part of Ethiopia which is so large would come to reuolt against the heire and put him in danger of his life and of his state The king being awaked was meruailously astonished with this nouelty not knowing where he might finde this mountaine Wherefore he had another vision reuealing vnto him that he shoulde marke thorough out al his countrey where he should see goates on the top of rockes so high that they seemed readie to fâ—ll and this should bee the place where he should shut in his children Which the king hauing put in execution the mountaine was found to be of a meruailous height and greatnesse wherein the children of Presbiter Iohn were locked vp and carefully kept for there is no lesse paine to them that come out therehence or which drawe therehence any of those that are shut vp then death hee onely remaining free that ought to raigne by his birth-right or which seemeth the most capable to succeed in that dignity Those which are shut vp doo neuer come forth except it so fall out that Presbiter Iohn depart without heires of his body to inherite the crowne For then they take out him that is next it whome they know to be the worthiest Also the great KNES or king of Moscouie is a great landed man in the North whose dominion is about three monethes iourney in compasse of ground and he possesseth innumerable people nations prouinces duchies principalities and seigniories which the Emperours of Moscouia haue gotten one after another by armes or by other meanes offered them from time to time as Wolodimeria Nouingorod Plescouia Smolenk Tuner Iugaria Permia Viakia Belgaria the lower Nouogorodia Ceruigenia Rozar Volokde Rezomia Rostomi Cazan Ostrakan and others which it woulde be tedious to recite because of the rudenes of their names They say that of all his Lordships there are seuen principall wherehence he can bring forth for a need seuen hundred thousand men of warr all on horsebacke namely out of Plescouia a hundred thousand Nouingorode a hundred thousand Tuner a hundred thousand which are the greatest seigniories that he hath out of Smolenk a duchie vsurped on the king of Poland an other hundred thousand and a hundred thousand out of the Duchy of Moscoâ—ia where is situated the great city of Mosko the seate of the prince The bounds of his empire goe a great way into Asia as far as the Caspian sea neer the lands of the Sophi And hauing won a battaile against the King of Sueuia he is entred into the countrey of Liuonia where Germany beginneth on this side and hath there conquered Riga and Riuallia two great cities pertaining to the maister Duke and Knights of the Teutonian or Dutch order He exceedeth in seuerity and rigour of commanding all the Monarches of the worlde hauing gotten such authority ouer his subiects as well ecclesiasticall as secular that he may dispose at his pleasure of their liues and goods no man daring to gainsay him in any thing They confesse publickly that the will of their prince is the will of God and that all whatsoeuer he doth is done by the diuine prouidence Therfore they name him the Porter of Paradice the Chamberlaine of God and Executor of his will By this meanes is he become so mightie within a little time that all his neighbours which are the Tartarians Sueuians Polonians Liuonians yea and the Turkes themselues doe redoubt him It would be an infinite labour to propose here all the kingdomes and Empires that haue bin or are in reputation But it shall suffice to haue touched such as are best knowen namely those that haue ioyned wisedome with power whereunto this present discourse tendeth The end of the Ninth Booke OF THE POWER LEARNING and other Excellence of this age The Tenth Booke AS the Tartarians Turkes Mammelucs and Sophians haue gotten into the East by their valiancy the glorie of Armes So haue we in these partes towards the West recouered within these two hundred yeares the excellency of Learning and set vp the studies of the scienences after they had long time remained in a manner extinguished
the fourme placing of the presses and maner of vsing them of wetting the paper laying on taking off and drying the leaues then reducing them into volumes reuiewing and correcting of the impression whereof we haue spoken before and whereby there is more dispatched in one day then many diligent writers could do in one yeare By reason hereof the books which before were rare and deare are now become more common and easier to be had For it seemeth to haue bin miraculously inuented to make learning and good letters to liue againe which were in a manner dead The inuention thereof is attributed to the Germaines and began at Mentz therehence it was caried to Venice and afterwardes spread ouer all Christiandome and so brought vnto his perfection by Nicholas Genson Aldus the Iuntes Frobenius Badius Robert Stephens and others Notwithstanding the Portugues traficking about the farthest of the East and of the North into China Catay haue brought therehence bookes written in the language and writing of that countrie saying that they haue vsed it there a long time Which hath made some to thinke that the inuention thereof was brought therhence thorough Tartaria and Moscouia into Germany and so communicated to thother Christians to whom by the diuine prouidence hath bin especially reserued the consummation of diuine and humaine wisdome The Mahometists depriued of this grace do vtterly reiect printing not vsing it amoÌ„gst them neither suffering any to bring them bookes written of their affaires in Arabian and printed else-where The second praise ought to be giuen to the inueÌ„tion of the Sea-mans compas consisting of a Rose and a needle of steele which being touched or rubbed with an adamant or loadstone showeth alwaies the point which is answerable to the place where wee ymagine the pole Artick Aristotle vnderstood not this propertie nor Galen nor Alexander Aphrodiseus nor Auicen the most curious obseruers of natural things For if they had knowen such a miracle of nature and so profitable a meanes of sayling they would sure haue made mention thereof in their bookes hauing stood so much vpon others of much lesse importance It was also vnknowen to the Romains who suffered so many shipwrackes fighting on sea against the Carthaginians and vnder Octauian they lost a great fleete of Vessels against Sextus Pompeius By means hereof al the Ocean hath bin sailed ouer innumerable Isles found out and a great part of the continent or maine land discouered towards the west and the south vnknowen before of the Ancients and hath therefore bin called the new world and not onely bin ouercome but also conuerted by the Christians The enterprise being begon by Columbus a Genouese Vespucius a Florentine men of excellent vnderstanding and exquisite iudgments deseruing no lesse praise then Hercules of Greece that was so famous and afterward continued by the Castilians being emulatours of the same honour and desirous of gaine Whereof some haue bin swallowed vp into the huge sea not being yet thoroughly knowen and others eaten by the Cannibals leauing a piteous remembrance of their audacious enterprises But there are three that hauing had more fauourable fortune haue made famous discoueries namely Cortese of the kingdome of Mexico and of the great Citie Themistiten seated builded and peopled like vnto Venice Pizairus of Peru and Cuscu riche in golde and Magellan of the Moluccaes where the spices grow At the same time the Portugales parting the world with the Castilians by the same knowledge of Nauigation passed the Atlantick sea and the Canaries winning in the vtter Barbarie many Townes on the Sarazens Then crossing the line heretofore termed the burning Zone and â—alsely esteemed to be desert they haue gone beyonde the tropicke of Capricorne conquering Brasil and other countries Afterwards drawing towards the East they went along all the coast of Africk and the banke of Ethiopia surmounted the gulfes of the Arabian and Persian seas and being come to India hauing ouercome by armes the kings of Cambaya Canonot Calecut building in their countries fortresses thereby to safegard the traficke of the East whereof they made them selues maisters And farther passing ouer the riuers of Ganges and Indus they trauailed as far as Taprobana and to the golden Chersonesus making the king of Malache their tributary From whence setting saile towards the North they went to China and Catay where they made an ende on this side of their Nauigation entering into amity and confederacy with the great Cham to thend to haue liberty to traficke with safety in his countrey which before was not accessible but with apparant daunger of death vnto strangers In such sort that by our industry al the world is at this day knowen wherof a great part that had so long remained vnknoweÌ„ the vttermost parts of the East West North South do coÌ„municate togither the men that are separated with so many seas so distant and different visiting one another by meanes of nauigation being made safer and easier by this Inuention I would willingly giue the third place to great ORDINANCE and ARTILERY which hath made all other auncient military instruments and engines of war to cease al which it exceedeth in impetuosity violence quicknes were it not that it seemeth to haue bin inuented rather for the destruction then the profit of mankind being an enemy to generous and couragious vertue which it spareth no more then the rest but breaketh and bruseth whatsoeuer it encountreth First it was inuented in Germany by a blower in Alchimie wherhence it hath bin transported ouer al the world seemeth at this day to be brought almost to his perfection sithence the meanes is found to discharge by volies many pieces togither which batter and beat downe al places how strong soeuer they are in situation height or thicknes of wals rampires The Canon at the first was called a Bombard for the noise which it maketh and Morter which was of yron bound with many pieces heauy and vnweldie shooting huge bullets of stone with a great quantitie of powder made of salt-peter sulpher and willow coales proportioned the inuention whereof hath bin no lesse admirable then of the Canon it selfe After in steed of yron succeeded brasse whereof at first were made great peeces laied on wheeles yet more maniable then was the mortar giuing them bullets of yron vnto which haue bin guien names of birds and other liuing creatures which haue apparance of terrour as Coleurines Serpentines Basilisks Sacres Faulcons and other appellations imposed according to the diuersitie of their measures formes and cariages at the pleasure of those that made them or of the Princes which commaunded them Sithence there haue bin made some lesser lighter and maniable to shoote with bullets of lead as muskets caliuers harquebuzes pistoles and pistolets But because the noise and violence of the Canon hath bin fitly expressed by the Poet Fracastorius I will here insert his Verses Continuò caua terrificis horrentia bombis Aera flammiferum tormenta
superfluity amongest them but on the contrary great simplicitie and modestie When AMVRATH the second whome they account a Saint and who was very valiant and fortunate in armes went to the Temple to praier he went out of his palace without any pompe accompanied onely with two seruants and woulde not bee saluted nor flattered with acclamations and being in the Temple had no heauen spred ouer him nor any other magnificence and before he died gaue ouer the Empire to his sonne and withdrew himselfe to a religious solitarines Hee was affable in speach wise in iudgement and liberall in almes His sonne MAHOMET had very fauorable fortune resembling Alexander the great in courage in witt and desire of glorie Hee tooke Constantinople by assault at the age of twentie and two yeares And complayned notwithstanding that Alexander at the same age with so little power had conquered the Empire of the worlde and hee which had no lesse hart then he and was so mightie in men in horses armes and reuenewes could not haue his will of one part thereof although that by his great deeds he got the title of great vnto his fafamily SELIM preferred Alexander the great and Iulius Cesar before al the great Capitaines of the auncients reading incessantly their deeds translated into the Turkish tongue and conforming himselfe after their ymitation hath gotten the greatest victories of our time SOLIMAN after hee had gouerned wisely and happely that great Empire by the space of fortie and seauen yeares being reuerenced and obeyed of his owne feared of his neighbours and desired of all dyed fighting at the age of threescore and eighteene yeres and when he was dead by the terrour of his name and reputation of his magnanimitie tooke Signet in Hongarie leauing peaceable so vnmeasurable a power vnto Selim his successour They were neuer to any purpose beaten but by TAMBERLAN who in knowledge and experience of armes power authoritie felicitie quicknesse of spirit diligence hardinesse and perseuerance hath excelled not onely the Otthomans but also all the great Capitaines Assyrians Egyptians Medes Persians Parthyans Greekes Romanes Christians and Sarasens A COMPARISON OF TAMBERLAN with Ninus sesostris Cyrus Darius Alexander Arsaces Hannibal Constantine Attila and Charlemaigne ALthough TAMBERLAN were no Kings sonne as was Ninus yet notwithstanding by especiall fauour of the heauens he attained to the whole Empire of Asia as thother had done and led an armie not much lesser then his And as he discomfited in battaile Zoroaster King of the Bactrians so this man ouercame Baiazet the king of the Turkes He vanquished all the Scythians and Tartarians on this side and on thother of the hill Ismaus as far as the riuer Volga who before had killed Cyrus and whome Darius with so many millions of men could not bring vnder his obedience neither Alexander the terrour of the East and which were neuer assailed of the Romaines As Sesostris made his triumphant Chariot to be drawen by foure Kings coupled insteed of horses when he went to the Temple or walked thorough the Citie So TAMBERLAN when he went to horse vsed the backe of Baiazet the captiue king of the Turkes for his footstoole euen as Sapores king of the Persians had vsed Valerian the Emperour of the Romaines Hee hath this common with Cyrus that they were both brought vp amongst shepheards and chosen kings by their companions wherehence begon their greatnesse Hee was in fortune like to Alexander who neuer fought battaile but he wan it neither besieged fortresse but hee tooke it hauing both of them receiued continuall fauour of fortune without any aduersitie As Alexander when he had ouercome the East prepared great armies by sea and by land to conquerialâ—â— the West intending to haue goâ— into Africk as far as Mauritania and to passe at the streight of Gibraltar into Spain and then there hence to reâ—ourneâ—y Gaule and Italy into Greece and as Iulius Cesar went to fight against the Parthians purposing after hee had ouercome them to go into Hircania and enâ—irâ—â—ing the Caspian sea and the mountaine Caucasus to conquer the kingdome of Pontus as hee came backe that he might afterward enter into Scythia and hauing ouerrun all the countries nations and prouinces of great Germanie and Germany it selfe to retourne in the ende by Gaule into Italy and so to spred the Romaine empire roundla 〈…〉 in such some that it should bee on all sides inuironeâ— with the Ocean So Sesostris aftâ—â— he had conquered the better part of Africk Ethiopia and Arabia aspiring to the Empire of the world prepared a great armie on the Arabian sea wherewith he coasted and subdued all the countries bordering on the sea euen as farr as India which he wholly ouerran beyond the riuer of Ganges and from thence marched with his land armie thoroughout Asia and Scythia which he ouercame as farre as Tanais wherehence he went into Europe with intention to subdue it entierly But that good fortune which had long accompanied these great Capitaines failing them they could not accomplish such great enterprises For the first was poisoned the second murthered and thother two constrained to retourne into their countries th one by pestilence and thother for want of victuals and the sharpnes and difficulty of the countrie of Thrace Astyages the king of the Medians being ouercome by Cyrus was bouÌ„d in chaines of gold Darius king of Persia vanquished by Alexander was shut vp by Bessus in a golden cage Desiderius king of the Lombardes being taken by Charles the great at Pauie was depriued of his kingdome and kept prisoner the rest of his life So Baiazet being ouercome by TAMBERLAN remained prisoner vntill his death and was kept in chaines Attila was borne and died the same day that Iulius Cesar He called himselfe the scourge of God TAMBERLAN said he was the wrath of God and the destruction of the depraued age Neuerthelesse Attila moued with reuerence of Religion at the request and instance of Pope Leo did not onely change his determination of going to Rome but also leauing Italy returned into his own couÌ„trey TAMBERLAN where he went permitted none to violate the Temples medled not of Arabia because their Prophet was born there Sesostris being returned into Egypt gaue himselfe wholy to religion to building of Temples Charlemaigne founded Monasteries and began the Vniuersity of Paris Constantine made the Pagan worship to cease and assured Christendome assigned reuenewes to the Christian Churches and builded Constantinople TAMBERLAN restored Smarcand both of them hauing beautified enriched their cities with the spoiles of the whole world Alexander Hannibal Iulius Cesar Augustus Constantine Attila Charlemaigne and TAMBERLAN had no issue of their bodies resembling one an other in this that they all led great armies fought great battailes and got great seigniories which eftsones were lost or alienated by the diuision or cowardize of their successors Attila was fatal to Europe and the West Alexander and TAMBERLAN to Asia and the East Iulius Cesar to
ignorant of till age they nourished them selues with flesh and with milke their land which was plaine and vnited being fit for such maner of liuing and being holpen by sundry great riuers which running ouerthwart and watering the ground made it fat and fertill Vnto which Scythians the Tartarians haue succeeded liuing at this day as is said in the same manner Out of this quarter and this kind of people neuer came but two Philosophers Anacharsis and Zamolsis both of them brought vp elswhere how be it that in Greece there haue bin innumerable ON THE other part towards the south were the Numidians liuing in the open aire without houses alwaies in labour and trauaile not drinking any wine and faring simply and poorely seeking onely to satisfie nature and not to serue pleasure Who by reason here of were very strong whole lusty and able men and long liued The Arabians or Alarbians liue nowe in such manner sithence the comming of Mahomet leading with them their houses villages and townes which they carry on Chariots or on the backe of Camels following the commoditie of pasturage from Arabie and the riuer Euphrates euen to the Atlanticke sea being very hurtfull to the bordering plaines of Suria Egipt and all the neerer Africke especially about the time of gathering corne and fruits for they goe downe then by troupes close and thicke Then hauing taken what they can they retire with such swiftnesse that they seeme rather to flie then to run and it is not possible to ouertake them or to follow them thorough places destitute of waters It is a vagabond people and innumerable yet diurded by Nations and Lordes called Schez euil agreeing togither and hauing no firme habitation They dwel commonly vnder tents and pauilions made of course bad wool They liue with flesh and milke especially of Camels putting thereunto a little rice hony dates raisins drie figgs oliues and Venison when they can catch it going often with doggs and haukes to hunt red deare fallow deare Ostriches and all other sort of wild game They are commonly mishapen maigre and leane of small stature of tawny and duskish colour blacke eyed with a weake and feminine voice wearing no other garments but shirts sauing some chief of thē They ride the most part without sadles spurs or shoes on their horses Their armes are great India canes of x. or xij cubits long with a little yron at the end and a little taffeta in manner of a banderoll Notwithstanding liuing in this pouertie and miserie they glory that they are first nations and chiefe of the world in that they were neuer mingled with others and haue still preserued and kept entier the nobility of their blood Ioannes Leo an Affrican historiographer writeth that they haue many goodly obseruations of Astrology which by tradition they deliuer from hand to hand to their successours and increase them daily BVT those nations which are in the meane habitatio of the world are well disposed and instructed both in armes and learning hauing by nature both courage and vnderstanding togither They liue in good policy inhabiting houses hamlets parishes villages townes cities common weales kingdomes and Empires they haue vniuersities and publicke schooles in which all sciences are taught they haue variety of trads and occupations seruing not only for necessity but also for pleasure ornament and magnificence of buildings victuals habits and armes they haue iudgement reuenew warfare and religion wel appointed and maintained AMONGST these of the meane they which dwell neerest the South being naturally melancolick do giue themselues willingly to solytarines and contemplation being sharpe witted and ingenious as the Egiptians Lybians Hebrewes Arabians Phaenicians Assyrians Persians and Indians Wherfore they haue inuented many goodly sciences vnfolded the secrets of nature found out the Mathematickes obserued the celestial motions first knowen religion Amongst them haue bin found learned Philosophers diuine Prophets and famous Lawmakers THEY which drawe towards the North as the Almains thorough the abundance of humour and blood which doth hinder speculation do apply themselues more to sensible things and to Mechanical arts that is to say to the finding of mettals and conduct of mines to melt and forge workes in yron steele copper brasse in which they are admirable hauing inuented the vse of Ordinance Artillery and Printing THOSE which dwel in the very midst are not so naturally fit for the speculatiue sciences as the Southern nations nor so apt for the mechanicall workes as the Northern people are but are best seene in handling publicke affaires and from them are come many good institutions Lawes maners the art of gouernment or Imperial military discipline and politicke ordering of a common wealth the regiment of a Shipp or Pilots art Logike and Rhetoricke And as the Meridional nations haue not bin much exercised in armes nor the Septentrional in learning th one excelling in vnderstanding thother in force they of the meane being both ingenious and courageous embracing both letters and armes together and ioyning force with wisedome haue established flourishing and durable Empires which the other could not do for although the Gothes Hunnes and Vandales more hardie then wise haue by armes inuaded Europe Asia and Africke neuertheles for want of Counsell they established not any power of continuance Contrarywise the Romains being both valiant and prudent haue surmounted all nations by the glory of their decdes establishing the greatest Empire and of longest continuance that euer was And yet haue not been depriued of the excellency of disciplines or of mechanicall workes Amongst whom haue florished famous Captaines good Lawmakers learned Lawiers iust Iudges seuere Censors graue Senatours ingenious and pleasant Poets eloquent Oratours true and elegant Historiographers wary Marchants and exquisite Artificers CONCERNING the East and West all doe agree that the Oriental or Easterly situation in the same aspect of heauen and seated in the like place is better then the Westerly or Occidentall and that all thinges growe fairer and greater in th one then thother Notwithstanding we see the Westerne people to excell in force of body and the others in vigour and sharpnes of vnderstanding In so much that the West seemeth to haue some affinitie with the North and the East with the South The Gaules or Frenchmen haue often sent great armies into Italy Greece and Asia The Italians neuer ouercame France till they brought their Empire to his full heigth and force and that vnder Iulius Caesar who founde them deuided into factions The Italians ouercame the Grecians without great difficulty The Grecians who by their armes had penetrated into the farther Asia came not farre into Italy but vnder King Pyrrhus who was shamfully beaten back Xerxes came downe into Greece with an innumerable armie yet neuerthelesse was ouercome by a fewe Grecians and driuen backe againe with a reprochful and ignominious losse INREGARD of the parts of the habitable earth many excellent men of war haue ben renowmed in Europe few in Africk