food upon his wearie fainting Camel which had tired out himself in his hard service At Gaugamela therefore not at Arbele was fought that famous battel of the two mightie Monarchs for the Diademe of the world which fortunate Alexander brought awaie Heaven it self bearing witness thereto by an Eclips of the Moon Not far from Arbela is the Mountain Nicatorium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Strabo cal's it for in Ptolemie wee finde it not Alexander the Great gave it that name from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ptolomae is lib. Gaeog vinco that it might bee as to this daie it is a constant Trophie of that famous victorie which this King atcheiv'd at Gaugamela In this Countrie of Arbelitis Strabo also placeth the Citie Demetrias as also the Temple of Aeneas and the Palace of the King of Persia with the bituminous Fountain all which wee have set down according to his description Upon the River Caprus standeth Oroba which Junius well conjectureth to bee no other then that which Moses in Genesis calleth Rehoboth In the South coast of Arbelitis between Caprus and Gorgus Ptolomie placeth Thelbe which perhaps was so called from Tubal as also another Citie placed by the same Ptolomie in Babylonia without our Chart so called out of doubt from Tubalcain for hee writeth Thelbecain with no great error Arrapachitidis regio Next to Arbelitis is Arrhapachitis so called from Arrhapa a Citie lying in this coast East and South upon the limits of Apolloniatis This Arrhapachitis Junius had once conceived to bee no other but Arpatis and the chief citie thereof to have been that Arpad which is spoken of in the Kings and elswhere but this Learned Commentator correcteth himself in the 49 of the Prophet Jeremie vers the 23. This Coast doubtless took it's name Arpachetis from Arphacsad the son of Sem and brother to the founder Assur Here lieth Darna Obana and the rest places better known by their names then ought els Next them the Sambatae and below Appolloniatis famous for the Metropolis from whence it had it's name These names are reckoned up by Vadian Glarean Volateran and Niger men who altogether followed Ptolomie in their Chronographie of the Land of Ashur more then the names will hardly bee found either in them or elswhere onely Apollonia nor much of that But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deserv's our consideration for which wee gratifie old Isidore the Characenian cited by Athenaeus for otherwise wee had never attained to the knowledg of that place which Moses calleth Calanne in the land of Singar for that Calanne without question is the Metropolis of this Countrie Calonitis which our Autor old Isidore calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wee have placed it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee lieth so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that it is separated from the Medes by the Mountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as wee have said Thus wee have indeavoured the delineation of the famous frontiers of old Ashur which the reader if hee pleas may behold in our Chart alwaies provided that hee bee not offended at this that wee have drawen the lowest parallel equal to the highest of that Latitude for 't is easily known to my slender skil that seeing Topographical plains are all portions cut out of the entire Sphears therefore the Parallels as they increas in Latitude ought to bear a different proportion to their Meridians yet this curious cours wee took not in a matter that needeth it not but projected the Chart upon a Parallelogram becaus in a distance no greater for a purpose of no greater moment the disproportion can nothing prejudice the Description THe State-Government of Assyria was Regal it began in Tyrannie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contrarium quod Imperio reg id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Aristotle cal's the Vice of a Monarchie it continued under the succession of absolute Princes from Jove Bel to Belshazar The policie which this Countrie did enjoie was as in all other Kingdoms Ecclesiastical and Civil In their Ecclesiastical policie wee consider their Religion God they served but not the true nor one but manie and fals â—â—their Deities for the most part were placed in Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars and indeed were men allowed to chuse themselvs a God this was somwhat a tolerable impietie for such great Astronomers to adore the Host of Heaven The Manner how they worshiped the Sun is set down by Macrobius Macrobius Saturna primo Cap. 17 et 23. who describeth the Image under which this Planet was adored adding unto his description a Symbolical interpretation To the Sun they sacrificed Horses and the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodot lib. secundo De Mapogetis loquens idem etiam Xenophon de Armeniis scribit eandem etiam caussam reddens lib. quarto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reason was becaus they judged it convenient that the most nimble God should bee served with the swiftest Oblations The Altars whereupon these Sacrifices were offered they erected either in open Courts as 2 Reg. Chap. 21. vers 5. or els upon the tops of their Houses as Zeph. 1.5 Isaiah Tremelius supposeth that the Prophet intendeth this God of the Sun by that which hee calleth Nebo but that deserveth further enquirie Doubtless Nebo was som notable Statue among the Teraphins and what they were wee will now strive to discover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Taraph the root and singular of Teraphim seemeth properly to have signified anie dishonest disgraceful matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Elias Tisbites intimateth in the word Taraph where also hee insinuate's both the affinitie and Etymologie of the Latine word turpitudo from this Hebrew word Taraph For so saith hee the Latines call id quod turpe est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Turpitudo Turpitudo Tesbites in Taraph And for this caus the Hebrews called that Magical divination of their Heathen neighbours which was made by inchanted Heads and Statues Turpah and those Images so charmed Teraphim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex Pirke R. Eliazer perec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Teraphim were certain Lares or houshold-Gods in which the Divel made answer to the simple Heathen their making is thus set forth by Tisbites out of Rabbi Eliezer in the 36 Chapter whose words wee may render in this manner speaking of those Idols I have found saith hee that the Teraphim are thus contrived They cut the throat of a first born male they pul off his head and powder it with salt and odors Then they write upon a plate of Gold the name of an unclean Spirit putting that under the head then place they this head upon som wall seting burning Lamps before it and so worship in the presence thereof and of these Laban asked counsel c. as wee have set down in the margine foregoing So the Chaldee Paraphrast in Hosee rendreth Teraphim by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mechauvi Indicans shewing or
of England and Wales ALl this may bee exemplified in som one Particular Chart. The example useth to bee given in the Description of France but might more properly bee made upon a Map of our own Countrie There bee several of these as that of Humfrey Llyid that of Wortnel Mr Speed's Descriptions and others but wee chuse that of Saxton a man recommended unto us by Mr Camden himself in the Preface to his Britannia Nonnulli erunt fortasse qui Tabulas chorographicas hîc exspectent quas lenocinante picturâ oculis esse jucundiores in his Geographicis studiis plurimùm interesse fateor maximè si mutis Tabulis literarum etiam lumen accedat Hoc tamen praestare facultatis non est nostrae Angliam accuratissimè in Tabulis seorsim ornatissimus Vir Thomas Seckfordus Regiae Majestati à supplicum Libellis suis impensis Christophori Saxtoni optimi Chorographi operâ magnâ cum laude descripsit Saxton drew up Typographical Descriptions of this Kingdom by the Shires and Counties into a set Volume of Tables but whatsoever can bee severally said of them may better bee spoken all at once upon his great Chorographical Map of the Whole A Description which if it exceed not as I think it doth yet may compare with anie particular Table made or to bee made of anie Countrie whatsoever The Description is of England onely and Wales that it might bee the more exact and useful which exspectation is so accurately answered that the smallest Village may bee turn'd to there Henxey or Botlie as well as Oxford It is describ'd upon a Parallelogram the North and South sides are Parallels of Latitude divided into Degrees of Longitude The East and West sides stand for Meridians and are divided into Degres of Latitude and everie Degree subdivided into 60 Parts but so that a Degree of Longitude answereth but to so manie parts of a Degree of Latitude as it ought in that Parallel The Parallels as the Meridians are set down at one Degrees distance the Parallels are Parallels indeed the Meridians are Streight Lines but more and more concurring from South to North as is required from the nature of the Sphere The Latitude of the Countries is from 50 Degrees 8 Minutes to 55 and 50 Minutes The Longitude from 17 to 25 Degrees and 9 Minutes And 't is reckoned from St Michaël and St Maries in the Azores as the Geographer himself there expresseth Longitudinis gradus ab eo Meridiano capiunt initium qui per Divae Mariae Insulam transit quae omnium Azorearum maximè ad Orientem vergit The middle Parallel of the Parallelogram is at 53 Degrees of Latitude and passeth by Newcastle upon Tine The Middle Parallel of the Countrie it self is somwhat of a Lesser Latitude and may bee imagined to pass a not much besides Tidburie Castle in Staffordshire as Mr Norden thought And indeed Staffordshire hath been antiently accounted the Middle of England and the Inhabitants of that Shire are called by BEDE Angli Mediterranei The Scale of Miles is answerable to one Degree of Latitude and is also divided as they into 60 Parts And a Degree of Longitude answereth to so manie Parts of that 60 as it ought in the Parallel of 50 Degrees of Latitude that is 38 Miles or thereabouts and therefore the graduation both of the Scale the Parallels and Meridians is exact and according to Art And in measuring the Distances of the Places 't is all one to set the Compass upon the Minutes of Latitude as upon the Scale it self In finding out the Longitude or Latitude of anie Citie or Town in the Map the manner is the same as in anie other for the Longitude is to bee reckoned in the North and South sides the Latitude in the East and West sides of the Parallelogram But the Situation and Distance of the Places in a particular Chart are most of moment the Situations are plain The Distances in this Map where I could prove them experimentally for the most part were found true They cannot bee exact in anie Map whatsoever as Mr Norden himself who labored much in this matter maketh his complaint in that necessarie Guide added to a little but not much augmented by the late Editioner The setting down of the places themselvs in the void Angles of the Squares pretend's verie well but there was not room for the purpose yet in one respect the New Book bettereth the Old in that the Bearing of Places is annexed by an expression of the Points of the Compass upon everie Square In som Maps of Particulars Countries you may possibly finde the Meridians drawn directly without anie hope of Concurrence And Ptolomie saith it maketh no matter so this caution bee observed Preterea nil referet si aequidistantibus usi fuerimus Meridianis Lineis rectis quoque Parallelorum dummodo solùm partes distantiae Meridianorum eam rationem sumant ad distantias Parallelorum quam maximus habet Circulus ad illum Parallelum qui in Tabula hâc medius erit It is all upon the first main ground of the Depression of the Sphere which in anie Descriptions in anie considerable Distance from the Line cannot really bee made good upon a Plane but it to bee answered by proportion for which caus Marinus the Tyrian condemned all Descriptions in Plano but Ptolomie shewed his Error And from the same Principle is to bee deriv'd the understanding of those Titles written over som Descriptions in the Atlas as to that of Bellovacum or the Countrie of Bollonia The Description is The Meridians thereof are placed at the Parallels 50 45. So to the Description of the Landgraviate of Hessen The Title is The Meridians are distant according to the proportion of the 510 Parallel to the Great Circle The Autor himself giveth you the reason of it in his Admonition set before the Description of France pag. 242. Of Topographical Maps and for an Example the Description of Middlesex by Mr Norden Geograph lib. 1. cap. 1. NOw that you may not bee mistaken in Terms the Description of the Whole whether by Parallelogramme or Planisphere is most rightfully called Geographie in Plano Geographiae proprium est saith Ptolemie unam continuam terram cognitam ostendere quemadmodum se habeat naturâ positione The Description of anie verie great part of the Earth as France England or the like is most properly called Chorographie Ptolomie himself goeth no further in distinctions for having said That Geographie is an imitation of the Picture of the Earth with intimation of reference to the drawing of the lesser Worlds hee addeth Porrò finis Chorographicus connexione particulari continetur veluti si quis aurem tantùm aut oculum imitetur And indeed the Tables of Ptolomie needed no other Difference in terms But the late Geographers finding it fittest of all to make Descriptions of small Parcels of the Earth as Shires and Counties to us the Circles of the Empire in
Regionis illius nati sunt mures facta est confusio mortis magna in Civitate So the vulgar addeth the ancient Greeke Copies have it not The later agree not some Hebrew Copies acknowledge it not saith Mendoza as if there were any that did 'T is found indeed in the Dras as Chimhi hath observed And it cannot be denyed to the Romanists but that it seemeth to be wanting but by no meanes to be so supplyed 'T were better the Arke should shake still then that Vzzah should hold it up Howsoever 't is true that there was a plague of Mice as well as of Haemorhoides Concerning which the Astrologers being consulted gave counsell that there should bee made 5 golden Images of the Mice and as many of the disease to give glory to the God of Israel The number was according to the number of their Lords but for the thing it selfe the expositors whatsoever passe lightly over it or stoppe the mouth of the letter with a mystery perceiving no more of the naturall sense then a bare trespasse offering but wondering withall and not without cause what glory could accrew to the God of Israel from such a homely present as the counterfeit of a Mouse or that which is worse A thing which the holy Ghost here vouchsafed not to call by its owne name for the Keri is Tehorecem Anorum Vestrorum But the meaning of the Images is Stoichioticall and to be given out of the Telesmaticall Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ptolomy in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ptolem. Centiloque Verb. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the generable and corruptible formes are affected by the Celestiall which therefore the Talismans make use of by observing the entrance of the starres into them The meaning is saith Hali Aben Rodoan or as the Hebrew translation Abis Giafar that the formes of things here below are answered with the like figurations above and that the Celestiall formes have a ruling influence upon the sublunary for example the Scorpion and Serpent in heaven upon those in earth Therefore the Sapientes imaginum inspiciebant quando planeta de sub radiis solis egrediebatur ingrediebatur hos vultus eumque in ascendente ponebant vultum quem intrabant sculpebant in Lapide miscebant cum eo alia ad haec necessaria faciebantque cum eo ex aptatione vel destructione quod volebant c. Observed when a planet was out of his Combustion and entred into any of these formes then placing the planet in the Horoscope they engraved the forme upon a stone then adding what else was necessary they fitted it to preservation or destruction as they pleased c. These conceipts the Greeks termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Arabick Talismath The Chaldeans from the word in the Text Tsalmanija Images An experiment of the force is set downe by Hali upon his owne knowledge practised upon a Saracens servant in diebus Camorchae Regis The servant had beene stung with a Scorpion and was cured by his Master with a stone of this kinde engraven upon with the figure of a Scorpion And the Saracen said that the figure was cut when the Moon was in the signe Scorpio and that the sign was in one of the foure Angles The mightiest in operation of this sort was Apollonius Tyaneus a man of that note in the Heathen ballance that Hierocles the Stoick put him into the Scale with Christ himself nay he accounted him the better man of the two but which is sufficiently returned upon him by Eusebius Pamph. Cont. Hieroclem But the performances of this man had such appearances of wonder that they extorted this doubt from the Orthodox themselves Iustin Martyr Res ad Orthod quaest 24.245 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If God be the Creator and Lord of the World how comes it to passe that Apollonius his Telismes have so much over-rul'd the course of things for we see that they also have stilled the waves of the Sea and the raging of the windes and prevailing against the noysome flies and incursions of wilde beasts c. And though Philostratus in that large Legend of his life hath no memory of these things yet they are constantly ascribed unto this name by Codin Cedren Hesychius Olympiodorus the Greeke Ms cited by Leunclavius The Chronicon Alexandrinum and John Tzetzes C. 60. of his third Chiliad quod omnino legendum saith Scaliger siquidem horum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notitiam habere placet Ioseph Scalig. Epist 180. sane lectio non injucunda Nam in illo capite Apollonius sculptura Culicum Ciconiarum culices Antiochiam Ciconias Byzantium ingredi prohibuit But a suller Tradition of this matter I shall here set downe out of Domninus cited by Joannes Antiochenus Melala in the 10 Booke of his Chronographie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioan. Antiochen Ms in Arch. Baroccian Bibliothec. Bodleian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the same times of the Reigne of Domitian flourished the most learned Apollonius Tyaneus who got himselfe a great name by travelling about and making Telesines in all places where he came for the Cities and the Countries From Rome he went to Byzantium and entring into that City of Byzus now more happily called Constantinople he made there also many Telesmes at the instance of the Citizens as that against the storkes against the river Lycus which passeth by through the middle of the City that against the Tortoises that against the Horses and other strange things Then afterward leaving Byzantium he went and did the like in other Cities From Tyanis he came into Syria and so to Antioch the great where also he was desired by the chiefe men of the City to make such Telesmes as they had need of And he made one against the Northerne winde and set it up upon the East part of the City The Author goeth on and at large describeth Apollonius his charmes against the gnats and scorpions adding moreover that Apollonius walking upon a day with the chiefe men of the City to observe the situation of the place happened upon a ruinous pillar and enquiring into the purpose of that the Citizens related unto him that in the dayes of Caius Caesar when the City bad been shaken with an Earth-quake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Johan Antiochen Ms in Arch. Barocian Bib. Bod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One Debborius a Talisman to prevent the falling of the City in case an earthquake should happen againe set up this pillar and upon that a marble Pectorall inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but which in processe of time had been consumed by lightning c. The Citizens therefore were earnest with him to set up a new Telesme but Apollonius fetching a deep sigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refused to make any further Telesmes against the Earthquakes but the Citizens being
Description of Africa to the Description of Hispaniola Cuba Culiacan c. hee giveth this Admonition Sciat Lector Autorem Anonymunt qui hanc Culiacanam regionem has insulas perlustravit descripsit Regionum Longitudines non ut Ptolomaeus aliÃque solent à Fortunatis insulis versus Orientem sumpsisse sed à Toleto Hispaniae umbilico Occidentem versús ex Eclipsibus ab ipsomet observatis deprehendisse The like Note hee affixeth to the Description of New-Spain his meaning in both is to let the Reader know that the Describer who ever hee was did not in these Maps account the Degrees of Longitude as Ptolomie from West to East and from the Fortunate Isles but from East to West and from the Meridian of Toledo Hispaniae Vmbilico which is the meaning of Mercator when hee saith That som of the Spanish Pilots placed the Great Meridian in the middle of Spain And if you look upon the Longitude in the North and South sides of the Parallelogram you shall see the Degrees reckoned backwards contrarie to the received manner of Graduation It is no verie hard matter to reduce these Longitudes to the ordinarie waie but rather then so you may have recours to the Later Description of America by Leat and others For the Scale in particular Maps extending to a considerable portion of Longitude and Latitude it dependeth for the ground upon the Degrees of the Great Circle and the Proportion of Miles in several Countries to anie such Degree But in Lesser Descriptions it hath more to do with the known distance of anie two or more places experimentally found or taken upon trust of Common Reputation Here it is not to bee thought that the Longitudes and Latitudes of all Places in a particular Chart need to bee taken but of the Principal onely the rest to bee reduced by the Radius the Angle of Position and the like and much also in this matter useth to bee given to the Common Supputation all which the last especially are the Causses why the Maps agree no better for of all other the Account of the Common People is most uncertain The French Cosmographer of Amiens before named when hee took upon him to finde out how manie of their Leagues answered to a Degree took his Journie from Paris as directly under the Meridian as hee might till hee rode 25 Leagues according to the Account of the Inhabitants of the Place Nec tamen vulgi supputationem satiatus saith hee vehiculum quod Parisios rectâ viâ petebat conscendi in eóque residens tota via 17024 ferè rotae circumvolutiones collegi vallibus Montibus quod facultas nostra ferebat ad aequalitatem redactis Erat autem rotae illius diameter sex pedum séxque paulò magìs digitorum geometricorum ob Ãdque ejus ambitus pedum erat viginti seu passuum quatuor His ergò revolutionibus per quatuor ductis reperi passus 68096 qui milliaira sunt Italica 68 cum passibus 96. In his return to Paris hee took Coach the Diameter of the Wheel was 6 foot and a little more therefore the Circumference 20 foot that is 4 paces Hee reckoned upon the waie 17024 circumrotations of the Wheel which multiplying by 4 the Numerus factus was 68006 paces which amounted to 68 Miles Italian and somwhat more And yet according to Common Supputation they that reckon most reckon but 25 Leagues to a Degree and 60 Miles to 25 Leagues 8 Miles less The Cosmographer addeth indeed that by the same experiment hee found that the French-League was of a greater proportion then two Italian Miles If it could bee exspected that so exact a cours might bee taken in all particular Mensurations wee might put the more trust in the distances and yet you see wee might fail too It is enough in such a case to know the reasons of those uncertainties where the thing it self is so insuperable The Difference of Miles in several Countries is great but it will bee enough to know that the Italian and English are reckoned for all one and four of these make a German Mile two a French-League three and somwhat more a Spanish-League the Swedish or Danish Mile consisteth of five Miles English and somwhat more Now as the Miles of several Countries do verie much differ so those of the same do not verie much agree and therefore the Scales are commonly written upon with Magna Mediocria Parva to shew the Difference Of Common English and Italian Miles 60 as you know already answer to a Degree of a Great Circle 68 saith Fernelius it ought to bee 63 and somwhat more by the Semidiameter of the Earth as it was taken by Mr Edward Wright near Plimmouth-Sound dut 60 is most commonly beleeved and is the proportion which in a verie small matter received by Ptolomie himself from Marinus the Tyrian with this approbation Ptolom Geograph lib. 1. cap. 11. Sed in hoc quoque rectè setit partem unam qualium est circulus maximus trecentorum sexaginta quinginta in terra constituere stadia id enim confessis dimensionibus consonum existit Of common Germane Miles 15 answer to a Degree of common French-Leagues 25 of Spanish-Leagues 17 of Swedish and Danish 10. In som Maps you shall finde the Miles thus hiddenly set down as in that of Artois in Ortelius and elswhere And the meaning still is that you should measure the Milliaria magna upon the Lowermost Line the Parva upon the uppermost and the Mediocria upon the Middlemost Scala Milliarium In som other Maps as in that of Westphalia in the same Autor you will finde the Scale written upon with Milliaria magna mediocria Horae itineris To which you are to note that som Nations measure their waies by hours concluding of the Distance from the time spent in the going the proportion whereof may bee gathered from this note upon the Description of Helvetia Continet autem Milliare Helveticum ut nunc utuntur spacium duarum horarum equestris duarúmque dimidiae pedestris itineris Computantur ergò octo millia passuum Italicoram pro uno milliario Helvetico Therefore one Hour-Mile of a Journie upon Hors answereth to four English Miles And yet it is set down before the Atlas that the proportion of Itinerarie Hours to a Degree is 20 They cannot both bee true 't is enough to shew how uncertain this waie of measuring needs must bee For the Use of the Scale it is but setting one foot of your Compass in the little Circles of the places and bringing the Compass kept at that Distance to the Scale and you have the number of great or middle Miles according as the Inhabitants of those places are known to reckon The Compass is set down to shew the Bearing of Places and by what Winde and Waie the Mariner is to shape his cours from Port to Port as in the Universal Maps and Globe it self Example of all this in the Description of Saxton's Map
Comparison to the Greatness of that and the like They have fallen upon a third member of this Division calling these kinde of Descriptions Topographie though Ptolomie did minutissimas proprietates Chorographiae attribuere And the word it self will not allow of anie verie great Distinction from the other if it had not been gained upon by Use Now as there is no Chorographical Map or Description of the whole Region or Countrie of this Kingdom can bee more exactly according to Art or according to Industrie more particularly performed than that of Saxton so for the Descriptions of the Shires or Counties thereof which must then bee called their Topographie No man whatsoever hath lighted upon a more exact and present waie of Delineation then the Industrious Norden The intent of this Man was to make an absolute Description of the Whole and everie part of this Kingdom of Great Britain It pleased him to call this purpose Speculum Britanniae The first Part whereof which is onely completed affordeth us a general Description of the Kingdom with a particular Description and Topographical Table of Middlesex The Table is projected upon a Parallelogramme the sides whereof are divided into Miles so that though the sides look like Meridians and Parallels yet they are not so but a meer Scale from which therefore are drawn cross the Table small black equidistant lines looking also like to Parallels and Meridians but serving onely for the readier taking of the Distances the Divisions of these Lines from East to West standing for two from North to South for four Miles The Letters upon the East and West side and figures upon the North and South side serv for the finding out any place by the Direction of the Alphabet For Example The Alphabet saith Brentford H. 12. See H in the East or West side 12 upon the North or South side and then by the Square made by the black Lines you fall upon the Place The Figures here and there about which in the Parallelogramme 2 3 4 5 and to 11 Note out the Principal High-Waies from London thorough Middlesex as number the 4 by Northolt is to shew the waie to Vxbridg and so to Oxford c. This is told you in the Speculum fol. 49. a. And these High-Waies are distinguished out by the Lines of Points for that of One is to define out the Bounds of the Shire as you may see upon the West side it passeth by the River Colne to Shyreditch c. The Capital Letters A B C c. are to distinguish the Hundreds of the Countie as the Speculum saith fol. 13. A. The Compass of 8 Rumbes in the North-East Angle of the Map is of the same known use as in any other Thus had this indefatigable Man intended to all the Shires of this Kingdom and hee seemeth to intimate in the Preface to his Guide as if the Maps were fully finished And yet there are but verie few of them to bee commonly met with but for Alphabetical Descriptions the most usefull waie that ever was or could bee devis'd especially in small Geographie I think the Work never went further then Middlesex for ought at least as I can finde The Greater or Less Of the Resemblance of Countries and to other things in Art or Nature ANd this also as a Cerimonie of the Art is not to bee omitted That the Geographers in their Descriptions not unusually where it may stand with any due proportion do fancie the fashion of this or that Countrie to bee like such or such a figure elswhere found in som other things Natural or Artificial our own Island useth to bee likened to a Triangle and it doth not much abhor from that Figure Antiquissimi Scriptores in Polydore Virgil have resembled the Vectis Insula or Isle of Wight to an Egg. Peloponnesus of old hath been likened Platani folio to a Plantane Leaf Strabo likened Europe to a Dragon Som of late have likened it to a King's Daughter Spain to bee the Head Italie the Right Arm Cymbrica Chersonesus the Left France the Brest Germanie the Bellie c. Asia by som is likened to a half Moon And of Africa one saith That it is like the Duke of Venetia's Cap. The same Strabo compared Spain to an Ox-hide stretched out Plinie and Solinus likened Italie to an Ivie-leaf but the late Geographers more comparablie to a Man's leg This is the rather noted becaus som Maps also are drawn according to this manner of Fancie as that of Belgia by Kerius within the Picture of a Lion for so those Countries have been resembled This cannot alwaies fall out for when Maginus cometh to tell the Form of Scotland hee could liken it to nothing at all Of the old and new Names of Places and other Artificial Terms met with in the Maps IN reading the Descriptions you will finde great difference betwixt the New and Old Names of the Places as for Hispalis of old the new Descriptions read Sevil for the Adriatick Sea Golfo di Venetia for the Baltick Mar de Belt and the like In the Descriptions themselvs distinction is most commonly made of this if the Describers bee as they should but in the Maps it is not indeed it could not bee so usually observed To supplie this you have the Introduction to Geographie by Cluverius where the Old and New Names are still compared the omission whereof is no small fault in som Describers of our own But especially for this purpose is the Thesaurus Geographicus Ortelij A Geographical Dictionarie so called and is a present Satisfaction in this case You will meet also with certain Terms of Art so after a sort they may bee called as Sinus Fretum a Baie The Streights and the like and though it seemeth to belong unto this place to tell what they are yet will it not bee much to the purpose to make so diligent an enumeration as som would have us of the Terms Natural and Artificial in Geographie and Hydrographie In the Natural appertaining to the Earth to tell what Nemus Saltus Arbustum Virgultum c. the difference betwixt a Bush and a Shrub In the Artificial to go down from Regnum Territorium c. to Vicus Pagus Villa Tugurium and to saie that the definition of a Cottage is Rustica habitatio tecta ulvâ palustri In the Natural Terms Ad aquam spectantibus Mare Fretum Sinus c. till you com to Torrens Palus Stagnum Lacus Rivus Nothing but a Ditch left out And Rivus is so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becaus it runneth along In the Artificial Terms you are there taught the exact Description of a Cistern of a Fish-pond and a Sink and all this under the Title and Protection of Geographie But excepting those which you cannot chuse but know these are the Terms Insula An Island Strabo called the Whole Globe of the Earth by this Name becaus it is encompassed round by the Ocean This then may bee the Great
Island The Less are such parts of the Great as are surrounded by the Waters It is called by the Italians Isola by the French Isle by the Spaniards Ysla by the Dutch Insel and Eijlandt all which the Maps so severally naming according to the Countrie is not told you in vain Continens A Continent or Part of Land not separated by the Sea as the Continents of Spain France c. The Belgians call it Landâ—scap sonder eylandt A Landskip or Region without an Island It admitteth of another Sens in the Law For Vlpian said Continentes Provincias accipi debere quae Italiae conjunctae sunt Tryphon de Excusat Tutor L. Titius Testamento Romae accepto aut in continentibus subaudi locis It is otherwise termed Terra firma by the French Terre ferme by the Italian Terra ferma by the Spaniards Tierra firma the firm Land In Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epirus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Autor de Mundo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Insulas Continentes divisit Peninsula or Penè Insula An Island almost onely in one part joining to the Continent Peninsula and that part useth to bee called Isthmus Isthmos or otherwise A Neck of Land Est angustia illa intermedia inter Peninsulam Continentem veluti quaedam Cervix quae à Continente velut à corpore gracilescens Peninsulam cum Continente tanquaÌ„ caput cum reliquo corpore connectit The digging thorough of these Necks of Land hath been often undertaken but not without a secret kinde of fatalitie The most famous Isthmus accounted is that of Corinth hindering the Peloponesus from beeing an Island and so putting the Ships to a Circuit about and therefore as you may observ Plinie to saie Demetrius Rex Dictator Caesar C. Princeps Domitius Nero perfodere tentavere infausto ut omnium patuit exitu incoepto Dion saith that Nero's undertakings were entertain'd with a spring of Blood first and after that auditi mugitus ululatúsque flebiles visáque formidabilia Spectra Simulacra multa horrible and fearful yells were heard and manie formidable apparitions seen Yet Demetrius is said to have defisted by the advice of the Artificers who brought in word that the Baie was higher upon the Corinthian side which would not onely prove dangerous by Inundation but make the Streit unserviceable when the work was don Herod of Athens Nicanor Seleucus Caelius Rhodiginus Lection Antiqu. lib. 21. cap. 19. and others are summed up by Rhodiginus for the like Attempts and same success And Philip the second of Spain had once in his minde to cut through that Streight of Land I may call it so betwixt Panma and Nombre de dios to make that vast Peninsula of Southern America as but for this it were an Island but upon further consideration hee fell off from the Design The like undertakings were forbidden the Cnidians by the Oracle of Apollo and Pausanias thinketh hee can tell the reason Quoniam rebus divinitus constitutis manum injicere non licet And yet the Arabick Geographer not having heard of anie such things tell 's the Cutting of the Streits of Gibralter but like another storie Indeed hee saie's 't was don by Alexander the Great Qui operariis atque Geometris ad se convocatis suum de acida illa terra fodienda canali aperiendo animum explicuit praecepÃtque illis ut terrae solum cum utriusque maris aequore metirentur c. The sum is that by the help of Alabii the Geographer and other Mathematicians hee brake through the Isthmus and made it a Streit of Water For the Metaphor the Physicians are even with the Grammarians for Galen saith Galen ad 3 Sent. Hippoc. Tonsillas esse locorum ad Isthmum pertinentium inflammationes Per Isthmum verò oportet intelligere partem illam quae eos gulam interjacet quae per Metaphoram quandam ità nominatur abiis qui propriè dicuntur Isthmi Sunt autem angusti qui dem terrae transitus inter duo maria sitae And Julius Pollux hath it Guttur propter angustias Isthmum dici A Promontorie Mons in Mari prominens Promontorium A Mountain or Head of Land butting out upon the Sea Sceglia sepra acqua in mare otherwise Capo so the Spanish El Capo de tierra en mari A Cape or Head of the Earth in the Sea 'T is commonly noted in the Tables by the first letter of the word C as in the Map of Africa in Ortelius C. de buona speransa Caput bonae spei or The Cape of good Hope As they set down R for Rio Rivus R. de la plate The Plate River P for Port P. Grande P. del Nort c. Y or Y a for Ysla Y del Poso Ya del Principe and the like Fretum An Isthmus or Streit of Water Mare angustum quasi brachium Maris interceptum inter duo littora So callled à fremitu Maris for which caus in the High Dutch it is called De Sund from the Antient Saxon sund as Kilian hath noted Sond or Sund saith hee Vet. Sax. Fretum You meet it often in the Dutch and Danish Maps as Milvarts sont Golber sont but especially that most famous Streit upon the Baltick Sea which not unlike the Castles upon the Hellespont commandeth all the Ships in their passage It is called by them Sond or Sund by us the Sound Instead of Fretum the Italian writeth Streto or el Streto the Spaniard Estrecho as Estrecho di Gibralter Gibraltarec it should bee as was formerly noted for the Mountain from whence the Streit is named is so called by the Arabick Geographer and hee saith also that the Gebal so they cal a Mountain was named from Tarec the son of Abdalla who made good the Place against the Inhabitants Sinus A Creek or corner of the Sea insinuating into the Land It is otherwise called Baia a Baie a Station or Road for Ships a Gulf as Golfo di Venetia Golfo de S. Sebastiano c. Pierre A Peer from Petra becaus of the Congestion of great Stones to the raising up of such a Pile 'T is a kinde of smal Artificial Creek or Sinus as the Peer of Dover the Peer of Portland c. The Concernment of All This. THe things wee talk of all this while how like soever they may look to a Book-man's business yet are such of themselvs as Kings and Princes have found their States concerned in Zon. Annal. Tom. 2. pag. 397 Zonaras will tell you that in Domitian's time it cost one Metius his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for having a Map of the World hanging in his Chamber The fault indeed was that as common fame rendred him hee was thought to asspire to the Empire of the truth whereof it was taken to bee a sufficient assurance that hee should have so dangerous a thing about him as