built the Babyloman tower Perceiuing Gods great voice in thunder-clashing stower Of their confounded speech each barbarous to either Betake them to their heeles all fearfull altogether Some to the left hand run and some run to the right Why god wold not haue the posteâ—tie of Noe stay in the plaine of SÌ„enat All tread sh'vnhaunted earth as God ordaind their flight For 4 that great king of heau'n vvho long ere creature breath'd In priuie counsell had this under-vnder-world bequeath'd Vnto the kind of Man could not at all abide it To be a den of theeues or that men should deuide it By dreadfull dint of sword and eu'ry people border This thickned Element beast like and out of order But fire of getting barr'd as did himself deuide Sem Cham and Iaphet held all this the vvorld so vvide The earth deuided betweene the sonnes of Noe. 5 To Sem vvas giu'n in fee the day-beginning East To Cham befell the South Iaphet gain'd the West 3 The men who built That which the Poet saith concerning th' affright of these builders is implied by the words of Moses Gen. 11.8 they ceassed to build by the one is the other vnderstood for vpon the sudden chance of so strange a confusion they were scarred as with a thunderclap and after by necessity constrained to sunder themselues Yet I am of their opinion who thinke the diuersitie of tongues is to bee considered not in euerie particular builder but only in families As that the goodnesse of God was such in his iudgement that the builders departing thence each led his wife and children with him who vnderstood and spake as hee did otherwise mans life could hardly haue bin sustained They also that parted furthest at the first from those of Noes successors that were not leagued in this presumptuous enterprise soonest forgat all their former language And true it is that at the first they sundered not all verie farre one from another but as it pleased God more and more to encrease them they sought further further for new countries to dwell in and all by the secrete direction of the wonderfull prouidence of God 4 That great king of heau'n Hee reacheth euen to the first cause of the Colonies and diuers-way-partings of Noes posteritie Straight after the flood God blessed Noe and his children and said Encrease and multiply and fill the earth and the feare of you and the dread of you shall be vpon euery beast of the earth and vpon euery fâ—â—â—e of the heauen vpon al that moueth vpon the earth and vpon all the fishes of the sea into your hands are they deliuered Gen. 9.1.2 Therfore if the builders had continued and fast setled themselues in the plaine of Sennaar they had as much as was in them made voide the Lords blessing and bereft themselues and their posteritie of those great priuiledges which he had granted them But the decree of God must needs be fulfilled and therefore according to his ordinance he chaseth farre away these donataries to th' end that yeare by yeare some in one place some in another they may take possession of that which was giuen them the whole compasse of the world Wheras the Poet saith further that the Lord diuided the whole earth into thre lots that may be gathered out of the 10 chap. of Genesis and 32. chap. of Deuteronom verse the 8. Noe a wise learned man and one of great experience was the instrument of Gods blessing in this behalfe and though the boundes of these habitations be not all and throughlie specified as were the diuisions of the land of Canaan among the Tribes of Israell yet out of the tenth chapter of Genesis a man may gather that in those daies Noe and his sonnes and their posteritie knewe more a great deale hereof then men can now perceiue as may appeare by so many diuerse Colonies so manie strange languages so manie names changed and rechaunged A good commentarie vpon this chapter would assoile manie questions hereabouts arising 5 To Sem was giuen Because the sonnes of Noe were but three therefore here are named but three quarters of the world the East West and South Some of the successonrs of Iaphet peopled the North also as shall be shewed hereafter Concerning the names of these fower cardinal points somwhat hath bene said vpon discourse of the windes in the 2 day of the first weeke verse 571. The order of the sonnes of Noe is this Iaphet is the elder Sem the second C ham the last Gen. 9.24 10.21 But Sem is named first because of the fauour of God shewed to his posteritie by thence raising the Messias there maintaining his Church Iaphet the second for that in the vocatioÌ„ of the Gentiles he is receiued into the tents of Sem that is vnited to the familie of the faithfull Abraham according to the prophecy blessing of Noe Gen. 9.27 Now in the 10 of Gen. v. 25. Moses further affirmeth that Heber Sems vnder-nephew had two sonnes the one named Peleg which signifieth Diuision or parting asunder for in his time the earth was diuided and the other Ioktan Whereout some gather that in the time of Peleg that is as I take it before the confusion of tongues Noe and his sonnes remeÌ„bred the graunt that God had made them of all the earth and that Noe then made a kind of partition thereof among his sonnes If wee recken the confusion of the builders together with the partition of the world though about the fiftieth yeare of Peleg who was borne but an hundred yeares after the sloud and liued 239 this confusion must happen within 150 yeares after the flood which were verie soone yet some take it sooner as from the time that Peleg receiued his name for remembrance as they say of both things so note-worthie to all posteritie and especially to the Church of God which well might be aduertised thereof for Peleg liued 46 yeares after the birth of Abraham as appeareth by the 11. chapter of Genesis Two things then are here to be considered the one that the partition of the earth which Noe made was to his posteritie a token of Gods great blessing which neuerthelesse the Babel-builders for their part haue turned into a curse the other that this partition as manie diuines and Chroniclers thinke was made before Nymrod and his traine came out of the East and sate downe in the plaine of Sennaar what time they were scattered thence againe by the confusion Whereunto this I will adioyne that as then the builders language was confounded so by continuance of time the speech of others also was corrupted especially when they began to forget the true religion which euen in Sems familie was decayed as appeareth plainly out of the 24 chap. of Iosua where it is said that Terah father to Abraham and Nachor had serued strange gods It was no reason that the holy tong should remaine entire and vncorrupt with such as had corrupted
THE COLONIES OF BARTAS VVith the Commentarie of S.G.S. in diuerse places corrected and enlarged by the Translatour ANCHORA SPEI Mores hominum multorum narrat vrbes LONDON Printed by R. F. for Thomas Man 1598. AD ILLVSTRISSIMVM HEROA CAROLVM NOTINGHAMIAE COMItem Equitem Georgianum Regineae Maiestati Regni consultum magnum Angliae Admirallium c. PAR MER ET PAR TERRE Multa audire nequis per summa negotia Regni Qui Leo per terram es Ancora qui per aquas Viue igitur praelustris vtes Terraque Marique Et liber hic tibi sit gratus vt alter erat Viue vince hostem vicisti vt semper Iberum Semper in Christo Carole Magne vale Tui Nominit studiosissimus Guilielmus de Insula AGAINE TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE CHARLES EARLE of Nottingham Knight of the Garter Priuie Counseller to her sacred Maiestie Lord high Admirall of England c. EXcellent and most worthy-aduanced the hard and troublesome studie of the lawes whereunto I am by place deuowed affoords me so short onely and broken times to shew and satisfie the desire I haue of honoring your Lordship that through the continuall enaction of your vertue your honours daylie encreasing do farre surmount and outstrip these enterspaced labours of my pen. bound yet my L. by many titles to loue and honour your House euer honorable now in your Lordship repossessed of the great name your auncestours had for some token of the great ioy my hart conceiues thereat and especiallie at this time I haue to the Babilon of Bartas which you did so graciouslie receiue at my hands further Englished and do here present vnto your excellent Honor this booke next ensuing the other which the Auctor entituled The Colonies a work my L worthie also to be countenaunced by your honorable name and not vnmeet for a noble Knight Statesman and Admirall though he were of all the world to read if the great cares of so high place gaue leaue For here in lesse roome then might be thought able to containe so great and sundrie matters are plainlie set downe and euen tabled-out vnto vs the seuerall partes peoples and policies of the whole earth as they began first and grew in time further to be distinguished by the three sonnes of Noe the diuerse ouer-creases of their families But Englands great negocies will not let Your Lordship reade or heare much prose or song For as in Embleme I before haue set To paint in short what honours you belong BY SEA AND LAND you are the Fense of Sion By SEA her Ancor and By LAND her Lion Liue then renoumed both BY SEA AND LAND And daunt the Spaniard as you haue to fore That England fast may with your Ancor stand And by your Lion enimies be tore So shall you ridde the world of Tyrants threat Therfore be tytled Englands Charles the Great And alway for so guarding this her Isle Of Prince be graced lou'd and song of Lisle VVho still remaines your Lordships ready at commaund THE COLONIES Being to speak of so many peoples remoues as came froÌ„ Noe a hard matter â—ee desires the furtherance of Gods speâ—â—â— fauour WHile ore th' vnpeopled vvorld I loade the fruitfull stocke Of him that first assay'd the vvaters vvrackfull shocke While I by sea and land all in their places range Discou'ries fortunate of manie a kingdome straÌ„ge And while of mighty Noe I toyle to spread and twine Fro th' one to th' other sea the many-branched vine O 1 what twy-lightie cloud by day shall guide my sight What firie piller shall my course direct by night To Seats each peopl'ordain'd before the Paire-of-man Their twyfold-one estate in paradise began 2 Thou holie-holie Flame that ledst the Persian Wises Who left the coast parfum'd vvherout faire Tytan rises To view the cradl'of him vvhose youth in liuing light For euer flourisheth driue hence the gloomy night That seeleth vp mine eyes and so my Muse it shall Search all the darker nookes of this great earthie Ball. For though my wandring sprite althrough this iourney long Waue here and there yet I no vvay more bend my song Nor aught do more desire then to direct and waine My readers to the Childe that was Diuine-humaine 1 What twilighty cloud The Poet being to make in out so manie wayes and crosse so manie seas and countries huge and vnknowne good cause he had to demand as hee doth a greater help then mans wit can affoord such as the children of Israell had a cloud by day and a piller of fire by night to guide them through the wildernesse and surely God gaue him a verie extraordinarie gift otherwise he had neuer bene able so well and brieflie to haue comprised so many hard and worthie matters as hee hath done in lesse then sixe hundred verses He saith here further that each peoples place of abode was ordained of God before the paire of man that is Adam and Eue had receiued in paradise their twifold-one beginning that is before Adam was created of earth and Eue of one of his ribbes noting thereby how of one they were made two in creation and after of two one by marriage And so before the world was made the Lord had in his eternall decree marked and skored out the dwelling places of all people it remained therefore that the same decree should be accomplished as appeared afterward 2 Thou holy-holy Flame The Pole-starre is the marriners guide but here the Poet asketh another maner helpe to shew him the right way in his trauell and glancing at the maruellous new starre that appeared to the wisemen that came out of the East to see and worship our Sauiour Iesus Christ then borne in Bethlem he calleth on the holy Ghost the true light of our vnderstanding auerring that although the matter which hee hath taken in hande constraines him to discourse somtime of one thing and sometime of another yet is Iesus Christ the chiefe marke he aymeth at vnto whom his desire is to lead his readers as also whatsoeuer is set vs downe in the doctrine of Moses the Prophets and Apostles tendeth to the selfe same end This the Poets holie desire makes much to the shame of those that hauing themselues an vnclean heart by setting their filthy workes in print defile also the eyes and eares of many whom as much as in them lies they lead vnto the diuell A comparison â—â—â—ly shewing th' effect of that astonishment befel the builâ—ers of Babell As when the skie orecast vvith darkesome cloudy racke A vvoods heart thorow-strikes vvith some great thunder-cracke The birdes eu'n all at once their neast and pearch forsake And through the troubled aire they flote for feare and quake One here another there their pinions whizzing sound Is noysed all about no greâ—sell Turtl'is found Together with her make with downie callow feather Some yong ones dare assay to vvrastl'against the vveather Right so 3 the men vvho
Grecian Territory Greece peopled Italic law giuing louing-glory By Italy was France by France was filled Spaine The borderings of Rhyne and all the great Brettaigne Ath'other side againe it sent a Colonie Beth to the Pont-Eusine and towards Moldauie So raught Transsiluanie Morauie Hungarie And Seruie farther west and east-ward Podolie Thence men to Prussie came and Wixell borders eard And that of Almanie that narre the pole is reard The first Colonies of Cham in the South 38 Now turning to the South consider how Chaldaea Spewes out in Arabie Phoenice and Cannaea The cursed line of Cham yet nerthelesse it growes The second And right betwixt two seas downe into Egypt goes So stores the towne Corene and that renowmed coast Whereon the punick Seas are all to froth betost Fesse The third Gogden Terminan Argin Gulosa Dara Tombuto Gualata Melli Gago Mansara The sparkling wildernesse of Lybie breeding-venim Caun Guber Amasen Born Zegzeg Nubie Benim The fourth And of the droughty soyle those euer-mouing sandes Where Iesus yet is knowne and Prestre Ian commands Who though in many points he commeth neare the lâ—w Yet hath a kind of Church not allvnlâ—ke the true How the north was peopled 39 And if thou long to know whence all the land 〈◊〉 large That vnder-lyes the draught of many asâ—â—ding barge All ouer pau'd with Ise and of the sea of Russe Enuironed about with surges mutinous Was coâ—â—-vnto by men thinke after they forsooke The â—laine where Tegill flood swift-running ouertooke Once and againe the streame of running-far Euphrates They lodged at the foot of hoary hill Niphates So forth of Armeny the field Hiberian The Colchish th' Albanick and the Bosphorian Ware furnished with men thence to the Suns Vprist The cruel Tartar went that roameth where he list All ore those quarters huge and thence acoast the Set Was stoar'd the land that Rha doth neare his rising fret The shore of Liuonie the plaines of Moscouie Biarmie Permie Russe Whitelake and Scrifinie 24 It shall suffise The Poet hath heretofore compared Antiquitie chiefly concerning the Nations Out-roads vnto a great forest wherein the cunningest guides haue often lost theÌ„ selues Now therefore he saith it is the safer way to follow and keepe neare the verge of the forest rather then venter too far into it He shewes thereby that his meaning is to giue vs a generall view of these matters not curiously to minse the particulars as they haue done who vndertake to gather out of Authors and teach others the course of Noes posteritie euerie mile as they haue runne vntill this present and pore still into the Arke to finde there the names of their countrymen and auncestours Therefore he voweth to relye wholly vpon the golden mouth of Moses which was the sonne of Amram as the Scripture witnesseth Nomb. 26.59 Now Moses saith Genes 10. in the ende of the Chapter That of the children of Noe were the Nations deuided on the earth after the flood And before in 5.20 and 30. verses he sheweth plainly from whence they began to people the world and as it were to leade againe the Arke ouer the face of the earth in filling most countryes of the world with their great posteritie encreased as it was by vertue of Gods wonderful blessing Gen 9.1 Encrease and multiply and fill the earth 25 Yet not as if Sems house He saith Sem peopled not the East all at once but by succession of time that Iaphet when he came out of the Arke did not forthwith runne to Spaine nor Cham to hide himselfe in the furthest part of Affrick but that by litle and litle and in processe of time their issues raunged so farre forth either way He speaketh of diuerse countreys far vp in the East and farre downe Southward the site whereof appeareth plaine in the Mappes and to enrich this true storie he vseth two prettie comparisons of the rockes of bees in Hybla and Elmes in an Island as by their surcrease both places are by peecemeale at length quite ouergrowen so he saith the world by yearely encrease of Noes posterities was part after part oâ—er peopled as it is First after the confusioÌ„ of touÌ„gs they lodged one behind another about the coast of Mesopotamia afterward as they encreased in stocke their new families passed the riuers hilles and straights looking-out other dwelling places to their liking the prouidence of God directing all as appeares for the better grace and trimming of the earth and the commoditie of all mankind 26 And heÌ„ce it comes to passe This ensueth necessarily of that goes before Where the posteritie of Noe were most together in the beginning there we must confesse was the chiefe sway and greatnesse of mankind and that was in Assyria and Chaldaea as Moses witnesseth Gen. 11. whereout the Poet coÌ„cludeth as afore see further Gen. 14. Concerning the kings warres that are there named with their countreys marching vpon Tigris or there abouts and of Nymrod it is namely said that the beginning of his raigne was Babell c. in the countrey of Sennaar marching vpon the riuer Tigris 27 For Babilon betimes Hauing spoken in generall of the first people their greatnesse he specifieth now the first Monarchie whereof it seemes Moses hath enough written in the 10. chap. aforesaid Now the best Authors many of these and the former times declare and proue by the account of yeares that the first Monarchie was in Babilon and Babilon was in Chaldaea wherupon some dispute for Niniuie and Assyrians some because these two great Cities began about one time had seuerall Princes and raigned both many hundred yeares they make a double Monarchie of the first vntill such time as the Chaldean had swallowed the Assyrian I take not the word Monarchy too precisely as if in the time of the BabyloniaÌ„ there were none other in the world Egypt began in good time to be of power and great kings there were in the land of Canâ—an and the countreys adioyning But I vnderstand with our Poet that the first rule plainlie appeared at Babylon euen in the time of Noe. Hee that would vpon this point compare profane Histories with the Scripture might finde matter for a long discourse the summe whereof may bee seene in Funecius Carion Vignier and other Chroniclers To be short I say the raigne of Nymrod mentioned Gene. 10.10 many yeares forewent all other we reade of and especiallie those of the Greekes Romaines Gaules c. as is proued plainlie by the account of time Thebes a towne of Boeotia in Greece it hath a spring by it called Dirce whereof the towne selfe among the Poetes is often surnamed Amphion a wise Politician who by his eloquence and sleight perswaded the people of those times rude as they were and vnciuill to ioyne together in building the walles of Thebes whereupon the Poetes to shew the force of eloquence faine that Amphion by the cunning stroakes of his Lute made the stones come downe from
South by Tarama in Peru thence running Eastward it casteth onely an Arme into th' Amazon about Picora Which hath caused many the first writers of America to count from that place both but one riuer So also doth our Poet here otherwise he would haue mentioned first how the people passed th' Amazon that other great streame now knowne by the name of Orenoque which riseth about Carangui and emptieth as Theuet sayth 104. leagues aboue the mouth of Maragnon Bresile which the Spaniard discouered in the yeare 1504. is surnamed fierce because of the Canibales Caribes and other man-eating people there lâ—de Leri hath written very fully all the historie of his aduenture in part of the countrie where dwel the people called Toupinamboes The riuer of Plata the Indians call Paranagacuc which word importeth as much as a great water Gomara speaking thereof in the 89. chapter of his second booke sayth In this riuer is found siluer pearles and other things of great price It containes in bredth 25. leagues makes many Islands and swels like Nilus and about the selfe-same time It springeth first out of the mountaines of Peru and is after encreased by the in fall of many riuers for the countrie thereabout is leuell or flat whereof it seemes to haue receiued the name of Plate Thus the Poet gesseth at the maner of this new-found worlds empeopling by the coast of Asia Whereunto I will adde what Arias Mont. that learned Spaniard hath written thereof in his book entituled Phaleg He saith Ioktan the double pety-son of Sem that is whose double grandfather Sem was had thirteene sonnes which are named by Moses in the 10. of Gen. and some of them peopled the West Indies from the East That which Moses saith Gen. 10.30 concerning Sephar a mountaine of the East Arias applies to the great hils of Peru which the Spaniards call Andes they reach out further in length then any other in the world and neere them stands an ancient towne called Iuktan Moreouer there lies higher a Neer-isle betwixt Cuba and Mexico called Inkatan which may be thought to resemble still the name of him that first brought people into the country To Ophir one of the sonnes of Ioktan Arias allots the land of Peru for as much as in the 3. chap. and 6. verse of the 2. booke of Chron. there is mention made of the gold of Paruaim To Iobab the countrie of Paria which is neere the Straight of Panama very rich also in gold and pearle I haue said elsewhere that Arias Montanus tooke Asia to be all one main-land with America and knew no Anian Straight If that bee true sure the race of Sem peopled those quarters But others considering the horrible ignorance and brutishnes of the West-Indians so lately discouered and the rather to excuse their outragious crueltie exercised vpon the poore people cannot thinke but that they are some relikes of the race of Cham. This opinion hath but a weake ground as he may well perceiue that will dulie examine the circumstances For strange it is not that the race of Sem after so many generations and in so farre-discoasted countries should at length bee thus corrupted Besides the West-Indians in diuers places liue still after the manner of the East But for better answering sundrie obiections that make to proue them Chamites reade the Preface to the New-found world of Benzo Frenched by M. Vrbain Chauueton 48 Moreouer one may say This is another guesse of the Poet as that the West-India was peopled from the North by some Iaphethites who veÌ„tured ouer the Straight of Groâ—land Indeed these Northerne countries haue euer swarmed with people and well it may be that some thence by others driuen or by necessitie or of their owne heads haue sought that way other places more to their liking As also that the coasts of Bresile and Plata which I thinke the Poet meanes by the Shore of Corican were peopled by some Chamites from Temian Tombut and Melli countries lying in the West of Africk about the fall of Niger For vnlikely it were seeing Almightie God gaue the whole earth to Noe and his three sonnes Gen. 9. that the race of any one of them should engrosse all this New-found world beside his part in the other Thus rather doubtlesse as the Poet guesseth and I am further bold to gather by little little at sundrie times and places did all the three families of Noe possesse those quarters as the rest that the wil of God might be fulfilled and the light of his glorie appeare in so equall-parting ouer-peopling the whole earth howsoeuer all that huge reach of ground that lieth vnder the South-pole and is thought the fift and greatest part if it all be habitable is as yet vnknowne or very little discouered How is was posâ—â—ble that 〈◊〉 his three sonnes should encrease as they did 49 Well may I graunt you then thou'lt say perhaps ther 's naught In all this vnder-world but may at length be raught By mans Ambition it makes a breache in Hilles It runneth dry by sea among the raging Scylles And in despight of Thirst it guides the sailing Holme Amids th' Arabick Sandes the Numid and the Tolme But verely methinks it goes against all sence One house beds only four should break so large a fence As t'ouerbreed the landes af Affrick Europe Ase And make the world appeer to narrow for the Race 1. Answer 50 If little thou regard th' I mortals pow'rfull hest That once againe the bond of sacred Marriage blest And said 2. Answer Encrease and Fill 51 If thou profane deny That Iacobs little train so thick did multiplie On Pharces fruitfull ground that in 400. yere The 70. lyuing soules fiue hundred thousand were 52 At least consider 3. Answer how because in elder time The fruites they ate grew not vpon so foggy slime As ours doe now nor was their meates with sauces dight Nor altered as-yet with health-destroying slight Of gluttonating Cookes because with murdring sword Of raging enemies they were not laid aboord Because their bodies were not ouercome by sloth Or void of exercise they waxt in liuely groth And liu'd some hundred yeres and eu'n in latter daies With siluer-haired heads were able sonnes to raise So that Polygamie then taken for a right This world an Ant-hill made of creatures bolt-vpright And many people rose in short time if thou marke From out the fruitfull reines of some one Patriarch 53 Right so a graine of wheat Two fit comparisons if all th' encrease it yeildes Be often times resow'd vpon some harty feildes Will stuffe the barnes at length and colour mighty lawnes With yellow-stalked eares likewise two fishes spawnes Cast in t ' a standing poole so fast breed vp and downe That aft'r a while they stoare the larders of a towne An example of late yeares 54 Hath not there been of late a certain Elder known That with his fruitfull seed a
coūsaile wauering in dyet sumptuous gentle in speech diuers in apparell outfacing his enemie a sweete singer a swift paser a merry louer If any man can draw a righter counterfait of our Nation let him take the pensill 63 Yet would th' Immortall God He showes for what cause it pleased God the earth should be enhabited by men of so diuers natures as 1. to the end he might shew forth his mercy and louing kindnes in raysing his chosen out of the sincks of sinne wherewith each of their birth-soyles were bestayned 2. That it might appeare how neither the soyles nor yet the heauenly Signes though they haue great power ouer earthly bodies can force the mindes of men especially such as God himselfe hath blessed 3. That there might be some in all places of the world to acknowledge his manifold goodnesse and glorifie his Name And 4. that whatsoeuer needfull things the earth any where by his gratious blessing bringeth forth proper and seuerally they might be enterchanged and carried from place to place for the vse of man 64 For as a Citie The last consideration giues the Author occasion to compare the world vnto a great Citie such as Paris Roan Tolouse Lyons or any other like where there are marchants and craftesmen for all kind of wares each in their seuerall wardes buying selling changing and trading one with other And euen so one countrie affoordeth sugar another spice another gummes and gold alabaster Iuorie hebenwood horses amber furres tynne and silke they are brought from diuers coastes all the more to furnish with thinges necessary this great Citie of the worlde VVhereby wee may note that no countrie bee it neuer so well appointed can say that it needes not the commodities of another And againe that there is no land so barren but hath some good thing or other which the rest want For euen in men wee see the like there is none so poore but hath some speciall gift none so rich but hath neede of the poorest Our Poet therefore hauing so fitly resembled the world by a great Citie he brings-in thereupon a fine example of the Persian Queene who as Herodotus Xenophon and Plutarch report called one Prouince her Iuelhouse another her Wardrope c for euen so may euery man say that hath the true knowledge and feare of God such a man may saye Peru bringes foorth Gold for me the Moluckes or Chaldaea Spice Damaske Alabaster and Italie Silke Germany sends me great Horses Moscouie rich Furres Arabia sweet Parfumes Spaine Saffern Prusse Amber England Cloath and Tinne France Corne and Wine Yea more the child of God may say the Earth the Sea the Aire and all that is therein the Sunne the Moone the Heauens are mine for he that needeth nothing made all things of nothing to serue me and me to worship him But of this let the Deuines discourse more at large He goe on with the Poet who sayth further against the carping Atheist that nothing was created in vaine but euen the most vnlikely places bring foorth many good fruits and very necessarie for the life of Man And hee proues it plainly by some notable particulars that follow 65 The Moores enameled First The Fennie Valleis though too moyst they are and ouer-low for men to build and dwell vpon yet are they so beset with diuers herbes and flowers so iagg'd garded and enter-trailed with riuers that they are as 't were the common gardens of the world as also the plaine fields are our seed-plots and the stony grounds our Vineyards 2. The huge Mountains about whose tops are engendred thunders lightnings and tempests for which cause the Atheists count them hurtfull or at least superfluous or made by chaunce and errour they are in trueth cleane contrarie as Theodoret hath long agoe shewed in his Sermons of Gods Prouidence euen the sure-standing Bounds and Land-marks of euery kingdome and countrie they beare great store of timber-trees for ships and houses and fuell to burne from them spring the great riuers that breede much fish and helpe the conueyance of prouision and other marchandise vnto many people dwelling far-of by them are stayd and gathered the clowdes and thicke musts that manure and fatten the lower grounds the Wind-milles are much helped by them as if they were the store-houses of winde like rampiers and bulwarks they keepe-of the sudden force of warlike neighbours and to conclude they are as 't were the very morter that ioynes Land and Sea together 3. The great Deserts and wast-grounds that are for men by reason of some wants scarse habitable yet like huge Commons they feede an infinit sort of beasts great small whereof we haue good vse and commoditie 4. The Sea it breeds fish maintaines many Cities encreases Traffick and makes the wayes for trauaile easier and shorter and lastly thereout the Sunne draweth vapours which after turned into raine doe refresh the Aire and make the ground fruitfull The like good vses may bee found in all other the Creatures of God how vnlikely soeuer they seeme to wicked Atheists Looke more in S. Basil Chrysostome Ambrose and others who write of the Creation and at large haue declared what excellent commodities man may reap of euery creature 66 But shall I still be toss'd Fitly and in very good time the Poet hauing ouerslipt nothing worthie note in this discourse of Colonies now strikes sayle and after his long voyage thorow all Climats of the world ariues happily at the hauen he most desired to weet in France and well he takes occasion to reckon-vp the great commodities of his countrie as commending the same aboue all the kingdomes of the world After he hath saluted the land with diuers honourable termes and titles he sayth very truly that it hath brought-foorth many worthie warriors cunning workmen and learned Schollers more is the meruaile because it is but a small kingdome in comparison of Polonia Persia Tartaria China and others But indeede the commodities thereof are most wonderfull Besides the seas that bound it as on the North and West the Ocean and the Midland on the South it hath many riuers of great name and euen little seas as the Rosue Saone Dordogne Loire Marne Seine Oise and yet a great number of other lesser streames and brookes Cities it hath as Paris Tolouse Roüan Lyon Bourdeaux and others of more value then diuers whole Duchies Earldomes or Prouinces elsewhere There are Forts and Castles now stronger and goodlier then euer were As for the ciuill behauiour of the people I report me to the iudgement of other nations The Land for the most part is very fruitfull and the aire there temperate almost euery where Against the sudden inuasion of enemies all is well defended by the two Seas aforesayd and the Alpes toward Italie and the Pyrenes toward Spaine More then all this the countrie is no where troubled with Crocodiles as Aegypt is nor with monstrous long Serpents or any wilde rauening beasts as the inner countries of Affricke are And in stead of Gold and Siluer Pearles and precious stones which diuers lands barren of necessarie fruites abound with it hath of Cloath Woade Wooll Salt Corne and Wine euer-growing Mines and euen vnwastable Woade and Salt in Languedoc and Salt againe in Guyenne Wine in most places Wooll and Corne in Prouence and Beausse and in euery Prouince but foure or fiue good store of diuers the sayd commodities More there are but the Poet notes the chiefe onely and such as the neighbour countries and many far-of doe most of al trade-for Hereby we are taught and should be moued with heartie thanks to acknowledge the great benefits that God hath bestowed on vs for the Poet rightly concludes that wee lacke nothing but peace and peace he craueth of the Lord with whom and all my good countrimen I ioyne humble suite from the bottome of my heart that once again this Realme sometime so florishing may enioy a sure that is a iust and right Christian peace Amen FINIS