the Sciences doing that for Posteritie which Antiquitie hath done for vs to the end that Learning be not lost but from day to day may receiue some increase OF THE VARIETY OF THINGS The first Booke INtending to represent according to my ability the interchangeable course and alteration of all things in the worlde together with the causes of the principall chaunges and varieties to be perceiued as well in the superiour as in the inferiour part thereof sithence the time that the first memory of man began euen to this present I most humbly acknowledge the diuine prouidēce of God to be aboue all beleeuing assuredly that God almighty maker and gouernour of this great worke so excellent in beauty so admirable in varietie and so singular in continuance to whome I pray to aydeme in this so high so long so difficult an enterprise hytherto neuer attempted of any is carefull of all affaires happening therein euen to the least contayning in himselfe the beginning the end and the meanes of them all and pursuing the order which he hath giuen to the world from the beginning in creating it will that it be tempered by alternatiue chaunges and maintayned by contraries his eternall essence remayning alwaies one and vnchangeable First of all then the heauen notwithstanding it hath receyued of God the maker thereof many excellencies amongst other creatures beyng round and hauing throughout his extremities or vtmost partes distant or remoued from the middle or inmost parte which is the most perfect figure and most like vnto it selfe on which he hath also bestowed conuenient circular motion exempted from the wandring and inconstancie of others turning it by the same and in the same and to him selfe wherein he doth perseuer yet neuerthelesse since it hath a body it can not wholy warrant or preserue it selfe from alteration chaunge The Auncients made eight spheres in it of the firmament and of the seauen Planets but since haue beene obserued the ninth and the tenth our later Astrologers affirming that the tenth doth turne round about the world in 24. houres goyng by the right side from East to West and by this so swift and impetous motion doth force and cary with it all the other inferiour spheres and doth make them make the same turne in the selfe same space of time although that their proper motions be contrary vnto it drawing on the left side from West to East namely the ninth being the slowest in 49. thousand yeares The eighth to haue two th one of 36. thousand yeres thother of seuen thousand The sphere of Saturne in 30. yeres of Iupiter in 12 of Mars in two of the Sunne Venus Mercury in one yere of the Moone in 28. daies Time also was made with heauen and with the starrs so that hauing had the selfe same beginning they shall also haue the same end when the world shall be dissolued returning into their auncient Chaos and former darknes For the daies moneths yeres and ages which were not before that the heauen and the starres were created incontinently began with them and number was distinguished and obserued by their course That is the entercourse of daies and nights by the daily motion of the firmament The moneth after that the Moone hath gone ouer her whole circle and attained to the sunne The ordinarie yere when the sunne hath accomplished his course The great yere when the seauen Planets and thother fixed starrs returne to their first places representing the same nature which was at the beginning The liues of all things and the prefixed time of their continuance being determined by lesser or greater numbers according to the disposition of the matter whereof they are made springing growing florishing diminishing perishing in certainetimes and by vnequall spaces being reduced to the selfe same end euery one seeling his corruption to be the cause of another generation Insomuch that it seemed vnto Plato that the world was nourished by the consumption and decay of it selfe producing alwaies new creatures vnto the old and raising vp of others like vnto them in the places of those that were perished without suffering the kinds to faile or surcease which by this meanes do alwaies remaine as it were immortall But howbeit the world is round and hath not in it either high or low considering that the place which is in the midst ought not to be termed high or low nor that which compasseth about be called the midst neither hath in it any part differing from the other if regard be had vnto the midst and euery other opposite thing notwithstanding in respect of our selues we say that it hath high low right and left That Pole which we see being termed low according to Aristotle thother which is hidden from vs high And the East whence the first motion proceedeth is the right side The West is the left whence commeth a motion contrary to the former Then the Astrologers and Philosophers affirme that from the superiour part of the world there discendeth a certaine vertue accompained with light and heat which some of them do call the spirit or soule of the world others say it is nature which mingleth it selfe with the masse of this great body penetrating quickening norishing and moderating al these variable thinges vnder the Moone which being of such efficacy beginneth first with the fire and the aire which being moued by the celestial mouings doe afterwardes moue the water and the earth and consequently the natures compounded of these fower Elements as wel men beasts birds and fishes as plants trees herbes and mettals That there is the first mouing whereof do depend all other inferious motions and al essence whatsoeuer That there hence do proceede diuers temperatures of bodies inclinations of mindes manners of men properties of nations vices and vertues health and sicknes force and feeblenes shortnes and length of life mortality riches and pouertie prosperitie and aduersity That there hence al estates and sects do take their beginnings their course continuance and their ends In briefe that al this inferiour world doth obey the superiour is gouerned by it Especially that all humaine affaires do depend thereon and yet are to be preuented by deeds not that such effects doe necessarily come to passe and inuiolably by a fatall Law but that they may be auoided by wisedome or turned from vs by diuine praiers or augmented or diminished or moderated by nurture custome and instruction First that the Sunne lightning all thinges with his beames doth giue euident proofe therof who rising and setting maketh the day and the night by comming towards vs and going from vs causeth the yeres continually to be renewed and by the obliquity or crookednes of the Zodiacke with the helpe of the twelue signes which are in it doth distinguishe by his Solstices and Equinoxes the fower seasons of the sommer and winter of the spring and haruest In the which consisteth the vicissitude of life and death and the change of all thinges
beasts amidst the greene pastures skip vp and downe being inflamed with loue In briefe euery thing springeth groweth embelisheth florisheth and fructifieth all things are renewed On the contrarie when Autumne and Winter do returne all is full of horror and of sadnes cold raine dirt sleete hayle snow frost yce foggy mists long nights and almost continuall darknes We trauaile the earth day and night more to satisfie our pleasures then for our necessarie norishment And notwithstanding that which it endureth superficially might seeme tollerable if we did not pierce it so farre as to seeke gold and siluer brasse copper lead tinne yron stones to build and others accounted precious in the entrailes therof Neither is it onely thus vexed by men but it seemeth that the three other Elements haue conspired the ruin of this one alone without speaking of the heauen it selfe which by his vntemperate disposition hath cut off a great part therof Might it not haue sufficed the Sea to haue compassed it and to haue cut off a great part therof without stretching it selfe into it in so many gulfes little distant the one from the other breaking through mountaines and making violent ruptures as though it would spread it selfe ouer all Then so many riuers lakes marishes so many standing pooles as are throughout so many springs and little brooks so many swift and raging streames The aire shaketh it causing it to lose that naturall propertie of beeing immoueable ouerwhelming not onely fieldes houses townes cities but whole nations and countries oftentimes not leauing any appearance whereby one may see that there haue bin such Then the fire being so fertile that it ingendreth of it selfe and groweth of little sparks becomming in an instant great and impetous burneth it in many places both without and within beeing dispersed about the chimnies arysing out of billets and sticks-ends beaten together appearing thorough the cloudes or comming of lightning kindled by burning glasses opposed to the sunne which also with the other starres doth drie and scorch it excessiuely in some seasons and countries It is a meruaile that being so vexed on all parts it is not already consumed but so farre are these great and violent calamities from distroying it that they rather helpe to the conseruation thereof For the Earthquakes by the openings which they make draw out the corrupted windes which were kept in the entrailes of it and caused within such disordered noise the inundations do clense the filth the heats digest those humors which they find too grosse as the colds and frosts do moderate that which is inflamed HOW ALL THINGS IN THE WORLD are tempered and conserued by vnlike and contrarie things IN like maner is the Earth and euery other thing in the world tempered and conserued by things of dislike and contrarie qualitie It is not then without cause that nature is so desirous of contraries making of them all decency and beautie not of things which are of like nature This kind of tempering is the cause that such things as before were diuers and different do accord and agree together to establish intertain and embellish one an other the contrarietie becomming vnitie and the discord concord the enmitie amitie and contention couenant Wherefore Heraclitus said that discord and concord were the father and mother of all things And Homer that whosoeuer spake euill of contention did blame nature Empedocles maintayned not of discord by it selfe but that with concord it was the beginning of all things meaning by discord the varietie of things that are assembled and by concord the vnion of them But the vnion in this assemblie ought to exceede the contrarietie Otherwise the thing should be dissolued the principles diuiding themselues So we see in the Heauen contrarie mouings to preserue the world Venus placed in the midst neere vnto Mars to asswage his fircenes which of his owne nature is corruptiue And Iupiter next vnto Saturne to mitigate his malice The inferiour world composed of contrarie elements to maintaine it selfe by the proportion which they haue together and the natures made of them to preserue themselues by the temperature of different qualities which being simple in their nature without any maner of mixtion or composition and contrarie one to the other when they are compared in their qualities in the highest degree yet of them are all thinges compounded and by their commixtion is the beginning of all generation There are found in the bodie of the world Earth Water Aire Fire Sunne Moone and other starres There is matter forme priuation simplicitie mixtion substance quantitie qualitie action and passion In mans bodie bloud flegme choler melancholie flesh bones sinewes vaines arteries head eies nose eares hands feete braine hart liuer and splene In the oeconomical bodie husband wife children Lord slaue master and seruant In the politike bodie Iustice Fortitude Prudence Temperance Religion warfare iudgement counsaile magistrates and priuate men noble and base rich and poore young and olde weake and stronge good and euill labourers artificers merchants retaylers and cariers which are all dislike parts and the most of them contrarie conioyned together by due conueniency Art imitating nature in the painting of blacke white greene blew yellow red and other mingled colours representeth the portraitures conuenient to those things for the which they are made And in Musick of high and low long and short is made an accord Grammer consisteth of letters vowels and mutes The Sciences can not well be taught without comparing of contraries th one being considered principally and in regard of that one thother accidentally that it may be auoyded As Physicke doth accidentally treat of sicknes to the end to be the better able to preserue health and to auoyd the other The Ethicke and Politicke science doe not onelie shew what is honest iust and profitable but also that which is dishonest vniust and domageable Insomuch that we may say in all cases that contraries when they are put neere one to the other they appeare the more cleerely Euen as want maketh riches to be the more esteemed and the obscuritie of darkenesse commendeth the cleerenesse of light The sweetnesse of the Springtime is more esteemed by the sharpenesse of Winter the happinesse of peace by the calamities of warre and faire weather after long rayne So it seemeth that the good can not be knowen without the euill and although they be contrarie yet haue they such a coniunction that in taking of one both are tane away For the good can not be vnderstood nor esteemed but by conferring of it with euill to auoid it neither the euill shunned and eschewed except that which is good be throughlie knowen Plato sayth the like of pleasure and sorrow that although they be two thinges contrarie and repugnant betweene them selues and can not bee together in one person yet neuerthelesse if any one follow and receiue the one he is for the most part euer constrained to take the other as if they were both in one point and
they killed one an other with their presse and disorder And when the greatest part of such as had escaped this ouerthrow were passed ouer the bridge which was made with boates on the riuer Indus Semiramis caused it to be broken and the king being warned by prodigious apparitions not to go beyond the bridge ceased the pursuit Such was the proofe of the Indian power Touching their wisdom the Brachmans made profession therof amongst them naked and austere being holiemen liuing according to their Lawes intending altogether the contemplation of God without making any prouision of vittailes for the earth furnished them alwaies with new and fresh the riuers gaue them drink and the leaues â—â—lling of the trees and the grasse yeelded them lodging And there was not onâ— amongst them reputed a holie or happie man if while he was yet liuing of perfect memorie and vnderstanding he did not separate his soule from his bodie with fire and did not go pure and cleane out of the flesh hauing consumed whatsoeuer was mortall in him And whereas the people were diuided into seauen sortes and degrees they were the first in dignitie being exempted from all charges not subiect vnto any man nor ruling ouer any but as men acceptable vnto the Gods and reputed to knowe all that is done in Hell they receyued of euery one his oblation made for sacrifices and tooke the care and charge of the dead receiuing great guists by occasion thereof Assembling and gathering themselues togither at beginning of the yere they fortold of drouths raines windes diseases and other things the knowledge whereof brought great profit to the people Their Artisans were very good as being brought vp in a pure and cleane aire drinking nothing but good and wholsomewaters The gouermeÌ„ts of the Indians being diuided into many parts it was not permitted vnto any to change his maner of liuing not seeming reasonable vnto them that a man of warre should till the earth nor that a Philopher should become an Artisan On the other part the ETHIOPIANS vaunted them selues to bee the first created of al the men in the world that they were brought sorth by the earth for considering that the heate of the sunne in drying the earth when it was moist had giuen life to all things it was also coÌ„sequent that in places neerest vnto the suÌ„ne there were procreated from the beginning al kind of liuing creatures They said that religion adoration of the gods was first sound out amongst them and the sacrifices processions pompes solemnities and al such things by the which honour was giuen them of men of the which they had such recoÌ„pense that they were neuer vanquished nor ouercom by any strange king that alwaies they had remained in liberty And howbeit diuers princes had assaied with great armies to bring them in subiection yet none of theÌ„ had enioyed their Empire Moreouer that they were the first that had inuented the formes and vse of letters and giuen themselues to the study of Astrology as well by reason of their quick wits and sharpnes of vnderstanding whereby they exceed all other nations as by the oportunitie of the Countrey which they inhabite and that therfore they haue continual serenity and tranquility of the aire and haue not the seasons of the yere disordered and variable but liue alwaies in one temperature Moreouer that the Egyptians were discended of them the Priests of both nations obseruing the same order and maner of doing their sacrifices vsing the like vestures and ornaments For the prerogatiue of antiquity there was in times past great contention between the Egyptians and the Scythians For the EGYPTIANS sayde that from the beginning when the world was created where other lands burned on the one side by ouergreat heate of the sunne others on thother side were frozen thorough the extremity of the colde in such sort that they could neither bring forth new men nor receiue straungers if any had come thither and especially before garments were inuented to keepe men from colde and heate and the artificiall remedies to correct the ill disposition of places Egypt hath alwaies bin so temperate that the inhabitants thereof are not molested with the great cold of winter nor with the heat of Sommer Also the land is so fruitfull there of all thing necessary for the life of man that not any where els is found a land so plentifull Wherefore reason would haue it that men should be first borne in that Countrey where they might best and with most ease be nourished On the contrary the SCYTHIANS saide that the temperatnes serued to no purpose to proue the antiquitie for when nature parted and deuided extreme heat extreme cold into diuers regions it is to be thought that the land which first remained vncouered vnclothed of theis two extreme qualities did incontinently bring forth men and beasts which might there bee nourished And concerning trees and other fruits they were varied according to the estate of the Countries And for as much as the Scythians haue a sharper aire then the Egyptians so are there bodies and their vnderstandings harder also then theirs Neuerthelesse if the frame of the world which is now diuided into two partes hath bin sometime all one whether the whole earth were inclosed and inuironed with water or that the fire which hath engendred all things held and possessed the whole world in both cases the Scythians were the first For if the fire possessed al it must needs be that by little little it was quenched to make place for the habitable earth In which case it is to be thought that it was first quenched on the north side because it is the coldest region and the Scythians are seated there whence it cometh to passe that euen at this present it is the coldest countrey that is knowen And in regard of Egypt and all the East we must thinke that the heate was there but lately remitted For yet at this day they haue meruailous heate there when the sunne is at highest Also if the whole earth were at the first enuironed with water it is to bee thought that the places that are hyghest were first discouered and that where the earth is lowest there the water remained longest and by consequent that there where the earth was first discouered and dryed there began first all liuing things to be ingendred But the countrey of the Scythians is higher then all other lands as appeareth by this that all the riuers which do arise there discend to the poole Meotis and from thence do take their course into the Ponticke Sea and into Egypt which Countrey of Egypt is so lowe and so subiéct to waters that although so many Kings thoroughout so many ages haue with great diligence and expence made so many rampyers so many bankes and dyches to keepe the land from being ouerflowen by the impetuosity of riuers because that when they held them in on oneside they ran out on the
by the mediation of the first qualities hot and cold drie and moist being duely tempered for generation and vnproportionably distempered for corruption Secondly the Moone euery moneth increasing decreasing or at ful doth diuersly dispose those humors ouer which she is predominant shewing amongst other meruailes her manifest power ouer the ebbing and flowing of the tydes in the Ocean Then the other starres both wandring and fixed do breed in the aire changes of heat and cold winds thunder raine haile snow and by their aspectes eclipses oppositions coniunctions distances apparences obscurities greatnesse swiftnesse slownesse do bring foorth great and diuers generall and particuler euents of warres dearthes famines plagues of inundations of drouthes and heates according to the correspondency of the parts of heauen and earth the disposition of the matter which they meete with all and diuersity of the time in which they worke their effects So the causes both of these cotidian menstruall annuall and other the rarest mutations happening here below are attributed to the celestiall motions and to the quality of the matter whereon they worke Considering that in the world the elements and their compounds are as the matter the celestial bodies superior intelligences as efficient causes which by their heat light in proceeding giue motion to all inferiour things First the daily motion which the firmament maketh is cause both of liuing and of dying and the annuall course of the Sunne assisted with the Moone other starres of the continuation and successiue change But the most rare and admirable mutations in states sectes and arts ought to bee referred to the ninth and eight sphere the diuersity which is found in them proceeding of the variable motion of that sphere somtimes to the East somtimes to the West now to the South then to the North which is called the motion of trepidation The Arabians also haue diuided this longe space of time by the great coniunctions of the Plannets namely of the three superiour Saturne Iupiter and Mars which they maintayne to haue more power ouer the principall alterations of this inferiour worlde according to the qualities of the triplicities in the which they happen as fiery ayrie watery or earthly That there haue already beene seuen in the space of fiue thousand fiue hundred and thirty yeares for so many the Hebrewes reckon from the beginning of the worlde and that the eigth shal be in the yeare of Christ 1604. The Chaldees Persians Egyptians and auncient Grecians iudged of the notable euents of the worlde by the Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone and by those Starres which haue their aspectes towarde the places of the Eclipse or which arise togither or which are in the midst of heauen Belus the Babylonian as Seneca alledgeth appointed the times both of the deluge and conflagration of the world affirming that then all earthly substaunces should be burnt when all the starres hauing now diuers courses should meete togither in the signe of Cancer vnder the same place in such a position as a straight line might passe through all their circles And then should all be drowned when the same starres in the like sort should meet in Capricorne both signes of great efficacy power in chāging of the yere The ancient Poetes vnder the fables of Phaeton of Deucalion and Pyrrha haue represented these two ruines of the world the one by fire the other by water Also the Egiptiā priest in Plato his Timaeus discoursing with Solon saith that many ruines haue come vnto the world shal come hereafter the greatest by fire and water the lesser by earthquakes wars famine pestilence And that the tale of Phaeton the sonne of the Sunne is not altogether estraunged from truth that is that being mounted on his fathers chariot not able to guide it aright he burnt things on earth and was slaine himselfe with lightning for as much as in long space of time do happen many such destructions by fire by reason of the disorder happening about the earth in the celestiall motions That then those which inhabite in the mountaines in drie places are sooner destroyed then such as dwell by the seaside or neare the riuers But contrarywise when it pleaseth God to cleanse the earth by inundations then the dwellers on plaines and valleys to be forceably caried into the sea by the impetuositie of riuers while the inhabitauntes of the hils remaine in safety That those which remaine after such tempests are ignorant of that which is past and vnfurnished of learning which by little and little they recouer afterward Others say that in long space of time there are certaine periods appointed for the world which while they endure all thinges do come to their vigour and which being ended they do al perish but that al of them end their course within the reuolution of the great yere And that when the one commeth to end and the other is ready to begin there are many strange signes seene both in earth and in heauen Wherefore many are of opinion that some great alteration doth approch considering the signes which within these fewe yeres haue appeared in heauen in the starrs in the elements and in al nature Neuer were the Sunne and Moone eclipsed more apparantly neuer were seene so many Comets and other impressions in the aire neuer did the Sea and the riuers so violently ouerflowe their bankes neuer haue bin heard such earthquakes neuer were borne so many and so hydeous monsters Neither hath there euer bin seene since the memory of man so many and so often changes to come to passe in Countries Nations Maners Lawes Estates and Religions The course of the sunne is no more such as it was wont to be in old time neither are there the same points of the Solstices and Equinoxes but within this fourteene hundred yeres since Ptolomey liued who was a most diligent obseruer of the course of the world it is come neerer vnto the earth then at that time it was about twelue degrees Moreouer they say that al the parts of the Zodiacke and the whole signes haue chaunged their places and that the earth is remoued from his first scituation being not entierly absolutely as afore it was the center of the world Some also as Hipparchus a famous Astrologer amongst the Grecians haue giuen out that the celestial motions in time to come shall go a contrary course and that the course of the starrs shal be changed the East becomming West and the South North. In the meane time the continuation of the successiue alteration which we see here belowe consisteth in the mouing cause and in the first matter The cause that moueth is of two sorts th one being the first and chiefe mouer immoueable thother the first mouer moueable by whose vertue and influence gouerned by the diuine prouidence the corruptible things in this sensible world are incessantly restored renewed through the meanes of generation while the first matter
subiecteth it selfe cōtinually to al mouings changings in the same perpetuity that the first mouer moueth formeth neuer faileth to produce these transitory things OF THE VICISSITVDE WHICH THE fower Elements haue amongst them selues and euery one by it selfe THat successiue alteration which is in the inferiour part of the world consisteth principally in the fower Elements of which it is compounded which doe receiue continual change both amongst themselues togither and eche of them seuerally First when the water is thickned it seemes to become a stone or a peece of earth when it vapours away to be breath or aire Also the aire enlightened is conuerted into fire the fire extinguished and thickned is turned into aire againe the aire thickned into mists and clouds whence proceedeth water Also we see of water earth and stones to be ingendred in such sort that they giue one to another by turne and course a continual generation Seeing then they neuer remaine in the same estate it is hard to discerne th one from the other But that which we see to be now of one forme then of another and like vnto fire we must not call it fire but like vnto fire neither water but such a thing as water and so likewise in the rest as thinges which haue not any stability Wee ought not to signifye them by names such as wee vse to demonstrate any thing as when wee say this or that for they flie and will neuer abide this demonstration being onely applyable to thinges which are stable but eche of them ought to bee called such and such according to his similitude as the fire and whatsoeuer else hath generation But that wherein they seeme to bee formed and fashioned agayne ought onely to bee designed by this or that remaining alwaie the same without diminishing either power or faculty and continually receyuing all without retayning euer any semblable forme It is the first matter exposed to all nature to receiue any forme and beyng stirred and formed by those thinges which happen on it sometimes it seemeth to be of one sorte and sometimes of another But the matter that is subiect to such à formation should not be well prepared or ordered if it were not of it selfe without forme and naturally despoyled of all the formes which it is to receiue for if it were like to any of these thinges when his contrary or any other nature should come it could not well represent it hauing the other already wherfore it behoueth it to be exempted of all shapes figures and formes which must receyue into it selfe all kindes Wee will not say than that the mother and receptacle of this inferiour world is the earth the ayre the fire the water or anything which is made of them or whereof they are made but that it is an inuisible nature without forme yet capable of any to be comprehended onely by the vnderstanding with reason and not to be perceiued by the senses that the fire seemeth to be somewhat that is heated and the water somewhat that is moistned likewise the aire and the earth according as it receiueth their formes suffering the other passions which depend of them by meanes whereof it seemeth to be of all formes But because it hath not forces or faculties neyther of the like qualitie nor of the same waight it keepeth not any equalitie but is vnequally moued or stirred of these kindes which againe are moued of it by which motion they are caried hither thither and discerned the one from the other by kinds qualities obseruing the order which is giuē them to the end that by the coherence of different bodies there should not remayne that confusion which was before the constitution of the world These foure Elements so different in natures and qualities and contrary one to another are assembled by such à proportion that those which are light are held downe by waight least they should mount higher and contrariwise the heauy least they should fall are hāged on the light ones which tend alwaies vpward remaining all by à like force cōstrained kept in their places by the perpetual circuit of the world which turning alwaies in it selfe holdeth the earth balanced in the midst as the lowest of al which againe in counterchange doth ballaunce the other Elements themselues which holde it as it were ballaunced and hanged in the midst of them The water is diffused rounde about it And the ayre is caried ouer them both making but one globe The fire is seated highest which beyng placed betweene the heauen and the aire is pure on that parte which toucheth the celestiall bodie and impure in that which is next to the ayre receyuing many chaunges in diuers formes And although in that parte next vnto heauen it haue no contrarie to corrupt it remayning in his naturall place apt for the conseruation thereof neuerthelesse the partes of it doe not alwaies perseuer in their puritie by reason of the difformitie or diuersitie of the motion which turneth it and shaketh them and forceth them downwards towards the aire euen to the earth where they perish are consumed Likewise the ayre is diuersly altered by the others which are next vnto it for being diuided into three partes the highest the middle and the lowest the highest parte next vnto the fire to the celestiall mouings and the starres is thinnest and purest the lowest next vnto the earth is thickest and grossest the meane or middlemost is temperate betwixt both yet colder notwithstanding then either of them both for the highest doth participate with the heate of the starres the inferior is warmed by the vapours proceeding from the earth and then againe by the repercussion of the Sun beams and also by the artificiall fires vsed amongst men and the naturall which are hid in the earth But the meane being secluded from both extremities doth continue in his coldnes The aire then being thus diuided is for the most part variable inconstant and changeable especially neere vnto the earth where it doth and suffereth much according to the diuers scituation of the places and according to the aspects and different course of the starres which by their contrary rising and falling doe raise exhalations and vapours from whence proceede the windes clowdes showers tempestes lightninges thunders haile frost snow and other calamities of the earth with great strife of natural things amongst themselues some striuing vpwards which are forceably kept downe by resistance of the starres others being violently caried away the raine descendeth the cloudes ascend the waters are dried the haile and snowe do fall the Sun beames reflexed doe heate the windes whirling about blow vnequally th one against thother being sometimes calme and sometimes stormie And the Northren windes are raised by Iupiter the Easterne windes by the sun the Southren by Mars the VVesterne by the Moon Or els by the foure triplicities of the twelue signes of the Zodiacke those three which are of qualitie hot and drie mouing
cyment and rubbed ouer with fine plaister which when it is drie they write what they will on them There bookes are not made by leaues but they stretch them forth many cubits in length and bring them into square peeces ioined in such sort with cyment or soder that they are easie to turne and seeme to be made of bordes or tables of wood and wheresoeuer they are opened there appeare twosides written in maner of two pages as much there is vnderneath if they be not stretched out in length because that vnder one leafe are many leaues written The letters and characters are like vnto hookes ginnes files starres and other such formes where with they write in lines after our fashion representing in some sort the auncient maner of the Egiptians and Ethiopians and they paint between the lines figures of liuing creatures namely of men as is aforesaid as of Kings and princes reciting their acts They write also their Lawes sacrifices ceremonies obseruations of the starres and of husbandrie Both the vpper and vnder side is of fine workmanship and such as when they are foulded vp they seeme nothing different from ours They make little table-bookes also of bordes of figtree to write common things on which they can easilie deface againe The said Martyr saith also that there haue bin found in Darienna bookes made of the leaues of trees sowed together and that at Mesira they vse figures by which they signifie their affaires aswell as by writing Moreouer that in Hispaniola there is found a tree called Coppeia whose leafe is as fit to write on as paper with a needle or pin or a pointed sticke and that it is to be thought that this is the tree in the leaues of which the Chaldees the first inuentors of Letters did write their conceits before the vse of letters was inuented The leafe will abide writing on both sides aswell as our paper it is about twelue fingers broad and almost round thicker then double parchmine and verie tough When it is wet the letters appeare white in the greene leafe but when it is dried it becoms white and hard as a woodden borde but then the letters are yellow it is neuer marred nor defaced for wetting if it be not burnt Paulus Venetus writeth that in the prouince of Arcadan which is subject to the great Cham there are neither letters nor characters but that men there make their contracts and obligations by little bordes or tablets which they diuide in the midst and compare afterwardes together and confer their markes and signes one with the other and so doe acknowledge the cause of such contracts The simple people of the new found land not knowing the vse of Letters did maruaile much to see that Christians by meanes of them vnderstood one an other and thought that the written leaues did speake by their commandement and reported their secrets in such sort that they touched and caried them with feare as if there had bin some spirite in them and that they had spoken by some diuinitie and not by industrie of man THE most cōmon kind of writing which we vse at this day in these parts is with black Inke which heretofore was made of the sweat of bathes and furnaces but now of gaules gum Arabick and ryndes of pomgranats being all steeped in water of victriol or copperis beaten into pouder There is vsed also red ynke made either of Vermilion or of the shauings or fylings of Brasell steeped in strong Lye being yet warme and putting a little Alum to it and Azure made of some blew stone or earth yelow of goldsand or pouder Also one may write with the iuyce of Mulberies Cheries and other such fruicts And that with pennes made of reedes or canes such as Erasmus vsed or of brasse gold or siluer or of goose-feathers swans peacockes or ostriches Without speaking of the subtilities of writing with Cyphers which Princes vse and notes which Cicero inuented or with Alum where the letters do not appeare nor can not be read except they be dipt in water or with salt Armoniack iuyce of an orenge limon citron or onyon to be discouered onelie when they are held neere the fire or with grease cinders and coales But the maner to write by imprinting hath excelled all the rest in readynes and diligence dispatching more worke in a day then many speedie or swift writers are able to doe in a yeare And since it commeth in so fitlie to our purpose we will intermeddle here a little and say briefly as much as we shall think fit for this present discourse of that which we haue heard and learned of the most expert touching this so rare so profitable and admirable Art to the end that if by warres or other humaine mischiefes and casualties the vse thereof should at any time be left off yet it should not bee altogether lost but be faithfully kept and preserued by bookes as it hath saued and preserued manie bookes TO MAKE Characters for imprinting it is requisite first to haue ponchions of steel softned by the fire on the which they graue with coūter-ponchions hardned or grauing yrons steeled the white which is within the letters perfecting and smoothing the bodies of them with fyles where they are eminent or vneuen not at the right ends but at the contrarie after they wet these ponchions in water to harden them and then polish them and do strike them into little peeces of fine copper that haue bin in the fire which being so engrauen do naturally represent the forme of the letters which the artisans do call striking of the matrices Then do they iustify their matrices on moulds of yron and in the white therof make their castings with lead tinglasse antimony and other mixed maters to the end to harden them and that they may endure the longer The Letters being thus cast made are put in a great case or box of wood ful of little boxes in to which they are distributed according to their seuerall sorts From whence the Compositors hauing layd before them the writing which they are to imprint do take thē one by one dispose them by pages and formes which they put again into other chasies or frames of yron with one or two crosses locked or shut fast with furnitures of wood Then the gouernour of the Presse taketh these last chasies or fourmes and laieth them on the marble of his Presse then beateth them with balles of wood filled with woll couered with white leather and soaked or rubbed with ynke well mixed and distributed placing the leafe that is to be printed on a double tympan or parchmin hauing a wollen cloth betwixt them and a moyst linnen cloth to keepe the leafe from mackling and putting downe the frisquet of parchmin which couereth the white or margent of the leafe he maketh the traine of the presse to roule which resteth on the cariage till it come vnder the vice or spindle vnto which the plattin is fastned and
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
who excelled in Magick to learne it of him and had employed long time great labour infinite treasure theron not omitting also to do such abhominable superstition as was presciibed him yet in the end he found all false which had bin told him and so gaue it ouer This notwithstaÌ„ding it hath bin dispersed throughout the world which is so diuers in other things vnder the colour of faire but yet vaine and friuolous promises associating it self with religion Phisick and Mathematicks which three haue a meruailous power ouer the vnderstandings of men And thus being fortified with a threefolde vertue it could neuer yet be altogither exterminated rooted out but there remaine here and there stil some relicks and remainders thereof but in secret notwithstanding for feare of the punishment which is appointed for it and the shame which commeth vnto those that abuse themselues therein A COMPARISON OF THE INDIANS Ethtopians Egyptians scythians and Athenians in their Antiquities THE Indians Ethiopians Egyptians Scythians and Athenians did all boast that they were the first created of al the men in the world alleaging diuers and different reasons of their antiquities As the INDIANS the fertility of their countrey bearing twice a yere both fruits and graine where there was neuer any want of victuals The ETHIOPIANS alleage their neerenesse of situation to the south thinking it must needes bee that in places which are neerest the sunne and therefore hottest that all liuing creatures were first created which take their beginning of heate The EGYPTIANS the temperature of their aire which is neither excessiue hot or cold dry or moist and the goodnes of their territory which bringeth forth aboundantly whatsoeuer is necessary for the life of man The SCYTHIANS the heigth of their countrey which was the first freed from fire or discouered from water therefore soonest made apt before any other to produce both man and beast The ATHENIANS saying they are Autâ—cthones that is to say issued out of the earth without hauing any other beginning The Indians Ethiopians Egyptians and Athenians that they haue inuented all arts and meanes of liuing wel easily The Scythians dwelling vnder a sharper climate say that they haue alwaies exercised armes as hauing their bodies and mindes more hardned amongst whom were neuer found but two persons renowmed for learning Zamolsis and Anacharsis A COMPARISON OF THE GREAT monarchies the Egyptian Assyrian Median Persian and Parthian in their situations beginnings largenes reuenews riches and power and of those famous monarchs that founded them and others vnder whom they ended THE Monarchies of the Egyptians Assyrians Medians Persians Parthians agree in this that they haue bin established chiefely in the fertile and temperate countries of Asia where the men are gentle and tractable or naturally seruile as Hyppocrates and Aristotle affirme For the inhabitants which are remoued from al temperature wil not easily be brought vnder subiection and cannot well be gouerned not enduring any long or durable gouernment except it be altogither tyrannical as is that of the MOSCOVITE in the north and of the ABYSSINE in Ethiopia where the great KNES commaundeth th one and PRESBITER IOHN the other most rigoronsly to th end to keepe their subiects in obedience who are all generally of opinion that whatsoeuer their Princes do they do it by the vnchangeable wil of God The circuite and compas of their Monarchies were very great SESOSTRIS the Egyptian conquered all Arabia and a great part of Lybia Ethiopia with all the Isles of that countrey al the sea coasts euen to the Indies passed the riuer Ganges running hither and thither euen to the great Ocean and ouer came all the nations of the Scythians euen to the riuer Tanais comming into Europe went through the countrey of Thrace where he made an end of his enterprise retorned into Egypt NINVS brought vnder his obedience all the nations which inhabite on the sea-coast toward the East and their neighbors as the Egyptians Phenicians those of the inner Syria Cilicia Pamphilia Lycia Caria Phrygia Mysia Troada and the other Phrygia which is on Hellespont the countrey of Propontida Bythinia Cappadocia and other barbarous nations which inhabite on the greater sea euen to the riuer Tanais He added more ouer to his estate the Cadusians Tapyres Hircanians Dranges Deruices Caramanians Coronians Rombes Vuocarnians the Parthians Persians Susians Caspians and Bactrians SEMIRAMIS his wife the greatest part of Lybia and Ethiopia The limits of the Empire of CYRVS were on the East-side the red sea on the North the sea Euxinus towards the west Cyprus Egypt on the south Ethiopia CAMBYSES his sonne added Egypt Ethiopia And DARIVS the first of that name subdued no fewer countries then the two former had conquered consequently the others which came after augmented and enriched it from hand to hand making that kingdome one of the greatest most mighty most renowmed that was euer in the worlde The PARTHIANS possessed xviij kingdomes wherof the xj which were called the superiour began at the Confines of Armenia and bankes of the Caspian sea and reached vnto the Sythians the other seuen inferiour kingdomes stretched out euen to the red sea diuiding their Prouinces as respecting the two seas the red sea toward the south the CaspiaÌ„ on the north As the spaciousnes of these Monarchies was very large so the reuenew was also great the riches infinite and power incredible SESOSTRIS erected two square pillers of hard stone ech of them thirty sadom high in which he commaunded to be pourtrayed the greatnes of his Empire and the value of his demeine and reuenew engrauen adding thereto the number of the nations which he had ouer come He gathered an army of sixe hundred thousand foote foure and twenty thousand horse-men eight and twenty thousand chariots fit for war and foure hundred ships on the red sea The riches and power of the Assyrian Monarchy is knowen by the great and magnificent townes that were built by NINVS and SEMIRAMIS and by the wonderfull armies which they had namely NINVS going against the Bactrians with seuenteen hundred thousand foote two hundred thousand horsemen ten thousand and sixe hundred armed chariots SEMIRAMIS against the Indians with three Millions of foote fiue hundred thousand horsemen one hundred thousand chariots and two thousand ships vnto which STAVROBATES then King of India opposed like forces or greater Moreouer the vnreasonable riches of Assyria appeared in the end of Sardanapalus who would haue consumed with himselfe by fire a thousand Myriades of gold that is to say a thousand milions and a myriade of myriades of siluer which are a hundred milions endeuouring to spoile the earth of so great quantity of golde and siluer comming to forty Milions of Crownes in our money besides the beds and tables of golde precious stones garmentes of purple and other royall mouables and stuffe that was there and besides three thousand talents of Gold which he had sent before with his
of the race of Charlemaigne and shortly vpon the comming of Hugh Capet Then such Lords as held the great fees of the kings they subdiuided them to other persons of whom they expected seruice and both th one and thother gaue their lands to the peasants with dueties of rents and with condition to receiue iustice of them Wherehence are come the termes of fees and vnderfees of vassals and vndervassals for a difference from them which relieue directly and without any meane of the king Consequently of Ban arriereban and of liege or bond men who without exception do promise all duetie of fidelitie to their Lords and of those which are not bond or liege which do onely promise a duetie by reason of superiour estate or fee of which theirs which is inferiour dependeth And although at the beginning it was not lawfull for any Roturier or common person to possesse any fee simple but to meddle onely with his traficke tillage or husbandrie and to pay his Lords dueties notwithstanding by succession of time the fees contrarie to their first and auncient institution fell without any difference or distinction into the hands of men of armes and such as were estranged from the exercise of armes of noble and vnnoble of gentlemen and vngentle as merchants practicioners and other rich commoners that had meanes to buy them Moreouer whereas many fees with their dueties were giuen by Kings Princes Lords and Gentlemen to Bishoprickes Abbeies monasteries couents priories chanonries commaunderies hospitals spittels and to other Ecclesiasticall persons which are people of Mortmaine and altogether estraunged from armes the Ban arriereban hath bin much weakned thereby and at length is so low brought and so dispised that euen they which are bound therevnto thinke themselues dishonoured if they appeare there and so send thither their seruants or other mercenarie folkes the most part so euill appointed and in such poore equippage that it is a mockerie to see them whereas in times past the chiefest of Fraunce accounted it a great honour to be there themselues in person So farre haue these sees and vnder fees straied or so ill bin imployed which were erected and ordained for the safetie of the Countrie to the end that such as held them should in all occurrents of businesse be readily furnished with armes men and horses in such number and order as is requisite either to resist the approches of the enemie or to set vpon him if need were By reason whereof the forces of the kingdom are lessned and the Lawes militarie by little and little brought to naught in such sort that the Kings haue bin constrained to ordainè those companies of waged men of armes called ordinances and for their intertainment to impose on the people taxe and tallage Moreouer it is seuen or eight hundred yeres since the Nobilitie hath taken vp the vse of Armes and scutchions with figures of beastes and other things blazoned with diuers colours with termes fitting therunto to th end to discerne and make difference betweene them of their Nobilitie and the antiquities thereof their alliancies and kinreds Which maner was not in vse before CHARLEMAIGNE and hath not gon out of EVROPE being yet vnknowen throughout AFRICKE and ASIA where their Religion forbiddeth them to make the pourtraitures of beastes The Armes in the which ther are Lyons Leopards Tygers Eagles Kytes Faulcons and other rauenous beastes are accounted more noble then those which haue but trees flowers starres barres files or which are onely distinguished with colour or taken from the names of families because they seeme not to haue bin gotten by militarie prowesse or any other vertue To make them correct and expound them are appointed the Herauldes and kings of Armes curiously discoursing of the figures and colours which are in them euen to the mingling and accomodating according to the measure of their vnderstanding and knowledge both Physicke Astrologie and Diuinitie THE ARTISANS AND EXQVI site workes of the Auncients IN EGIPT INDIA and elswhere the gouernment being diuided into many orders or estates it was not lawfull for any to take a wife of other estate but his owne nor to change his vocation because it seemed not reasonable vnto them that a man of armes should labour the earth or that a learned man should become an Artisan Then the Artisans there wrought their workes seuerally euery one by himselfe and not indifferently mingling one occupation amongst the other The like did the husbandmen fishermen and huntsmen and it was not lawfull for one to exercise many trades As then they applied not themselues but vnto such workes as were permitted by the law and which they had learned of their fathers continuing the same all their life they became excellent therein Especially the EGIPTIANS whose workes were meruailously well wrought and euen come to their perfection The great and magnificent buildings made at that time both in ASSIRIA EGIPT and elswhere do euidently show the abilitie of their architects masons statuaries imagers grauers painters caruers carpenters and smithes The same distinction of the multitude by diuers orders and kindes of exercise is vsed at this day at CAIR FEZ MARROCCO and in many other great Cities of Asia and Africk Others account the maner of PARIS more commodious where the Artificers dwel intermingled one amongst the other At this day the Artisans of CATHAY and of CAIR and of PERSIA are found verie exquisite making works so neere approching vnto those of nature that they seeme to be naturall The end of the fowerth Booke OF THE LEARNING POESY Eloquence Power and other excellencie of the Grecians The fifth Booke AT the same time that the Persians swaied by their armes in Asia and that Cyrus founded the Persian Monarchie good letters and Learning were raised vp in Greece and the Countries there about aswell in the Isles as in the maine land and by the learned and renowmed Pythagoras began Philosophie First of all men considering the admirable ornament of the whole world the continuall and peâ—durable motion of the Heauen the varietie and distinction of the starres the intercourse of daies and nights of monethes and yeares continually succeeding the vital power of fire diffused thorough out the whole world the variable aire sustayning with spiration and respiration all liuing creatures the sea beating the bankes with his reciprocal waues receiuing and casting out the other waters without ouerflowing or diminishing the earth which is heaped together on each side thereof for a bound vnto it The vicissitude and order of things both simple and compounded contayned in the circuit of the world being innumerable in multitude and meruailous in beautie They indeuored to search out their properties conueniences and contrarieties as to know whereof they were made and engendred how long they indured what became of them when and how they perished what in them was mortall and corruptible what diuine and perpetual They obserued the course of the starres and the power which they haue heer
winde from the oriental part vnder the equinoctiall line called East the three other cold and drie raising the Southern wind comming from vnder the Pole antarticke the other three hot and moist the West winde being also vnder the equinoctiall line the other which are colde and moist the North winde comming from vnder the pole articke which windes haue their different properties according to the places from whence they proceed and where they blow mouing about the water and the earth euen as the starres by which they are raised The foure principall windes haue foure other collaterall all which eight together are called entier or whole windes betwixt whom are placed eight halfe windes and sixteene other quarters of windes and by these is all nauigation ordered But the water on which they saile being contiguous or ioyning to the aire receiueth no lesse varietie than it and maketh but one globe with the earth For as the earth being drie of his owne nature cannot endure without moisture neither should the water haue any where to abide without resting it selfe on the earth they haue therefore bin thus by nature ioyned together the one opening the vaines and conduites of the earth the other passing through it both within and without to serue instead of à bande vnto it All water of his proper motion descendeth downe from on high but in the Ocean sea which enuironeth the earth are found three motions th one from East to West another from the North towards the South the third of the daily ebbing flowing for from six houres to six it aduaunceth and enlargeth it selfe then it abateth and retyreth The which motions are seene also in the Mediterranean sea towards the bankes The cause of the first motion from East to West is the daily mouing of the firm ament by whose impetuositie all the Spheres are moued with a good part of the fire and the aire The other from the North towards the South is because that the Sea is higher in the North parts then in the South in respect that the Northren cold ingendreth more water then the Sea can containe within the space distance and heigth of his bankes and the water which is in the South part is consumed and diminished by the heat of the same So one part of the water in the North forceth downe an other on that side which is lowest and moueth accidentally from the place of his generation The third followeth the reuolution of the Moone which alwaies increasing and decreasing appeareth sometimes horned sometmes half round some times almost round and sometimes spotted then by and by cleere great when she is at full and anon she is not seen at all Sometimes she shineth all night sometimes ariseth late sometimes she shineth all day supplying the brightnes of the sunne and comming to Eclipsie yet appeareth notwithstanding and at the monethes end hideth her selfe when she is said to trauaile Sometimes also she is low and sometimes high which neuer happeneth after one sort for sometimes one would say that she were fixed to the firmament other whiles that she touched the top of the mountaines so low she is abased she is sometimes found in the South side of the heauens and sometimes we must seeke her in the North. Since then that she is so variable it is no meruaile if the ebbings and flowings of the Tydes in the sea which are caused chiefely by her are also variable First in the daily motion which the Moone maketh with the heauen in twentie fower howers there are two tydes ebbing and two flowing the sea increasing by the space of six howers and diminishing six others which are twelue And it doth asmuch in other twelue howers which are twentie fower Their augmentations are not alwaies alike in all times and places for by the space of seauen daies the waters do increase when they call them liue waters and seauen other daies they decrease when they are called dead waters In such sort that from the first day of the change of the Moone vntil the eight which is the first quarter the waters are diminished and from the said quarter vntill the fifteenth which is full Moone they are still augmented and from thence till the third quarter they goe still decreasing and from that to the coniunction they are increased againe So the first day of the Moone is chiefe of the waters and the second day the waters are yet verie great and the third in like sort but the fourth day they begin to waxe lesse and so go diminishing from day to day vntil they come to the eight for then are the low waters and on the ninth likewise and the tenth almost the same then on the eleuenth is the rising of the waters when they begin a little to augment And from that time forwarde they increase euery day vntill the fifteenth when it is full moone and then it beginneth againe to be head water and on the sixteenth it increaseth likewise and almost vnto the ende of the seuenteenth But on the eighteenth it decreaseth and goeth so diminishing euery day vntill the thirtieth when as she is in coniunction And so on the first day it beginneth againe to behead water and proceedeth thus increasing and decreasing as hath bin said Yet in these increasings the waters are not so high at one time as at another but greater at one time and lesse at another Also the ebbing and flowing of tides are not equal in all places Neuertheles when the moone is at Northeast it is full sea and when she is at Southeast it is low water Also there is nothing perpetuall in the earth sometime the sea or some other water enclosed within it breaking out forceably doth couer a part thereof sometimes againe it retireth The Riuers and fountaines are dryed vp and there arise new in other places Some Countries are turned into standing pooles and marishes others into sandie deserts others into woodes then being husbanded and laboured they become fertile of barrain and againe on the contrarie barrain of fruitful The Mountaines are made plain and the plaines are lifted vp some places are swallowed by Earthquakes or scorched by exceeding heats When it hath long bin manured it waxeth wearie then by rest and cherishing it recouereth vigour In tract of time it waxeth old if not wholie yet at the least in his parts then is renewed and becommeth young againe We see euery yeare at the spring time and beginning of Summer how being watered with small rayne caused by soft windes and moderately heated it openeth the seedes of all things which before were shut vp and putteth some of them into herbes stalkes and eares others into stems and husks others into budds others into tender tops the garden trees yeeld buds flowers leaues and fruit the forestes and woods are clothed with greene bearing on their branches and bougâ—es the birdes pricked with a desire of engendring which record by themselues their melodious songs The Fishes leape and the
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
and sciences THE VICISSITVDE of Townes SOme Towns and Cities begin others end others increase others diminish cōming of little to be great of great little some are ouerthrowen by warres others by sedition others by long peace turned into loosenes or by pompe and prodigalitie pernitious to great riches or by casuall chaunces of fire inundation of waters or Earthquakes or els by old age which consumeth all things Niniue so great so faire and sumptuous was distroyed by Arbaces and the Medians Carthage by Scipio and the Romaines By tract of time the greatest part of Babylon hath bin turned vnto tillage and at this day is nothing or els hath chaunged his name Athens is reduced into a little village Troy into Champaigne Ierusalem so famous throughout the scripture hath bin often distroied and reedified Thebes was sometime the fairest Citie not onely of Egypt but of the whole world the magnificence of which was diminished by the increase of Memphis And that of Memphis by the edification and augmentation of Alexandria holden for the chiefe or second Citie in the world Rome began when Babylon ended and Constantinople is growen vp by the spoile of Rome the Empire being transported thither with his chiefe forces and riches Lions first scituated on a hill was burned then reedified below Elice and Buria drowned In auncient time there were in Candie 100. Townes which are now reduced vnto three On the contrarie in Germany there were no Townes there are at this day the fairest the strongest and best gouerned that are any where The Arabians and Tartarians march by great troupes representing great walking cities In other places are seen veriefaire Cities which were not in former time As Cair Alep Tauris Mosko Prague Cracouia Nugradia Antwerp London Lishbon Paris Roan Mexico in Temistiten Venice Cambalu Quinzay Meace in Gyapan Malach and Ormus THE VICISSITVDE OF COMMON Weales Kingdomes and Empires THe first and chiefest forme of Ciuil gouernment is a Monarchie erected naturally which by good establishment begetteth a Kingdom or Roialtie but when a Roialtie falleth into those vices which are neerest i◠as into Tyrannie of their abolition ariseth Aristocratie which is commonlie chaunged into Oligarchie And when the Communaltie reuengeth the iniustice of the Gouernors there followeth a Democratie by the outrages and iniquities whereof is againe erected the Ochlocratie Such is the naturall reuolution of gouernments according vnto which the estate of the common wealth is chaunged and translated and againe returneth to the same Yf the vertue of commaunders were alwaies alike the affaires of men would go better and more certainlie without being transported to and fro and incessantly altered for aucthoritie is easilie maintayned by the same meanes by which it is gotten but where for diligence idlenes for continencie and equitie couetousnes and pride do take place there the fortune chaungeth with the maner of their lyuing Wherefore the Kingdoms and Empires are translated continually from the lesse apt and able to those that more chaunging from familie to familie and from nation to nation As by the variable course of the Moone is gouerned the great Sea mouing or appeasing his waues aduauncing or withdrawing the flowing and the ebbing of the tydes so are by the vnstabilitie of fortune and mens want of wisdom publike states increased diminished exalted abased changed destroied conuerted and put ouer from some vnto others those that are best gouerned hauing their power more assured and durable then the rest and yet none being perpetuall for asmuch as they are corrupted in length of yeares whatsoeuer good orders there are at the beginning if heed be not carefully taken in reforming them often and reducing them as much as is possible to their first integritie We see that a Lordship well founded doth prosper a time by the goodnes of the gouernment and goeth from good to better drawing in a right line towards the midst or the highest of his true politique course afterwards declineth from high to low or from the midst to the extremitie True it is that where th one endeth thother beginneth and is aduaunced by the ruyne of the former or many smal are reduced into one great and that great one diuided into lesser THE VICISSITVDE AND variety of Tongues LIkewise the Tongues words writings and Characters are continually changed hauing no better hap then other humaine things which do change ordinarily with their words namely maners of liuing both publike and priuate customes meates lawes habits and garments edifices buildings armes engines and instruments They haue a beginning continuance perfection corruption and alteration Some are altogether lost others do spring out of the former beeing corrupted and mingled others after they haue bin long time disanulled are restored They are maintayned with their proprietie sweetnes and elegancie with the sciences which are written in them thorough the power and greatnes of Empire and by religions with which meanes they are largely spread abroad in diuers Countries and endure long as also they are lost by the contrarie THE VICISSITVDE of Artes. BY the same order and interchangeable course the Arts and Sciences being small at beginning do augment by little and little and come vp to their perfection whether after they are once come they fall eftsoones and finally perish thorough the slouth of men or by the calamitie of warres long continued or by the tyrannie of barbarous people Then when they haue bin a while let downe they arise againe and successiuelie recouer their former strength Which hath giuen occasion to some excellent Philosophers and Astrologers to thinke that the same Sciences haue sundrie times bin inuented before time out of minde and lost againe as they may be againe also in time to come seeing that power and wisedom leaue not long each other but ordinarily keepe good companie together As I haue obserued within these three thousand yeares to haue falne out fiue or sixe times at certain seasons finding the excellency of armes and learning to haue bin first in Egipt Assyria Persia and Asia the lesser consequently in Greece Italie and Sarasmenia and finallie in this age in which we see almost all auncient liberal and Mechanical arts to be restored with the tongues after that they had bin lost almost twelue hundred yeares and other new inuented in their places Wherein shal be employed all the discourse ensuing depending on the former which we will begin with the Tongues with which are preserued and lost all humaine arts and affaires The end of the first Booke OF THE VICISSITVDE AND varietie of Tongues The second Booke GOD creating Man gaue him for a great and excellent gift the vse of Reason and Speech and by these two prerogatiues hath separated him from other Creatures But reason would little helpe him and would lesse appeare in him if he could not by speech expresse that which before hee had conceiued in his mind for the beastes seeme to yeeld vnto him rather in speech then vnderstanding doing finely and
curiously many workes which he can not imitate which because they can not speake are called mute or dumbe and vnreasonable creatures And although men are more sociable yet little would the similitude of nature which is amongst them auaile them vnto this societie if they did not vnderstand one an other and would rather chuse to conuerse with the dumbe creatures of diuers kinds then with other strange men which they vnderstand not Speech then being so necessarie to a ciuil man who by reason alone can not haue the companie of an other and being naturally giuen him to declare the conceits and affections of his mind notwithstanding it commeth to passe that the words are not alwaies and euery where the same as the thinges are vnto which they are imposed but do chaunge from countrie to countrie and from time to time according to the vse and custome of those that speake beeing receiued and vnderstood amongst them by their owne agreement and consent From whence proceedeth this varietie of Languages amongst men dispersed ouer the whole habitable earth being so spacious in length and bredth th one not vnderstanding thother but by signes or interpreters But if as there is in all men one first principle of reason and one common interiour intelligence it were possible that there were also but one common tongue to serue in arts and contracts they would loue one another better by the ceasing of that discord which commeth by the diuersitie and ignorance of tongues and employ that time in knowledge of things which they are now constrained to bestow in learning of words Diodorus the Sicilian following the auncient Philosophers hath written that men at the beginning had the sound of their voice confused and not to be vnderstood but that by little and little making distinction they named euery thing by his name And for asmuch as they were then dwelling in diuers partes of the world they did not vse all one speach and language whence it came to passe that they had also different Characters and letters Moses declareth in Genesis how the language of all the earth was confounded in the building of the tower of Babel wherehence hath proceeded the diuision of Nations and the beginning of the diuersitie of Tongues by the pride and presumption of men As in trueth it is a punishment for sinne that we haue so many which are changed vncessantly at the pleasure of the common people forging daily new words by the birth of which the former must needes decay Euen as the seasons of the yeare do spoile the earth of her flowers and fruites and do after cloath it a new with others Likewise time maketh words to fall and vse maketh new to spring in their places and graceth them making them to be in request vntill that being by age consumed by little and little they come also to die because that in the end both we and all things that are ours are mortall But such change and varietie commeth ordinarily of the mingling of diuers Nations and of great faires and armies where are people of diuers languages who assembling and communing together do continually forge new wordes which do either endure or perish according as of custome they are accepted or reiected And howbeit that speech is natural vnto men yet do they not speake but artificially nor do they learne it but in hearing others speake first their mothers and their nurses and afterwards the common people Wherefore it behoueth that the first which imposed names on things hauing no other of whom they might learne them did miraculously learne them in that tongue wherein the nature and trueth of things agreed with their originals and Etimologies which men euen to this present haue endeuoured to seeke in all tongues in the significations of words The Hebrewes attribute this honour to their tongue which they account the first and most auncient of the world Herodotus writeth that Psamneticus King of Egipt being desirous to know which was the first language gaue two young children of poore parentage to a Shepheard to be kept forbidding any word to be spoken in their hearing but commaunded they should be kept a sunder and that at certaine howers there should goates be brought to giue them suck which he did for a desire he had to heare what word these children would speake first And it hapned after two yeares when the Shepheard opened the doore to come in to the children they fell downe both at his feete and holding vp their handes pronounced this word Bec which is as much to say as Bread in the Phrygian tongues And so it was found that the Phrygians were more auncient then the Egyptians and their language the first Vitruuius the Architect speaking somewhat grossely of this matter saith that while men dwelt yet in the forrestes in some of the thickest places the trees shaken by the force of the windes and beating violently one against an other stroke fire wherat those that were neere being astonished fled and afterwards comming neere again when the noise was stilled they found that great commoditie came to the bodie by the heat of the fire and putting wood into it so maintayning it they called the rest and shewed vnto them by signes the good that came of it In this first assemblie their voices issuing diuersly out of their brests the words were made as they offred themselues by the which signifying oft the same things they began to speak at aduenture so formed the languages amongst them Pythagoras did attribute soueraine wisdom to him which first found out names for euery thing And Plato affirmeth in his Cratilus that it was done by a power more then humaine for in trueth man could not of him selfe without the helpe of God discerne innumerable thinges contained in the world by their proper names which otherwaies had remained vnknowen I say the Heauen his parts and mouings the fixed and wandering Starres the Elements with their qualities wyndes raines haile snowes thunders and other meteors birds beasts fishes herbs plants trees graines minerals stones pearles their natures and properties seas gulfes climates hauens ports isles riuers lakes pooles lands countries people nations villages hamlets townes and cities The inward and outward partes of the bodie sences and their obiects odours sauours smels and tasts maladies and their remedies infinite humaine actions victuals garments lawes magistrates iudgments gouernments ceremonies warfare reuenewes moneies so many arts and occupations with their instruments so many persons with names and surnames the affinities and alliances betwixt them The controuersie also in times past hath bin great amongst the learned whether words were imposed at the will and pleasure of them that speake or els by art and natural reason The varietie and continuall mutation which is seen in tongues made some think that this imposition was casual and arbitrarie founded on the consent and custom of men Others said that sithence the names are as instruments ordained to present things vnto vs which do
sacrificed to pray onely for himselfe but hee must also pray for the prosperity of the king and generally of all the Persians being himselfe by this means comprised in the praier Euery one of thē when they would sacrifice brought his offering into a place that was not contaminated then hauing his attire on his head made for the most part of mirtle he called on that God to whom he sacrificed They would neither pisse spit nor void their noses into the riuers but reuerenced them aboue all things They suffered their dead bodies to be bitten praied on by doggs and birds before they would bury them others anointed them ouer with waxe then put them into the earth They and the Egyptians did not burne them because the Persians said it was not fit that a God should feed on a dead man the Egyptians thought the fire to be a liuing creature eating cōsuming whatsoeuer he seased on dying with his meat whē he was ful in their Law it was not permitted to cast the dead bodies to birds and beasts to deuoure them or to any liuing Creatures and therefore they embalmed them with salt that they should not be eaten of wormes The Egyptians would neuer kill any thing that had life The Mages killed with their handes euery liuing creature sauing man whom also the DRVIDES of Gaule did not spare to kill and sacrifice diuining by southsayings as the MAGES whom they resembled in many thinges shewing themselues so cerimonious in obseruing of Magick that they seemed to haue taught it to the Persians and not to haue learned it of them as Pliny sayth These Mages gaue out that the Gods appeared vnto them and foretold them of things to come affirming that the aire was full of spirits which did subtilly insinuate themselues into mens eyes that there were two princes namely one good God which they called Herosmades and the other euill whom they termed Arinan They clothed themselues with white garments liued of herbes cheese and course bread slept on the ground caried canes or reades in steed of staues They assembled in a holy place to communicate and talke togither Their authority was so great that Cambises when he went out of Persia left the gouernment of his house to one of them who in the absence of the king conspired with a brother of his against him and went about to make himselfe king Their Magicke consisted wholy in the religion and seruice of the Gods To whom they offered praiers vowes and sacrifices as if they onely were exalted beleeuing the resurrection of men and that they should be immortall Aristotle witnesseth that they were auncienter then the PROPHETS of Egypt Clearehus affirmeth that the BRACHMANES or GYMNOSOPHISTS of India came from thē ZOROASTER without doubt was the first inuentor whom somethinke by the etimologie of his name to haue bin an obseruer of the starres and to haue vnderstood natural things Plato in his first Alcibiades saith that the Magick of ZOROASTER is a knowledge of diuine mysteries which was wont to bee taught vnto the children of the kings of Persia to th end they might learne by example of the whole worlds common wealth to gouerne their owne And in his Charmides he sayth that the Magick of ZAMOLSIS was the physick of the minde causing it to vse temperance as the other is cause of bodily health Pithagoras Empedocles Democritus and the same Plato sayled and went far to learne it and hauing learned it did celebrate it at their retourne and kept it secret and many other vertuous amongest the auncients haue trauailed carefully therein getting great authority and reputation thereby For obseruing by it the meruailes hidden in the secretes of the world in the bosome of Nature and mysteries of God they haue discouered the concords of the world and agreement of the heauen with the earth accommodating the superiour thinges to the inferiour after they had once knowen their vertues howe they agree in doing and suffering which the Greekes call Sympathies and Antipathies which hath moued Plotinus to call such MAGES making profession of naturall MAGICKE the ministers of Nature It is at this day much vsed in CHINA and CATHAY which are Countries inhabited by most ingenious and industrious people where they are not permitted to come to Offices and Honours in the Common wealth without being learned namely in this MAGICKE which signifieth to speak simply according to the auncient Persian language perfect and soueraigne wisedome and MAGVS an expounder and obseruer of the diuinity Sithence that men haue abusiuely transferred this name to inchaunters who do wickedly abuse the simple making them beleeue that they know the secret and future things by strange words by signes and characters by diuelish deceits and impostures and other superstitious obseruations of Necromantie Geomantie Hydromantie Aeromantie Pyromantie such other of long time reproued both by diuine and humane lawes Wherhence may be vnderstood that there are two sorts of MAGICK th one natural thother superstitious The natural in contemplating the vertues of celestial and terrestiall things considering the conuenances contrarieties discouereth the powers which are hidden in nature mingling th one with thother in due proportion vnder certain constellation and applying the actiue to the passiue draweth them one to another by the similitude of nature So the elements do draw th one the other so the loadstone draweth the yron to it amber the chaffe and brimstone fire the sunne many flowers leaues the Moone waters Mars the winds many herbes drawe vnto them many liuing creatures and haue meruailous secret properties by the which this Magicke naturally worketh great miracles The other superstitious Magick is by inuocation of euil spirits which is a manifest Idolatry and hath alwaies bin forbidden by wel ordered common weales Such were the MAGICIANS of PHARAO which counterfeited diuelishly whatsoeuer MOSES ARON diuinely had wrought til such time as the rod of MOSES turned into a serpent did eate vp theirs which they had tourned also into serpents Such was SIMON MAGVS and such the Pythonisse was that called vp the soule of Samuel the prophet such also was Circe such a one was Medea Plutarch writeth that the spirit of Antony being bound by magicall verses and loue drenches that his liberty being lost he was fixed in the face of Cleopatra The Euthydemus of Plato compareth Oratorie and Magicke or Enchauntery togither and sayth that as Oratory is a delighting and appeasing of the Iudges and assemblies of men so that Enchanting is an asswaging of vipers spiders scorpions other venimous and cruel beastes as also of diseases The vanity of this superstitious Magick appeared especially in the Emperour Nero who gaue him selfe to it as much as euer any man did hauing neither want of goods of power nor of vnderstanding and desiring nothing more then to command the Gods and the dead Notwithstanding after he had called vnto him Tyridates king of Armenia
persons appointed for diuine seruice POLICIE conducteth the affaires of peace and warre in the which would not be found any iustice or fidelitie without the feare of God and loue towards men which are especially commaunded in all Religions Wherfore in all Lordships both auncient and moderne the first care hath alwaies bin of Religion and diuine seruice and such as haue had the chargethereof haue alwaies bin reputed the chiefest in aucthoritie much honoured and well intertained being both they and their children exempted from subsidies and militarie labours The PRIESTS or PROPHETS of Egipt inioâ—ed a third part of the reuenew of the kingdom and had great credit both with the king with the coÌ„mon people aswel for that they had the care of diuine things were very learned and teachers of others as because they were called by the king to giue counsaile in great affairs foretelling of future things which they knew by the Sacrifices and by the starres The Roialtie was mingled with sacrificing and none could be king but he were also a PRIEST as Plato saith in his Politiks The CHALDEES in Assyria and Media had such aucthoritie as the Egiptian priests in Egipt being reputed most skilfull and expert in Astrologie by which they did prognosticate of things to come and by sooth-sayings and sacrifices turned away euill fortunes and made good to come The BRACHMANES amongst the Indians held the chiefe place to whom great honour was borne and great giftes were giuen as to men that were acceptable to the Gods and thought to know whatsoeuer was done in Hell They foretold at the beginning of the yeare droughts raines windes and diseases And they indure still at this present in those parts perseuering in the cerimonies of their auncient Religion and holding the chiefe places in honour calling themselues BRAMINS which go before the NAIRES that is to say the Nobles The King of Calecut is their high Priest and head of his Religion going for this cause before all the kings of India and being called SAMORY that is God in earth The MAGES gouerned the Religion and estate of the Persians with such aucthoritie that they interprised sometimes to vsurpe the kingdom during Cambyses his absence in his voiage of Egipt and to make one of them king It was the custome also that the king of Persia should learne their Magicke without the which he might not raigne The DRVIDES of Gaule being ministers of Religion and of iustice discoursed of the starres and of their mouings of the nature of things and immortalitie of soules as also of the diuine aucthoritie and prouidence being greatly respected of all the rest and verie well intertained At Rome the SACERDOTES ARVSPICES AVGVRES FLAMINS SODALES and virgins VESTALES which kept the eternall fire the high Priest and inferiour Priests super-intendeÌ„ts of their cerimonies sacrifices and supersticions had knowledg of the Ciuil law and managed the publike affaires The first kings of Rome were sacrificers and the Emperours to make their greatnes aucthoritie more venerable called themselues high Priests The PRIESTS both men and women ordained both in Greece and elswhere to see to the obseruation of the pagan Religion founded on Oracles were in great aucthoritie and receiued mightie offerings The Roialtie in Lacedemon was a superintendence in warre and preheminence in sacrifices The LEVITES in Iurie separated from the other Iewes to exercise sacrificing and the office of Priesthood in the race of AARON receiued dueties of inestimable value The THALISMANS PARACADIS CADIS Priests and Iudges in the Law of Mahomet MENITSSMARLS and IMANS were wel priuiledged freed from all subsidies At the beginning the CALIPHES in that religion were Kings and Priests one in Bagdet another in Caire Sithence the Sultans haue taken the royal aucthoritie and haue brought in the MVPHTIS accounted as Patriarches in steed of the CALIPHES super-intendents of the Religion and iudging soueraignly in matters of the Law by which are not onely occained the praiers and diuine ceremonies but also the politike and militarie affaires They haue power to retract the ordinances of the Sultans and sentences of their Diuans or Counsailes which are not conformable or seeme repugnant to the ALCORAN Euery Mahometan Prince keepeth one alwaies neere about him or in his principal Citie with great pension The great CHAM of the Tartarians Zauologues keepeth his at â—â—â—â—rcand The SOPHI at Tâ—â—ris There are also in Africk at Fez Caroan â—â—â—â—â—ssen and elswhere The TVRK beareth vnto his greater reuerence then to any man of his Empire The ECCLESIASTICAL persons throughout Germanie Fraunce Poland England and Hungarie hold at this day the chiefe places in the counsaile of Kings and administration of iustice Among the seuen Electors of thempire there are three Ecclesiastical Amongst the Peeres of Fraunce there are six The chiefest of the Counsaile in Poland are the Archbishops and Bishops The Emperour is confirmed consecrated by the POPE The French king consecrated by the Archbishop of Rheimes The king of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury The king of Poland by the Archbishop of Gâ—esâ—e For considering that the Archbishops and Bishops are established amongst the people as messengers of God and interpreters of the Law and will of God to their aucthoritie being great in it selfe haue bin added great honours in the common wealth to the end that the publike couÌ„sailes and constitutions should by their presence be made more venerable The POPE commaundeth ouer the temporall of the Church called S. Peters patrimonie as king and is reuerenced by the rest of the Latin Christendome as head and chiefe of the Religion in those places where he is acknowledged for such But before we make an end of this matter we will set downe the agreements and differences which were betweene the Egiptian Priestes and the Chaldees Mages Brachmanes and the Druides The EGIPTIANS and BABYLONIANS dwelling in spacious plaines and hauing nothing to hinder them from the whole view of the Heaueri bestowed great studie in obseruation of the starres in the which both th one and the other were most skilful and expert The Egiptians said that the CHALDEES came out of Egipt and had learned Astrologie of them The MAGES and BRACHMANES agreed in sobrietie and austeritie of life and the Brachmanes were thought to haue discended of the Mages There was also the like similitude betweene the MAGES and DRVIDES namely those of great Britaine that they seemed to haue deliuered Magick to the Persians and not to haue learned it of them The bodies of the MAGES when they were dead were left to the doggs and birds to pray vpon before they were buried The BRACHMANES voluntarily ended their liues by fire The CHALDEES and EGIPTIANS had faire great and magnificent Temples The MAGES had no temples altars nor images The Mages were common both to the Persians and Parthians The CHALDEES to the Assyrians and Medes The EGIPTIANS and the PERSIANS beleeued the Resurrection and that men beeing raised from the dead
wherin the later haue not agreed with the former namely in those which are not yet sought out and will neuer be found if we content our selues with that which is alreadie inuented without adding any thing therunto By occasion whereof I will aunswere them henceforward which obiect that there are too many bookes Certainly if all that hath bin written by the auncient Philosophers Historiographers Oratours Poets Physitians Diuines and Lawiers had come to our hands all had bin full of bookes and we should haue had no other moueables in our house but bookes we should be constrained to go sit and lie vpon bookes And yet there remaine so many and are made from day to day that the age of man could not suffice to read not onely the writings in many disciplines but in one particuler and seldome are the Inuentories found perfect The great number serueth rather for charge then for instruction and it is much better to read some few that be good then to wander thorough many which are euill Lucian blameth an ignorant person which boasted that he had many bookes and Martial mocketh an other who thought thereby to be accounted learned Seauen hundred Volumes were found in the Librarie of Alexandria which were all burned together by a mischance of fire The learned caried their books thither from all parts as to the Theater of learning and they read them in the Museum which was there at the plaies ordained for the honour of Apollo and of the Muses the vanquishers receiuing great gifts in the sight and knowledge of all the world In somuch that none were reckoned learned which had not won some prize there Liuie calleth that great Librarie a worthy work of kingly care and magnificence But Seneca saith that it was neither care nor magnificēce but a studious pompe or superfluity yet not studious because the K s. Ptolomeyes had not erected it to serue for study but for a shew and spectacle As we see many priuate men also which haue gathered many togither wel printed boūd gilded to serue onely for ornaments which they neuer looke in themselues nor suffer others for feare of fouling them Also king ATTALVS assembled at Pergamus in emulation of the Ptolomeyes two hundred thousand volumes which were giuen by Antonius to Cleopatra so vanished There were in the Library of the GORDIANS xl thousand and a great number of exquisite ones in that of LVCVLLVS and AVGVSTVS There are some at this present very wel furnished both amongst the Christians and the Mahometists But going by the professions I haue read that DIDYMVS a Grammarian composed foure thousand books APPIAN sixe thousand who was so arrogant as to say that he made them immortall to whom hee dedicated his workes CICERO said that if his age were doubled yet would it not suffice to read all the Lyrick Poets Seneca thinketh as much of those that haue written of Logick There is no people nation citie common-wealth seigniorie coūtrey kingdom or empire but hath his Cronicles and Histories In Greece one only war of Marathon found three hundred Historiographers Plutarch in his liues alleageth more then two hundred of them SALVST and LIVIE are come to vs vnperfect and faulty as are also many others of lesse reckoning both Greekes and Romaines It is not possible to recken the books that are made of Phisicke which hath many times bin changed and diuided into diuers sects ARISTOTLE the Philosopher composed iiij hundred volumes and VARRO the most learned amongst the Romains as many The Emperour IVSTINIAN by the excessiue multitude of books which were of the ciuil Law was constrained to cause the Pandects to be made on which contrary to his edict haue bin heaped innumerable cōmentaries S. Iohn the euangelist saith that the world is not able to receiue all the books which should bee written of IESVS CHRIST as appeared in the time following wherein were infinite written in many languages concerning the Christian religion and the exposition of the old and new Testament ORIGEN alone hath written sixe thousand bookes The Gothes Vandales Alanes Hunnes Lombards Sarazens Turkes and Tartarians brought an inestimable losse to the libraries and corruption to the languages Bookes are different also according to the disposition of the times and inclination of the countries wherein they are made euen as wines are diuers according to the territorie qualitie of the aire and disposition of the yere the nature of the vine industry of the keeper Euery age hath his peculiar kind of speech Euery nation and age his phrase the Greekes and Latins writing after one sort the Hebrewes Chaldees and Arabians after an other All are not of continuance and as many are lightly and easily made so they are estsoones and incontinently lost Some are left off for the obscurity and to affected subtilty and barbarousnes which is in them Others despised or neglected as vnprofitable or consumed by length of time or destroied by warres changes of tonges and of religions or by being euil written and copied out or corrupted depraued In others there is nothing but tedious repetitions by changing the order and the words Plinie a man of great reading saith that in conferring and comparing of authours he hath found the old written out word for word by those that were next after them concealing their names and choosing rather to be taken in their theft then to acknowledge the debt Those which are respected here as holy are burned elswhere as abhomination The affected to some certaine sect religion or profession are red onely by people of the same sect religion and profession The poemes orations epistles chronicles histories comedies and tragedies are not loked on but by such as vnderstand the tongue wherin they are written out of it they commonly lose their grace There are not any which please and satisfy al people or which are receiued in al places except they be aduisedly made with great iudgment profound learning by a singular grace of God and a rare goodnes of nature resisting against enuious old age warranting themselues from the silence of obliuion Such as seeme to be those of Plato Aristotle Hippocrates Ptolomey who not content with the images of things and shadows of opiniōs haue sought the truth directly haue therfore escaped the iniury of time of fire of water of wars among so many nations contrary sects translated into diuers languages yet keeping stil the same grace as when they were newly made For as time abolisheth the opinions that are not wel groūded so it also cōfirmeth the infallible iudgemēts of a wise vnderstanding nature augmēting alwaies the reputatiō of those writers which haue best obserued vnderstood it The iudgment of time discouereth in the end the secret faults of al things who being the father of truth and a iudge void of passion hath alwaies accustomed to giue a iust sentēce of the life or death of writings But seeing that the arts