the rockes and lay themselues together in order of a wall And thus saith Horace in his Epistle of Poetrie ad Pisones Dictus Amphion Thebanae conditor vrbis Saxa moucre sono testudmis prece blaÌ„da Read more of him in Appollonius his Argonauticks 28 The sonnes of Heber This proues again that the neare successours of Noe filled not the world all at once but by successioÌ„ of time So the true religion remained in the familie of Sem The Chaldeans were excellent Astronomers Philosophers the Egyptian Priestes knew the secretes of Nature before there was any knowledge of letters in Greece which was not peopled so soone as the other by many yeares as the histories euen of the Greekes themselues declare See the latter Chronicles 29 All Egypt ouershone Another proofe If the world had bene peopled all straight after the flood riches and dainties would haue bene found vsed in all countreys at the same time But they were in Egypt and Tyre long before the Greekes and Gaules knew the world So it followes that Greece and Gaule were not so soone peopled as Egypt and Phoenicia By the limping Smith he meanes Vulcan that first found out the vse and forging of Iron in Sicilie Prometheus was the first that found the vse of fire among the Argolians or Greekes Of him saith Hor. 1. booke 2. Ode Audax Iapeti genus igneÌ„fraude malâ gentâ—bus intulet That is the bold son of Iaphet brought fire by craft among the nations Of this matter the Poets haue set forth many fables the true drift whereof our Authour sheweth in a word Looke what I haue noted vpoÌ„ the yoy verse of the 6. day of the 1 weeke The rest of this place is easie to be vnderstood 30 As if a pebble stone A fine similitude concerning the aforesaid matter to shew how all the Arts began froÌ„ the plaine of Scunnar to spread by litle and litle ouer all the world 31 For from Assyria He beginneth here to treat of the more particular peoplings And first he sheweth how the posteritie of Sem began to fil Asia Their first out crease leauing the coast of Assyria bent toward the East Of this riuer Hytan Plinie faith 6.23 Carmamae flumen Hytanis portuosum auro fertile Look Solinus cha 67. They hauing peopled this quarter hrust on further toward Oroatis a riuer of Persia whereof Plinie saith in his 6. booke the 23. Flumen Oroatis ostio difficili nisi peritis Insulae 2. paruaeâ—nde vadosa nauigatio palustri similis per euripos tamen quosdam peragitur in the 25 chap. Persidis initium ad Flumen Oroatin quo diuiditur ab Elimaide Read also the 24. chap. of the said booke of Plinie for the better vnderstanding of their dwelling here Then they drew further forth into Persia towardes the Citie Susa close by the which Coaspâ—s runneth such is the sweetnesse of that water that as Plinie Soline Plutarch others record the kings of Persia drink of none other So they came into the valleys of the famous hill Caucasus where dwelt the Parthians whose kings were coÌ„monly called Arsaces From heÌ„ce into Medie lastly vp higher toward the Mesendin Hyrcaman or Caspian lake Looke Ptolo in his 1.2 3. table of Asia Mercator â—â—rtelius Cellarius Thouet All these remoues are coÌ„tained within the compasse of 5. or 600. leagues 32 These mens posteritie He setteth downe in fower verses the chiefe countries peopled by the second ouercrease of Sems Issue The land fronting Cheâ—â—el is a part of Tartarie not farre from the Caspian sea whereinto that riuer falleth and riseth neare the wildernesse of Lop aboue Tachalistan which is a great countrey neighbour to the mountaine â—maus Charasse Charassan or Chorasan it is a couÌ„trey that hes between Istigias Bedane and Tacalistan which I note more particularly then I finde in the French Commentarie because there is so little difference of letters betweene that and the name of Carazan whereof the Poet speaketh in the fourth verse following This Charasse Gadel Cabul Bedane and Balistan are prouinces enclosed by the riuer Indus the mountaine Imaus the Mesendin or Caspian Sea and the realme of Persia a circuit of land somewhat more then 600. leagues 33 Their of spring afterward He commeth to the third ouercrease of the Semites who went foorth Southward as well as North and Eastward The inhabitants of Cabul thrust forward their Issue toward Bisnagar a rich countrie of South Asia lying betweene the Persian sea and the Gulfe of Bengala Narsinga for so I haue translated the French Nayarde is a kingdome lying yet lower and very rich That plenteous land that Ganges thorow-flowes it containes the higher India where are many wealthie kingdomes set forth well at large in the Mappes as Cambaie Decan Bengala Pedir c. Toloman is further vp toward the North. Aua is beyond the Gulfe of Bengala toward the East about Pegu and Siam countries of infinit wealth Mein on the West hath Ganges on the East Macin on the South Bengala and on the North Carazan which the Poet surnameth Muskey because there is great store of the best Muske Lop a Desert thirtie daies iourney ouer lying yet higher Northward It seemes the Poet followes the opinion of M. P. Venet who in the first booke of his Tartarian Historie chap. 35. makes very strange report of the fearefull sights that the poore passengers there meete with often to the losse of their liues Not vnlike it is that certaine legions of euill Spirits there abiding haue had some speciall power giuen them so to punish the Idolotrous Mahometists who still inhabit those quarters The Poet saith all the countries marching this Wildernesse were peopled by this third out crease of the Semits It is an opinion somewhat likely and thereon I rest vntill I heare some other if it bee possible giue more certaine intelligence of the matter 34 Long after sundrie times He speaketh of the fourth and last ouercrease of Sem. Tipura a countrie breeding many Rhinocerots which according as the Greeke name signifieth I haue translated horny-snouted beasts reade the description of them in the exposition of the 40. verse of the 6. day of the first weeke this Tipura lieth East ward aboue Toloman betwixt Carazan an Caichin or Gaucinchine for so I haue translated it hath on the West Tipura and Toloman on the South Campaa on the North China Mein and on the East the East-Ocean a land very large and bearing great store of Aloës Mangit is far vp in the North so is also Quinsai Ania and Tabin one aboue another euen vnto the Amen Straight and Scythike Ocean By this description plaine to be seene in the Maps of Asia the Poet meant to shew vs all the seuerall remoues of Sems posteritie who not passing beyond the Anian Straight might long content themselues with so large a portion as Asia containing aboue foure thousand leagues of ground As for the particular description of these countries
coūsaile wauering in dyet sumptuous gentle in speech diuers in apparell outfacing his enemie a sweete singer a swift paser a merry louer If any man can draw a righter counterfait of our Nation let him take the pensill 63 Yet would th' Immortall God He showes for what cause it pleased God the earth should be enhabited by men of so diuers natures as 1. to the end he might shew forth his mercy and louing kindnes in raysing his chosen out of the sincks of sinne wherewith each of their birth-soyles were bestayned 2. That it might appeare how neither the soyles nor yet the heauenly Signes though they haue great power ouer earthly bodies can force the mindes of men especially such as God himselfe hath blessed 3. That there might be some in all places of the world to acknowledge his manifold goodnesse and glorifie his Name And 4. that whatsoeuer needfull things the earth any where by his gratious blessing bringeth forth proper and seuerally they might be enterchanged and carried from place to place for the vse of man 64 For as a Citie The last consideration giues the Author occasion to compare the world vnto a great Citie such as Paris Roan Tolouse Lyons or any other like where there are marchants and craftesmen for all kind of wares each in their seuerall wardes buying selling changing and trading one with other And euen so one countrie affoordeth sugar another spice another gummes and gold alabaster Iuorie hebenwood horses amber furres tynne and silke they are brought from diuers coastes all the more to furnish with thinges necessary this great Citie of the worlde VVhereby wee may note that no countrie bee it neuer so well appointed can say that it needes not the commodities of another And againe that there is no land so barren but hath some good thing or other which the rest want For euen in men wee see the like there is none so poore but hath some speciall gift none so rich but hath neede of the poorest Our Poet therefore hauing so fitly resembled the world by a great Citie he brings-in thereupon a fine example of the Persian Queene who as Herodotus Xenophon and Plutarch report called one Prouince her Iuelhouse another her Wardrope c for euen so may euery man say that hath the true knowledge and feare of God such a man may saye Peru bringes foorth Gold for me the Moluckes or Chaldaea Spice Damaske Alabaster and Italie Silke Germany sends me great Horses Moscouie rich Furres Arabia sweet Parfumes Spaine Saffern Prusse Amber England Cloath and Tinne France Corne and Wine Yea more the child of God may say the Earth the Sea the Aire and all that is therein the Sunne the Moone the Heauens are mine for he that needeth nothing made all things of nothing to serue me and me to worship him But of this let the Deuines discourse more at large He goe on with the Poet who sayth further against the carping Atheist that nothing was created in vaine but euen the most vnlikely places bring foorth many good fruits and very necessarie for the life of Man And hee proues it plainly by some notable particulars that follow 65 The Moores enameled First The Fennie Valleis though too moyst they are and ouer-low for men to build and dwell vpon yet are they so beset with diuers herbes and flowers so iagg'd garded and enter-trailed with riuers that they are as 't were the common gardens of the world as also the plaine fields are our seed-plots and the stony grounds our Vineyards 2. The huge Mountains about whose tops are engendred thunders lightnings and tempests for which cause the Atheists count them hurtfull or at least superfluous or made by chaunce and errour they are in trueth cleane contrarie as Theodoret hath long agoe shewed in his Sermons of Gods Prouidence euen the sure-standing Bounds and Land-marks of euery kingdome and countrie they beare great store of timber-trees for ships and houses and fuell to burne from them spring the great riuers that breede much fish and helpe the conueyance of prouision and other marchandise vnto many people dwelling far-of by them are stayd and gathered the clowdes and thicke musts that manure and fatten the lower grounds the Wind-milles are much helped by them as if they were the store-houses of winde like rampiers and bulwarks they keepe-of the sudden force of warlike neighbours and to conclude they are as 't were the very morter that ioynes Land and Sea together 3. The great Deserts and wast-grounds that are for men by reason of some wants scarse habitable yet like huge Commons they feede an infinit sort of beasts great small whereof we haue good vse and commoditie 4. The Sea it breeds fish maintaines many Cities encreases Traffick and makes the wayes for trauaile easier and shorter and lastly thereout the Sunne draweth vapours which after turned into raine doe refresh the Aire and make the ground fruitfull The like good vses may bee found in all other the Creatures of God how vnlikely soeuer they seeme to wicked Atheists Looke more in S. Basil Chrysostome Ambrose and others who write of the Creation and at large haue declared what excellent commodities man may reap of euery creature 66 But shall I still be toss'd Fitly and in very good time the Poet hauing ouerslipt nothing worthie note in this discourse of Colonies now strikes sayle and after his long voyage thorow all Climats of the world ariues happily at the hauen he most desired to weet in France and well he takes occasion to reckon-vp the great commodities of his countrie as commending the same aboue all the kingdomes of the world After he hath saluted the land with diuers honourable termes and titles he sayth very truly that it hath brought-foorth many worthie warriors cunning workmen and learned Schollers more is the meruaile because it is but a small kingdome in comparison of Polonia Persia Tartaria China and others But indeede the commodities thereof are most wonderfull Besides the seas that bound it as on the North and West the Ocean and the Midland on the South it hath many riuers of great name and euen little seas as the Rosue Saone Dordogne Loire Marne Seine Oise and yet a great number of other lesser streames and brookes Cities it hath as Paris Tolouse Roüan Lyon Bourdeaux and others of more value then diuers whole Duchies Earldomes or Prouinces elsewhere There are Forts and Castles now stronger and goodlier then euer were As for the ciuill behauiour of the people I report me to the iudgement of other nations The Land for the most part is very fruitfull and the aire there temperate almost euery where Against the sudden inuasion of enemies all is well defended by the two Seas aforesayd and the Alpes toward Italie and the Pyrenes toward Spaine More then all this the countrie is no where troubled with Crocodiles as Aegypt is nor with monstrous long Serpents or any wilde rauening beasts as the inner countries of Affricke are And in stead of Gold and Siluer Pearles and precious stones which diuers lands barren of necessarie fruites abound with it hath of Cloath Woade Wooll Salt Corne and Wine euer-growing Mines and euen vnwastable Woade and Salt in Languedoc and Salt againe in Guyenne Wine in most places Wooll and Corne in Prouence and Beausse and in euery Prouince but foure or fiue good store of diuers the sayd commodities More there are but the Poet notes the chiefe onely and such as the neighbour countries and many far-of doe most of al trade-for Hereby we are taught and should be moued with heartie thanks to acknowledge the great benefits that God hath bestowed on vs for the Poet rightly concludes that wee lacke nothing but peace and peace he craueth of the Lord with whom and all my good countrimen I ioyne humble suite from the bottome of my heart that once again this Realme sometime so florishing may enioy a sure that is a iust and right Christian peace Amen FINIS
their length bredth and commodities I neither dare nor wil euer charge therewith my notes entended for short Besides it was not the Poets minde to hold the reader long with view and studie of such matter and questions as may be had and plainly resoiled of the Card-men 35 Now from the center-point Out of Assyria and Mesopotamia Iaphet or the next race from him drew toward the West into those places that the Poet names set downe as they are in the ancient and later Mappes of Asia and Europe I neede not mince euery word of the text Armenie is distinguished into the Great and Lesse it lieth neere the Caspian sea and coasteth toward Europe The sweete Corician cave it is in Cilicia and is described of Plinie in the 27. chapter of his 5. booke and Strabo in his 4. book and Solinus in his 51. chap. Concerning the strange matters which the Poet reports of it reade Pomponius Mela his description of Cilicia the first booke Besides many notable properties of the place he sayth moreouer that when a man hath gone there a troublesome narrow way a mile and more he shall come through pleasant shades into certaine thick woods which make a sound no man can tell how of certaine country-songs and after he is passed thorow to the end thereof he shall enter another deeper shadowe which amazeth much all that come there by reason of a noise is heard loud and passing mans power to make as it were the sound of many Cimballes These are his words Terret ingredientes sonitis Cimbalorū diuinitùs magno fragore crepitantium He sets downe also at large al other the pleasant delights of the place Concerning this musicke some thinke it a fable Others ascribe it to a naturall cause as that the ayre entring by a narrow mouth into a vault of stone wide and very deepe soone growes thereby exceeding raw and so turnes into water then dropping still downe in many places and quantities somewhat proportionable vpon the sounding stone makes in those hollow rockie places a noyse as it were musicall Taure his loftie downes this great mountaine reacheth hence well toward Pisidia Westward and on the other side a great way into Asia as Ptolomee sheweth in his first table Meander a riuer arising out of the mountaines of Pelta and Totradium in Asia the lesse it runneth thorow Hierapolis Pisidia Licaonia Caria and other countries thereabouts into the Midland sea Illios or Troas Bithynia and the rest are higher toward Hellespont and the Maior sea 36 Then boldly passing ore He spake before of Illios which lies in low Phrigia vpon the shore of the Midland sea about the Sigean Peake and the riuer Simöis hard by the Straight of Gallipolie where Abydos on Asia-side stādeth and Sestos on the side of Europe now he saith the second ouercrease of Semites past the Straight it being in breadth but the fourth part of a league as Bellon auoucheth in the 2. booke and 3. chapter of his Singularities In times past there stood two towers one in Sest the other in Abyde in the toppes whereof wont to bee set great lights to waine the marriners by night Looke what we haue noted vpon the word Phare in the first day of the first weeke verse 448. and what vpon the word Leander 1. weeke fift day 912. verse At this time Sest and Abyde are two Castles where the Turke hath Garrisons and are the very keyes of Turkie in that quarter so neere is Constantinople vnto them Strimon Hebre and Nest are three great riuers passing thorow Thrace which is now called Remania and falling into the Aegean sea called now by some Archipelago and by the Turks the White sea Look the 9. table of Europe in Ptolomee The Rhodopeā dales Rhodope is a mountaine bounding Thrace in the dales thereof beside other townes are Philippoli and Hadrianopoli Danubie or Donaw is the greatest riuer of all Europe springing out of Arnobe hill which Ptolomee and Mercator puts for a bound betweene the Sweues and Grisons this Riuer running thorow Almaine Austria Hungaria Sclauonia and other countries with them interlaced receiueth into it aboue 50. great Riuers and little ones an infinite sort so emptieth by sixe great mouthes into the Maior sea Moldauia Valachia and Bulgaria are the countries neere about the fall of Danubie 37 Thrace These countries neere the Maior and Aegean Seas and the Thracian Bosphore thrust on the third ouercrease of people further West and Northward as the Poet very likely fayth the Mappes of Europe shew plainly the coasts he nameth for their chiefe seates But to shew how and when they changed and rechanged places and names of places driuing out one the other and remouing by diuers enterspaces it were the matter of a large booke 38 Now turning to the South He commeth now to handle the Colonies or ouercreases of Chams posteritie first into Arabia Phaenicia and Chananaea which was after called Indaea the site of these countries wee know well they are easie to bee found in the generall Mappes and those of Europe beside the particulars in Ptolomee and other late writers as namely in the Theater of Ortelius When the Chamites had ouerbred Arabia and the countrie south from Chaldaea which lies betwixt th' Arabian and Persian Gulfes they went at the second remoue down into Aegypt betwixt the red Midland seas thirdly they entred Affrick and by little and little filled it The Poet points-out many countries for better vnderstanding whereof wee must cōsider that Affrick the fourth part of the world knowne is diuided into foure parts Barbaria Numidia Lybia and the land of Negroes Barbaria conteineth al the North coast from Alexandria in Aegypt to the Straight of Gibraltar along by the Midland sea and is diuided into foure kingdomes Maroco Fessa Tremisen and Tunis conteining vnder them 21. Prouinces Vnder the same Southward lieth Numidia called of the Arabiās Biledulgerid and hauing but few places habitable Next below that is Lybia called Sarra as much to say as Desert a countrie exceeding hot and marching athonside vpon the land of Negroes that the last and greatest part of Affrick reacheth South and Eastward very farre In the further coast thereof is the countrie of Zanzibar certaine kingdomes and deserts neere the Cape of good hope which is the vtmost and Southerest peake of all Affrick Corene is neer Aegypt The Punick Sea the Sea of Carthage put for the Midland that parteth Europe and Affricke asunder Fesse is the name of the chiefe Citie of that Realme in Barbarie Gogden a Prouince of the Negroes as are also Terminan Gago and Melli neere the same Argin lieth neere the White Cape Gusola is one of the seuen Prouinces of Maroco in Barbarie Dara a countrie in the Northwest of Numidia not farre from Gusola Tombuto a great countrie in the West part of the Negroes neere aboue the riuer Niger So is Gualata but somewhat higher and right against the Greene Cape Mansara which I haue put in
for the verse sake as I left out Aden it lies neere Melli vpon the lowest mouth of Niger By Aden that the French hath I take to bee meant Hoden which is betwixt Argin and Gualata or somewhat lower The Wildernes of Lybie is surnamed Sparkling because the sands there ouerchafed with a burning heate of the Sunne flye vp and dazle mens eyes Cane Guber Amasen Born Zegzeg Nubie Benim all are easie to be found in the Mappe neere about the riuer Niger sauing Benim which is lower by the Gulfe Royal and Nubie higher toward Nilus Amasen which I haue added is a great countrie neere the place where Niger diueth vnder the Earth From these quarters South and Eastward lies the great Ethiopia a countrie exceeding hot sandie and in many places vnhabitable because of the sands which by the wind are so moued and remoued oftentimes that they ouerheate and choke-vp diuers great countries that might otherwise bee dwelt in There the great Negus called Prester-Ian raigneth farre and neere His Realmes Prouinces customes lawes Religion and the manner of his peoples liuing are set foorth at large by Franciscus Aluares in his historie of Ethiopia that is ioyned with Iohannes Leo his description of Affrick 39 If thou desire to know Hitherto the Poet hath told vs how Asia Europe and Affricke were peopled by the successors of Noe. But he hath not shewed how the Japhethites from Chaldaea got vp to the furthest Northerne parts and that he now goeth about and doth in 16. verses supposing them from Euphrates to coast vp toward the mountaines of Armenia and so to enter Albania and the neighbour places from thence to people Tartaria Moscouia and all the North countries they are plainly set downe by Mercator Ortelius Theuet and others in their Maps of Europe and I thought good for causes often aforetold not here to entreate of them particularly There is left vs yet to consider two notable questions concerning these out-roades and Colonies of Noes posteritie The one how they came vnto the West India which hath so lately within these 100. yeares been discouered The other how it came to passe that so few of them in the short space of some hundreds of yeares were able to encrease to such a number as might empeople and fill so many huge and diuers countries of the world The Poet straight makes answere hereunto Let vs marke his discourse vpon either the demaunds 40 But all this other world How America was peopled that Spaine hath new found out By floting Delos-like the Westerne Seas about And raised now of late from out the tombe of Leath And giu'n it as it were the Being by the death How was 't inhabited The first obiection if long agone how is' t Nor Persians nor Greeks nor Romans euerwist Or inckling heard thereof whose euer-conquering hoasts Haue spred abroad so far and troad so many coasts Or if it were of late The second obiection how could it swarme so thick In euery towne and haue such works of stone and brick As passe the tow'rs of Rome th'antike Aegyptian Pyramis The King Mausolus Tombe the walles of Queene Semiramis 41 What then alas Answers negatiue by an Ironic belike these men fell from the skie All readie-shap'd as do the Frogs rebounding frie That aft'r a soultie day about the setting hower Are powred on the meades by some warme April shower And entertouch themselues and swarme amid the dust About the gaping clifts that former drought had brust Or grew of tender slips and were in earthy lap In stead of cradle nurst and had for milk the sap Or as the Mousherom the Sowbred or the Blite Among the fatter clots they start-vp in a night Or as the Serpents teeth sow'n by the Duke of Thebes They brauely sprong all arm'd out of the broken glebes 42 Indeed this mightie ground that call'd is Americk The first earnest answere Was not inhabited so soone as Afferick Nor as that learned soyle tow'r-bearing louing-right That after Iupiter his deer-beloued hight Nor as that other part which from cold Bosphors head Doth reach the pearly dew of Tithons saffran bed For they much more approach the diaprized ridges And fair endented banks of Tegil bursting-bridges From whence our ancestors discamp'd astonished And like to Partridges were all-to-scattered Then doth that newfound world whereto Columbus bore First vnder Ferdinand the Castile armes and lore 43 But there the building are so huge and brauely dight So differing the States the wealth so infinite Generali That long agon it seemes some people thither came Although not all at once nor all by waies the same Some by the clowdy drift of tempest raging-sore Perhaps with broken barks were cast vpon the shore Some other much anoyd with famin plague and warre Particular Their ancient Seates forsooke and sought for new so farre Some by some Captaine led that bore a searching minde With wearie ships arriu'd vpon the Westerne Inde 44 Nay could not long ere this the Quinsay vessels finde A way by th' Anian straight fro th' one to th' other Inde The second As short a cut it is as that of Hellspont From Asia to Greece or that wher-ore they wont Sayle from the Spanish hil vnto the Realme of Fesse Or into Sicilie from out the hau'n of Resse Colonies according to the second Answere noting by the way certaine meruailes of the countrie 45 So from the wastes of Tolm and Quiuir where the kine Bring calues with weathers fleece and camels bunchy chine and hair of Courserots they peopled Azasie Coss Toua Caliquas Topira Terlichi The flow'r-entitled Soile Auacal Hochilega Saguenai Baccalos Canada Norumbega And those white labour-Labour-lands about whose bleachy shore The sweeter waterd seas are most-anon befrore 46 They sow'd athother side the land of Xalisco Mechuacan Cusule and founded Mexico Like Venise ore the wat'r and saw astonished The greenest growing trees become all withered As soone as euer touch'd and eck a mountaine found Vesenus-like enflam'd about Nicargua ground So passing foorth along the straight of Panama Vpon the better hand they first Oucanama Then Quito then Cusco then Caxamalca built And in Peruvi-land a countrie thorow-guilt They wondred at the Lake that waters Colochim Al vnder-paued salt and fresh about the brim And at the springs of Chinck whose water strongly good Makes pebble stones of chalk and sandy stones of mood 47 Then Chili they possest whose Riuers cold and bright Run all the day a pace and slumber all the night Quinteat Patagonie and all those lower seates Whereon the fonâ—y Brack of Magellanus beats Vpon the left they spred along by Darien side Where Huo them refresht then in Vraba spide How Zenu's wealthie waues down vnto Neptune rould As big as Pullets egges fair massie graines of gould And in Grenada saw mount Emeraudy shine But on Cumana banks hoodwinked were their eyne With shadie thickned mist so quickly from Cumana They on to Parie went
the seruice of God But the Lord being mercifull vnto Abraham restored to him againe and kept for his faithfull children the first language which had not bene so much corrupted in the familie of Sem who parted not so farre from his father Sem â—ent toward the West 6 This countrey reaching foorth as rich as it is large From Peake of Perosites where doth himselfe discharge The stately running Ob great Ob fresh waters king A riuer hardly crost in sixe dayes trauelling To Malaca to th'isles from vvhence are brought huge masses Of Calamus and Cloues Samotra whereon passes The night-equalling line and to the waters far Of Zeilan breeding-pearle and goldie Bisnagar And from the Pont-Eusine and from the brother waues Of those Chaldean streames vnto the sea that raues With hideo us noise about the Straight of th'Amens To Quinzits moorie poole and Chiorzeke from whence Come Elephantick buls with silken haired hides That was the share of Sem for Gods decree it guides How and what nations came of Sem. 7 Ashur t' Assyriland that after some few dayes Chal Râ—zen Niniué their towres to heau'n may raise The Persian hils possest great Elams princely race And those fat lands where-through Araxes runnes apace Lud held the Lydian fields Aram th' Armenian And learned Arphaxad the quarter Chaldean 6 This countrey He setteth downe the lots of Sem Cham and Iaphet first in generall after meaning to shew the particular Colonies of each So then to Sem he allotteth Asia The proofe of these seuerall shares may be gathered out of the 10. Chapter of Genesis It is not meant that Sem in his owne life-time tooke possession of this huge plot of ground although he liued 600 yeares but the posteritie of his fiue sonnes ouer-spred it by succession of time as the Poet declares at large hereafter and a man may perceiue some token thereof in that Moses reckeneth in the foresaid Chapter the sonnes of Ioktan the sonne of Heber peti-sonne of Arphaxad sonne of Sem. Now before I shew the bounds here noted by the Poet in this lot of Sem I will set downe the description and deuision of Asia as now it is The map-drawers of our time differ in their order some consider it by the whole masse others by the sea-borders and parts best knowne which they recken to be nine those particularly deciphered in the first chapter of the 20 booke of the Portugall historie But this kind of deuision because it is more obscure and farther from my purpose I leaue and rest on the other which deuides the masse of Asia into fâ—ue principall riuer Ob or Oby the lake of Kittay and the land-straight that is betwixt the Caspian and Euxine sea The second is Tartary subiect to the great Cham which abutteth Southward on the Caspian sea the hill Imaus and the riuer Iuxartes Northward and Eastward on the Ocean and Westward vpon Moscouie The third part is possessed by the Turke and containeth all that lyes betweene the Euxine Aegean and Midland seas and so further betwixt Egypt the Arabian and Persian Gulfes the riuer Tygris the Caspian sea and the land-straight there The fourth is the kingdome of Persia abutting Westward on the Turke Northward on the great Cham Eastward on the riuer Indus and Southward on the Indian sea As for the fift part it is the same which we call the East-Indies so named of the riuer Indus and distinguished the higher from the lower by the famous riuer Ganges These Indies are verie large countreys as the maps declare and front out Southward as fâ—â—re as Malaca hauing besides an infinite sort of Ilands great and smal which the Card-men haue well set downe both in â—â—ps and writing Now see we the maner how the Poet considereth Asia He takes it first by right line froÌ„ North to South to 〈◊〉 from the peake foreland or cape of Perosites as farre as Malaca where he taketh in the Moluckes and Taprobana and from thence riseth againe to Zeilan and Bisnagar Then draweth another line from the Maior or Euxine sea on the West to the straights of Amen Northeast and toucheth by the way some few countreys most note worthy reseruing the rest vntill his particular description of the Colonies which followeth from the 297 verse vnto the 319. To make plaine some words in the text the Peake of Perosites is a promontory about the farthest part of Moscouy neare the Scythian sea where liueth as Cellarius reports of Asia in his great booke entituled Speculum orbis terrarum and Mercator in his world-map a certaine people which haue so small a vent for their mouth that they are nourished onely by the sauour and steeme of sodden flesh And about this promoÌ„tory the riuer Ob rising from the lake of Kythay groweth to an huge breadth and so emptieth into the Scythian or frozen sea The Baron of Herbestoin noteth it in his map of Moscouie and in his Historie saith as much as here followeth touching this riuer fol. 82. They that haue bene thereon say they haue laboured a whole day without ceasse their vessell going verie fast to passe the Riuer and that it is fourescore Italian miles brode Which agreeth well with that the Poet here saith and with report of Mercator and Cellarius so that by good right it may be called rather then any other streame the king of all fresh waters because in all the world besides there is none so large and this also is of a wonderfull great length for as the foresaid Baron affirmeth from the one end to the other to wit from the lake of Kythay to the frozen sea it asketh more then three moneths sayling The realme and citie of Malaca are described in the sixth booke of the Portugall historie chap. 18. It is neare the Equinoctiall aboue Taprobana so therefore Asia reacheth from the North pole beyond the Equator Th' isles froÌ„ wheÌ„ce are brought huge masses of Cloues Cassia are the Moluckes fiue in number Tidor Terenat Motir Maâ—hian and Bachian beset with diuerse other Isles Islets vnder and neere the Equator in the East which with their properties and manners of their inhabitants are well set downe in the 13 booke of the hystorie of Portugall Chap. 8. Samotra whereon passes the night-equalling line or the Equator is the Isle Taprobana Southward ouer against Malaca it is aboue 450 leagues long and 120 broad I haue described it in the fift day of the first weeke see further the history of Portugall in the sixt booke the 18 chap. Zeilan is an Isle right against the Cape of Calecut aboue Taprobana toward the East it lies North and South in length about 125 leagues and in the broadest place is 75 ouer There are taken out of the sea great store of pearles very faire and bright for the further description thereof see the 4 booke and 20 chapter of the hystory of Portugal Bisnagar is a kingdome lying betweene Decan and Narsingua the
farther into discourse of the out-roades the people made in old time For though Carion Melancthon Peucer Lazius Rhenanus Goropius and others of our time haue that way farre ventured and somewhile with very good successe He groundeth all his discourse vpon holy writ and sheweâ—h more particularly how the 3. sons of Noe peopled all the World yet it cannot bee denied but that they leaue manie doubts and do not alwhere cleare the matter See then how fitly the Poet addes that followeth 24 It shall suffise me then to keepe me ne are th'encloses And carefull hanging on the golden mouth of Moses Amram his learned sonne in verses to record Sem Cham and Iaphet fill'd this round worke of the Lord And that of mighty Noe the far out-roming boat Did thus the second time all countries ouer flout 25 Yet not as if Sems house from Babilon did run Together all at once vnto the rising Sun To drinkâ— of Zâ—iton the water siluer-fine To peopl'all rich Catay with Cambalu Chine Nor Iaphet vnto Spaine nor that vngodly Cham Vnto the droughty soyle of Meder and Bigam The fields of Cefala the mount of Zanzibar The Cape of hoped good in Affrick most afarre Very meece coÌ„parisons For as th' lblean hilâ—s or those Hymettick trees Were not in one yeares space all ouer-buzz'd with bees But that some litle rocke that swarmed ev'ry prime Two surcreases or three made on their tops to clime Their sydes and all about those nurslings of the Sun At length all ore the Clyffes their hony-combes to run Or as two springing Elmes that grow amids a field With water compassed about their stocks do yeeld A many yonger trees and they againe shoot-out As many like themselues encroaching all about And gaining peece by peece so thriue that aft'r a while They for a shared mead a forest make that Isle Accordingly the Wrights that built proude Babels towre All scattering abroad though not all in an howre At first enhous'd themselues in Mesopotamie By proces then of time encreasing happily Past riuer after riuer and seiz'd land after land And had not God forboad the world should euer stand No countrey might be found so sauage and vnknowne But by the stocke of Man had bin ere this ore-growne 26 And hence it comes to passe the Tig'r-abutting coast In all the former Age of all did slonish most That first began to war that only got a name The cause why the first monarchie was in Assiria And little knew the rest but learned of the same 27 For Babilon betimes draw'n vnd'r a kingly throne Th'emperiall scepter swayd before the Greekes were knowne To haue a Policie before by charming tones Amphion walled Thebes of selfe-empyling stones Or Latins had their townes or Frenchmen houshold-rents Or Almains Cottages or Englishmen their tents The Hebrues their neighbors were learned religious before the Greekes knew any thing 28 The sonnes of Heber had with Angels often spoke And of all stranger Gods detested th'altar-smoke They knew the great vnknowne and ô most happy thing With faithfull eyes beheld their vnbeholden king The learned Chaldee knew of stars the numb'r and lawes Had measured the skie and vnderstood the cause That muffleth vp the light of Cinthia's siluer lips And how her thwarting doth her brothers beames eclips The priest of Memphis knew the nature of the soule And straightly marked how the heau'nly flames do roule Who that their faces might more flaming seeme and gay In Amphitrites poole once wash them eu'ry day He Phisick also wrote and taught Geometree Before that any Greek had learnd his A Be Cee Th' Egiptians Tyrians had all riches and delights before the Greeks and Gaules knew the world 29 All Egypt ouershone with golden vtensilis Before the limping Smith by Aetna's burning kill 's Had hammerd Iern barres before Prometheus found The fire and vse therof vpon th' Argolian ground Alas we were not then or if we were at least We led an vnkouth life and like the sauage beast Our garments feathers were that birds in moulting cast We feasted vnder trees and gaped after mast When as the men of Tyre already durst assay To rase the salty Blew twixt them and Africa Were set on Marchandize with purpl'en-gâ—â—â—rt their flankes And all the pleasures rain'd about Euphrates bankes 30 As if a pebblestone thou on the the water fling Of any sleepy poole it frames a litle ring About whereas it fell and far about doth rase The waâ—â—ng marbl ' or eu'n the trembling Chrystal face With gâ—â—tâ—l moouing of a number circles mo That reaching further out together waxing flow Vntil the round at length most outward and most large Strikes of the standing poole both one and other marge So from the cent'r of All which here I meane to pitch Vpon the the waters brinke where discord sprong of speech Man dressing day by day his knowledge more and more Makes Arts and wisdome flow vnto the Circle-shore As doth himselfe encrease and as in diuerse bands His fruitfull seede in time hath ouer growne the lands 31 The first Colonies of 〈…〉 the East For from Assyria the Semites gan to trauell Vnto the land beguilt with Hytans glestring grauell And peopling Persiland drooke Oroates lâ—yse And cleere Coaspes eke that lickes the walles of Suse So to the fruitfull dale and fowerbearing plaine Betwixt high Caucase tops whereas th' Arsaces raigne And some in Medie dwelt and some began to make The second The fields abutting on the great Mesendin lake 32 These mens prosteritie did like a flood surround And ouer flow in time the Cheisel-fronting ground They came in diuerse troopes vpon Tachalistan Carz Gadel Chabula Bedane and Balestan 33 The third Their of spring afterward broke vp with toiling hands Narzinga Bisnagar and all the plenteous lands That Gauges thorow-flowes and peopled Toloman The Realme of Mein and Aue and muskie Carazan And saw the fearfull sprights in wildernesse of Lop The fourth That maske in hundred shapes wayfaring men to stop 34 Long after sundry times this Race still coasting East Tipura seizd that breedes the horny-snowted beast Mangit and Gaucinchine that Aloes hath store The first Colonies of Iaphet in the west And stopt at Anie Straights and Cassagalie shore 35 Now from the center-point enclining to the Set Far spread abroade themselues the Children of Iaphet To Armenie the lesse and after to Cilice So got the hau'ns at length of Tarsis and of Ise The sweete Corician Caue that neare Pernassus Hill Delights the commers-in with Cimbal-sounding skill Huge Taure his lofty downes Ionie Cappadoce Moeanders winding bankes Bithyne and Illios The second 36 Then boldly passing ore the narrow Cut of Sest They dronke the waters cold of Strimon Heb'r and Nest The Rhodopean dales they graz'd and laid in swathes The leas that running by Danubies water bathes The third parted into many branches 37 Thrace did athonside fill the
or bad-eyed because he lost an eye by ouer-watching himselfe in the passage of certaine great marrish-grounds into Hetruria Liuie 22. He it was that enlarged the Empire of Carthage by meanes of the great ouerthrowes hee gaue the Romanes but was after driuen out of Italie and in Affrick quite vanquished at Zama field where the Carthagineans were forced to yeeld themselues wholy to the Romanes mercie so had their Citie rased and their State vtterly destroyed The other Armie of the South was of Sarasens no lesse then foure hundred thousand strong led by their king and Captaine Abderame they set out of Affrick into Spaine from thence marched forward into Aquitaine and came wasting all the way as farre as the Citie of Tours there three hundred thousand of them with the king himselfe were slaine by the French who had for Generall the Duke or Prince Charles that for this great and happie victorie was after surnamed Martel the Maul because he broke and battered the force of that Southerne people as a great maul or hammer doth Iron Looke the Histories and Chronicles of France in the life of Charles Martel 58 A fine discourse vpon the 〈…〉 peoâ—le O world of sundry kindes O nature full of wonders For eu'ry part thereof as from the rest it sunders It hath not only men of diuers haire and hew Of stature humour force but of behauiour new Be 't that a custome held at length a nature makes Or that the younger sort still after th' elder takes Or that the proper Lawes of diuers-coasted Realmes Doe so much disagree or these enflowing beames Of th'vmour-altring Lights that whirling neuer stint Here in our mindes below their heau'nly force emprint 59 The Northen man is faire the Southern fauor'd-hard One strong another weake one white another sward Ones haire is fine and smooth anothers grosse and twinde One loues the bodies paine another toyles the minde Some men are hoat and moist some others hoat and dry Some merry and other sad He thunders out on hye This other speaketh small he dudgen is and spightfull This other gentle and plaine he slow this other slightfull Some are vnconstant so they often change their thought And others ne're let goe conceits they once haue caught He typples day and night and he loues abstinence One is a scatter-good another spares expense One is for company another in his moodes Is like a Bugger-bo and strayes amids the woodes One goes in leathern peltch another richly dight On 's a Philosopher another borne to fight 60 The middle man takes part of all the qualities Of people dwelling neere the two extremities His body stronger is but not his minde so franke As theirs who till the gleabes of Nilus fruitfull banke Again he 's not so strong but many wayes more fine Then they that drinke the streames of Donaw and of Rhine 61 For in the sacred close of th' vniuersall Town The southern men that ofte with ouer-musing sown And fall int'extasies and vse to dreame and poue That measure how the heau'ns by rules appoynted moue And are so curious none other knowledge base Mâ—y satisfie their mindes they hold the preest his place The Northen whose conceit in hand and finger lurkes That all what ere he liâ—t in wood and mettall workes And like Salmoneus with thunder-sound compares Hee 's for the man of warre and makes all cunning wares The Meane as knowing well to gouerne an Estate Sits with a grauer grace in throne of Magistrate And to be short the first seekes knowledge wondrously The second handy-crafts the third good policy Though some skore yeares agone Themis that mendes abuses Apollo Mercurie Minerua with her Muses Haue taught their holy schooles as neer the Northen coast As Vulcaneurs forg'd or Mars encamp'd his Oast Hâ—â—â— the FreÌ„ch Dâ—â—ch 〈◊〉 and â—â—anâ—sh nations dâ—â—â—er in many poynts 62 But eu'n among our-selues that altogether mell And haue of all the world no more whereon to dwell Then as it were a clot how diuers are the fashions How great varietie the Dutch of all our Nations Is stout but hir'd in Warre the Spaniard soft and neat Th' Italian merciles the Frenchman soone on heat The Dutch in counsaile colde th' Italian althing weeting The Spaniard full of guile the Frenchman euer fleeting Th' Italian finely feedes the Spaniard doth but minse The Dutch fares like a clowne the Frenchman like a Prince The Frenchman gently speakes the Spaniard fierce and braue The German plaine and grosse the Roman wise and graue The Dutch attire is strange the Spanish is their owne Th' Italian sumptuous and owers neuer knowne We braue an Enimie th' Italian friendly lookes him The Dutchman strikes him straight the Spaniard neuer brookes him We sing a cheerfull note the Tuscan like a sheepe The German seemes to howle the Lusitan to weepe The French pase thicke and short the Dutch like battel-coeks The Spaniards Fencer-like the Romans like an Oxe The Dutch in Loue is proud th' Italian enuious The Frenchman full of mirth the Spaniard furious Why it pleased God the worlde should be inhabited of so 〈…〉 63 Yet would th' Immortall God appoynt so strange a race Of this great carthie bowle to couer all the face To th' end he clensing all his children from the foile Of sinne which had as'twere bestain'd their natiue soile Might his great mercy shew and how the heauenly Sines A little only moue but not oresway our mindes That in the furthest partes his seruants eu'rychone A sacrifice of praise might offer to his throne And that his holy name from Isie Scythia Might sound vnto the sandes of red-hoat Africa Nor should his treasures hid in far-asunder land Created seeme in vaine and neuer come to hand But that all cuntry coasts where Thetis enter-lies Should trafficke one with oth'r and chaunge commodities The world compared to a great Citie 64 For as a Citie large containes within her wall Here th'Vniuersitie and there the Princes hall Here men of handy-craftes there marchant-venterers This lane all full of ware and shops of shoomakers That other chaunging coyne that other working gould Here silke there pots and cups here leather to be sould There cloth here hats and caps there doublets redy-made And each among themselues haue vse of others trade So from the Canar Isles our pleasant Sugar comes And from Chaldeaa Spice and from Arabia gummes That stand vs much instead both for parfume and plaster And Peru sends vs golde and Damask alabaster Our Saffern comes from Spaine our Iuory from Inde And out of Germany our Horse of largest kinde The skorched land of Chus yeelds Heben for our Chamber The Northen Baltike Sound emparts her bleakish Amber The frosty coast of Russe her Ermins white as milke And albion her Tinne and Italy her Silke Thus eu'ry country payes her diuers tribute-rate Vnto the treasury of th' vniuersall State Man Lord of the world And as the Persian Queene this prouince call'd her