THE COLONIES OF BARTAS.  
With the Commentary of S.G.S. in diverse places corrected and enlarged by the Translator.   printer's or publisher's device 
ANCHORA SPEI  
Moors hominum multorum narrat & urbes.  
LONDON, Printed by R. F. for Thomas man.. 1598.   

AD ILLUSTRISSIMUM HEROA, CAROLUM NOTINGHAMIAE COMItem, Equitem Georgianum, Regineae Maiestati Regni consultum, magnum Angliae Admirallium, etc.  
 anchor and lion 
PAR MER ET PAR TERRE   
Multa audire nequis per summa negotia Regni,  
Qui Leo per terram es, Ancora qui per aquas.  
Vive igitur praelustris (vtes) Terraque Marique,  
Et liber hic tibi sit gratus, ut alter erat.  
Vive & vince hostem, vicisti ut semper, Iberum:  
Semper & in Christo (Carole Magne) vale.  
Tui Nominit studiosissimus Guilielmus de Insula.   

AGAIN, TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES EARL of Nottingham, Knight of the Garter, Privy Counsellor to her sacred Majesty, Lord high Admiral of England, etc.  
EXcellent and most worthy-aduanced, the hard and troublesome study of the laws, whereunto I am by place devowed, affords me so short only and broken times to show and satisfy the desire I have of honouring your Lordship, that, through the continual enaction of your virtue, your honours daily increasing do far surmount and outstrip these enterspaced labours of my pen. Bound yet (my L.) by many titles to love and honour your House, ever honourable, & now in your Lordship repossessed of the great name your ancestors had, for some token of the great joy my heart conceives thereat, and especially at this time, I have to the Babylon of Bartas, which you did so graciously receive at my hands, further Englished, and do here present unto your excellent Honour, this book next ensuing the other, which the Auctor entitled The Colonies a work (my L) worthy also to be countenanced by your honourable name, and not unmeet for a noble Knight, Statesman and Admiral (though he were of all the world) to read, if the great cares of so high place gave leave. For here in less room than might be thought able to contain so great and sundry matters, are plainly set down, and even tabled-out unto us, the several parts, peoples and policies of the whole earth, as they began first, and grew in time further to be distinguished by the three sons of No & the diverse overcreases of their families:  
But England's great negocies will not let  
Your Lordship read or hear much prose or song:  
For (as in Emblem I before have set,  
To paint in short what honours you belong)  
BY SEA AND LAND you are the Fence of Zion;  
By SEA her Anchor, and By LAND her Lion.  
Live then renowned both BY SEA AND LAND,  
And daunt the Spaniard as you have tofore:  
That England fast may with your Anchor stand,  
And by your Lion enemies be tore.  
So shall you rid the world of Tyrant's threat;  
Therefore be titled England's Charles the Great;  
And always (for so guarding this her Isle)  
Of Prince be graced; loved and sung of Lisle,  
Who still remains your Lordship's ready at command.   

THE COLONIES.  


Being to speak of so many people's removes as came from Noah, a hard matter. ●ee desires the furtherance of God's spe●●● favour.  WHile o'er th'unpeopled world I load the fruitful stock  
Of him that first assayed the waters wrackful shock;  
While I by sea and land, all in their places, range,  
Discou'ries' fortunate of many a kingdom strange:  
And while of mighty No I toil to spread and twine  
Fro th'one to th'other sea the many-branched vine;  
O what twy-lightie cloud by day shall guide my sight!  
What fiery pillar shall my course direct by night,  
To Seats each peopl'ordained before the Paire-of-man,  
Their twyfold-one estate in paradise began!  
Thou holie-holie Flame, that ledst the Persian Wife's.  
Who left the coast parfumed whereout fair Titan rises,  
To view the cradl'of him, whose youth in living light  
For ever flourisheth, drive hence the gloomy night  
That seeleth up mine eyes: and so my Muse it shall  
Search all the darker nooks of this great earthy Ball.  
For though my wandering spirit althrough this journey long  
Wave here and there, yet I no way more bend my song,  
Nor aught do more desire, then to direct and wain  
My readers to the Child that was Divine-humaine,  


1  
What twilighty cloud. The Poet being to make in & out so many ways, and cross so many seas and countries, huge and unknown, good cause he had to demand (as he doth) a greater help than man's wit can afford, such as the children of Israel had, a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, to guide them through the wilderness; and surely God gave him a very extraordinary gift, otherwise he had never been able so well and briefly to have comprised so many, hard, and worthy matters, as he hath done, in less than six hundred verses. He saith here further, that each people's place of abode was ordained of God before the pair of man (that is Adam and Eve) had received in paradise their twifold-one beginning: that is, before Adam was created of earth, and Eve of one of his ribs: noting thereby, how of one they were made two in creation, and after of two one by marriage. And so before the world was made, the Lord had in his eternal decree marked and skored out the dwelling places of all people: it remained therefore that the same decree should be accomplished, as appeared afterward.   

2  
Thou holy Flame. The pole-star is the mariners guide: but here the Poet asketh another manner help to show him the right way in his travel: and glancing at the marvelous new star that appeared to the wisemen that came out of the East, to see and worship our Saviour jesus Christ then borne in Bethlem, he calleth on the holy Ghost the true light of our understanding, averring that although the matter which he hath taken in hand, constrains him to discourse sometime of one thing, and sometime of another, yet is jesus Christ the chief mark he aimeth at, unto whom his desire is to lead his readers, as also whatsoever is set us down in the doctrine of Moses, the Prophets and Apostles, tendeth to the self same end. This the Poets holy desire makes much to the shame of those that having themselves an unclean heart, by setting their filthy works in print, defile also the eyes and ears of many, whom (as much as in them lies) they lead unto the devil.     


A comparison ●●●ly showing th' effect of that astonishment befell the builders of Babel.  As when the sky o'ercast with darksome cloudy rack,  
A woods heart thorow-strikes with some great thunder-cracke,  
The birds even all at once their nest and perch forsake,  
And through the troubled air they float for fear, and quake,  
One here, another there; their pinions whizzing sound  
Is noised all about: no gre●sell Turtl'is found  
Together with her make; with downy callow feather  
Some young ones dare assay to wrastl'against the weather.  
Right so the men who built the Babyloman tower,  
Perceiving Gods great voice in thunder-clashing stour,  
Of their confounded speech, each barbarous to either,  
Betake them to their heels, all fearful altogether.  
Some to the left hand run, and some run to the right,  

Why god would not have the poste●tie of No stay in the plain of Senat  All tread sh'vnhaunted earth, as God ordained their flight.  
For that great king of heaven, who long ere creature breathed  
In privy counsel had this under-world bequeathed  
Unto the kind of Man, could not at all abide it,  
To be a den of thieves, or that men should divide it  
By dreadful dint of sword, and every people border  
This thickened Element beast like and out of order:  
But, fire of getting barred, as did himself divide,  
Sem, Cham, and japhet held all this the world so wide:  

The earth divided between the sons of Noe.  To Sem was given in fee the day-beginning East,  
To Cham befell the South, & japhet gained the West,  


3  
The men who built. That which the Poet saith concerning th'affright of these builders, is implied by the words of Moses Gen. 11.8. they ceased to build: by the one is the other understood: for upon the sudden chance of so strange a confusion, they were scared, as with a thunderclap, and after by necessity constrained to sunder themselves. Yet I am of their opinion, who think the diversity of tongues is to be considered, not in every particular builder, but only in families. As that the goodness of God was such in his judgement, that the builders departing thence, each led his wife and children with him, who understood and spoke as he did, otherwise man's life could hardly have been sustained. They also that parted furthest at the first from those of noah's successors that were not leagued in this presumptuous enterprise, soon forgot all their former language. And true it is, that at the first they sundered not all very far one from another: but, as it pleased God more and more to increase them, they sought further & further for new countries to dwell in, and all by the secret direction of the wonderful providence of God.   

4  
That great king of heaven. He reacheth even to the first cause of the Colonies and divers-way-partings of noah's posterity. Strait after the flood God blessed Noah and his children and said, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth: and the fear of you, and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every f●●●e of the heaven, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea, into your hands are they delivered. Gen. 9.1.2. Therefore if the builders had continued and fast settled themselves in the plain of Sennaar, they had (as much as was in them) made void the Lords blessing, and bereft themselves and their posterity of those great privileges which he had granted them. But the decree of God must needs be fulfilled, and therefore according to his ordinance he chaseth far away these donataries, to th'end that year by year some in one place, & some in another, they may take possession of that which was given them, the whole compass of the world. Whereas the Poet saith further, that the Lord divided the whole earth into three lots, that may be gathered out of the 10 chap. of Genesis, and 32. chap. of Deuteronom. verse the 8. No a wise & learned man, and one of great experience, was the instrument of God's blessing in this behalf: and though the bounds of these habitations be not all and throughlie specified, as were the divisions of the land of Canaan among the Tribes of Israel, yet out of the tenth chapter of Genesis a man may gather that in those days Noah and his sons and their posterity, knew more a great deal hereof then men can now perceive: as may appear by so many diverse Colonies, so many strange languages, so many names changed and rechaunged. A good commentary upon this chapter would assoil many questions hereabouts arising.   

5  
To Sem was given. Because the sons of Noah were but three, therefore here are named but three quarters of the world the East, West, and South: Some of the successonrs of japhet peopled the North also, as shall be showed hereafter. Concerning the names of these four cardinal points, somewhat hath been said upon discourse of the winds in the 2 day of the first week, verse 571. The order of the sons of Noah is this. japhet is the elder, Sem the second, I'm the last. Gen. 9.24 & 10.21. But Sem is named first, because of the favour of God showed to his posterity, by thence raising the Messiah, & there maintaining his Church. japhet the second, for that in the vocation of the Gentiles he is received into the tents of Sem, that is, united to the family of the faithful Abraham, according to the prophecy & blessing of Noah Gen. 9.27. Now in the 10 of Gen. v. 25. Moses further affirmeth, that Heber Sem's under-nephew had two sons, the one named Peleg, which signifieth Division or parting asunder (for in his time the earth was divided) and the other joktan. Whereout some gather, that in the time of Peleg, that is (as I take it) before the confusion of tongues, No and his sons remembered the grant that God had made them of all the earth: and that No then made a kind of partition thereof among his sons. If we reckon the confusion of the builders, together with the partition of the world, though about the fiftieth year of Peleg, who was borne but an hundred years after the 'slud, and lived 239, this confusion must happen within 150 years after the flood: which were very soon: yet some take it sooner, as from the time that Peleg received his name, for remembrance (as they say) of both things so noteworthy to all posterity, and especially to the Church of God: which well might be advertised thereof; for Peleg lived 46 years after the birth of Abraham, as appeareth by the 11. chapter of Genesis. Two things then are here to be considered: the one, that the partition of the earth which Noah made, was to his posterity a token of God's great blessing, which nevertheless the Babel-builders for their part have turned into a curse: the other, that this partition (as many divines and Chroniclers think) was made before Nymrod and his train came out of the East, and sat down in the plain of Sennaar, what time they were scattered thence again by the confusion. Whereunto this I will adjoin, that as then the bvilder's language was confounded: so by continuance of time, the speech of others also was corrupted, especially when they began to forget the true religion, which even in Sems' family was decayed, as appeareth plainly out of the 24 chap. of josua, where it is said that Terah father to Abraham and Nachor had served strange gods. It was no reason that the holy tongue should remain entire and uncorrupt with such as had corrupted the service of God. But the Lord being merciful unto Abraham, restored to him again, and kept for his faithful children the first language, which had not been so much corrupted in the family of Sem, who parted not so far from his father.     


Sem ●ent toward the West.  This country reaching forth as rich as it is large,  
From Peake of Perosites (where doth himself discharge  
The stately running Ob, great Ob, fresh waters king,  
A river hardly crossed in six days traveling)  
To Malaca, to th'isles from whence are brought huge masses  
Of Calamus and Cloves: 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 waves  
Of those Chaldean streams, unto the sea that raves  
With hideo us noise about the Strait of th'Amens,  
To Quinzits moorie pool, and Chiorzeke, from whence  
Come Elephantick bulls with silken haired hides;  
That was the share of Sem: for Gods decree it guides  

How and what nations came of Sem.  Ashur t' Assyriland, that after some few days  
Chal, R●zen, Niniué, their towers to heaven may raise.  
The Persian hills possessed great elam's princely race,  
And those fat lands wherethrough Araxes runs apace.  
Lud held the Lydian fields, Aram th' Armenian,  
And learned Arphaxad the quarter Chaldean.  


6  
This country. He setteth down the lots of Sem, Cham, and japhet, first in general: after meaning to show the particular Colonies of each. So then to Sem he alotteth Asia. The proof of these several shares may be gathered out of the 10. Chapter of Genesis. It is not meant that Sem in his own lifetime took possession of this huge plot of ground, although he lived 600 years: but the posterity of his five sons overspread it by succession of time, as the Poet declares at large hereafter; and a man may perceive some token thereof, in that Moses reckoneth in the foresaid Chapter the sons of joktan the son of Heber peti-sonne of Arphaxad, son of Sem. Now before I show the bounds here noted by the Poet in this lot of Sem, I will set down the description and division of Asia, as now it is. The map-drawers of our time differ in their order: some consider it by the whole mass; others by the seaborders and parts best known, which they reckon to be nine, & those particularly deciphered in the first chapter of the 20 book of the Portugal history. But this kind of division, because it is more obscure and farther from my purpose, I leave and rest on the other, which divides the mass of Asia into f●ue principal river Ob or Oby, the lake of Kittay, and the land-straight that is betwixt the Caspian and Euxine sea. The second is Tartary subject to the great Cham, which abutteth Southward on the Caspian sea, the hill Imaus and the river juxartes; Northward and Eastward on the Ocean, and Westward upon Moscow. The third part is possessed by the Turk, and containeth all that lies between the Euxine, Aegean and Midland seas, and so further betwixt Egypt the Arabian and Persian Gulfs, the river Tigris, the Caspian sea, and the land-straight there. The fourth is the kingdom of Persia, abutting Westward on the Turk, Northward on the great Cham, Eastward on the river 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 river Indus, and distinguished the higher from the lower by the famous river Ganges. These Indies are very large countries, as the maps declare, and front out Southward as f●●re as Malaca, having beside, an infinite sort of islands great and small, which the Card-men have well set down both in ●●ps and writing. Now see we the manner how the Poet considereth Asia. He takes it first by right line from North to South, to 〈◊〉, from the peake, foreland or cape of Perosites as far as Malaca, where he taketh in the Moluckes and Taprobana, and from thence riseth again to Zeilan and Bisnagar. Then draweth another line from the Mayor or Euxine sea on the West, to the straits of Amen North-east, and toucheth by the way some few countries most note worthy, reserving the rest until his particular description of the Colonies: which followeth from the 297 verse unto the 319.  
To make plain some words in the text, the Peake of Perosites is a promontory about the farthest part of Moscovy, near the Scythian sea, where liveth (as Cellarius reports of Asia in his great book entitled Speculum orbis terrarum, and Mercator in his world-map) a certain people which have so small a vent for their mouth, that they are nourished only by the savour and steam of sodden flesh. And about this promontory the river 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 Moscow, and in his History saith as much as here followeth touching this river, fol. 82. They that have been thereon say they have laboured a whole day without cease, their vessel going very fast, to pass the River, and that it is fourscore Italian miles broad. 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 than any other stream, the king of all fresh waters, because in all the world beside there is none so large and this also is of a wonderful 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 than three months sailing.  
The realm and city of Malaca are described in the sixth book of the Portugal history, chap. 18. It is near the Equinoctial above Taprobana: so therefore Asia reacheth from the North pole beyond the Equator.  
Th' isles from whence are brought huge masses of Cloves & Cassia, are the Moluckes, five in number, Tidor, Terenat, Motir, Ma●hian, and Bachian, beset with diverse other Isles & Islets under and near the Equator in the East, which with their properties and manners of their inhabitants are well set down in the 13 book of the history of Portugal, Chap. 8.  
Samotra, whereon passes the night-equalling line, or the Equator, is the Isle Taprobana Southward over against Malaca: it is above 450 leagues long, and 120 broad, I have described it in the fift day of the first week: see further the history of Portugal in the sixth book, the 18 chap.  
Zeilan is an Isle right against the Cape of calicut, above Taprobana toward the East, it lies North and South, in length about 125 leagues, and in the broadest place is 75 over. There are taken out of the sea great store of pearls very fair and bright: for the further description thereof, see the 4 book and 20 chapter of the history of Portugal.  
Bisnagar is a kingdom lying between Decan and Narsingua, the mountains of calicut, and the sea called the great gulf of Bengala. It is rich in gold which is there found in rivers. Look the situation thereof in the Map of the East Indies, and in the Asia of Ortelius and Cellarius.  
The Pint-Eusine, is now called the Mayor or the black Sea: at the one end thereof toward the Midland sea is Constantinople, the Card-men call it by divers names, which Ortelius hath set down in his Synonym.  
By the Brother waves of those Chaldean streams, is meant (as I suppose) the Persian sea, whereinto Euphrates and Tigris both together empty, being before joined about Babylon, now called Bagadet, and so the Poet takes as much of the breadth of Asia at the West end as he doth at the East: the one from Quinsay to Chiorze, the other from the sea of Constantinople to the Persian Gulf.  
Concerning the strait of Anien, the Cardmen are not all of one opinion: Mercator, Ortelius, Cellarius, Thevet, and others, set down plainly a good broad arm of Sea betwixt the North-east point of Asia and America. But Vopelius joins Asia and this fourth part of the world together, greatly enlarging Asia and curtolling the other, contrary to the opinion of the Author's aforesaid, and many Spaniards that have written of the newfound world, the reasons that may be alleged in favour of either side, require a large Commentary. Vopelius his opinion indeed cutteth off many doubts that arise about the enpeopling of America: but Mercator and th'others, who are most commonly followed, seem to ground more upon Geography and better to agree with the seas natural sway and easy compassing the earth. Arias Montanus in his book entitled Phaleg, where he treateth of the habitations of noah's posterity, setteth down a Map according to Vopelius, this book of his bound in the volume called Apparatus, is joined with the great Bibles of Antwerp. But the Poet followeth Mercator, Ortelius, and the common opinion of the Cardmen of our time: for Ptolemy, Strabo & Mela in their days had not discovered so much.  
Quinsay, which the Poet calls Quinzit, is a famous city in the North-east point of Asia about ten leagues from the sea, built upon peers and arches in a marish ground; it is twenty leagues or 100 miles about, and by reason as well of the great Lake-waters there, as also of th'ebb and flow of the sea, it hath (as M. P. Venet. reports in the 64. chapter of his 2. book) 12000 bridges of stone: the most renowned boundmarke of all Asia, and the greatest city in the world, if that be true. But Thevet gainsaith it in the 27 chapter of the 12 book of his Cosmography, where he describes the city and Lake with the river that causes the lake to swell, he sayeth it is not above four leagues in compass: yet M. Paul affirms he hath been there.  
Chiorze is another worthy part of Asia set down here for a boundmarke, because of the strange Bulls there, as great as Elephants, with hair as smooth and soft as silk. Howsoever now adays that country is nothing so civil as others inhabited by the posterity of Cham and japhet, yet the fruitfulness of the ground, and great commodities there growing, for maintenance of man's life, declare it hath been in times past one of the best portions of the children of Noe.   

7  
Ashurt Assyriland. Moses saith the sons of Sem were Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram: The Poet here in six verses hath noted out the first habitations of these five: reserving afterward, about the 300 verse and so forth, to show their first, second, third, and fourth outgoing over the rest of Asia. Concerning Ashur it may be gathered out of the 10 of Genesis, verse the 11, that having sorted himself with the people that now began to fear Nimrod, and liking not to live under that yoke went on further, and in the country after his name called Assyria built Ninivy (which a long time remained one of the greatest cities in the world, as appears by the prophesy of jonas and other places of Scripture) and Caleh and Resen not far asunder, which have been long-ago destroyed. Elam, that was the eldest, seated himself by the river Euphrates near the Persian Gulf, which now is called the Sea of Mesendin. The Poet giveth him a Princely title, because the Monarchy began betime and long continued thereabouts, where also reigneth still the Sophi, a great Emperor and deadly enemy of the Turks. The River Araxes is described by Ptolemy in his third Map of Asia, where he makes it spring from the foot of Pariard which some men take for the hill Taurus, and so passing Scapene, Soducene, & Colthene to empty into the Caspian sea. These countries are very rich, and therefore the Poet calls them fat lands. Lud having passed the River composed of Tigris and Euphrates, which strait after void into the Gulf, had Elam on the North, the two Rivers joined and the Gulf on the East, and on the West the Marches of Seba, which is the upper part of Arabia. The Poet here alloveth him the Lydian fields, if by Lydia be understood that part of the lesser Asia called Me●nia by Ptolemy, Herodote and Pliny, Lud should have wandered further than the other four brothers. Moses reports not any thing of his Colonies, and his far going may be the cause, for according to the Poet he should have coasted up as far as Aeolia and the Midland sea. The seat of Aram is Mesopotamia, to wit, the countries about Babylon, and the mountains of Armenia, which were after called by the name of Taurus. This also containeth Syria and the great Armenia, betwixt the which runneth Euphrates. Arphaxad passing Euphrates stayed in Chaldea: and for that Astronomy and other excellent arts there chief flourished, the Poet surnameth him the Learned, which appertaineth also unto him in regard of the true doctrine maintained by his posterity, and after some corruption reform in the house of Abraham, whom the Lord removed from Vr of the Chaldeans into Syria.     


Cham goes to the ●●●●pa●●s.  I'm Lord was of the land that Southward is beset  
With scorched Guineas waves, and those of Guagamet,  
Of Benin, Cefala, Botongas, Concritan  
That fruitful is of droogs to poison beast or man.  
Northward it fronts the sea from Abile, penned between  
The barren Afric shore and Europe fruitfull-greene:  
And on the Western coast, where Phoebus drowns his light,  
Thrusts out the Cape of Fez, the green Cape and the white:  
And hath on th'other side whence comes the sun from sleep  
Th' Arabike seas, and all the blood-resembling Deep.  
Nay all the land betwixt the Liban mountain spread  
And Aden waves, betwixt the Persicke and the Red,  
This mighty Southern Prince commanding far and wide  
Unto the regiment and scept'r of Afric tide.  
Canan one of his sons began to build and dwell  

●ow and what ●●●●ns are de●●●ded of Cham  By lordans gentle stream, whereas great Israel  
Was after to be placed. Phut peopled Lybia,  
Mizraijm Egypt had, Chus Aethiopia.  


8  
Cham. The share of Cham was Africa, which the Poet boundeth out as followeth. It hath on the Southside the Aethiopicke Ocean, or the sea of Guinea, the land of Negres, the realms of Cefala (which cometh near the South Tropic, and 〈◊〉 right over against Madagascar, or as the Spanish call it the Isle of S. Laurence.) Botongas (lower and hard by the Cape of good hope) Guagamet, about the lake of Zembre, from whence the river Nile springeth, as Daniel Cellarius noteth in his Map of Africa; and Benin, that lies above the Equator near the great bay betwixt Meleget and Manicongo. As for Concritan, that is a great wilderness between Cefala and Botongas, which by reason of extreme heat brings forth great store of poisonous things. Now the Northbound of Africa is the Midland sea, and on the West it shooteth out three capes or promontories named in the text, all toward the Atlantic Ocean, but the green cape, which is more southward and pointeth more toward the Sea, called (in respect of the Antarctic pole) the North Sea, though it lie very near the Equator: on the east of Africa plays the Arabian Gulf, and the great red sea now called the Indicke Ocean: and beyond these bounds the Poet saith Cham also possessed Arabia, which is distinguished into three parts, the Happy, the Desert, and the Stony, all enclosed by the Mount Libanus, and the Red and Persian Gulfs.   

9  
Canan. He setteth down briefly and in four verses the several abodes of Cham's four sons, according as they are named of Moses in the tenth chapter of Genesis. Chus the eldest brother had Aethiopia, which some take for that under Egypt, others for the land of Chus which is a part of Arabia the Happy, as may be gathered by many places of the old Testament, well noted of M. Beroald in the sixth chapter of his fourth book of Chronicles. Mizraim peopled A●gypt, that of the Hebrews was commonly called Mitzraym, and long after Egypt of the name of King Aegyptus, who succeeded Belus in that kingdom, and was brother to Danave who came into Greece and was Author of that name general to the Grecians, which, as Saint Augustine thinks De Cus, Dei, the eighteenth book and the tenth chapter, happened about the time of josua. Phut the third son of Cham, gave name (sayeth josephus) to the Phutaeans after called Lybians of one of the sons of Mesrens or Mizrain named Lybis. He addeth also that in Mauritania there is a certain river and country called Phute. Ezechiel, 30.5. numbereth Phut among those that were in league with Chus and Lud, which the Latin interpreter translateth Ethiopia, Lydia, and the Lydians: so also did the 70. Interp. This I say to move the Reader, that is so delighted, unto a further and more diligent search. I think Phut was seated near Arabia and Egypt: although Arias Montanus and others place him in the coast of Africa now called Barbary, about Tunis, fugie, Algeri and the Mountains of Maroco. Now of Canan or Chanaan, the fourth son of Cham, was called that Land of Promise, which the twelve Tribes of Israel under the conduct of josua in due time entered and possessed. The bounds thereof are plainly set down in the book of Exodus, chap. 23, verse 31, and elsewhere: I need not here discourse of them, except I were to write a longer Commentary.     


Japhet to the North and West  Now japhet spread along from th' Ellesponticke waters,  
Th' Euxine and Tanais, unto the mount Gibratars  
renowned double top, and that sune-setting Maine  
Which with his ebb and flow plays on the shore of Spain,  
And from that other sea, upon whose frozen allies  
Glide swiftly-teemed Carres instead of winged Galleys.  
Unto the sea Tyrrhene, Ligusticke, Provençall,  
Moreas waters and the learned Attical:  
Against the goodly coast of As●a the less,  
The second Paradise, the world's chief happiness  
And that great piece of ground that reacheth from Amane  
Unto the springs of Rha, and pleasant banks of Ta'en  
A●● those brave men of war that France have overspread,  

How and what nation's came of japhet.  Of Gomers fruitful seed themselves profess are bred:  
So are the Germaneseke, once called Gomerites:  
Of Tubal Spaniards came, of Mosoch Muscovites,  
Of Madai sprung the Medes, of Magog Scythians,  
Of javan rose the Greeks', of Thyras Thracians.  


10  
Now japhet. Moses reciting Genesis, 9.27, how No blessed his two children, sets down two notable points, the one concerning the great and many countries which japhet and his posterity should possess: the other of the favour that God should show them, by lodging them in the tents of Sem, that is, by receiving them at length into his church; which hath been fulfilled in the calling of the Gentiles. For the first point, whereas he saith, God enlarge japhet (For so the Hebrew word signifieth, although some translate it Persuade) it is as much as if he had said, Let japhet and his race possess the countries round about him far and near. And this hath also been accomplished in that so infinite a multitude of people hath issued out of the stock of japhet, and peopled Europe; which, though it appear lesser than the other parts, hath always had more inhabitants and fewer void countries. The Poet hath set down so perfect a description thereof, as it needs no further to be opened, if the Reader have never so little beheld the Maps. On the East it is parted from the greater Asia by the Mayor Sea, the Meotis Lake, called by Ortelius the Zabach sea, the River Ta'en or Don, which voids into the Lake, and the Spring-heads of Rha, Edel, or Volga, running by Tartary into the Caspian Sea: and from Asia the less, sometime the honour of the world and exceeding rich, as still it hath sufficient, it is divided by the Strait of Gallipoli, sometime called Hellespent. On the West it hath the Strait of Gibraltar, the Spanish and British Oceans: on the North the Frozen sea, and on the South the Midland sea, which is diversly called, to wit, the Sea of Marseil by the coast of Genes, the Adriatic about Athens and Morea, and otherwise according to the places adjoining. This goodly part of the world, beside the Roman Empire, hath many great kingdoms full of people, well set forth by the Card-men. Daniel Cellarius accounts it in length, from Lisbon to Constantinople, about six hundred leagues Almain, and very near as much in breadth from Scrifinie to Sicily.   

11  
Gomer. Moses reckoneth seven sons of japhet, Genesis, 10.2. So doth here the Poet, notstanding much upon the order of them, to follow the verse; of Gomer are come the Gomerites, whom the Greeks' called Galates & Gauls: of them came the people that spoilt Delphos, and then sat down about Troas in Asia, and were called Gaule-Greekes, or Asian Galates, who afterward seized a good part of Phrygia. The Lord threatening by Exechiel, 38. chapter; Gog chief of the Princes of Mesech and Tubal, saith he, will destroy him with this Gomer and all his bands, and the house of Togarmah of the North-quarters. They that expound the prophesy gather out of this place that the Gomerites were people bordering on the North of Asia, and brought by the Kings of Syria and Asia to destroy the jews after their return from Babylon. They pressed forth of Asia and enlarged their dominions greatly (as hath been said) for they were a very warlike Nation. Of them the Poet saith are come the Germans, so Melancthon affirmeth upon Carrion, so do others also, and chief Goropius in his fift book. But there is great diversity in these outworn matters, between the late and ancient writers. A diligent conference of places in the old Testament, and the ancient Latin, Greek, and Chaldean translations serve best for the purpose: next a careful examining of the best Greek & Latin histories: but this requires a whole volume, whereunto the searches of Goropius, being so well handled, might afford a man great help. Concerning Tubal the Poet follows the opinion of josephus, that he was author of the Spanish: which must be rightly understood, that is, after a long tract of time. For by the 38 and 39 of Ezechiel, it seems that the people issued from Tubal and Mosoch, that were neighbours, dwelled near Arabia, and were governed or led to war by the king of Asia and Syria. And in the 32 chapter▪ where is mention made of the mourning that should be among the nations for the king of Egypt, there are named among others, Ashur, Elam, Mosoch and Tubal: whereby it may be gathered they were of Asia. As for their Colonies and outcreases into Spain, they are very dark and hardly proved. Vasaeus indeed in his Chronicle of Spain, and Taraphe in his history, and others that have written of Spain in diverse languages, following joseph and Berose, make Tubal first king of Spain, but sithence they declare not what time he came thither, I leave the reader to consider-of & search further into the matter. Look the historical Library of N. Vignier, the first part, page 15. where he treateth of the people of Europe.  
Magog as the Poet saith, is father of the Scythians: his first habitation and Colony was in Coelesyria, as may be gathered out of the fift book and 23 chapter of Pliny, and the 37.38 and 39 chapters of Ezechiel. At this time the right Scythians are the slavonians, Moscevites and Tartarians, who vaunt of their descent from japhet. This might have been by tract of time, but not so soon, as the Poet in the sequel. Melancthon in his first upon Carrion takes the prophecies against Gog and Magog to be meant especially of the Turks, whom he calleth by the name of Scythians, and apply also unto them that which is written in the Revelation. And in the end of his second book he gives the name to all people that profess Mahomet. I think myself, that, some while after noah's partition of the lands, Magog and his people dwelled in Coelesyria or thereabouts, and thence by succession of time thrust up into the higher countries. Now as the ancient people of God were much vexed & outraged by the kings of Syria and Asia, successors of Seleucus Nicanor, and signified by the name of Gog, who aiding the people of Magog, Mosoch and Tubal their subjects, greatly annoyed the jews then returned from Babylon: so hath Satan in these later days against the holy City, the Church of God, stirred up again Gog and Magog, many kings and Princes enemies to the faith, who have conspired together, and made a League to overthrow it utterly: but th' Almighty in due time and season shall confound them. Read the 20 Chapter of the Revelation, and the 89 Sermon of Bullinger thereupon.  
As for Mosoch, joseph saith, of him are come the Cappadocians, and for proof thereof allegeth a certain town of their country called Mazaca. It may be gathered out of the 120. Psalm, that Mesech or Mosoch was a neighbour people to Syria and Arabia, which place the Chaldee Paraphrast expoundding, useth words of this import: O wretch that I am! for I have been a stranger among the Asians, and dwelled in th' Arabiantents. The Poet considereth what might have been in continuance of time, & how far the man's posterity might have stretched.  
Madai sure was author of the name of Medes, whose Empire was very great in the higher Asia; they destroyed the Chaldean Monarchy, as may be noted out of jeremy 51.11. & Dan. 5.18.  
The Thracians (joseph saith, and the Poet) are descended of Thyras. Melancthon thinks that of him are come the Russians, but the Scripture speaketh not of his posterity. Pliny makes mention of a river Tyra in the Russian or European Sarmatia: Melancthon, Goropius and others call it Noster. Coropius in his seventh book puts the Goats, Daces and Bastarnes among the Thracians, as all of one stock, and speaking almost the self same tongue, which also (as he saith) comes very near the Cambrics and Brabantish.  
javan the fourth son of japhet gave names to the jonians, who after with their neighbours were called Greekes: and therefore the Latin interpreter, translating the place of Ezech. 27.19. for the Hebrew javan hath put Grecia: so have the 70 put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is the name of Greece, for the same word. As also in the thirteenth verse of the said Chapter, and in the 19 of the 66 of Esay they both have translated the Bebrue jevanim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & Graci. The country of Athens hath in old time been called jonie, as Plutarch saith in the life of Theseus, and Strabo in his 9 book recites out of Hecataeus, that the jonians came out of Asia into Greece. Now the Greeks' as they were great discoursers, they have devised a thousand tales of their first beginning: but I let them pass, because my notes are already waxen over long.     


He will no● e●ter into matter far out of knowledge.  Here if I were disposed upon the ground to tread  
Of that supposed Berose, abusing all that read  
As he and others do; well might I let you see  
Of all our Ancestors a feigned pedigree;  
I boldly might assay of all the world's provinces,  
From father unto son, to name the former Princes;  
To sing of all the world each people's diverse lot,  
And of the meanest towns to lay the grunsill-plot.  
But what? I mean not I, as every wind shall blow  
To leave my former course, and strait begin to row  
(The Lodestar bright unseen) upon the waves unknown  
Of such an Ocean, so full of rocks bestrowne  
And Scylla's glutton gulfs, where tumbleth equal store  
Of shipwrecks on the sands, and billows to the shore.  
Not having other guide then writers such as feign  
The names of ancient kings, and tell us fables vain:  
Who make all for themselves, and gaping after glory,  
Upon one Cirons foot can build a perfect story.  


12  
Now. The like is seen in many books of late times and ancient, that treat of the kingdoms, countries, and people of the world: for many labour more to come near noah's Ark, and to find there the foundation of their towns, and names of their first Princes, then about other more certain and sure grounds. And they had rather forge names, and devise matter of their own head, then leave to pack huge volumes full of tales, witnessing the strange vanity of man's brain. The Poet condemns this foolish ambition, and by good right: all the matter, when it is at the best, being very doubtful and unprofitable: for man was placed on the earth to think rather on the service of God, then so to trouble his head with curious out-search of his ancestors names.   

13  
Of that supposed Berose. Who so desires to know that the Berose late printed is false, supposed, and plain contrary to the right Chaldean cited often by joseph in his Antiquities against Apton, let him read the fourth book of Goropious his Origines Antuerpiaenae. And so let him think also of Manetho, Metasthenes, Fabius Pictor, Sempronius, Myrsilus Lesbius & others packed, as they are, into one volume, by some one that thought to do great matters by abusing so the readers, & holding them in a muse by false devices from further search of the truth. I will not here set down the words of Goropius, who at large discovers the forgednesse of this new Beros and his followers: let it suffice to have pointed at the place. The true Berose was one of the Priests, of Bel, and at the commandment of Antiachus the third, who succeeded Seleucus, wrote three books of the Chaldean history: so saith Tatianus, joseph, and Clemens Alexandrinus. Some fragments of his we read in joseph against Apion, and they make flat against that other Berose published in our time.     


Why it is a hard matter to search Antiquities.  Th' Allusion of words is not a sure ground  
For any man thereon a steady work to found;  
Sith greatest hills and seas and most-renoumed rivers,  
Though they continue still, among longafter livers  
Are often diuerse-nan●'d: as eke the generation  
Of him that built a wall, or laid a towns foundation,  
Inherits not the same; nor any mortal race  
Hath an eternal state in this same earthly place:  
But holds for term of life, in fee-farm, or at will,  
Possession of a field, a forest, or an hill.  
And like as, when the wind amids the main sea rustles,  
One wave another drives, and billow billow justles;  
So are the people at odds eachone for others room:  
One thrusts another out, scarce is the second come  
Unto that houses door whereas he means to keep,  
But comes a third and makes him forth at window leep.  

A fit Example.  So from great Albion th' old Bretton being chased  
By Saxon-English force, the Gauls forthwith displaced  
That word in Armoricke and called the land Brettains,  
Where Loire his gliding charge unloadeth on the main:  
So when the Lombard left (with mind to room at large)  
Unto the skotched Huns the diuerse-furrowed marge  
Of lster double-named, he made the French to fly,  
By force of warly rage, out of rich Insubrie:  
But under-fell again the French revenging heat,  
And was to bondage brought by sword of Charles the great.  
And so th' Alaine, and so the Northen-borne Vandal  
Dislodged by the Goth from Cordube and Hispall,  
In Carthage harboured; then by the conquering stroke  
Of him that framed the laws sustained the Roman yoke.  
The Roman aft'r and all the land Barbarian  

What causeth people often to remove and change their dwelling.  Of frizel-headed Moors obeyed th' Arabian.  
This hunger neare-suffized of gold and great Empire  
This thirst of sharp revenge, and further this desire  
Of honour inconceit, all builded on rapines,  
On slaughters, cruelties, towne-burning and ruins,  
Dishabiteth a land, and diverse-wayes and far  
To wave and wander makes the people sons of war.  

diverse examples of wandting people.  I do not speake-of here the spoiling Arabes,  
The Hordies' proper Scytheses, or shepherds Nomades,  
Who grazing on in troops despised every fence,  
And pitched where they list their bristel-hairie tents:  
Like as with wing are want black swarms of Swallows swift  
across the sailed sea their body's light to lift,  
And changing their abode as'twere on progress go  
For love of sweeter air twince yearly too and fro:  
But other people's fierce, who for Bellones renown  
With often loss of blood have rome up and down.  
And weeting better how to overcome them wield;  
To conquer, then to keep; to pull down them to build;  
And choosing rather war, then i●st and holy rest;  
Have boldly diverse lands, one after other priest.  

The natural country of the Lomba●des, their diverse remoones & conquests.  Right such that Lombard was, who borne in Schonerland  
Seized on Livonia, thence went to Rugiland;  
And having wrought revenge upon the Bulgar-men  
Of Agilmond his death, he boldly ventured then  
Upon Polonia, so marched on brave and fine  
To bathe his golden hair in silver float of Rind:  
Thence turning him about he settled in Morauie,  
And so to Buda went, and after flew to Pavia:  
There reigned two hundred years, and honoured Tesin so  
He princely dares compare streams with his neighbour Po.  

Of the Goths.  Such was the Goth, who left the freizing-cold Finland  
Scanzie, and Scrifiaie, Norway and Gotterland,  
To sit on Wixel-banks; and for that air did please,  
In temper keeping near that of the Baltik seas,  
With his victorious host entering Sclavonia  
Surprised Zipserland and all Valachia:  
And then set foot in Thrace, but scorning long to toil  
Among the beggar Greeks', for hope of richer spoil  
Four times the Roman tried, God Mars his elder Son,  
To rob him of the crown that he from all had won;  
Once led by Radaguise, once led by Alarick,  
Once under Vidimer, once under Theodricke.  
And after dwelled in France, then chased from Gascoine  
Abode in Portugal, Castille and Cataloine.  

Of the ancient Gauls.  Such was the French of old, who roaming out as far  
As darted are the beams of Titan's fiery car,  
Invaded Italy, and would in rage have spilled  
The towers that Roinulus, or Mars himself, had built:  
Went thence to Hungary, then with his conquering plough  
He fallows up the ground cold Strimon runneth through:  
The fair Emathick fields doth altospoile and fleece,  
And spareth not at all the greatest Gods of Greece.  
At length with Europe Cloyed he passeth Hell●spont,  
And wasteth as he goes of Dindyma the Front,  
Pisidia ruineth, surpriseth Mysia,  
And plants another Gaul in midst of Asia  
Of people most renowned the dark antiquity  
Is like a forest wide where Hardy-foolery  
Shall stumble at every step, the learned Sovenance  
Itself entangled is, and blind foldignorance  
blundering athwart the thick of her dark-nighty wits  
Is overthrown in Caves, in Quagmiers and Pitts.  


14  
Th' Allusion. They that in our time have entreated of the Nations pedigrees, have much stood upon the resemblance that one word or proper name hath to another, and have aptly framed conjectures of good import & likelihood, as a man may note in Carrion, Melact. Peucer, Althamer, Lazius, Coropius, and others. But the Poet holds that a simple resemblance of words is no good ground for a story. His reasons are, first, that hills, rivers and seas change their names, as by Ortelius his treasure of Geography doth appear, comparing the books and tables of Ptolemy, Strabo, Mela, & other ancients, with the maps of Gemma Frisius, Vopelius, Mercator, Postel, Thevet, Cellarius and other late writers. Secondly, that cities and countries are not always called by the names of their founders and first inhabitants. Thirdly, that no stock or nation hath sure hold of any place in the world, because of the many changes that befall this life. Fourthly, that as in the sea one wave thrusteth on another, so the people, and chief those of old time, have driven each other out of place, and in a manner played, In dock out nettle. All stories prove these reasons to be true, & for the last, the Author shows three notable examples to confirm it.   

15  
Th' old Bretton. It is above 1200 years ago since Vortiger king of England, then called great Brettaine, or Albion, (that is, a whitesand Isle) having war with his neighbours the Scots, sent for aid to the Saxon-English, a people of Germany, who, after they had done him good service, played as the Turks did in Greece: for they seated the selves in a part of the Island, on the East, where few years after they kept such a coil, that the old Bretton, the natural Inbred of the country, was constrained to forsake it. So with a great multitude passed the sea, and landed in Armoricke, now called little Britain: where they gathered more and more together, and increased much by succession of tune. See more hereof in the Chronicles of England & Britain. The river Loire falls into the trench of Nantes, and so voids into the Ocean.   

16  
The Lombard. About the year of Christ 568 Alboin king of Lombardes' having heard of the fruitfulness of Italy, left Pannonia or Hungary (where he dwelled) in guard of certain Huns, upon conditions, and in few weeks after made a road into Italy with a mighty army: and got many towns, chief in Insubria, now called Lombardy, of those Lombard's, who reigned there above 200 years, till they were overcome and brought to thrall by the Emperor Charlemagne about the year 774. Look the histories of France, and the second part of the Library of N. Vignier. I shall speak anon of their beginning more particularly.   

17  
Th' Alaine. About the year 412 when Ataulphe king of Goths had driven away the Alaines and Vandals from Cordway and Seville which they possessed, as also most of the provinces of Spain, the Vandals sat down in Betica, which after was of their name called first Vandolosie, and then shorter Andalosie: The Alaines in Lusitania and the province of Carthage, or (as some say) betwixt the rivers Iberus and Rubricatus, whereabouts in time passed dwelled a people called jacetani, not unlikely to be the men of Arragon: afterward they joined and went both together into Africa, where they reigned a long time. But in the year 534. the Emperor justinian, who caused the Roman laws to be gathered together into one body, sent an army against them under the command of Belissarius: he regained Africa, took Carthage, and led Gilimer king of Goths prisoner unto Rome. After all this the Romans & the Moors also were constrained to give place in Africa to the Arabians, who pressed in there, and encamped themselves in sundry places.   

18  
This hunger ne'er sufficed. The Poet saith, that desire of rule, revenge, and vainglory, ambition and covetousness, have chief caused so many people to remove & change their dwellings. As also many stories of Scripture and others plainly show. Seneca reckoned diverse other causes in his book de Consolation ad Elbiam, where he saith, The Carthaginians made a road into Spain, the Greeks' into France, and the Frenchmen into Greece: neither could the Pyrene mountains hinder the Germans passage; over ways unknown and untroad the lightheaded people have carried their wives and children and over-aged parents: some after long wandering up & down seated themselves not according to their free choice, but where they first might, when they waxed weary of travel: some on other men's possessions seized by force of arms: some as they sought unknown places were drowned in the sea: some there sat down, where they first began to want provision. And all forsook not their countries or sought other for the same causes. Many, after their cities were destroyed by war, fled from their enemies, and so bereft of their own possessions, were feign to press upon other men's: many left their dwellings to avoid the disquiet of civil wars: and many to empty Cities of their overcreasing multitude: some by pestilence, or the earths often gulfing, or like unsufferable faults of a bad soil, were cast forth; and some were enticed from home by report of a larger and more fruitful ground: some for one cause and some for another, etc.   

19  
I do not speake-of here. The Poet hath Scoenites, which I translate Arabes, because they were a people of Arabia, great robbers & harriers of Egypt and the coast of Africa: the shepherds Nomads are (as I take them) the Numidians & Moors: or (as some think) a kind of Scythians. The Hordies are the Tartarians, who live in the field in chariots & tents. Now the Poet leaving the uncertain course of these roguing nations, who have had no more stay in them then swallows and other wandering birds, intendeth to speak of a more warlike people: whereof he allegeth some notable examples.   

20  
Right such that Lombard was. He setteth down much matter in few words, concerning the lombards. There are diverse opinions of their pedigree: Melancthon and Peucer in the third & fourth book of Carrions Chron. hold they dwelled in Saxony by the river Albis, about where now are the bishoprics of Meidburg and Halberstad, and a part of the Marquessie of Brandburg; & from thence under the conduct of Alboin entered Italy, and in the time of the Emperor justin the 2. seated themselves between the Apennine hills and the Alps: where they begun a kingdom. They were called Lombard's, either because of their long javelines (for thence it seems are come the names of Halberds and javelines debarred) or because they dwelled in a country flat and fruitful, as the Dutch word Bord may signine. Some other Authors count than far-northerne people, yet show not their ancient abode. Ptolomee in the 4. table of Lurope derives them from the country of Swaube, as also he noteth in the 2. book and 11. chap of his Geogr. with whom agreeth C. T acitu●● in his Histories. But Lazius in the 12. book of his ●●grationes of the Northern people, Vignier in the first part of his Labratie pag. 905. and our Poet here follows the opinion of Paulus Diaconus: they differ not much but only about the time of their stay, and place of their first abode. Melancthon and Peucer set them first in Sa●on●e, Paulus Diaconus, the Poet and others, in Scandinanie, or Schonland, a great near-Isle of the Sound or Baltike Sea, from whence they might come in by the banks of Albis, all or some of them, and some by the coast of Mekelberg, etc. For Paulus Diaconus in his first book 2. chap saith of this people, they increased so fast in their foresaid country, that they were feign to part themselves into three companies, and cost lots, which of them should go seek another seat. This I say, to show the Poets cunning drift, that in so few lines hath set down matter enough, for any man to write-on whole volumes of books. Thus then to follow the Poet, the first notable and fast abode of the Lowbardes, who came from the Goths and Vandalles, was Schonland, whence a part of them, dislodging under the conduct of Ibor and Agio settled in Scoring, which is about the marches of Livonia and Prussia: and after they had there dwelled certain years, were constrained by a dearth to seek further, so as they came to Mauringia, and at length to Rugiland, and the countries near adjoining, which Paulus Diaconus setteth down by name. There after the death of their leaders, they chose Agilmond for their king. He had reigned 33. years, when the camphors, a neighbour people, assailing them unawares, stew king Agilmond. After him was chosen Lamisson for king, who to revenge the death of his predecessor, made war with the camphors, got and held a part of Polongne: then waxing weary of that country he led his people toward the Rhine, to the coast of the County Palatine, as Tacitus notes in his second book of Histories, & Velleius Paterc. in the life of Tiberius. About Heidelberg there is a town called Lamberten, which seems to make somewhat for the Lombardes' abode there: so saith Lazius. But many years after, they coasted back again, and dwelled in Morauie, where they warred against the Herules, Sucues & Gepides. Then went they up into Hungary under the safeconduit of the Emperor justinian, to whom they paid tribute (as Procopius & Paulus Diaconus declare at large.) There had they cruel war with the Gepides, but at length agreed and joined with them; and understanding by the practice of Narses, that Italy was a country much fitting their nature, their king Alboin made a road thereinto, and got Lombardie before called Insubria; there they rested & reigned two hundred years, until Charles the great vanquished them, as is before said.   

21  
Such was the Goth. Lazius in the tenth book of his Mygrations, hath handled well and largely the History of Goths gathered out of Procopius, lornandes, Tacitus, Claudianus, Olaus Magnus, Eutropius and many others. I will shut up all in short, and by way of Paraphrase upon the Poet's verse. The Goths, and Almain people, had for their first assured seat the Isles of the Sound, or Baltike Sea, & Gothland yet retains the name of them. In Sulla's time they left these Isles, & came to dwell in Almain beside the river Vistula, now called Wixel. After they had warred there against the Frenchmen, they bent toward Transsiluania, Hungaria and Valachia, where they remained until the time of Valintinian, maintaining themselves by force of arms against the Greeks' & Romans. Then for many causes alleged by Lazius, they went forward into Thrace, and there dwelled and became tributaries unto Valentinian and ●alens. Eutropius saith, all went not thither, but a good pa●t of them kept their former place, and the cause of their sundering was a civil disagreement about religion: the one side retaining Heathenism under Athalaricke their king: the other under Fridigerne mingling with Christenisme the abominable heresy of Arrius, which taketh quite away the true religion of Christ. The Arrians drew toward the West, & were after called Visigothes or Westgothes, the other to the contrary, and were called Ostrogothes or Eastgothes, who out of Thrace moved into Hungary and the countries adjoining, where they had much ado with the Roman Emperors, as Lazius well recordeth: at last they got Sclavonia, and all forward unto the Adriatic Sea, there growing to a mighty number they determined to set on Italy under the command of Radaguise their king in the time of Theodosius the first, son of Arcadius. Their army was in number above CC. thousand strong, but by the special grace of God they were overthrown, captived and sold most for ducats a piece, their king slain, and all scattered into diverse countries, but, in the time of Honorius, Alaricke the king of Westgothes made another voyage, and, entering into Italy, asked the Emperor a place to dwell on: having obtained the coast that marcheth upon France, as he was going thitherward with his company upon Easter day, one of the captains of Stilico set upon him, and taking him so at disadvantage, by treason slew a great number of the Goths. They, stirred up with anger and disdain of such unfaithful dealing of Romans', make back to Rome, wast Italy, and in the month of September. 1164. beleaguer and take the City, and three days after departed thence loaden with the spoil. As Alaricke was marching toward Rome, there appeared a reverend parsonage unto him, and advised him, since he would be counted a Christian, that he should not make such havoc as he did: whereunto the king answered; it is not my desire to go to Rome, but every day am I forced by some one (I know not who) that still crieth unto me, Go on, go on, and destroy Rome. As the Goths retired Alaricke died, and Athaulph succeeded him, who led them back to Rome again. So they went through with their saccage, and led away captive Galla Placidia the sister of Honorius, whom Athaulph married. He was after slain of his own people at Barcelona in Spain, for seeking peace for his wives sake with Honorius. The third road they made into Italy was under the command of Vidimer: but they were encountered and beaten back by Glycerius, as jornandes writeth: and so they pressed again upon the French, and Spanish nations. Afterward the Goths of Sclavonia weary of easy living, got leave of the Emperor Zeno and entered Italy, and overcame Odoacer the Exarch of Ravenna, and there held estate for many years. At length about the year of Christ 411. in the time of Honorius, they seated themselves in Spain under Alaricke and his successors. Now during the time of their abode near the Meoticke marshes they had nine kings: while they remained in Gothland (which is now divided into the East and West Gothie, betwixt Swethland and Norway) they had 28. kings: and 10. about the banks of Wixel, and in Transsiluania and Sclavonia 26. After that being sundered into Eastgothes and Westgothes, the Eastgothes had in Italy 11. kings from Alaricke to Teias, who with the greater part of his people was overthrown by Narses. The Westgoths in Lion Gaul, in Languedoc and Guien, had 6. kings, and the kings of Westgothes in Spain, from Alaricke in the year 411. to Philip that now reigneth, are eight and twenty in number, according to the account of Lazius, who reckoneth also two and thirty kings of Arragon, and two and twenty of Navarre, unto the king's father that now is. Of these matters it may suffice to have touched thus much in a word.   

22  
Such was the French. To enter into the whole history of the Frenchmen, or Gauls, it was not the Poet's meaning, but only to note briefly the chief Outroads of this brave nation, and that within the compass of 2000 years. I will go no further, but follow the text. The first beginning of the French is diversly recorded, and all the opinions thereof are well gathered and examined by the Author of the French Antiquities: who in the end showeth his own judgement, and avoucheth it to be very likely, that the land of Gaul (which in old time, besides the realm of France, did contain also the Low countries, Germany within Rhine, & Lorraine) was first inhabited by the line of Gomer, thither coming upon diverse occasions and inereasing more and more with the time: as also by the Germans a neighbour people: for little could the Rhine hinder the G●ules and Germans from coming together, but that either, as they prevailed in strength, might come into others country for their better liking. And as the men of Marseil are counted an outcrease of Asia, it is like the rest of the towns and quarters of France were peopled after the same sort. Am●anus Marcollinus lively painteth out the Gauls in his 15. book. So doth Polybius, Caesar, Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, and others. All agree they were a very warlike people; and their multitude gave them to think upon such remedy as others had used before. Their first outroade, that was of any account, was in the reign of Tarqvinius Prisons, and about the time of the jews thraldom in Babylon, some 600 years before the birth of Christ. The Cel●ae (which were the ancient Gauls) possessed the countries now called Suisse, Savoy, Dauphin, Languedoc, Vellay, Vivaretz, Lionnois, Forest, Awergne, Berri, Limosin, Quercy, Perigort, Xanctoigne, Angulmois, Poictou, Brettaigne, Anjou, Tourraine, Maine, perch, Normandy within Scine, the Chartrain, Hurepois, Beaul●e, Gastinois, Brie, Champagne, the Duchy and Count of Bourgongne: their king Ambigat sent forth Sidoveze and Belloveze to seek other dwelling. Sidoveze taking towards Germany, left people in Bavaria, Bohemia and Carinthia, and seated himself in the point of Europe toward and beyond the Riphean mountains. Belloveze a while staying at the foot of the Alps, was after by the persuasions of a certain Tuscan called Arron drawn into Italy, and possessed Insubria. Some of his company seating first among the Pyrene hills, at length entered a part of Arragon, and gave the name to Portugal. But these were nothing so renowned as the other: who pressing further into Italy, marched under Bren●us as far as Clusium, and so to Rome. Of his exploits there, Livy writeth, and Plutarch in the life of Camillus, which was ●86 years before the coming of Christ. A third company that followed Bellevoze, because they would have room enough, overran Slavonia, and maugre all stay entered Hungary, and after many skirmishes departed thence in two bands: the one coasting into Macedon, the other into Greece, where they made the whole world afraid of them: after they had slain Ptolomeus Keraunus brother to Philadelphus' king of Egypt. Pranses was their king, whom others call Brennus, but was not he that sacked Rome. This man not content to have obtained a great victory of the Macedonians and harried their country, presumed so far as to spoil the Temple at Delphos, whereby himself and all his were brought to a miserable end. Nevertheless the French that stayed behind, to guard the frontiers of the country, fainted not at the report of these news, but went to field with 1500 foot and 3000 horse, overcame the Geteses and Triballes, and wasted all Macedon: only through negligence, as they retired loaden with spoil, they were brought to their end. Yet they that remained in Gaul sent forth other companies into Asia: who passed on as far as Bossen & Dardanie, where, by reason of a quarrel that fell between them▪ they sundered themselves. One part of them cast into Thrace, & reigned there a long time: the other settled about where Sanus and Danubius meet, not far from Belgrade. These that remained in Dardanie, when they heard tell of the fruitful soil of the lesser Asia, went on so far as Hellespont, and there because they were three companies, they parted Anatolia between them into three parts. The Trocynes had the coast of H●ll●●p●nt; the Tolystoboges, Eolide and jonie (which the Turks call Quiscon.) The Tectosages, the country further into the main land. All that part of Asia which lieth on this side Taurus they made their tributary planting themselves all along the river Halys that parteth Paphlagoria from Syria. That province where the Gauls dwelled in Asia, from their first arrival to the height of the Roman Empire, retained the name of Gaul-Greece, together with that same language which S. Jerome (six or seven hundred years after) saith was like that he heard spoken in Gaul about the quarter of Treues. Thus concerning the ancient Gauls: now to clear some few dark words of the text. The work of Romulus, etc. He meaneth Rome builded by Romulus, the most warlike City of all the world; and therefore Mars, whom the paynim counted the God of war, may be thought the founder of it. Cold Strymon. A river parting Macedome from Thrace, as Pliny saith: and because Thrace is no very warm country, he giveth Strymon the adjoint of Cold. Th' Emathicke fields: to wit, Macedon, so called of king Emathion. Pliny speaks thereof in his 4 book and 10 chapter thus, Macedon a country containing a hundred and fifty nations, sometime renowned for two kings (he meaneth Philip and Alexander) and for the Empire of the whole world: it was aforetime called Emathia: which word the Poets as Virgil and Lucan, do sometimes use for Thessaly, a country near Macedon. Lucan in his very first verse, Bella per Emathios plusquam civilia Campos. And Virgil in the end of his 2 Georgic. 
Nec fuit indignum superis his sanguine nostro  
Emathiam & latos Aemi pinguescere campos.   
The Pharsalian fields are in Thessaly, as Pliny recordeth in his 4 book and 8 chapter.  
Dindyma. A hill in Phrygia. The Poet calleth it Dindyme chastré, guelt Dindym: because the Priests of Cybele called Curetes, kept and sacrificed there, and were eunuchs attired like women. The Poet's meaning is, that these Gauls harried also Phrygia, and called the country where they dwelled in Asia, Gaul-Greece, after the name of that from whence they first came, and so planted as it were another Gaul in the midst of Asia. What became of their successors in the Romans time, because the Poet makes no mention thereof, I pass it also.   

23  
Of people most renowned. He showeth in few words wherefore he thrusteth no farther into discourse of the outroads the people made in old time. For though Carion, Melancthon, Peucer, Lazius, Rhenanus, Goropius and others of our time, have that way far ventured, and somewhile with very good success, 
He groundeth all his discourse upon holy writ; and showeth more particularly how the 3. sons of No peopled all the World.  yet it cannot be denied, but that they leave many doubts, and do not allwhere clear the matter. See then how fitly the Poet adds that followeth.     

It shall suffice me then to keep me ne are th'encloses,  
And careful hanging on the golden mouth of Moses,  
Amram his learned son, in verses to record  
Sem, Cham, and japhet filled this round work of the Lord:  
And that of mighty Noah the far out-roming boat,  
Did thus the second time all countries over flout.  
Yet not as if Sem's house from Babylon did run  
Together all at once unto the rising Sun;  
To drink● of Z●iton the water siluer-fine,  
To peopl'all rich Catay, with Cambalu & Chine:  
Nor japhet unto Spain; nor that ungodly Cham  
Unto the droughty soil of Meder and Bigam,  
The fields of Cefala, the mount of Zanzibar,  
The Cape of hoped good, in Africa most afar.  

Very meece comparisons.  For as th' lblean hil●s, or those Hymettick trees,  
Were not in one years space all over-buzz'd with bees;  
But that some little rock that swarmed every prime  
Two surcreases or three, made on their tops to climb,  
Their sides and all about, those nurslings of the Sun,  
At length all o'er the Cliffs their honeycombs to run:  
Or as two springing Elms, that grow amids a field  
With water compassed, about their stocks do yield  
A many younger trees, and they again shoot-out  
As many like themselves encroaching all about;  
And gaining piece by piece so thrive that after a while  
They for a shared mead a forest make that Isle:  
Accordingly the wright's that built proud Babel's tower  
All scattering abroad (though not all in an hour)  
At first enhoused themselves in Mesopotamie;  
By process then of time increasing happily  
Past river after river, and seized land after land,  
And, had not God forboad the world should ever stand,  
No country might be found so savage and unknown,  
But by the stock of Man had been ere this o'ergrown.  
And hence it comes to pass 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 monarchy was in Assiria.  And little knew the rest but learned of the same.  
For Babylon betimes drawn under a kingly throne,  
Th'imperial sceptre swayed before the Greeks' were known  
To have a Policy, before by charming tones  
Amphion walled Thebes of selfe-empyling stones.  
Or Latins had their towns, or Frenchmen houshold-rents,  
Or Almains Cottages, or Englishmen their tents.  

The Hebrues & their neighbours were learned & religious before the Greeks' knew any thing.  The sons of Heber had with Angels often spoke,  
And of all stranger God's detested th'altar-smoke,  
They knew the great unknown, and (o most happy thing)  
With faithful eyes beheld their unbeholden king:  
The learned Chaldee knew of stars the number and laws,  
Had measured the sky, and understood the cause  
That muffleth up the light of Cinthia's silver lips,  
And how her thwarting doth her brother's beams eclipse:  
The priest of Memphis knew the nature of the soul,  
And straightly marked how the heavenly flames do roll.  
(Who, that their faces might more flaming seem and gay,  
In Amphitrites pool once wash them every day)  
He Physic also wrote, and taught Geometree,  
Before that any Greek had learned his A Be Cee.  

Th' Egyptians & Tyrians had all riches and delights, before the Greeks and Gauls knew the world.  All Egypt overshone with golden utensilis  
Before the limping Smith by Aetna's burning kill's  
Had hammered jern bars, before Prometheus found  
The fire and use thereof upon th' Argolian ground.  
Alas we were not then, or, if we were at least,  
We led an uncouth life, and like the savage beast  
Our garments feathers were that birds in moulting cast:  
We feasted under trees, and gaped after mast.  
When as the men of tire already durst assay  
To raze the salty Blew twixt them and Africa;  
Were set on Merchandise, with purpl'en-g●●●rt their flanks,  
And all the pleasures reigned about Euphrates banks.  
As, if a pebblestone thou on the the water fling  
Of any sleepy pool, it frames a little ring  
About whereas it fell, and far about doth raze  
The wa●●ng marbl', or even the trembling Crystal face,  
With g●●t●l moving of a number circle's more,  
That reaching further out together waxing flow  
Until the round at length most outward and most large  
Strikes of the standing pool both one and other marge:  
So from the cent'r of All, which here I mean to pitch  
Upon the the waters brink where discord sprung of speech,  
Man dressing day by day his knowledge more and more  
Makes Arts and wisdom flow unto the Circle-shore▪  
As doth himself increase, and as in diverse bands  
His fruitful seed in time hath over grown the lands.  

The first Colonies of 〈…〉 the East.  For from Assyria the Semites 'gan to travel  
Unto the land beguilt with Hytans' glestring gravel,  
And peopling Persiland drooke Oroates l●yse,  
And clear Coaspes eke, that licks the walls of Suse,  
So to the fruitful dale and fowerbearing plain  
Betwixt high Caucase tops, whereas th' Arsaces' reign.  
And some in Medie dwelled, and some began to make  

The second.  The fields abutting on the great Mesendin lake.  
These men's prosteritie did like a flood surround  
And over flow in time the Cheisel-fronting ground:  
They came in diverse troops upon Tachalistan,  
Carz, Gadel, Chabula, Bedane, and Balestan.  

The third.  Their of spring afterward broke up with toiling hands  
Narzinga, Bisnagar, and all the plenteous lands  
That Gauges thorow-flowes, and peopled Toloman,  
The Realm of Mein, and ave, and musky Carazan,  
And saw the fearful sprights in wilderness of Lop,  

The fourth.  That mask in hundred shapes wayfaring men to stop.  
Long after sundry times this Race still coasting East  
Tipura seized that breeds the horny-snowted beast,  
Mangit and Gaucinchine that Aloes hath store,  

The first Colonies of japhet in the west.  And stopped at Any straits and Cassagalie shore.  
Now from the center-point inclining to the Set  
Far spread abroad themselves the Children of japhet.  
To Armenia the less, and after to Cilice,  
So got the hau'ns at length of Tarsis and of Ice,  
The sweet Corician Cave, that near Parnassus' Hill  
Delights the commers-in with Cimbal-sounding skill:  
Huge Taure his lofty downs, jonie, Cappadoce,  
Moeanders' winding banks, Bithyne and Illios'.  

The second.  Then boldly passing o'er the narrow Cut of S  
They drunk the waters cold of Strimon, Heb'r, and Nest:  
The Rhodopean dales they grazed, and laid in swaths  
The leas that (running by) Danubies water baths.  

The third parted into many branches.  Thrace did athonside fill the Grecian Territory:  
Greece peopled Italic law giving, loving-glory:  
By Italy was France, by France was filled Spain,  
The borderings of Rhyne, and all the great Brettaigne.  
Ath'other side again it sent a Colony  
Beth to the Pont-Eusine and towards Moldavie:  
So reached Transsiluanie, Morauie, Hungary,  
And Seruie farther west, and eastward Podolie:  
Thence men to Prussie came, and Wixell borders eared  
And that of Almanie, that narre the pole is reared.  

The first Colonies of Cham in the South.  Now turning to the South, consider how Chaldaea  
Spews out in Arabia, Phoenicia and Cannaea,  
The cursed line of Cham; yet ne'ertheless it grows,  

The second.  And right betwixt two seas down into Egypt goes:  
So stores the town Corene, and that renowned coast  
Whereon the punic Seas are all to froth betossed:  
Fez, 
The third.  Gogden, Terminan, Argin, Gulosa, Dara,  
Tombuto, Gualata, Melli, Gago, Mansara,  
The sparkling wilderness of Lybie breeding-venim,  
Caun, Guber, Amasen, Born, Zegzeg, Nubie, Benim,  

The fourth.  And of the droughty soil those ever-moving sands,  
Where jesus yet is known, and Prestre jan commands;  
Who, though in many points he cometh near the l●w,  
Yet hath a kind of Church not allvnl●ke the true.  

How the north was peopled.  And if thou long to know whence all the land 〈◊〉 large,  
That under-lyes the draft of many ascending barge,  
All over paved with Ice, and of the sea of Russee  
Environed about with surges mutinous,  
Was co●●-vnto by men, think after they forsook  
The ●laine where Tegill flood swift-running overtook  
Once and again the stream of running-far Euphrates,  
They lodged at the foot of hoary hill Niphates.  
So forth of Armeny the field Hiberian,  
The Colchish, th' Albanick and the Bosphorian,  
Ware furnished with men; thence to the Suns Vprist  
The cruel Tartar went, that roameth where he list  
All o'er those quarters huge: and thence acoast the Set  
Was store the land that Rha doth near his rising fret,  
The shore of Livonie, the plains of Moscow,  
Biarmie, Permie, Russee, Whitelake and Scrifinie.  


24  
It shall suffice. The Poet hath heretofore compared Antiquity (chief concerning the Nations Out-roads) unto a great forest, wherein the cunningest guides have often lost themselves. Now therefore he saith it is the safer way to follow and keep near the verge of the forest, rather than venture too far into it. He shows thereby, that his meaning is to give us a general view of these matters, not curiously to mince the particulars, as they have done, who undertake to gather out of Authors, and teach others the course of noah's posterity every mile as they have run until this present; and poor still into the Ark, to find there the names of their countrymen and ancestors. Therefore he voweth to rely wholly upon the golden mouth of Moses, which was the son of Amram, as the Scripture witnesseth, Nomb. 26.59. Now Moses saith Genes. 10. in the end of the Chapter, That of the children of Noah were the Nations divided on the earth after the flood. And before in 5.20. and 30. verses, he showeth plainly from whence they began to people the world, and (as it were) to lead again the Ark over the face of the earth: in filling most countries of the world with their great posterity, increased, as it was, by virtue of God's wonderful blessing. Gen 9.1. Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.   

25  
Yet not as if Sem's house. He saith Sem peopled not the East all at once, but by succession of time; that japhet when he came out of the Ark, did not forthwith run to Spain, nor Cham to hide himself in the furthest part of Africa: but that by little and little, and in process of time their issues ranged so far forth either way. He speaketh of diverse countries far up in the East, and far down Southward, the site whereof appeareth plain in the Maps: and to enrich this true story, he useth two pretty comparisons, of the rocks of bees in Hybla, and Elms in an Island: & as by their surcrease both places are by piecemeal at length quite overgrown, so (he saith) the world by yearly increase of noah's posterities was part after part o●er peopled as it is. First after the confusion of tongues they lodged one behind another, about the coast of Mesopotamia. afterward as they increased in stock, their new families passed the rivers, hills and straits looking-out other dwelling places to their liking: the providence of God directing all (as appears) for the better grace and trimming of the earth, and the commodity of all mankind.   

26  
And hence it comes to pass. This ensueth necessarily of that goes before. Where the posterity of Noah were most together in the beginning, there we must confess was the chief sway and greatness of mankind, and that was in Assyria and Chaldaea, as Moses witnesseth Gen. 11. whereout the Poet concludeth as afore: see further. Gen. 14. Concerning the king's wars that are there named, with their countries marching upon Tigris or there about; and of Nymrod it is namely said that the beginning of his reign was Babel, etc. in the country of Sennaar, marching upon the river Tigris.   

27  
For Babylon betimes. Having spoken in general of the first people their greatness, he specifieth now the first Monarchy; whereof it seems Moses hath enough written in the 10. chap. aforesaid. Now the best Authors many, of these and the former times, declare and prove by the account of years that the first Monarchy was in Babylon, and Babylon was in Chaldaea: whereupon some dispute for Niniveh and Assyrians, & some because these two great Cities began about one time, had several Princes, and reigned both many hundred years, they make a double Monarchy of the first, until such time as the Chaldean had swallowed the Assyrian. I take not the word Monarchy too precisely, as if in the time of the Babylonian there were none other in the world. Egypt began in good time to be of power, and great kings there were in the land of Canaan, and the countries adjoining. But I understand with our Poet that the first rule plainly appeared at Babylon, even in the time of Noe. He that would upon this point compare profane Histories with the Scripture, might find matter for a long discourse, the sum whereof may be seen in Funecius, Carion, Vignier and other Chroniclers. To be short, I say the reign of Nymrod mentioned Gene. 10.10. many years forewent all other we read of, and especially those of the Greeks', Romans', Gauls, etc. as is proved plainly by the account of time. Thebes, a town of Boeotia in Greece: it hath a spring by it called Dirce, whereof the town self among the poets is often surnamed. Amphion, a wise Politician, who by his eloquence and sleight persuaded the people of those times, rude as they were and uncivil, to join together in building the walls of Thebes; whereupon the poets, to show the force of eloquence, feign that Amphion by the cunning strokes of his Lute made the stones come down from the rocks and lay themselves together in order of a wall. And thus saith Horace in his Epistle of Poetry ad Pisones: Dictus & Amphion Thebanae conditor urbis Saxa moucre sono testudmis, & prece blanda. Read more of him in Appollonius his Argonauticks.   

28  
The sons of Heber. This proves again that the near successors of Noah filled not the world all at once, but by succession of time. So the true religion remained in the family of Sem; The Chaldeans were excellent Astronomers & Philosophers; the Egyptian Priests knew the secrets of Nature; before there was any knowledge of letters in Greece: which was not peopled so soon as the other by many years, as the histories even of the Greeks' themselves declare. See the latter Chronicles.   

29  
All Egypt overshone. Another proof. If the world had been peopled all strait after the flood, riches and dainties would have been found used in all countries at the same time. But they were in Egypt and tire long before the Greeks' and Gauls knew the world. So it follows that Greece and Gaul were not so soon peopled as Egypt and Phoenicia. By the limping Smith, he means Vulcan, that first found out the use and forging of Iron in Sicily. Prometheus was the first that found the use of fire among the Argolians or Greeks'. Of him saith Hor. 1. book 2. Ode. Audax japeti genus ignēfraude malâ gent●bus intulet. That is, the bold son of japhet brought fire by craft among the nations. Of this matter the Poets have set forth many fables, the true drift whereof our Author showeth in a word. Look what I have noted upon the you verse of the 6. day of the 1 week. The rest of this place is easy to be understood.   

30  
As if a pebble stone. A fine similitude concerning the aforesaid matter: to show how all the Arts began from the plain of Scunnar to spread by little and little over all the world.   

31  
For from Assyria. He beginneth here to treat of the more particular peoplings. And first he showeth how the posterity of Sem began to fill Asia. Their first out crease leaving the coast of Assyria, bend toward the East. Of this river Hytan, Pliny faith 6.23. Carmamae flumen Hytanis portuosum & auro fertile. Look Solinus cha. 67. They having peopled this quarter, hrust on further toward Oroatis a river of Persia: whereof Pliny saith in his 6. book the 23. Flumen Oroatis ostio difficili nisi peritis; Insulae 2. paruae●nde vadosa navigatio palustri similis, per euripos tamen quosdam peragitur, & in the 25 chap. Persidis initium ad Flumen Oroatin, quo dividitur ab Elimaide. Read also the 24. chap. of the said book of Pliny, for the better understanding of their dwelling here. Then they drew further forth into Persia towards the City Susa, close by the which Coasp●s runneth: such is the sweetness of that water, that (as Pliny, Soline, Plutarch, & others record) the kings of Persia drink of none other. So they came into the valleys of the famous hill Caucasus, where dwelled the Parthians, whose kings were commonly called Arsaces. From hence into Medie & lastly up higher toward the Mesendin, Hyrcaman, or Caspian lake. Look Ptolo in his 1.2. & 3. table of Asia, Mercator, ●●rtelius, Cellarius & Thovet. All these removes are contained within the compass of 5. or 600. leagues.   

32  
These men's posterity. He setteth down in four verses the chief countries peopled by the second overcrease of Sems' Issue. The land fronting Chessel is a part of Tartary, not far from the Caspian sea, whereinto that river falleth, and riseth near the wilderness of Lop, above Tachalistan; which is a great country neighbour to the mountain ●maus. Charasse, Charassan, or Chorasan, it is a country that hes between Istigias, Bedane, and Tacalistan, which I note more particularly than I find in the French Commentary, because there is so little difference of letters between that and the name of Carazan, whereof the Poet speaketh in the fourth verse following. This Charasse, Gadel, Cabul, Bedane and Balistan, are provinces enclosed by the river Indus, the mountain Imaus, the Mesendin or Caspian Sea, and the realm of Persia, a circuit of land somewhat more than 600. leagues.   

33  
Their of spring afterward. He cometh to the third overcrease of the Semites, who went forth Southward as well as North and Eastward. The inhabitants of Cabul thrust forward their Issue toward Bisnagar, a rich country of South. Asia, lying between the Persian sea and the Gulf of Bengala. Narsinga (for so I have translated the French Nayarde) is a kingdom lying yet lower, and very rich. That plenteous land that Ganges thorow-flowes, it contains the higher India, where are many wealthy kingdoms set forth well at large in the Maps, as Cambaie, Decan, Bengala, Pedir, etc. Toloman, is further up toward the North. Avarice, is beyond the Gulf of Bengala, toward the East, about Pegu and Siam, countries of infinite 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 Musk. Lop, a Desert thirty days journey over, lying yet higher Northward. It seems the Poet follows the opinion of M. P. Venet, who in the first book of his Tartarian History, chap. 35. makes very strange report of the fearful sights that the poor passengers there meet with, often to the loss of their lives. Not unlike it is that certain legions of evil Spirits there abiding, have had some special power given them so to punish the Idolatrous Mahometists, who still inhabit those quarters. The Poet saith all the countries marching this Wilderness were peopled by this third out crease of the Semits. It is an opinion somewhat likely, and thereon I rest, until I hear some other (if it be possible) give more certain intelligence of the matter.   

34  
Long after sundry times. He speaketh of the fourth and last overcrease of Sem. Tipura, a country breeding many Rhinocerots, which, according as the Greek name signifieth, I have translated horny-snouted beasts: read the description of them in the exposition of the 40. verse of the 6. day of the first week: this Tipura lieth East ward above Toloman betwixt Carazan an Caichin, or Gaucinchine, for so I have 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 up in the North: so is also Quinsai, Ania, and Tabin, one above another even unto the Amen Strait and Scythike Ocean. By this description, plain to be seen in the Maps of Asia, the Poet meant to show us all the several removes of Sems' posterity; who not passing beyond the Anian Strait, might long content themselves with so large a portion as Asia, containing above four thousand leagues of ground. As for the particular description of these countries, their length, breadth and commodities, I neither dare, nor will ever charge therewith my notes intended for short. Besides, it was not the Poet's mind to hold the reader long with view and study 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, japhet, or the next race from him, drew toward the West, into those places that the Poet names, set down (as they are) in the ancient and later Maps of Asia and Europe. I need not mince every word of the text. Armenia is distinguished into the Great and Less, it lieth near the Caspian sea, and coasteth toward Europe. The sweet Corician cave, it is in Cilicia, and is described of Pliny in the 27. chapter of his 5. book, and Strabo in his 4. book, and Solinus in his 51. chap. Concerning the strange matters which the Poet reports of it, read Pomponius Mela his description of Cilicia, the first book. Besides many notable properties of the place, he saith moreover that when a man hath gone there a troublesome narrow way a mile and more, he shall come through pleasant shades into certain thick woods, which make a sound (no man can tell how) of certain country-songs: and after he is passed thorough to the end thereof, he shall enter another deeper shadow, which amazeth much all that come there, by reason of a noise is heard, loud and passing man's power to make, as it were the sound of many Cymbals. These are his words: Terret ingredientes sonitis Cimbalorum divinitùs & magno fragore crepitantium. He sets down also at large all other the pleasant delights of the place. Concerning this music, some think it a fable: Others ascribe it to a natural cause: as that the air entering by a narrow mouth into a vault of stone, wide and very deep, soon grows thereby exceeding raw, and so turns into water, then dropping still down in many places and quantities somewhat proportionable upon the sounding stone, makes in those hollow rocky places a noise as it were musical. Taure his lofty downs, this great mountain reacheth hence well toward Pisidia Westward, and on the other side a great way into Asia, as Ptolomee showeth in his first table. Meander a river arising out of the mountains of Pelta and Totradium in Asia the less, it runneth thorough Hierapolis, Pisidia, Licaonia, Caria, and other countries thereabouts, into the Midland sea. Illios or Troas, Bythinia and the rest, are higher toward Hellespont and the Mayor sea.   

36  
Then boldly passing over. He spoke before of Illios', which lies in low Phrigia upon the shore of the Midland sea, about the Sigean Peake and the river Simöis, hard by the Strait of Gallipolie, where Abydos on Asia-side standeth, and Sestos on the side of Europe: now he saith the second overcrease of Semites past the Strait, it being in breadth but the fourth part of a league, as Bellon avoucheth in the 2. book and 3. chapter of his Singularities. In times passed there stood two towers, one in S, the other in Abide, in the tops whereof wont to be set great lights to wain the mariners by night. Look what we have noted upon the word Phare in the first day of the first week, verse 448. and what upon the word Leander 1. week, fift day, 912. verse. At this time S and Abide are two Castles, where the Turk hath Garrisons, and are the very keys of Turkey in that quarter: so near is Constantinople unto them. Strimon, Hebre and Nest, are three great rivers passing thorough 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 Rhodopean dales. Rhodope is a mountain bounding Thrace: in the dales thereof, beside other towns, are Philippoli and Hadrianopoli. Danubie or Donaw is the greatest river of all Europe, springing out of Arnobe hill, which Ptolomee and Mercator puts for a bound between the Sweues and Grisons: this River running thorough Almain, Austria, Hungaria, Sclavonia, and other countries with them interlaced, receiveth into it above 50. great Rivers, and little ones an infinite sort, so emptieth by six great mouths into the Mayor sea. Moldavia, Valachia, and Bulgaria are the countries near about the fall of Danubie.   

37  
Thrace. These countries near the Mayor and Aegean Seas, and the Thracian Bosphore, thrust on the third overcrease of people further West and Northward, as the Poet very likely faith: the Maps of Europe show plainly the coasts he nameth for their chief seats. But to show how and when they changed and rechanged places and names of places, driving out one the other, and removing by divers enterspaces, it were the matter of a large book.   

38  
Now turning to the South. He cometh now to handle the Colonies or overcreases of Cham's posterity: first into Arabia, Phoenicia, and Chananaea, which was after called Indaea: the site of these countries we know well: they are easy to be found in the general Maps, and those of Europe, beside the particulars in Ptolomee and other late writers, as namely in the Theatre of Ortelius. When the Chamites had overbred Arabia and the country south from Chaldaea, which lies betwixt th'Arabian and Persian Gulfs, they went at the second remove down into Egypt betwixt the red & Midland seas: thirdly they entered Africa, and by little and little filled it. The Poet points-out many countries, for better understanding whereof, we must consider that Africa (the fourth part of the world known) is divided into four parts, Barbaria, Numidia, Lybia, and the land of Negroes. Barbaria containeth all the North coast, from Alexandria in Egypt to the Strait of Gibraltar along by the Midland sea, and is divided into four kingdoms, Maroco, Fessa, Tremisen, and Tunis, containing under them 21. Provinces. Under the same Southward lieth Numidia, called of the Arabians Biledulgerid, and having but few places habitable. Next below that is Lybia, called Sarra, as much to say as Desert, a country exceeding hot, and marching athonside upon the land of Negroes: that, the last and greatest part of Africa, reacheth South and Eastward very far. In the further coast thereof is the country of Zanzibar, certain kingdoms and deserts near the Cape of good hope, which is the utmost and Southerest peake of all Africa. Corene is near Egypt. The Punic Sea, the Sea of Carthage, put for the Midland that parteth Europe and Africa asunder. Fez, is the name of the chief City of that Realm in Barbary. Gogden, a Province of the Negroes, as are also Terminan, Gago and Melli, near the same. Argin, lieth near the White Cape. Gusola, is one of the seven Provinces of Maroco in Barbary. Dara, a country in the Northwest of Numidia, not far from Gusola. Tombuto, a great country in the West part of the Negroes, near above the river Niger. So is Gualata, but somewhat higher and right against the Green Cape. Mansara (which I have put in for the verse sake, as I left out Aden) it lies near Melli upon the lowest mouth of Niger. By Aden, that the French hath, I take to be meant Hoden, which is betwixt Argin and Gualata, or somewhat lower. The Wilderness of Lybie is surnamed Sparkling, because the sands there overchafed with a burning heat of the Sun, fly up and dazzle men's eyes. Cane, Guber, Amasen, Born, Zegzeg, Nubie, Benim: all are easy to be found in the Map near about the river Niger, saving Benim which is lower by the Gulf Royal, and Nubie higher toward Nilus. Amasen (which I have added) is a great country, near the place where Niger diveth under the Earth. From these quarter's South and Eastward lies the great Ethiopia, a country exceeding hot, sandy, and in many places unhabitable, because of the sands, which by the wind are so moved and removed oftentimes, that they overheate and choke-up divers great countries, that might otherwise be dwelled in. There the great Negus, called Prester-Ian, reigneth far and near. His Realms, Provinces, customs, laws, Religion, and the manner of his people's living, are set forth at large by Franciscus Aluares, in his history of Ethiopia, that is joined with johannes Leo his description of Africa.   

39  
If thou desire to know. Hitherto the Poet hath told us how Asia, Europe, and Africa, were peopled by the successors of Noe. But he hath not showed how the Japhethites from Chaldaea got up to the furthest Northern parts: and that he now goeth about, and doth in 16. verses: supposing them from Euphrates to coast up toward the mountains of Armenia, and so to enter Albania and the neighbour places, from thence to people Tartary, Moscovia, and all the North countries, they are plainly set down by Mercator, Ortelius, Thevet and others in their Maps of Europe: and I thought good, for causes often aforetold, not here to entreat of them particularly. There is left us yet to consider two notable questions concerning these outroads and Colonies of noah's posterity. The one, how they came unto the West India, which hath so lately, within these 100 years, been discovered. The other, how it came to pass that so few of them, in the short space of some hundreds of years, were able to increase to such a number, as might empeople and fill so many huge and divers countries of the world. The Poet strait makes answer hereunto. Let us mark his discourse upon either the demands.     

But all this other world, 
How America was peopled.  that Spain hath new found out  
By floating Delos-like the Western Seas about,  
And raised now of late from out the tomb of Leath,  
And given it (as it were) the Being by the death;  
How was't inhabited? 
The first objection.  if long agone, how is't  
Nor Persians, nor Greeks, nor Romans everwist,  
Or inkling heard thereof, whose ever-conquering hosts  
Have spread abroad so far and troad so many coasts?  
Or if it were of late, 
The second objection.  how could it swarm so thick  
In every town, and have such works of stone and brick,  
As pass the towers of Rome, th'antic Egyptian Pyramid,  
The King Mausolus' Tomb, the walls of Queen Semiramis?  
What then alas? 
Answers negative, by an Ironic.  belike these men fell from the sky  
All readie-shaped, as do the Frogs rebounding fry,  
That after a soultie day about the setting hour  
Are powered on the meads by some warm April shower:  
And entertouch themselves, and swarm amid the dust  
About the gaping cliffs that former drought had burst:  
Or grew of tender slips and were in earthy lap  
(In stead of cradle) nursed, and had for milk the sap:  
Or as the Mousherom, the Sowbred, or the Blite  
Among the fatter clots they startup in a night:  
Or, as the Serpent's teeth sown by the Duke of Thebes,  
They bravely sprung all armed out of the broken glebes.  
Indeed this mighty ground, that called is Americk, 
The first earnest answer.   
Was not inhabited so soon as Afferick;  
Nor as that learned soil tow'r-bearing, loving-right,  
That after jupiter his deerbeloved hight;  
Nor as that other part which from cold Bosphors head  
Doth reach the pearly dew of Tithon's saffran bed.  
For they much more approach the diaprized ridges  
And fair indented banks of Tegil bursting-bridges,  
From whence our ancestors discamped astonished,  
And like to Partridges were all-to-scattered;  
Then doth that new-found world whereto Columbus bore  
First under Ferdinand the Castille arms and lore.  
But there the building are so huge and bravely dight  
So differing the States, the wealth so infinite, 
Generali.   
That long agone it seems some people thither came,  
Although not all at once, nor all by ways the same.  
Some by the cloudy drift of tempest raging-sore  
Perhaps with broken barks were cast upon the shore:  
Some other much annoyed with famine, plague and war, 
Particular.   
Their ancient Seats forsook, and sought for new so far;  
Some by some Captain led, that bore a searching mind,  
With weary ships arrived upon the Western Ind.  
Nay could not long ere this the Quinsay vessels find  
A way by th' Anian strait fro th'one to th'other Ind? 
The second.   
As short a cut it is, as that of Hellspont  
From Asia to Greece; or that wher-ore they want,  
Sail from the Spanish hill unto the Realm of Fez,  
Or into Sicily from out the haven of Resse.  

Colonies according to the second Answer: noting by the way certain marvels of the country.  So from the wastes of Tolm and Quivir (where the kine  
Bring calves with weather's fleece, and camels bunchy chine,  
and hair of Courserots') they peopled Azasie,  
Coss, Tova, Caliquas, Topira, Terlichi,  
The flow'r-entitled Soil, Auacal Hochilega,  
Saguenai, Baccalos, Canada, Norumbega,  
And those white Labour-lands, about whose bleachy shore  
The sweeter watered seas are most-anon befrore.  
They sowed athother side the land of Xalisco,  
Mechuacan, Cusule, and founded Mexico  
Like Venise o'er the water, and saw astonished  
The greenest growing trees become all withered  
As soon as ever touched; and eck a mountain found  
Vesenus-like inflamed about Nicargua ground.  
So passing forth along the strait of Panama,  
Upon the better hand they first Oucanama,  
Then Quito, than Cusco, than Caxamalca built,  
And in Peruvi-land, a country thorow-guilt,  
They wondered at the Lake that waters Colochim,  
All under-paved salt, and fresh about the brim:  
And at the springs of Chink, whose water strongly good  
Makes pebble stones of chalk, and sandy stones of mood.  
Then Chili they possessed, whose Rivers cold and bright  
Run all the day a pace, and slumber all the night:  
Quinteat, Patagonie, and all those lower seats,  
Whereon the fon●y Brack of Magellanus beats.  
Upon the left they spread along by Darien side,  
Where Huo them refreshed, then in Vraba spied  
How Zenu's wealthy waves down unto Neptune rolled  
As big as Pullet's eggs fair massy grains of gold;  
And in Grenada saw mount Emeraudy shine:  
But on Cumana banks hoodwinked were their eyen  
With shady thickened mist: so quickly from Cumana  
They on to Parie went, Omagu, Caribana:  
Then by Maragnon dwelled, then entered fierce Bresile,  
Then Plata's level fields, where flows another Nile.  

The third Answer.  Moreover one may say that Picne by Gronland,  
The Land of Labour was by British Izerland  
Replenished with men; as eck by Terminan,  
By Tombut and Melli the shore of Corican.  


40  
But all this other world. This is the first of the foresaid questions: how it came to pass that the new world, discovered in these latter times, could be so replenished with people, as the Spaniards (who have thereof written very much) did find it. He speaketh of the West Jndia, which is called another world, or the new world, for the hugeness thereof; being more than 9300. leagues about, as Gomara saith in his Indian History 1. book. 12. chap. it is longer than all the other three parts of the world: and two or three ways as broad as Asia and Europe laid together. This quarter, so great and full of kingdoms and people, if it have been long agone inhabited, how hap (saith our Poet) the Persians, Greeks', and Romans, who undertook so many far voyages, came never there, nor once heard thereof? For Ptolomee, Strabo, Mela and other ancient writers make no mention of it: and if it were peopled but of late years, he asketh, how came so many people there, so many great cities and stately monuments, as Gomara, Benzo, Cieque, Ouiede, Cortes, and others writ of. Benzo and Barthelemi de las Casas do report, that, in that little the Spaniards have there gotten within these 30. or 40. years, they have slain above twenty millions of people, undone and brought to great distress as many or more, and wasted and unpeopled twice as much ground as is contained in Europe and a part of Asia to that. Nevertheless in many places, and even in Mexico, New Spain and Peru, where they have used all the cruelty, wickedness and villainy that man's heart or the devils rage could imagine, there are yet living many thousand Indians. Concerning the ancient Monuments of this new world, I will reckon at this time but one of them, taken out of the fourth book and 194. chapter of Gomara: there are (saith he) in Peru two great highways reaching, the one through the hills, the other over the plains, from Quito to Cusco, which is above 500 leagues out right, a work so great and chargeable, that it is well worthy noting: that over the plains, is 25. foot broad, and walled on either side, and hath little brooks running along in it, with store of the trees called Molli planted on the banks. The other is of like breadth, cutting through the rocks, and filling up the lower grounds with stone work: for they are both of them level without mounting or descending any hill, & strait without stopping at any lake or pool. In a word, whosoever hath seen either of them, will say it is a work far surpassing all the great buildings and paved causeys of the Romans, or the walls of Babylon built by Queen Semiramis, or those most wonderful Pyramids of Egypt. Guaynacapa, a certain king of the Indians (who lived about 100 years ago) caused these ways to be repaired and enlarged; but he was not the first beginner of them, as some would make us believe: for he could not have finished them in all his life time, and the stonework seems to be much more ancient. There are built upon them, a days journey asunder, many goodly palaces, called Tambos, wherein the Court and armies of the Princes wont to lodge. But, Gomara saith, our Spaniards have by their civil wars utterly destroyed these causeys, and cut them asunder in many places, that they might not come one to the other: yea the Indians themselves have broke-off and severed their parts in time of war. Now let us hear the Poet's answer.   

41  
What then alas? belike. His first answer is, that the people of the West Indies fell not out of the air, as many little frogs do in a warm shower, framed, by the virtue of the Sun, of the dust or vapours arising out of the earth: nor that they grew not out of the ground like roots or plants: nor by any strange and vain enchantment, as of the Serpent's teeth sown by Cadmus, the Poets feign, grew soldiers in complete harness. But these they are men well-featured, stout, and long-living, chief in the North and South-parts of the country, where both men and women in stature, strength, and continuance, far excel the people of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The commodities they have for health, their meat, drink and dwelling, their ceremonies, civil government & other properties, duly noted by the Historians, make very good proof of the Poets saying.   

42  
Indeed this mighty ground. This newfound world is called America, of the name of Americus Vespusius, a certain famous Pilot of Florence, one of the first discoverers of the country, not much more than a hundred years ago. His second answer is, that this part of the world could not be so soon inhabited as the other three: because it is discoasted further from the plain of Sennaar, for in Asia the plain itself was. And Arabia being peopled, Africa was very near at hand, and Europe from the lesser Asia is parted but with a narrow Phare: whereas America is far beyond all these which way soever we coast. He calleth Europe a learned Soil, tow'r-bearing, loving-right, for the number of learned men and cunning Artisans, of kingdoms and states well governed, and Fortresses that are there. That after jupiter his deerbeloved hight, to weet Europa, that was the daughter of Agenor king of Phoenicia. For the profane Poets feign their great god, being in love with her, to have taken the shape of a Bull, and on his back to have carried her over Hellespont, and therefore the place where he first landed her was called by her name. From this fable seems to be drawn the name of Bosphore: which is as much to say as Bull-ferrie. Perhaps this jupiter was some notable pirate or tyrant thereabout reigning, who in a Ship called the Bull, stole away some young Lady & fled for safety into Europe. These words (which from cold Bosphors head Doth reach the pearly dew of Tithon's saffran bed) set down the length of Asia, that is, from the Bosphore of Thrace unto the East-Ocean. The Castille arms and lore: that is, the Spanish Religion and forces, which Christopher Columbus brought first into America, and there planted in the name of the Spanish king.   

43  
But there the buildings. The third answer is, that the stately buildings, infinite treasures, & divers governments that are there, will witness that the country hath been long inhabited, although hard it is to learn how. I have already spoke of the great Causeyes of Peru. Now the sumptuousness of Themixtetan, the great city of the kingdom of Mexico, and the king's Palaces of Peru (such they are described by the Spaniards) make further proof of the Poets saying. As forth uncountable wealth of the Indies it plainly appears, that above ten thousand millions of gold have been brought thence into Europe, beside heaps of Rubies, Emeralds and Pearl, much wracked in the sea, and much brought for a yearly tribute into Spain. Whereunto I will add what Franciscus Lopes de Gomara saith concerning the unvaluable riches of Guainacapa, (the name signifieth young and rich) the father of Antibalippa, last king of Peru, whom the Spaniards put to death. All the furniture of his house, table and kitchen (saith he in the 120. chapter of his fourth book) were of gold aend silver, and the meanest of silver somewhat embased with copper for the more strength. He had in his wardrobe giantlike images of gold lively featured; as also all kind of beasts, fowls, trees, herbs, and flowers that the land there beareth; and all kind of fishes, that either the Sea there, or any fresh water of his kingdom breedeth, in the said metals well and proportionably resembled, not so much as cords, paniers, troughs, billets, and other such implements, but were so; to conclude, there was nothing in his kingdom, whereof he had not the counterfeit in gold or silver. It is also said that the kings of Peru, called Ingaes, have a garden in a certain Isle near Puna, where they delight themselves when they list take the Sea, that hath in gold and silver all herbs, flowers and trees, and other things whatsoever meet for a pleasant garden: such a sumptuous devise, as never was heard-of or seen elsewhere. Besides all this, that king, last but one, had gathered into Cusco huge masses of gold and silver unfined: which the Indians hide so secretly, as the Spaniards could never comeby it, there was also in and about Cusco great store of picture-tables and tombs all of fine silver, worth some thirty, some fifty, some threescore thousand ducats a piece: also dining-tables, vessels, and images a great number, all of fine gold. The Spaniards at the taking of Antibalippa found as good as 252000. pounds of silver, and of gold 1300265. pezoes, every pezo valued at a ducat and a half. Besides the great golden table of Antibalippa, worth nigh 40000. Crowns. Now for all this great spoil that the Spaniards got, and havoc that they made, as well in Peru, as other the Provinces thereabout, yet the Indians (as Benzo reports, who stayed there with the Spaniards fourteen years, and wrote in three books worthy-reading that whole story) they stick not to say, they have yet more remaining then all that the Spaniards ever had. And to make their meaning plainer, they will take out of a great vessel full of wheat one grain betwixt their fingers, and say: See you this? the Viracochie (so they call the Spaniards) have taken as it were this one grain away: but thus much (say they, pointing to the rest in the vessel) thus much and more have they left behind them. Now the word Viracochie because it comes thus in my way, Benzo himself in his third book saith, it signifies the frother scum of the Sea: and that the Peruvians so call the Spaniards for deep hatred and abomination of them; saying also sometimes one to another in their language: The wind bears down houses and trees, and the fire burns them, but these Viracochie they do worse than wind and fire. They waste all, they eat all, they turn the earth and all upsedowne: they turn the course of rivers: they are never at quiet: they never cease ranging up and down to seek gold and silver: and all they find is too little for them. When they have it, what do they? They take their pleasure, they war one with another, rob one another, kill one another: they are ever given to lying, blaspheming, and denying the same God whom they profess: and these men have cruelly slain without cause our fathers, our children and kinsfolks, taken from us, contrary to all right, our goods, our liberty and country. Having thus commended the Spaniards, they curse the Sea for vomiting on the Earth so cruel and wicked a people, and often have upbraided the Spaniards themselves with this notorious reproach: that gold was the Christians God. O how shall this people in the latter day condemn that ever-greedy covetousness, for which Europe nowadays heareth so ill, and is by the selfe-people thereof so wasted and unpeopled! But concerning the divers governments of the West Indies, seeing they are set down so well at large by Lopes, Ouiede, Benzo and others, it is too great a matter for me to handle in this discourse, which is (I fear me) grown to long already: therefore will I draw to an end. The Poet at the 413. verse gins to show some likely opinions how this newfound world was peopled: and first in general, that the people of countries inhabited, exercising their ordinary traffic one with another, might sometimes be cast by force of tempest upon the West-Indian shore, and so be constrained (their ships being broken) to remain still there. Others by plague, war or famine were driven to leave their countries, & seek some quieter dwelling farther off, and so have lighted on these new Countries. Or perhaps some great man of authority, or cunning Pilot, by venturing made a discovery thereof, and led the overcreases of some people thither. As the Poet showeth more particularly in the verses following.   

44  
Nay could not long ago. He guesseth inspeciall (and most likely) that the inhabitants of the furthest North-east shore of Asia, to wit, the men of Quinsay and other places there, might have emptied their overpeopled Cities, by passing the Anien Strait (a part of sea no broader (as he saith) than the Phare of Gallipoli, Gibraltare, or Messine) and so from the East Indies might they have stored first the land of Tolguage (which Thevet, in his map of the new world, placeth betwixt the Realms of Anian, Tolm, and Quivir, within 15. degrees of the North-pole:) then the rest as followeth.   

45  
So from the Wastes of Tolm & Quivir. In all this huge Northern part of America, few people there are, especially toward the coast over-against Quinsay and th'other East-countries. There are therefore great Waste-landes (as the later Card-men have noted) about the kingdoms or countries of Anian. Tolguage, Quivir and Tolm, above 12000. leagues compass.  
So then the Poet holds opinion that some of Sems' posterity, having once passed from the farthest eastpoint of Asia over to the West-Indian Coast, thrust their of spring farther into the land. The Countries here named by the Poet, are to be found in the Sea-cards and Land-mappes betwixt New-Spaine and Estotilant: as if he meant that the North-part of America was first inhabited: concerning the properties & particular descriptions of these places, read the third volume of the Spanish Navigations, the second Book of the general history of Lopez de Gomara Chap. 37. etc. the History of Florida, Benzo, the Reports of johann: s Verazzanus, laque Cartier, and other French Captains, concerning their discovering of the Land of Labour (where the sea is frozen) Baccalos, New-France, Canada, Hochilega and other lands thereabouts. Read Thevet also & the latter Card-men. For the French Calicuza I have translated Caliquas, according as I find it written both in others and in Ortellius; who also hath for Mechi Terlichi-mechi; and therefore I translate it Terlichi.   

46  
They sowed at'hother side. Xalisco, now called Nova Gallicia, is described by Gomara in the 21. Chapter of his 5. book. It is a land very fruitful, and rich in honey, wax and silver: and the people there are Idolaters and Men-eaters. Nunnius Gusmannus, who seized the country for the king of Spain in the year 1530. hath written a discourse thereof, and it is to be read in the third volume of the Spanish Navigations. The Province of Mechuacan (from whence not far lieth Cusule) is about 40. leagues lower southward than Xalisco: that also the said Gusmannus conquered, after he had most cruelly and traitorously put to death the Prince and Peers of the country, as Gomara showeth in his book & chapter above quoted. Mexico, (which some count all one with Themixtetan) is the mother City of that kingdom, now called Hispania Nova: wonderful rich it is and strong, and of high renown: built, far more curiously than Venice, upon a lake salt on the northside, because it is there of a Sea-like breadth, and on the southside fresh, because of a River that empties there into it. Greater is the City thought to be, than Sevill in Spain, the streets are passing well set, and their channels in such manner cast, as can not be mended. divers places there are to buy and sell-in the needful and ordinary wares, but one there is greater than the rest, with many walks and galleries round about it, where every day may be seen above threescore thousand Chapmen. There is the judgement hall for common Pleas: and were also many temples & shrines of Idols before the coming of Ferdinando Cortes, who made thereof the first conquest for the K. of Spain, exercising most horrible cruelties upon all both young and old in the City, as Barthelemi de las Casas, a Monk & Bishop of Spain, reports in his history of the Indies, where he stayed a long time. Look the description of Mexico in the third volume of the Spanish Navigations fol. 300. See also Benzo of Milan his history of the new world the 2. book and 13. Chapter. Now from these parts above named (after report of some wonders of many there seen, and worthy a larger discourse by themselves) the Poet draws his Colonies down further towards Peru, by the Land-straight of Panama, which parts the South-sea from the Ocean, and thereabout is hardly 20. leagues in breadth. The fiery mountain of Nicaragua is by Gomara described in his 5. book, Chap. 203. so are the other wonders, which the Poet here notes, in his 4. book, chap. 194.   

47  
Then Chili they possessed. Gomara, in his fourth book, chap. 131. holds opinion that the men of Chili are the right Antipodes or Counter-walkers unto Spain, and that the country there is of the same temper with Andaluzie. This Chili lieth on the shore of el Mar Pacifico, so also doth Quintete (which I have put for Chinca) both near the Patagones or Giants, whose country is full of people, and hath certain rivers that run by day and stand by night, some think because of the snows which in the day time are melted by the Sun, and frozen by the Moon in the night: but I take it rather to be some great secret and miracle of nature. The cause, why here I made exchange of Chinca, was first for that the Poet had spoke before of the springs of Chink, which I take for the same; then because it is so diversly placed of the Card-men: for Ortelius, in his Map of the new world, sets it above, and Thevet beside Chili, in either place it stands well to be taken for the Chink aforenamed: but Mercator placeth it a great deal lower, and on the contrary coast, near the river of Plata, where indeed is a country called Chica, that perhaps hath bred this error. Lastly, Quintete stands so right in way, which the Poet follows, from Chili to the Patagones, that I thought it not amiss to take the same rather than the doubtful Chinca. By the foamy Brack of Magellanus, he means the sea and Strait of Magellan close by terra Australis. Gomara describeth it well in the beginning of the third book of his Portugal History. The Poet hath already showed how people came first on the North- America from the kingdom of Anian over the main land to th' Atlantic sea shore, then on all the further coasts from Quivir to the Magellan Strait, along th' Archipelago de San Lazaro, Mar del Zur, & Pacifico: and now he takes the higher side on the left hand from the Land-Straight of Panama to the river of Plata, which is not far from the Magellan: noting by the way the most noteworthy places of all this huge reach of ground, represented, as it is, by our late writers in their general and particular Maps of the Newfound world. Huo is a great sweet-water stream rising at Quillacingas, (that lieth under the equator) and running athwart the country now called Carthage into the sea at Garia. Vraba is the country that lieth betwixt that river and Carthagene. Concerning Zenu, mark what Gomara saith thereof in his second book and 69. chapter. It is the name of a river and city both, and of a Haven very large and sure. The City is some 8. leagues from the sea. There is a great Mart for Salt and Fish. Gould the inhabitants gather all about; and when they set themselves to get much, they lay fine-wrought nets in the river of Zenu and others and oftentimes they draw-up grains of pure gold as big as eggs. This country is not far from the Strait of Darien. In the said second book, chap. 72. he describes also Nova Grenada, and the Mount of Emeralds: which is very high, bare, and peeled, without any herb or tree thereon growing, and lieth some five degrees on this side the equator. The Indians, when they goe-about to get the stones, first use many enchantments to know where the best vain is. The first time the Spaniards came there, they drew thence great and little 1800. very fair and of great price: but for this commodity, the country is so barren that the people were feign to feed on Pismers: till of late the Spanish covetousness hath made them know the value of their Mountain. Cumana is described in the foresaid book, chap. 79. in the end whereof Gomara saith the vapours of the River of Cumana engender a certain little mist or slime upon men's eyes, so as the people there are very purblind. Parie is described in the 84 chapter of the said second book. Maragnon, a River which (as Gomara saith, 2. book, 87. chapter) is threescore miles over. It emptieth at the Cape of A●inde, three degrees beiond th' Aequator: but springeth a great way further South, by Tarama in Peru; thence running Eastward, it casteth only an Arm into th' Amazon about Picora. Which hath caused many the first writers of America to count from that place both but one river. So also doth our Poet here: otherwise he would have mentioned first how the people passed th' Amazon, that other great stream now known by the name of Orenoque; which riseth about Carangui, and emptieth (as Thevet saith) 104. leagues above the mouth of Maragnon. Bresile, which the Spaniard discovered in the year 1504 is surnamed fierce, because of the Cannibals, Caribes, and other man-eating people there. l●de Leri hath written very fully all the history of his adventure in part of the country, where dwell the people called Toupinamboes'. The river of Plata the Indians call Paranagacuc, which word importeth as much as a great water. Gomara speaking thereof in the 89. chapter of his second book saith, In this river is found silver, pearls, and other things of great price. It contains in breadth 25. leagues, makes many Islands, and swells like Nilus, and about the self-same time. It springeth first out of the mountains of Peru, and is after increased by the in fall of many rivers: for the country thereabout is level, or flat, whereof it seems to have received the name of Plate.  
Thus the Poet guesseth at the manner of this newfound world's empeopling by the coast of Asia. Whereunto I will add what Arias Mont. that learned Spaniard hath written thereof in his book entitled Phaleg. He saith joktan the double pety-son of Sem, (that is, whose double grandfather Sem was) had thirteen sons, which are named by Moses in the 10. of Gen. and some of them peopled the West Indies from the East. That which Moses saith, Gen. 10.30. concerning Sephar a mountain of the East, Arias applies to the great hills of Peru, which the Spaniards call Andes: they reach out further in length then any other in the world, and near them stands an ancient town called juktan. Moreover, there lies higher a Neer-isle, betwixt Cuba and Mexico, called Inkatan: which may be thought to resemble still the name of him that first brought people into the country. To Ophir, one of the sons of joktan, Arias allots the land of Peru: for as much as in the 3. chap. and 6. verse of the 2. book of Chron. there is mention made of the gold of Paruaim. To jobab the country of Paria, which is near the Strait of Panama, very rich also in gold and pearl. I have said elsewhere that Arias Montanus took Asia to be all one main-land with America, and knew no Anian Strait. If that be true, sure the race of Sem peopled those quarters. But others considering the horrible ignorance and brutishness of the West-Indians so lately discovered, and the rather to excuse their outrageous cruelty exercised upon the poor people, cannot think but that they are some relics of the race of Cham. This opinion hath but a weak ground, as he may well perceive that will duly examine the circumstances. For strange it is not that the race of Sem, after so many generations, and in so farre-discoasted countries, should at length be thus corrupted. Besides, the West-Indians in divers places live still after the manner of the East. But for better answering sundry objections, that make to prove them Chamites, read the Preface to the Newfound world of Benzo, Frenched by M. Vrbain Chaweton.   

48  
Moreover one may say. This is another guess of the Poet; as that the West-India was peopled from the North by some japhethites, who ventured over the Strait of Gro●land. Indeed these Northern countries have ever swarmed with people: and well it may be, that some thence by others driven, or by necessity, or of their own heads, have sought that way other places more to their liking. As also that the coasts of Bresile and Plata (which I think the Poet means by the Shore of Corican) were peopled by some Chamites from Temian, Tombut, and Melli, countries lying in the West of afric, about the fall of Niger. For unlikely it were, seeing Almighty God gave the whole earth to Noah and his three sons, (Gen. 9) that the race of any one of them should engross all this Newfound world, beside his part in the other. Thus rather doubtless, as the Poet guesseth, and I am further bold to gather, by little & little at sundry times and places did all the three families of No possess those quarters as the rest: that the will of God might be fulfilled, and the light of his glory appear, in so equall-parting & over-peopling the whole earth: howsoever all that huge reach of ground that lieth under the South-pole, and is thought the fift and greatest part (if it all be habitable) is as yet unknown, or very little discovered.     


How is was pos●●ble that 〈◊〉 & his three sons should increase as they did.  Well may I grant you then (thou'lt say perhaps) there's nought  
In all this under-world, but may at length be reached  
By man's Ambition: it makes a breach in Hills,  
It runneth dry by sea among the raging Scylles,  
And in despite of Thirst it guides the sailing Holm  
Amids th' Arabic Sands, the Numid and the Tolme.  
But verily methinks it goes against all sense,  
One house, beds only four, should break so large a fence,  
As t'ouerbreed the lands of Africa, Europe, Ascanio,  
And make the world appear to narrow for the Race.  

1. Answer.  If little thou regard th' I mortals powerful hest,  
That once again the bond of sacred Marriage blest,  
And said, 
2. Answer.  Increase and Fill: If thou profane deny  
That jacobs' little train so thick did multiply  
On Pharces fruitful ground, that in 400. year  
The 70. living souls five hundred thousand were:  
At least consider, 
3. Answer.  how (because in elder time  
The fruits they ate grew not upon so foggy slime  
As ours do now, nor was their meats with sauces dight,  
Nor altered asyet with health-destroying slight  
Of gluttonating Cooks; because with murdering sword  
Of raging enemies they were not laid aboard;  
Because their bodies were not overcome by sloth,  
Or void of exercise) they waxed in lively growth,  
And lived some hundred years, and even in latter days  
With siluer-haired heads were able sons to raise.  
So that Polygamy, then taken for a right,  
This world an Anthill made of creatures bolt-upright:  
And many people rose in short time, if thou mark,  
From out the fruitful reins of some one Patriarch.  
Right so a grain of wheat, 
Two fit comparisons.  if all th' increase it yields  
Be often times resowed upon some hearty fields,  
Will stuff the barns at length and colour mighty lawns  
With yellow-stalked ears: likewise two fishes spawns,  
Cast int' a standing pool, so fast breed up and down,  
That after a while they store the larders of a town.  

An example of late years.  Hath not there been of late a certain Elder known  
That with his fruitful seed a village had oregrown  
Of five score houses big, so blessed that he saw  
His sons and daughters knit by ord'r of marriage Law!  
The tree of Parentage was over-short and thin  
To braunch-out proper names for their degrees of kin.  

Another example.  Who knows not that within three hundred years and less,  
A few Arabians did Lybie fill and press  
With new Inhabitants, and Mahom taught in Fez,  
In Oran, in Argier, in Tunis, Buge and Tesse?  
Now if they so increase who dwelled in Afferick  
And with an humour sharp, fretting, melancholic,  
provoked are day and night and made more amorous  
Then in begetting babes fruitful and vigorous  
(Because the more they force the Citherean deed  
The more enfeebled is their unpreserved seed:  
So are their inward parts the colder and the nummer,  
By how much more without they feel a boiling summer)  
Imagine how the men, who nearer to the Pole  
Behold the flaming wheels of Welkin's charrot role,  
Do breed and multiply: because they come but seld  
And at well-chosen times to Citherea's field:  
And sith cold weather stays about the northern Bear,  
o'er all that rugged coast triumphing every where,  
The lively heat retires within their body's tower;  
And closer trussed makes their seed of greater power.  
And thence the Cimbrians, Gauls, Herules, 
The North hath swarmed with people, not the South.  and Bulgares,  
The Sweues, Burgundians, Circassians and Tartars,  
Huns, lombards, Tigurines, Alanes and Eastergoths,  
Turks, Vandals, teutonics, Normans and Westergoths,  
Have overflowed the lands, and like to grass hoppers  
Destroyed the fairer parts of this great universe.  
Whereas the barren South in all these former days  
Hath scarce been abl'enough two martial bands to raise  
That could the North affright; one under Hannibal,  
Who brought the Punic State both unto rule and thrall;  
Another powered forth as far as Tower's wall,  
And there with Abderam was knocked by Charles the Maul.  


49  
Well may I grant. This is the second objection against that hath been said concerning the Colonies drawn from noah's three sons: to wit, that it is unpossible so few households should in so short time fill so many countries as are in the world, so thick as now they swarm.   

50  
If little thou regard. The Poet answers at large and very exactly to the said objection. First, out of the words of Moses Gen. 9 And God blessed Noah and his children, and said unto them: Increase and fill the Earth. This answer is right to the point, & very sufficient to stop the mouths of all curious questioners, that at least believe the word and power of God. Such is also the answer following.   

51  
If thou profane deny. He that believes the holy Scripture knows well that in the space of 400 years the family of jacob no more than 70. persons increased in Egypt unto the number of five hundred thousand, besides women and children. This is an argument from the less to the greater: if in one little country a few so much increased, and that in the short space of 400. years, how much more might all the people else in the world increase in 4000 years? But the profane man will not believe the story, he will say it is unpossible. I will make no miracle of it, although the Scripture noteth how the people increased marvelously; and therefore useth a word which signifieth to multiply or spawn like fishes. But let him cast account as near as he can, not of excess, but the ordinary increase that might arise of 70. persons in the space they were in Egypt, and before he come to 250. of the 400. he shall have the number, as Mornaeus noteth in his book De veritate, Chap. 26.   

52  
At least consider how. This the third answer is also of great importance, especially for Atheists: because it relieth upon natural reason: as namely that a purer food, & better health, with peace, strength, rest, long life, and Polygamy (which is the use of many wives) made greatly for the increase of mankind in those former times. Each point of this answer is of great weight, and may persuade easily all that is written of the matter.   

53  
Right so a grain of wheat. For confirmation of the foresaid arguments, he bringeth-in two fine comparisons and fit for the purpose. The one drawn from a corn of wheat, the other from the spawn of two fishes. Both so much the better in this case, because they are of common things, and such as we daily see before our eyes.   

54  
Have we not in our days. He confirms his reasons further by a notable example of a certain man, who lived to see a whole town, of no less than 100 houses, peopled only with persons issued of himself and his: so that there were no names in law for their degrees of blood: Ludovicus Vives affirmeth he saw the man in Spain. There died also lately an honourable Lady in Germany, who saw of herself and hers borne a hundred and threescore children; notwithstanding many died unmarried, and those that were married are yet like to have more.   

55  
Who knows not that within. Lo another notable example of a few Arabian families, set down at large by John Lion in his History of Africa, and cited also by Philip Morney in his 26. chapter de Veritate. And we see (saith he) how the threescore Families, that for the Sect of Califa moved out of Arabia, in less than 3. hundred years have peopled all Africa: so as at this day the countries there are surnamed after them Beni Megher, Beni Guariten, Beni Fensecar, etc. that is: The sons of Mogher, the sons of Guariten, the sons of Fensecar, &c: as each of them grew-up to a people. In like sort the East-Indies, that were discovered now a hundred years ago, and strait almost unpeopled, within another hundred will be stored again and repeopled by the Spaniards.   

56  
Now if they so increase. A strong conclusion from the Less to the More, gathered out of the example next aforegoing: thus, If the people of Africa, that are not very fit to engender, were able in few years to store so huge countries; how much more might the Northern and Asiaticke people increase? and if a small number of weaklings; how much rather an infinite sort of lusty and fruitful men? This is grounded upon natural reason, regarding the climates and site of each countries, together with daily experience of the matter. Hipocrates in his book de Aere, aquis & locis, and his enterpreters discourse at large thereon. It were long to follow their steps, and I have been too long in this matter already.   

57  
And thence the Cimbrians. For a further proof of the last conclusion, he allegeth, and no man can deny, that the North hath always brought forth most and most warlike people: (and divers he reckons-up, of whom we have spoken heretofore) whereas from the South have hardly ever come above two Armies worth naming. The one under command of Hannibal, whom the Poet noteth by the name of Borgne, (which is as much to say as Blind, or bad-eyed) because he lost an eye by overwatching himself in the passage of certain great marrish-grounds into Hetruria, Livy. 22. He it was that enlarged the Empire of Carthage, by means of the great overthrows he gave the Romans, but was after driven out of Italy, and in Africa quite vanquished at Zama field, where the carthaginians were forced to yield themselves wholly to the Romans mercy, so had their City razed and their State utterly destroyed. The other Army of the South was of Saracens, no less than four hundred thousand strong, led by their king and Captain Abderame: they set out of Africa into Spain, from thence marched forward into Aquitaine, and came wasting all the way as far as the City of Tours; there three hundred thousand of them, with the king himself, were slain by the French, who had for General the Duke or Prince Charles, that for this great and happy victory was after surnamed Martel the Maul: because he broke and battered the force of that Southern people, as a great maul or hammer doth Iron. Look the Histories and Chronicles of France in the life of Charles Martel.     


A fine discourse upon the 〈…〉 people.  O world of sundry kinds! O nature full of wonders!  
For every part thereof, as from the rest it sunders,  
It hath not only men of divers hair and hue.  
Of stature, humour, force; but of behaviour new:  
Be't that a custom held at length a nature makes,  
Or that the younger sort still after th' elder takes,  
Or that the proper Laws of divers-coasted Realms  
Do so much disagree, or these enflowing beams  
Of th'humour-altering Lights, that whirling never stint,  
Here in our minds below their heavenly force emprint.  
The Northern man is fair, the Southern fauor'd-hard;  
One strong, another weak; one white, another sward;  
Ones hair is fine and smooth another's gross and twined:  
One loves the body's pain, another toils the mind:  
Some men are hot and moist, some others hot and dry,  
Some merry, and other sad: He thunders out on high,  
This other speaketh small; he dudgeon is and spiteful,  
This other gentle and plain; he slow, this other slightfull.  
Some are unconstant so they often change their thought;  
And others ne'er let go conceits they once have caught.  
He typples day and night, and he loves abstinence;  
One is a scattergood, another spares expense:  
One is for company, another in his moods  
Is like a Bugger-bo, and strays amids the woods.  
One goes in leathern peltch, another richly dight;  
On's a Philosopher, another borne to fight.  
The middle man takes part of all the qualities  
Of people dwelling near the two extremities;  
His body stronger is, but not his mind so frank,  
As theirs who till the gleabes of Nilus' fruitful bank:  
Again, he's not so strong, but many ways more fine,  
Then they that drink the streams of Donaw and of Rhine.  
For in the sacred close of th'universal Town  
The southern men that oft with over-musing sown,  
And fall int'extasies, and use to dream and pove;  
That measure how the heavens by rules appointed move,  
And are so curious none other knowledge base  
M●y satisfy their minds; they hold the priest his place.  
The Northern, whose conceit in hand and finger lurks,  
That all what ere he li●t in wood and metal works,  
And like Salmoneus with thunder-sound compares,  
he's for the man of war, and makes all cunning wares.  
The Mean, as knowing well to govern an Estate,  
Sits with a graver grace in throne of Magistrate.  
And to be short, the first seeks knowledge wondrously,  
The second, handicrafts; the third, good policy.  
Though some score years agone Themis that mends abuses,  
Apollo, Mercury, Minerva with her Muses,  
Have taught their holy schools as near the Northern coast,  
As Vulcaneurs forged, or Mars encamped his Oast.  

H●●● the French D●●ch, 〈◊〉, and ●●an●sh nations d●●●er in many points.  But even among ourselves that altogether mell,  
And have of all the world no more whereon to dwell  
Then as it were a clot, how divers are the fashions?  
How great variety? the Dutch of all our Nations  
Is stout, but hired in War: the Spaniard soft and neat;  
Th' Italian merciless; the Frenchman soon on heat.  
The Dutch in counsel cold, th' Italian allthing weet,  
The Spaniard full of guile, the Frenchman ever fleeting.  
Th' Italian finely feeds, the Spaniard doth but mince,  
The Dutch fares like a clown, the Frenchman like a Prince.  
The Frenchman gently speaks, the Spaniard fierce and brave,  
The Germane plain and gross, the Roman wise and grave.  
The Dutch attire is strange, the Spanish is their own,  
Th' Italian sumptuous, and owers never known.  
We brave an Enemy, th' Italian friendly looks him,  
The Dutchman strikes him strait, the Spaniard never brooks him.  
We sing a cheerful note the Tuscan like a sheep,  
The German seems to howl, the Lusitan to weep.  
The French pace thick and short, the Dutch like battel-coeks,  
The Spaniards Fencer-like, the Romans like an Ox.  
The Dutch in Love is proud, th' Italian envious,  
The Frenchman full of mirth, the Spaniard furious.  

Why it pleased God the world should be inhabited of so 〈…〉.  Yet would th' Immortal God appoint so strange a race  
Of this great carthie bowl to cover all the face:  
To th' end he cleansing all his children from the foil  
Of sin, which had as'twere bestained their native soil,  
Might his great mercy show, and how the heavenly Sins  
A little only move, but not o'ersway our minds.  
That in the furthest parts his servants eu'rychone  
A sacrifice of praise might offer to his throne:  
And that his holy name from Icy Scythia  
Might sound unto the sands of red-hoat Africa.  
Nor should his treasures hid in far-asunder land  
Created seem in vain, and never come to hand.  
But that all country coasts where Thetis enter-lies  
Should traffic one with oth'r and change commodities.  

The world compared to a great City.  For as a City large contains within her wall  
Here th'university, and there the Prince's hall;  
Here men of handycraftes, there marchant-venterers;  
This lane all full of ware and shops of shoemakers,  
That other changing coin, that other working gold;  
Here silk, there pots and cups; here leather to be sold,  
There cloth; here hats and caps, there doublets redy-made;  
And each among themselves have use of others trade:  
So from the Canar Isles our pleasant Sugar comes,  
And from Chaldeaa Spice, and from Arabia gums  
That stand us much instead both for perfume and plaster,  
And Peru sends us gold, and Damask alabaster:  
Our Saffern comes from Spain, our ivory from Ind,  
And out of Germany our Horse of largest kind:  
The scorched land of Chus yields Ebony for our Chamber;  
The Northern Baltike Sound emparts her bleakish Amber;  
The frosty coast of Russee, her Ermines white as milk,  
And albion her Tin, and Italy her Silk.  
Thus every country pays her divers tribute-rate  
Unto the treasury of th'universal State.  

Man Lord of the world.  And as the Persian Queen this province called her Chains,  
And that her stomachers; her plate this, that her trains;  
Man may the like profess: what Desert so untrad,  
What Hill so wild and waste, what Region so bad;  
Or what so wrackefull Sea, or what so barren Shore  
From North to South appears; but pays him evermore  
Some kind of yearly rent, and grudging not his glory,  
Unto his happy life becomes contributory?  

A particular declaration of the great use of some unlikely, creatures against the Atheist, who saith they are to 〈◊〉 use, or ●●ade by chance.  These moors enamelled, where many rooshing brooks  
Enchase their winding ways with glassy waving crooks,  
They stand for Garden-plots: their herbage, ere it fades,  
Twice yearly sets on work our twohand mowing blades.  
The plain field Ceres heals, the stony Bacchus fills.  
These ladders of the sky, these rough-aspiring Hills,  
The stoarehouses of storms, the forging-shops of thunders,  
Which thou untruly callest th'earths fault & shameful wonders,  
And thinkest the living God (to say't I am afeard)  
Created them of spite, or in creating erred,  
They bond the kingdoms out with ever-standing marks,  
And for our shipping bear of timber goodly parks:  
The same afford thee stuff to build thy roofed hold,  
The same in wintertime defend thee from the cold:  
They powreout day and night the deep-enchaneled Rivers,  
That breed, and bear on them, to feed the neighbour livers:  
They remanure the lands with fruitful clouds and showers,  
They help the Milles to turn, and stand instead of towers  
And bulwarks to defend Bellona's angry wound,  
And mortar to the sea the Centre of the ground.  
The Wasternes of land that men so much amazeth,  
Is like a common field where store of cattle grazeth,  
And whence by thousand heads they come our tilth to rood,  
To furnish us with fur, with leather, wood and food.  
The sea itself that seems for nothing else to serve,  
But even to drown the world (although it never serve)  
That rumbling over-heales so many a mighty land,  
Wherein the waters stead much waving might corn stand;  
A great store-place it is and under a watery plain  
Flocks numberless it feeds to feed mankind again:  
And of the cates thereof are thousand cities saru'd,  
That could not otherwise but languish hunger starved,  
As doth a Dolphin whom upon the shore half-dead  
The tide untrusty left when back-againe it fled:  
It shorter makes the ways, increases merchandise,  
And causes day and night the reeking mists arise,  
That still refresh our air, and down in water flowing  
Set, even before our eyes, the grainy pipe a growing.  

The Poet, as after a long voyage landeth in France.  But shall I still be tossed with Boreas boisterous puffs?  
Still subject to the rage of Neptune's counterbuffs?  
And shall I never see my country-chimnies reak?  
Alas my rowing fails, my boat gins to leak.  
I am undone, I am, except some gentle bank  
Receive, and that right soon, my wrack-reserued plank.  
Ha France, I ken thy shore; thou reachest me thine arm:  
Thou opnest wide thy lap to shend thy son from harm:  
Nor will't in stranger lands I roaming step in age;  
Nor o'er my bones triumph Bresile anthropophage,  
Nor Catay o'er my fame, nor Peru ere my verse;  
As thou my cradle wert, so wilt thou be my hearse.  

The praise of France.  O thousand thousand times most happy land of price!  
O Europe's only pearl! O earthly Paradise!  
All-hayle renowned France: from thee sprung many a Knight  
That hath in former times his triumph-laurels pight  
Upon Euphrates banks, and blood with Bilbo shed  
Both at the suns uprist, and where he goes to bed:  
Thou breedest many men, that bold and happy dare  
In works of handicraft with Nature self compare:  
Thou breedest many wits that with a skill divine  
Teach Egypt, Greece and Room, and o'er the learned shine,  
As o'er the paler hews do glister golden yellows,  
The sun above the stars, his flower above the fellows:  
Thy streams are little seas, thy cities Provinces,  
In building full of state, and gentle in usages:  
Thy soil yields good increase, thine air is full of ease;  
Thou hast for strong defence two mountains and two Seas.  
Th' Egyptian Crocodile disquiets not thy banks,  
The plaguy Lybian snakes with poyson-spotted flanks  
Crawl not in broken plights upon thy slowry plains,  
Nor meats an acre out by length of draggling trains.  
No Hyrcan Tigers slight boot-hails thy vaulted hills,  
Nor on thy scorched wastes th' Arcadian Lion kills  
Thy wandering habitants, nor Cairik Water-horses  
Drag under arowling tomb thy children's tender corpses:  
And though like India streams thy fairest rivers drive not  
Among their pebbles gold, although thy mountains rive not  
With veins of silver ure, nor yet among thy greet  
Carbuncles, Granats, Pearls are scattered at our feet:  
Thy Cloth, thy Wool, thy woad, thy Salt, thy Corn, thy Wines,  
More necessary fruits, are well-sufficient mines  
T'entitle thee the Queen of all this earthly scope:  

Peace, the only want of France, prayed-for inconclusion.  Peace is our only want. O God that holdest   
Always thine eyes on us, we humbly thee desire,  
Quench with thy mercy-drops this Fraunce-consuming fire.  
O make our Aïer calm; dear Father us deliver,  
And put thine angry shafts again into thy quiver.  


58  
O world of sundry kinds! Without this discourse, all that went before concerning the worlds enpeopling, were to little purpose or none at all, save only to breed many doubts in the reader's understanding. For a man may ask, How falls it out that the nations of the world, coming all of one father, No, do vary so much one from another, both in body and mind? The Poet therefore making this objection, most worthy to be considered, giveth also answer thereunto: first in general, by way of exclamation and marvel, then in particular manner, setting down some special reasons of this wonderful diversity, that appeareth in the stature, complexion, strength, colour, and custom of people wheresoever dispersed over the face of the earth. The first and principal cause is Nature itself, that is, the wise providence of God, marvelous in all his works. If God had made the earth in all places alike, all flowers of one colour and savour, all beasts, fowls, fishes and creeping things, of one kind; had he made the heaven without stars, or the stars all of one bigness, & men all of the same hue, beauty, feature, strength and disposition, as well of body as mind: the divers colours of his infinite wisdom had not so shined in them. But as he is above all (yea only) wise, good and beautiful, so would he in his works keep a certain resemblance of his own perfection, provoking us thereby, daily to advance and raise our thoughts unto the high consideration, perfect love & due reverence of himself. Now if we consider all his works, the light of his wonderful glory no where appeareth more, then in the diligent view of Man, who is very fitly called of the Greeks' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little world. For in this little table hath he lymbed-out in orient colours, for all that will behold, the wonders of his unsearchable wisdom: and they are here some of them by the Poet well pointed-out. And a wonderful thing indeed it is, that among so many men as have been since the beginning, are, or shall be to the worlds end, there never was, nor is, nor can be any one, but differing much from all the rest, both in body and mind, and in many things else that ensue thereon. This I am content to note, but in a world, leaving all the particulars of this miracle for the reader privately to consider; that he may wonder the more thereat, and praise there according th'almighty Creator, the Sovereign Good: neither will I now take in hand to dispute against those that in searching the causes of this diversity, ascribe all to Fortune, or Nature, (as they call it, meaning a secret property and power of the creatures) or to the stars and other heavenly bodies; to man's laws, custom or nourishment, in stead of God: who is indeed the first and only working cause of all things; in whom we live, move and are. This matter would require a long discourse: and though the Poet here, beside the chief and only true cause, reckoneth certain under-causes; as custom growing to Nature, Th'example of Elders, provincial Laws, and the influence of Stars; it is not his meaning to take from the Lord of Nature this honour due unto him for the diversity of his wonderful works: but only to lay open unto us a few such instruments as his incomprehensible wisdom useth, to make us the better conceive the manner of his heavenly working. The Philosophers, Astronomers, Physicians and politics, discourse at large upon these differences: he that would see them well handled, let him read the 5. chapter of bodin's method, entitled de recto historiarum judicio, and the first chapter of his fift book de Republica, which is the sum of all that he writes thereof in his Method. Peucer also in the 13. and 14. books of his discourse upon the principal sorts of divinations: and Hypocrates in his book de Aere, aquis & locis: but especially Bodin, may serve to expound our Poet; who in very few lines hath penned matter of so long discourse.   

59  
The Northern man. He entereth consideration of many points, wherein the North and Southern people differ. Bodin in the places aforequoted shows the causes thereof, according to philosophy and physic: because his books are common, specially his politics, I will not here set down what he saith, nor examine his opinions, but leave that wholly to the diligent reader. Concerning that the Poet noteth, the best histories aver the same: and namely for the Southern people, johannes Leo, and Franciscus Aluares; for the Northern, Olaus Magnus, the Baron of Herbestan in his Moscow, Buchanan in the history of Scotland, and divers others.   

60  
The Middle man.. Bodin in the 5. book of his politics, the first chap. divideth all people dwelling on this side the Aequator into 3. kinds, to wit, the hot and Southern people from the Aequator 30. degrees upward; the Mean and temperate in the next 30. and th'extreme cold and Northern people, from the 60. degree to the Pole. And so of the nations and countries beyond the Aequator. The reason hereof he setteth down in his Method. chap. 5.   

61  
For in the sacred close. The poet goes on according to the said division: and in few words emplies all that discourse of Bodin: who saith among other matters there, that the people dwelling in the middle Regions have more strength & less wit than the Southern; better parts of mind, & less bodily force then the Northern: & are moreover the fittest for government of commonwealths, and justest in their actions. And if a man do mark well the histories of the world, he shall find that the greatest & most valiant Armies came ever out of the North: the deepest and subtlest knowledge of Philosophy, Mathematics, and all other contemplative Arts, from the south: and the best government, the best laws, lawyers and Orators from the Middle countries; and that the greatest empires were founded and established there, etc. What reason there is for this, he showeth also in his fift chap. of his Meth. Look more thereof in L. Regius, de vicissitudine et varietate rerum. For my part, I am of opinion that Almighty God as he hath knit and bound together the Elements, and Creatures made of them, with a marvelous compass, in number, weight and measure, best for continuance of the whole work, and mutual agreement of the parts; so he hath also placed the chief subtlety and livelihood of spirit farthest from the greatest bodily force, either in beast or man; for the better maintenance of humane society in a just counterpoys: and gave the middle kind of people a nature of either tempered, though if a man enter into particular discourse, he may easily find the northern, southern and middle Nature in every Nation. What say I, every Nation? nay I dare say in every one of us, so fitly is Man called a little world. But the southern men, for the most part having so quick and lively parts of mind in a body less charged with fieshe, they represent the contemplative and studious kind of life: the northern that have their wit in their finger's ends, that is, that are so cunning craftsmen, inventors of warlike engines, artillery, and all sorts of needful instruments, they may well be likened unto the active and trading life: and the middle sort unto the civil government and politic life: which is a mean betwixt the other two. Yet this the Poet well restraineth, saying that the northern people also in these latter days have been renowned for the Tongues, the Laws, the Mathematics, Poesy, Oratory, & all good learning; as well as in times past they were, and are still, for warlike valour and cunning hand-works. Not without cause; for in England, Scotland, Polony, Denmark, and other such countries, are and have been divers very learned men flourishing: and Germany especially, which is (as it were) Vulcan's forge, and the Camp of Mars, hath brought forth many men excellent well seen in all kind of learning: it were needless to name them, they are so wellknowne.   

62  
But even among ourselves. The more to magnify the unsoundable wisdom of God, appearing in the creation of so divers-disposed people, he noteth out many points of great difference even among those nations that live near together, and are severed only by certain hills, rivers and forests: as the French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish. He paints them out all in their kind, for such properties as are daily seen in them, and may be easily gathered out of their own histories: for there are not the like-differing neighbour-nations in all Europe, no not in the world. Let me consider and all my Countrymen with me, what he saith of the French: the other three may do the like by themselves if they list. The French (he saith) is in war impatient, in counsel wavering, in diet sumptuous, gentle in speech, divers in apparel, outfacing his enemy, a sweet singer, a swift paser, a merry lover. If any man can draw a righter counterfeit of our Nation, let him take the pencil.   

63  
Yet would th' Immortal God. He shows for what cause it pleased God the earth should be inhabited by men of so divers natures: as 

1. to the end he might show forth his mercy and loving kindness in raising his chosen out of the sinks of sin, wherewith each of their birth-soyles were bestayned.  
2. That it might appear, how neither the soils, nor yet the heavenly Signs (though they have great power over earthly bodies) can force the minds of men, especially such as God himself hath blessed.  
3. That there might be some in all places of the world to acknowledge his manifold goodness, and glorify his Name: And  
4. that whatsoever needful things the earth any where by his gracious blessing bringeth forth proper and severally, they might be interchanged and carried from place to place for the use of man.     

64  
For as a City. The last consideration gives the Author occasion to compare the world unto a great City, such as Paris Rouen, Tolouse, Lions or any other like, where there are merchants and craftsmen for all kind of wares, each in their several wards, buying, selling, changing and trading one with other. And even so one country affordeth sugar, another spice, another gums; and gold, alabaster, ivory, hebenwood, horses, amber, furs, tin and silk, they are brought from divers coasts, all the more to furnish with things necessary this great City of the world. Whereby we may note that no country (be it never so well appointed) can say that it needs not the commodities of another. And again, that there is no land so barren, but hath some good thing or other which the rest want. For even in men we see the like; there is none so poor but hath some special gift: none so rich but hath need of the poorest. Our Poet therefore having so fitly resembled the world by a great City, he brings-in thereupon a fine example of the Persian Queen, who (as Herodotus, Xenophon and Plutarch report) called one Province her juelhouse, another her Wardrobe, &c: for even so may every man say, that hath the true knowledge and fear of God; such a man may say, Peru brings forth Gold for me: the Moluckes or Chaldaea, Spice: Damask, Alabaster: and Italy, Silk: Germany sends me great Horses: Moscow, rich Furs: Arabia, sweet Parfumes: Spain, Saffern: Prusse, Amber: England, Cloth and Tin: France, Corn and Wine. Yea more the child of God may say; the Earth, the Sea, the Air and all that is therein; the Sun, the Moon, the Heavens, are mine: for he that needeth nothing, made all things of nothing to serve me, and me to worship him. But of this let the Divines discourse more at large. He go on with the Poet: who saith further, against the carping Atheist, that nothing was created in vain, but even the most unlikely places bring forth many good fruits, and very necessary for the life of man.. And he proves it plainly by some notable particulars that follow.   

65  
The Moors enamelled. First, The fenny Valleys, though too moist they are and over-low for men to build and dwell upon, yet are they so beset with divers herbs and flowers, so jagged, guarded, and enter-trailed with rivers, that they are, as 'twere, the common gardens of the world: as also the plain fields are our seed-plots, and the stony grounds our Vineyards. 

2. The huge Mountains, about whose tops are engendered thunders, lightnings and tempests: for which cause the Atheists count them hurtful, or at least superfluous, or made by chance and error: they are in truth clean contrary (as Theodoret hath long ago showed in his Sermons of God's Providence) even the sure-standing Bounds and Landmarks of every kingdom and country: they bear great store of timber-trees for ships and houses, and fuel to burn: from them spring the great rivers, that breed much fish, and help the conveyance of provision and other merchandise unto many people dwelling farof: by them are stayed and gathered the clouds and thick musts, that manure and fatten the lower grounds: the Windmills are much helped by them, as if they were the storehouses of wind: like rampires and bulwarks they keepe-of the sudden force of warlike neighbours: and to conclude, they are (as 'twere) the very mortar that joins Land and Sea together.  
3. The great Deserts and wast-grounds, that are for men (by reason of some wants) scarce habitable, yet like huge Commons they feed an infinite sort of beasts great small, whereof we have good use and commodity.  
4. The Sea, it breeds fish, maintains many Cities, increases Traffic, and makes the ways for travail easier, and shorter: and lastly, thereout the Sun draweth vapours which after, turned into rain, do refresh the Air, and make the ground fruitful. The like good uses may be found in all other the Creatures of God, how unlikely soever they seem to wicked Atheists. Look more in S. Basil, Chrysostome, Ambrose and others, who writ of the Creation, and at large have declared what excellent commodities man may reap of every creature.     

66  
But shall I still be tossed. Fitly and in very good time the Poet, having overslipped nothing worthy note in this discourse of Colonies, now strikes sail, and after his long voyage thorough all Climates of the world, arrives happily at the haven he most desired, to weet, in France: and well he takes occasion to reckon-up the great commodities of his country, as commending the same above all the kingdoms of the world. After he hath saluted the land with divers honourable terms and titles, he saith very truly, that it hath brought-foorth many worthy warriors, cunning workmen, and learned Scholars: more is the marvel, because it is but a small kingdom in comparison of Polonia, Persia, Tartary, China and others. But indeed the commodities thereof are most wonderful. Besides the seas that bond it, as on the North and West the Ocean, and the Midland on the South, it hath many rivers of great name and even little seas: as the Rosue, Saone, Dordogne, Loire, Marne, Seine, Oise: and yet a great number of other lesser streams and brooks. Cities it hath, as Paris, Tolouse, Roüan, Lion, Bourdeaux, and others of more value then divers whole Duchies, Earldoms, or Provinces elsewhere. There are Forts and Castles now stronger and goodlier than ever were. As for the civil behaviour of the people, I report me to the judgement of other nations. The Land for the most part is very fruitful, and the air there temperate almost every where. Against the sudden invasion of enemies all is well defended by the two Seas aforesaid, and the Alps toward Italy, and the Pyrenes toward Spain. More than all this, the country is no where troubled with Crocodiles as Egypt is, nor with monstrous long Serpents, or any wild ravening beasts, as the inner countries of Africa are. And in stead of Gold and Silver, Pearls and precious stones, which divers lands barren of necessary fruits abound with, it hath of Cloth, woad, Wool, Salt. Corn and Wine, ever-growing Mines, and even unwastable: woad and Salt in Languedoc; and Salt again in Guyenne; Wine in most places; Wool and Corn in Provence and Beausse; and in every Province, but four or five, good store of divers the said commodities. More there are, but the Poet notes the chief only, and such as the neighbour countries and many farof do most of all trade-for. Hereby we are taught, and should be moved with hearty thanks to acknowledge the great benefits that God hath bestowed on us: for the Poet rightly concludes that we lack nothing but peace, and peace he craveth of the Lord: with whom, and all my good countrymen, I join humble suit from the bottom of my heart, that once again this Realm (sometime so flourishing) may enjoy a sure, that is, a just and right Christian peace.  
Amen.     
FINIS.