1.

Prince. Here is the liuely image of a good Prince set downe vnto vs in a few lines, borrowed of a many good Auctors both diuine and humane, that teach in their writings rules and ex­amples notable for this purpose. Moses in the law, Dauid in the 101. Psalme, do declare vnto vs, the rules of dutie belonging vnto gouernours: and they themselues, with all those the good iudges and kings that were among the people of God, serue for sure patternes and examples to all such as meane faithfully to discharge the like duties. Also Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon, and Plutarch, with diuers others, for the instruction of those that came after them, haue set foorth many godly precepts and ex­amples. The commodities that arise out of euery one of these vertues here described (each one whereof requireth a large com­mentarie) are infinite: and where there are now adaies such princes in the world, their subiects may thinke themselues ex­céeding happie. For next after the sincere knowledge and wor­ship of the true God, there is no greater happines in the world for vs to enioy, than to be gouerned by such vertuous persona­ges as are here described: marke then the perfect image of the good Prince.

2.

Tyrant. To giue the better glosse to the former picture, ano­ther cleane contrarie, and maruellous fearfull to behold, he set­teth here before our eyes the picture of a Tyrant that liueth in mistrust of the whole world, as did Dionysius the elder tyrant of Sicilie, of whom we reade among the liues of Plutarch. He was so mistrustfull, that for feare of his barbers, he made his daughters bring him a burning cole to sindge his haire withall. More than this, a Tyrant defileth himself with incests, whoore­domes, adulteries, and the sinne of Sodom, and therewith infe­cteth his whole court and countrie: as that filthie Nero did, whose life is written by Suetonius, Tacitus, and others, reci­ting therein many horrible and shamefull cases. Againe, the [Page 11] Tyrant will be subiect vnto no law, nor order whatsoeuer; he ouerthroweth the ground-lawes and pillers of the state: or if he séeme willing to submit himselfe thereunto, it is to further himselfe so much the more in the vndermyning, by diuers hid practises, and destroying all such as might any way resist, or make head against him. Hence commeth it to passe, that he may in no wise abide any inquisition or examination to be made of his vnworthie and vile outrages, but vaunteth of the iniurie that priuate men suffer, and discredite they are driuen vnto by meanes of his oppression. To maintaine his state the better, he entertaineth and vpholdeth all maner of hurlyburlies, factions, quarrels, and ciuill wars: he fauoureth ruffians, bawdes, flatte­rers, liers, light and loose persons, murderers, impoysoners, Epi­cures, Atheists, and such as are defiled with all maner of vice and wickednes. He promiseth mountaines, performeth nothing: glorieth to breake oth and promise, and to deceiue and surprise both small and great by faire words, swéete spéech, humble and curteous countenance, when his hart imagineth villanie and treason to his countrie. He neuer forbeareth any thing, neuer pardoneth any man, nourisheth and fatteth himselfe with blood and fire: all peaceable and vertuous persons he disgraceth and ouerthroweth, supporting and aduancing all peace-breakers, robbers, and wicked liuers: he taketh bribes for all offices, and oppresseth the people with the vnbrideled number of catchpole-officers, that maintaine themselues onely by grating vpon others: his subiects he would haue liue all daies of their life in ignorance: painfull, wise, and learned men, and those that haue well to take vnto, bicause they néede the lesse to depend on him, or sell themselues for his fauour, he chaseth far from him, and maketh beholding vnto him none but fooles, idiots, iesters, an­ticks, wranglers, and such copes-mates as of naught-worth are suddenly start vp, that wholy depend vpon him, and reuell in his cofers, not giuing him (as they cannot) any good counsell for the commonwealth; they care not which end thereof go for­ward: but all their care and counsell is for their priuate gaine, which serues to no better vse, than to intice and draw them on daily to carelesse and wicked liuing. Further yet, so far is he [Page 12] from regarding or placing néere about him men of worth and good qualities, that on the contrary, to the imitation of Tarqui­nius, surnamed the proud (whose storie Liuie writeth in the first booke of his second Decade, concerning the Poppie heads that he broke downe with his staffe, to teach his sonne by a domb shew, that he should rid out of the way al the péeres of the citie, and forsake (as another saith) fifty frogs to catch one Sam­mon) he breaketh downe the highest eares of corne: that is, he causeth al those to be put to death, that might any wayes hinder his wicked intents. What should I say more? Such a cursed creature, without God, without conscience, woorse than any wilde beast, spareth neither kiffe nor kin, but either by sword or poison maketh away the very néerest of all his blood, that he may raigne alone, if it were possible. But notwithstanding the many bands of his guard, he standeth in feare of euery man, and is despised, mocked, and detested of all. For why? Besides that is aforesaid, he glorieth and taketh delight to deuise new subsidies, imposts, and tributes, whereby the comminaltie may be impo­uerished, and held in bondage, and so in stéede of Homers people-féeder, he becommeth a people-eater. Of this image of a Tyrant, there are examples aboue number found, both in ancient & late writers of Church histories, and others: So I returne to the Poet.

3.

Nimrod scarce yet. The posteritie of Noe being much in­creased, as Moses reckoneth in the 10. chapter of Genesis, they began to spread abroad and take seuerall habitations, but not farre one from another so soone after the flood. Among other the sonnes of Cham, is numbred Cus the father of Nimrod, of whom the historie maketh mention, that he began to be great on the earth, and was a mightie hunter before the almightie, and that the beginning of his raigne was Babel, Erech, Ar­chad, and Calneh, in the land of Sennaar. Vpon this place are giuen two diuers expositions: The first is, of some that hold that Nimrod was the first after the flood that gaue any méete fourme of publike gouernment, and by the consent of many families, considering his wisedome and valour, was accepted for maister and gouernour, to rule and order many housholds togither: by reason whereof, (say they) he is called a strong hunter before the Lord: and namely, for that he repressed, by maine force, the wicked and vnruly, who, like sauage beasts, praied vpon the life of man. But the greater part of Expositors take this other­wise, and hold, that Nimrod by force and diuers subtilties (here finely set downe by the Poet) got the supremacie; and that this power ascribed vnto him, was not truely Royall and lawfull, but a power vsurped by force, a hunters power, wherewith he surprised men, and raigning ouer them cruelly, handled them as if they were beasts, yea, and that before the Lord, which is as much to say, as in despite of God, who had established a gentle rule and gouernment among the families. This second exposition is the more certaine; whether we consider the race of Nimrod, or the proper meaning and sequele of the words of the text, or the buildings of Nimrod, or what successe his proud attempt had. The Poet relying on this opinion, hath further followed in the description of the youth, and exercises of this first Tyrant that was in the second world, such things as were likely to be, and that with such a grace, as in a discourse is re­quisite, [Page 15] that out of the holie Scripture hath so narrow foundati­on, and in other bookes is, with many fables and names vncer­taine, darkened.

4.

Now he enthroned is. This is the exposition of the words, mighty hunter before the Lord: to wit, that Nimrod Chams nephew, did proudly lift himselfe vp against God and man. His buildings and the beginning of his raigne could not haue béene such, without offring violence to the peace and libertie of diuers families ouer whom he bare rule: and there is no shew to the contrarie, but that by diuers practises from time to time he got the soueraigntie. The holy Scripture oftentimes by the names of hunters and chasers, meaneth Gods enimies, and the perse­cutors of his church. Psalme 91. & 124. Ezech. 32. Lamentati­ons 3. The seauentie Interpreters translate th' Hebrue text [Page 19] after this maner: This Nimrod began to be a Gyant on the earth, and a huntesman, or leader of houndes before the Lorde God. By the hounds of Nimrod may be vnderstood his guardes, and the fauorers of his tyrannie. Moses calleth him [...] Gi­bor tsaid, that is, lusty, strong, or great and mightie chaser. Which noteth not onely the stature and height of bodie, but also might and authoritie ioyned with violence, in all those that want the feare of God. Now although Moses in the 11. Chap­ter of Genesis, where he speaketh of the citie & towre of Babel, make no mention of Nimrod, yet hath the Poet aptly gathe­red out of the chapter aforegoing, that Nimrod was the author and promoter of those buildings; in as much as Babel is called the beginning of his raigne, who could not any waies raigne without some habitations for himselfe and his subiects, and con­sidering that Moses in the selfe same place affirmeth, that the cities founded by Nimrod were in the countrey of Sennaar, and that in the 12. verse of the 11. chapter he saith, that these builders of Babel dwelt on a plaine in the countrey of Sen­naar: by good reason the inuention and beginning thereof is héere ascribed to Nimrod, who by this meanes sought to set his state on foote. Also this Monarchie of Babylon, was one of the first, and with it that of Niniuie, as may be gathered out of the wordes of Moses. But the more particular discourse of these matters, and diuerse other questions concerning Nimrod and his outrages, require a larger commentarie.

5.

Like as the Vulcan weake. The Poet saith, that as a small deale of fire let fall by some shepheards among the drie leaues of a great forest, setting it selfe, and hatching (as it were) the heate awhile, at length with helpe of the winde, groweth to so great a flame, that it taketh the whole forest, and leaueth not a Driad, that is, not a trée in his proper or naturall barke: So the words first vttered by Nimrod, the blowne with the bellowes of his mynions & fauorites, set so the harts of the peo­ple on fire, that he soon obtained his purpose. This is it that Mo­ses noteth in the 11. chap. of Gen. the 3. and 4. vers. They saide one to another (the chiefe men hauing put it in their heads) Come, let vs make bricke, and burne it well in the fire: so had [Page 20] they bricke instéed of stone, and slime had they in steade of mor­ter. Then said they, go let vs build vs a citie, and a tower, whose top may reach vnto the heauens, that we may get vs a name, least we be scattered vpon the whole earth. The Poet in his verse discourseth vpon this deuise. It is thought that this proud building was begun about a hundred and fiftie yéeres after the flood. The good patriarch Noe, that liued yet long time after, saw his posteritie confounded and scattered: for so it was the Lords will to exercise the patient faith of his seruant, to whom in re­compence he shewed the effect of his blessings in the familie of Sem, where still remained the Hebrue toong, togither with the doctrine and discipline of the true church. Now out of this histo­rie of Moses touching the building of the towne, and the confu­sion of the builders, is sprong (as it séemeth) the fabulous dis­course of the Poets, set downe by Quid in his first booke of Me­tamorphosis, touching the Gyants that heaped hils one vpon another to scale heauen, and dispossesse Iupiter of his throne. Thus hath Satan endeuoured to falsifie the truth of sacred hi­stories. Well, this arrogant building sheweth vs how vaine are the imaginations of worldly men, namely, to set at naught the true renowme of heauenly life, and séeke after the false on earth. Carnall men haue no care at all to worship and reuerence the name of the true God, they regarde onely to be accounted of themselues, and so to write their names in the dust. Against th' attempts of the men of Babel, and all their successors, let vs oppose these sentences, the 18. and 21. of Prouerbs. The name of the Lord is a strong towre, thither shall the iust repaire and be exalted. There is no wisedome, nor vnderstanding, nor force, can preuaile against the Lord: and that which is written Psal. the 127. Except the Lord do buylde the house, the builders la­bour but in vaine.

6.

God seeing this: Moses in the 5. and 6. verses of the 11. chapter saith: Then the Lord came downe to sée the citie, and Towre, which the sonnes of men had built. And the Lorde saide, Behold the people is one, and they all haue one language, and this they begin to do, neither can they now be stopped from whatsoeuer they haue imagined to do: come on, let vs go [Page 21] downe and there confound their language, that they vnderstand not one another. Then he addeth the execution of the sentence, saying; So the Lorde scattered them from thence vpon all the earth, and they left off to build the citie. Therefore the name of it was called Babel, bicause the Lord did there confounde the language of all the earth, and scattered them from thence ouer all the world. God, that is all in all, neuer changeth his place, he goeth neither vpwarde nor downwarde, but the Scripture saith, he goeth downe then whē he worketh any thing on earth, which falling out beyond and against the ordinarie course of na­ture, witnesseth his particular presence. Vnder these few words of Moses, a many things are to be considered: chiefly, he noteth the great sinnes of the builders, in that he bringeth in the Lord, iudge of the whole world, vouchsaufing to bow downe his eies particularly vpon that foolish people. For it is not without cause that the great God of heauen and earth shoulde arise from his throne, and (if I durst so say) leaue the palace of his glorie to come and view the durt-dawbers or morter-makers. By this manner of spéech Moses sheweth, and giueth vs to vnderstand, that long time before these Babylonians had built in their harts most woonderfull high and stately towers, and that long ago they had bak'd in the fire of their concupiscence some mar­uellous brickes: to wit, they had much counsailed one with an other, and discoursed of meanes to get renowme, and found no better way to attaine their purpose, than to raise a tower vp to the heauens, to rauish with astonishment all those that shoulde beholde it. So Moses saith that this pride and frowarde selfe-trust deserued a gréeuous punishment: but as God is parfaitly iust, so layeth he vpon the builders a chastisement proportiona­ble vnto their offence.

7.

Thus had he said and straight. In God it is all one to will and to do: And further, he sendeth not lightning, winde, nor tempest against the tower: but contenteth himself to strike the proud and puffed vp braines of the builders: and so the buil­ding founded vpon their follie was ouerthrowne by their foolish iangling that God mingled with their language; and the vain­glorious masons in stéed of their imagined renowme, haue gottē [Page 22] themselues euerlasting shame. Who would haue thought that God had had so readie such kinde of rods to punish mankinde withall? But let the Reader consider whether the world at this day be not full of Babel-towers. Marke what a number of men do in euery kind of vocation. Sith I do not take vpon me but to write bare Annotations, I leaue it to the Readers considerati­on, who may sée, now more then euer, that the world continu­eth the building of Babel: that is, men madly gainset their owne wisedome and power against the wisedome and pow­er of God; who treading as it were with woollen féete, and stealing on softly, is able with an arme of Iron to surprise and seize vpon these builders, and turne by diuers means their vaine purposes and weake endeuours to naught. The Poet hath vsed many verie fit comparisons to represent the confusion of these workmen. The first is taken from that which we sée fall out in a great rabblement of Pesants, ouerruled by the Launce or Mace of Bacchus: that is, such as haue the Wine in their heads, and are dronken: for among such people is com­monly heard a strange confused noise & iangling, as the Churh­ales and Wakes, and other such passe-times do now and then declare. The second is taken from the chirping of Birdes, in voice and song diuers. The third from Masons, constrained by the sodaine rage of a land-flood, to leaue off the begun worke of a Bridge. And héere is a liuely description of Gods iudge­ments, togither with their degrées and consequences: namely, in the confusion of vnderstandings first, then of spéech, and last­ly of the whole company; which being vnable longer to conti­nue, was quickly so scattered, that (as Moses saith) they ceassed to builde the Citie.

8.

O proud rebellion. A fine description of euils ensuing this confusion of spéech. First, the acquaintance of all mankinde togither, the knot and loue-bond of nations, is so loosened and broke, that scarre is there founde any remedie for it, some of them not thinking on, or not at all caring for others. Second­ly, [Page 24] that onely one language which decked and embellished the acquaintance and fellowship of men, that kept them in peace and temper, such as it was, that made them all well ap­paide, that mooued each one to his dutie, & was much regarded of all, hath lost all this by this change, and in a word hath nei­ther shew nor grace of a language: insomuch as euen at this day the fall of the Tower of Babel is heard from North to South, from East to West. That is to say, in the diuerse lan­guages of so many nations we may obserue almost nothing else but a kinde of chattering and confused sounde, neither fit, nor comely, nor expressing at all the nature of things: At least one people so iudgeth of anothers toong. For I pray you what plea­sure taketh a Frenchman to heare a Moscouite or a Mexican speake? And euen the toongs that we vnderstand, and speake (as we thinke) reasonable well, what are they vnto vs in respect of our mother toong, or the principall toongs? Thirdly, whereas the nations dwelling farthest asunder, might easily haue come togither, béen acquainted and traffiked one with another: Now a man is no sooner gone out of his owne doores, but he hath much adoo to vnderstand those that he méeteth withall; and if he set foote in any far country, he néedeth interpretours, or must haue spent a long time before to learne the toong, or else must speake by signes, or alwaies hold his peace, and liue like a domb creature. Fourthly, to amplifie further this miserie, the Poet sheweth that if this disorder had not happened, a man might haue learned in short time all the Liberall sciences, and gained the top of that hill where Encyclopaedia, (that is, the full com­passe of all Arts) crowneth all such lawfull aspiring mindes: and in a word, obtained the parfait knowledge of all things; wheras now we spende our whole life in the learning wordes of th'He­brue, Gréeke & Latine toongs, & that's nothing else but babling: and in stead of being wel séene in the heauenly Philosophie, and that of this lower worlde, we must take paines in syllables & words, circuits of spéech, and other like exercises, vntill we be gray-headed and white-bearded, and so end our liues scarse hauing yet attained any sufficient knowledge of Law, Physicke or Diuinitie, that are the chiefe professions. The learned know [Page 25] how hard a matter it is to haue a good stile, which is called [...], the measure of learning; and that Aristotle, who hath so excellently well set it downe, in that woonderfull worke of his, commonly called the Organ, is vnderstood but of a few. What may a man say then of the most part of the discourses and spéech of men now adayes liuing? It is nothing but babble, it is Babel it selfe. I speake not héere of the substance of things, but of the fashion, order, and manner that is vsed to make them be conceiued of those to whom we speake, be they neuer so cun­ning in the toong themselues. Then of Barbarisme and igno­rance, what shall a man thinke?

9.

What shall I tell you more? Moses saith, in the begin­ning of the 11. Chapter, that then (that is, many yéeres after the flood, and about the same time when Chams posteritie left the East parts to come and dwell in the plaine of Sennaar) the whole earth was one language and one spéech, to wit, Noe and his children: and all the families from them issued, though they dwelt not togither, yet spake they all the same language. All of them parted not from the East to the foresaid plaine of Senna­ar: but likely enough is their opinion, that holde that Noe and Sem parted not so soone so farre a sunder, and especially that they accompanied not these builders of Babel, who sought re­nowme, and set vp their rest in this worlde. A man may aske now what was that onely language they spoke in the worlde before the flood, and after, vntill the building of Babel. The Po­et answereth, it was the language of God himselfe. Héereupon ariseth two opinions: The first is, of those that to honour their [Page 28] countrey, after the example of some ancient Heathens, would make vs beléeue they are sprung of the earth, or fallen from the Moone, and thinke their spéech the most excellent of all other. The Egyptians and Phrygians haue long sithence debated this matter, as shall be said more at large in the next Section. A fewe yéeres ago a Phisition of Brabant named I. Goropius, set foorth a great booke entituled Origines Antuerpianae, wher­in he aymeth especially at this marke, to prooue the Cymbrike toong (which in his opinion is the base Almaine) to be the first spéech of the world. Since his death a certaine writer of Liege, hath set out many other bookes of his about the same matter: and in one of them, that is called Hermathena, this Cymbrike toong or lowe Dutch, is preferred farre aboue the Romaine, Gréeke and Hebrue. It asketh a long discourse to answere his reasons: for this time I will answere but in a worde: Namely, that all that which he alledgeth for the preheminence of his owne toong, is a méere cauill, that is called in the Schooles, Petitio principij: when a Sophyster taketh for granted that which is expresly denied him, and he knowes not how to proue. Goropius groundeth al his discourse on this: that the Cymbrike toong hath borrowed nothing of any other, and that the Hebrue is comen of it, and euen borroweth of the Cymbrike. This a man will denie Goropius and his disciples: and whereas they shewe some Hebrue words or Phrases that resemble the words and termes of the base Almaine, and so conclude that Adam spake low Dutch, and that the language of Moses and the Pro­phets is hard, ambiguous, poore, and borrowed of the Cym­brike, which they were not well able to follow: I answere, that they are deceiued, and that on the contrarie they ought to saie, the Hebrue was afore all other toongs; who were begun in Ba­bel, and haue sithence brought foorth infinite others, as the high and low Dutch, and other like, now vsed in the world. I woulde the learned professours of principall toongs, woulde finde some time to refute th'allegations of Goropius: Especially those that make against the Hebrue, which he hath too saucily disgraced in the second booke of his Hermath, Pag. 25. 26. &c. The second opinion, which I hold with the Poet, is, that the Hebrue toong, [Page 29] inclosed chiefly in the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament (which haue béene woonderfully preserued vntill our time) is the first spéech of the world, and the same that Moses meant, when he said, the whole earth had one mouth or language, be­fore the building of Babel. The reasons thereof are touched in a worde by the Poet, who doth hereafter treat of them more at large, as we haue also noted in the margent, & meane to speake somewhat thereof in the 12. Annotation. Now whereas this first language hath at this day no letter nor worde, but is full of maimes and myseries, it may be saide of euery toong since the confusion: that it is nothing but corrupt iangling, weake, vn­certaine, and changing euer from time to time, as many haue already shewed heretofore. The Gréeke and Latine toongs haue changed fiue or sixe times: and the learned know what wrang­ling there hath béene about the writing, pronouncing, and dis­posing of their termes & phrases. Then what is to be said of the Gréekish and Latinish toongs, those that are but apes of the other? What of the barbarous, strange, and new toongs? or of those whose foolish pronunciation onely no man can abide, or of others that by vse, time, and force of people, are waxen cur­rant? but this I leaue to such as list to comment héereupon at large.

10.

Long since the Phrygians. The Egyptians, being euer great braggers, vaunted long ago that they were the most anci­ent people of the world: a certaine king of theirs named Psam­metichus attempted to search out the truth; and for that end thought méete by some meanes to discouer what was the first language of the world: Thus, he tooke two new-borne babes, and deliuered them vnto shepheards to be noursed, commanding they should be brought vp in a secret staule, there to sucke the milke of goates, and straitly forbidding, that none should come there to pronounce any word before them: then after a certaine time when they were of age, they should be left alone, and made to fast a while. Now so soone as they were past two yéeres olde, their gouernour hauing in all points accomplished the kings commandement, came to open the staule, and then the two chil­dren began to crie Bec, bec: the shepheard said not a word: they [Page 30] repeat still the words: and he let his master vnderstand therof, who caused the children to be brought secretly vnto him, and heard them speake. So when the meaning of the word was as­ked, and th'Egyptians vnderstood it signified bread in the Phry­gian toong, they graunted the preheminence of antiquitie vnto the Phrygians. Herodotus writeth that the priests of Vulcan, in the citie of Memphis, told him the same tale. There are some others that thinke these babes were brought vp of dombe nour­ses: howsoeuer it be, sure it is that the pride of the Egyptians was by some such deuise daunted. Suidas, touching the very point, saith that babes nourished of a goate, must néedes crie somthing like a goate, and such was the sound of the word Bec; a méete reward for his wisedome that made such a triall. The Grecians in old time were woont to call an old dotard [...], a word composed of Bec and [...], the moone: the same is turned into a prouerbe which Erasmus expoundeth. But Goropius in the 5. and 9. booke of his Origines plaieth the subtill Sophister, as his maner is, and vseth his beake vpon the word Bec: con­cluding, since bec in low Dutch signifies bread, and Psammeti­chus his babes called for bec, that so long ago they spoke lowe Dutch; whereupon it followeth, that his toong is the most anci­ent of the world. He calleth also his discourses vpon the same Becceselanea, offering the subiect of a comedie to some new Aristophanes. But let vs consider the answers of the Poet to the Phrygians and to Goropius.

11.

O fooles, that little thought. The first answere is, that this word Bec that the children spoke, was a cōfused sound com­ming néere the crie of goates: And how could they aske bread, séeing that they vnderstood it not, neuer heard it spoken by any bodie, neuer heard the meaning of it? The second is, that words are not borne with vs, but that we learne them by haunt & long vsage. If they were borne with vs, doubtles these infants would haue spoken as well other words: for the vnderstanding being mooued, the belly pinched with hunger, would not content it selfe to expresse his passion in one syllable. The third is, that men are onely the right and proper speakers, yet if they be not taught it, and thereto fashioned, but are brought vp among [Page 31] beasts, in stead of a right & framed spéech, they shall make but a sound and crie confused like vnto beasts. In a word, I take this discourse of Herodotus, touching the two infants and their Bec, to be but a tale made vpon pleasure, and a very heard-say; and there against I oppose the antiquitie of the Hebrue toong. Yet if I were bound to beléeue Herodotus, I would say the Phrygi­ans Bec was drawen from the Hebrues [...] Lechem. The dis­ciples of Goropius will confesse that the Phrygians are come from the successours of Noe: so can it not séeme strange vnto them, that I say the Phrygians retaining some tokens of their grandfathers language, haue (like infinite others) lengthened and shortened the most part of the words: some whereof yet re­maine whole, to witnes the antiquitie and principalitie of the Hebrue toong. After this the Poet answereth those that build vpon the vnframed noise of beasts, the chirping and chattering of birdes, and the babling of Parrets, to prooue the birth of spéech with vs, and cast a cloud ouer that perfection he graunted onely to the first language; and so he saith that man onely en­dued with reason, is the onely creature on earth capable of di­stinct, ordered, important, and proper spéech, and further spea­keth many seuerall toongs: whereof he bringeth in for example the learned Scaliger. Hence it ensueth that a man cannot learne to speake, if he be brought vp among beasts that haue no reason whereby to deserue the name of a spéech, or to vse the same aright: or if he be brought vp with such as are dombe, of whom he can learne nothing but signes & confused sounds, he will ne­uer speake treatably, nor vnderstande any thing, except another do speake first vnto him, and make him vnderstande the spéech with often repeating: As appéereth not onely in yoong children, but in the oldest men also, who learne as long as they liue the words and names of those very things which they haue often­times séene before. It followeth then, that all the discourse of the Phrygians Bec is a deuised tale, & therefore vnwoorthy for them to buyld vpon, that go about to prooue the Phrygian toong, or theirs that would draw their pedegrée from the Phrygians, to be the first language of the world. Another man may finde in his owne toong a many like words, and drawe thence as good [Page 32] conclusions as Goropius doth. But a strange thing it is, that the heathen authors haue said nothing, nor made any mention in their bookes of the beginnings and occasions of diuersitie of toongs: especially that the Grecians, and other such learned peo­ple that haue professed the knowledge of all things, knew not the beginning of their owne language. Moses onely hath set vs downe this notable historie, & opened vnto the Heathen the spring of their toongs. And this further is to be woondered at in the historie of Babel, that the Hebrue toong alone, as being the first of the world, hath remained among that people that were the Church of God, where the Messias was borne, and from whence arose the preaching of the Gospell, touching the ap­pearance of the promised Sauiour: which Gospell hath sithence by the gift of toongs and ministerie of the Apostles ouerspread al the parts of the world. Thus Moses handling the beginning of toongs, prooueth his historie to haue long fore-gone all others, and therewithall engraueth vpon the gates and wals of the ci­tie and Tower of Babel, a godly warning to all men, to flie and auoide Atheisme, and all vain-glorious follie, which buil­deth Towers against heauen, and rebelleth against God: who suffereth the wicked to aduaunce and hoyse vp themselues the space of some fewe monthes or yéeres, to the end he may giue them a fearfull ouerthrow at length. What woulde the presumption of man haue done (saith Saint Augustine) when algate the top of this Tower had raught vnto the cloudes? It is humilitie that lifteth vp the hart on high, to the Lorde, not against the Lord: shée it is that leadeth vs the true, right, and sure way to heauen. These fewe words I thought good to adde vnto the rest, bicause the proud aspiring mind of man can not be sufficiently discouered, nor to much cried out on. Wheras these builders busily forecast in their minde, and laboured to make themselues renowmed among their posteritie, & thought men of some woorth, let vs remember that the true praise consisteth not in works of goodly outward shew, but in such as are good in­déede, and approoued of God. So let vs returne to the text of the Poet, who hauing touched in a worde the beginning of toongs, and refuted some contrarie obiections, sheweth now [Page 33] which of all the toongs that haue béene, are, or shall be in the world, ought to be accounted the chiefe and most auncient, and whereof a man may truly say, it is the most excellent of all other.

12.

Th'Ebrue toong. He propoundeth fiue reasons, whereby he is induced to beléeue that the Hebrue is the first toong of all, whatsoeuer the Gréeke and others do alledge for themselues.

The first is, that this toong compriseth much matter in few words, is very significant, briefely and plainly expresseth what­soeuer a man can thinke, and when it is requisite to discouer the most secret and hidden plights of the hart, she slippeth none, but for all things hath words liuely, pleasant, waightie and of great import: and for hir circuits of spéech and long discourses, they are more woonderful then the best and swéetest the Gréeke hath: which not withstanding hir store of selfe-meaning words, hir bould and far-fetcht Epithites, hir cunning Metaphores, hir words compounded, hir tenses and other fine deuises, is no more comparable to the other, than the chirping of a Goldfinch is to the song of the Nightingall. Proofe hereof may be made by the earnest and diligent consideration, and waying the wordes, sentences, & discourses of the Hebrue with those of the Gréeke, and all others: not onely in Grammars and Dictionaries, but euen in whole bookes and volumes. It shall suffise me to wage and lay the booke of Psalmes onely, or the workes of Salomon, or Iob, or of Esay, against all other auctours: and I dare bould­ly auouch, that in one of these a man shall finde almost in eue­ry chapter, more elegance, state and maiestie, more figures, and more of all kinde of ornaments for a discourse, than in all the tedious works of those that mans wisedom setteth-by so much. I speake not now of the matter and substance of things, which neuerthelesse is in this toong as happily expressed as in any other; let them straine themselues neuer so much, they are not able but very grossely and a-farre-off to make a shew of that which this other painteth out in orient colours, what matter soeuer it hath occasion to vtter.

The second reason is, that the Rabbines or Hebrue Doctors [Page 37] (men woondrous carefull to preserue the whole bodie of the old Testament, so as the least letter, point, and accent, they haue counted ouer and againe often times) haue noted in the 22. letters of the Hebrue Alphabet, either apart or togither consi­dered, all the secrets of Diuinitie and of Philosophie, both na­turall and morall. This is a notable thing in the Hebrue toong, that all the letters haue their proper signification: and that the letters of most of the principall toongs in the world haue taken their beginning from them: as also that the primitiue words, and those of whom infinite others are deriued in diuers princi­pall toongs, are drawne from the letters, syllables and words of the Hebrue. To say nothing of the excellencie of hir accents, and the propertie of hir vowels: the Rabbines haue further found out many secrets by diuers way-turning and alter-placing the letters of Hebrue words: and that which the Gréekes & others haue after their example inuented, is nothing in comparison. For there is scarce any word in the Hebrue, but being inuerted (as may easily be done, and somtimes two, thrée, or fower waies, as the number of the letters are) offereth to our consideration another word, either of like sense, or contrarie: or making rela­tion to the first, giueth thereto such light, beautie and liuelihood, that it is woonderfull to behold. Againe, oftentimes a Nowne or other word, yea a letter, importeth a whole sentence, like vn­to the Egyptians Hieroglyphikes, inuented of them to the imi­tation of the Hebrue letters and words, yet nothing in compari­son of them. This matter would require a whole volume, to be written according to Art, by the hand of some one that were wel seene in the toongs: and I could name thrée paire yet liuing that are well able to do it. In the meane season, whosoeuer is desi­rous to search further herein, let him read the Harmonie of the World, written by Franciscus Georgius, and Guido Faber: the Heptap. of Ioannes Picus, Earle of Mirandula, the Hierogly­phickes of I. Goropius, from the beginning of the seuenth booke, to the end of the sixtéenth: thrée bookes of I. Reuclinus De arte Cabaiistica, and other thrée bookes of his De Verbo mirabili, the Cabala of Picus, with the interpretations of Angelus Bur­goneuensis thereupon. Further, much good matter to this pur­pose [Page 38] a man may finde in Thesauro linguae sanctae, set out by S. Pag­ninus, and after augmented by many other learned professors of this toong. Sée further the Syriac Institut, &c. of Caninius: the Mithridates of C. Gesnerus: the Alphabet in 12. toongs of Postella, and his booke, De antiquitate linguae Hebraica, there are many such Treatises set foorth by diuers learned men: whereout, and of the bookes aforenamed, may be gathered infi­nite proofes of that which the Poet hath touched in this se­cond reason.

The thirde is, that there liues no nation vnder the cope of heauen, but kéepeth still some words of Hebrue in their spéech; First, the Caldean, Syrian, Arabian, Egyptian, Persian, Ethiopian, and many other, as the Gotthicke, Troglodytick, Punick, are so deriued thence, that they come as néere it as Ita­lian to Latine, some more, some lesse. Secondly, the Gréeke, La­tine, and those others, that are farther off, haue yet here and there some words that we must néedes grant, are sprong from the same fountaine: a man may set downe a many of them, but it were too long here to coate the examples. Thirdly, the rootes of many words that are taken to be Gréeke or some other toong, are founde to be Hebrue, as Franciscus Iunius hath plainly shewed in his learned oration De linguae Hebraeae antiquitate & praestantia.

The fourth reason is, that the doctrine of the old Testament, which is the doctrine of the first and most ancient people of the world, was not written but in Hebrue. No man denieth that the people that came of Sem the sonne of Noe, is the most anci­ent: among these remained the Church of God and the Hebrue toong. God spake not but in the Hebrue toong by the high priest that wore the sacred Ephod, and the breast-plate of iudgement, whereon was set [...] Vrim & Thummim (words signify­ing lights & perfectiōs) which some thinke was the [...] or four-letered name Iehoua, contained within the brest-plate: others say it was the ranks of those twelue precious stones there enchased, that on them had ingrauen the names of the twelue tribes of Israel: as if it were a repetition of that which Moses saith in the 17.18.19. and 20. verses of the 28. chapter of [Page 39] Exodus, where he speaketh of [...] Vrim & Thummim in the 30. verse: others hold they were certaine names: others are of diuers other opinions. Some late writers thinke those words were ingrauen in the breast-plate: This is a secret, the search whereof (whether one dispute of the words, or what they meant, or whats become of them, &c.) is very painfull and néed­lesse; for that now sithence the comming of Christ we ought to follow the truth it selfe, and not stay vpon shadowes. These words doubtles gaue to vnderstand, that all light and perfe­ction commeth of our Sauiour, in whom all the fulnes of the Godhead bodily dwelleth, in whom are hid all the treasures of vnderstanding and knowledge, who is the light of his Church, that is made vnto vs of God his father wisedome, iustice, re­demption, and holines. In all iudgements, demaunds, oracles, and reuelations that were made by Vrim and Thummim (as may be gathered out of the 27. chapter of Numbers, the first booke of Samuel the 13. and 30. chapters, and other places where aduise and counsell was asked of God, and answere was made by the mouth of the high priest) there appéered a cléere light, a sure truth and perfection: all which in Christ is accomplished. Now these demaunds & answers were propounded & rendred in the Hebrue toong, long time before any other language was vsed in y ^e world. For so soone after their scattering at Babel they could not well be incorporated into a common-wealth: and as for religion, that was not kept but in the race of Sem, as Moses plainly declareth all through the historie of Abrahā. Concerning the Prophets, their dreames & visions, God spake not, they vn­derstood not, neither answered or taught they the Church but in the Hebrue; that significant, vnmingled, holy, chaste & heauenly toong; wheras others lispe and stammer out vncertaine sounds, and are infinite waies defiled through the dishonest, foolish, erro­nious, and vngodly discourses of their inuentours: I except the bookes of the new Testament, and all writings drawen from the cléere fountaines of holy Scripture, besides the which there is nothing but vanitie, filth, wickednes, and vngodlines in the world. Moreouer, the Lord himselfe setting downe his law to his people, and writing it twise with his owne finger, and spea­king [Page 40] with his owne mouth to Moses and his other seruants in the Mount, vsed the Hebrue toong. So did the Angels and Pro­phets, and Iesus Christ spake the Syriacke, a toong so deriued of the Hebrue, that they are very like; as their Grammars de­clare. The Apostles spake diuers toongs, and wrote also accor­ding to the people and persons with whom they had to doe: yet for all that in their bookes may be noted an infinite many of phrases borrowed of the Hebrue: as the learned interpreters of the new Testament haue exactly shewed.

The fift and last reason set downe by the Poet is, that the Hebrue words, especially the proper names (some are alledged for example, and many other may be added) are of great waight and importance: for somtimes they lay open vnto vs the chiefe things that doe befall the person so named. Nay further, if a man would take the paines to change the order of letters, he may finde in them many goodly mysteries. The Gréekes haue found the way, and followed it in the interpretation of their pro­per names: but they come far short of the liuelyhood and maie­stie of the Hebrues, who begun the thing before them many hundred yéeres. As for other toongs the most part of their proper names haue no meaning; they are deuised at-all auentures; so are they right tokens of barbarisme. Som toongs there are more happie and plentious than others in this behalfe: but their in­terpretations are for the most part vncertaine, especially if the Roote thereof come not from or néere the Hebrue. Héerehence againe the curious reader may take occasion of a large commen­tarie: I leaue it vnto him.

13.

Then doe I thee salute. It is not without cause, that the Poet straight vpon the former discourse, vseth these words: con­sidering the excellencie of the Hebrue toong, and that he setteth out in so few verses hir wonderful perfections, each one of them requiring a large treatise, and himselfe being vnable to shut vp so great matters in so few words. For example sake let vs consi­der but very briefly those thrée points that the Poet héere tou­cheth: to wit, that the 22. Hebrue letters are full of hidden sense; that the proper names of persons, countries, and cities in this toong are as much as abridgements of their life and déedes, [Page 41] that the names of birds, beasts and fishes, containe the historie of their natures, howbeit since the fall of Adam the knowledge thereof is greatly darkened. To make the Reader somewhat more desirous to enter meditation hereon, I will set him downe some examples. Concerning the mysteries of th'Hebrue Letter­row Eusebius & S. Ierom in his Epistle ad Paul. vrbic. which is the 155. expoūdeth them, as I shal shew you in our own toong. The first letter [...] Aleph signifieth doctrine, [...] Beth a house, [...] Ghimel Fulnes, [...] Daleth Tables, [...] He This, [...] Vau & [...] Zain That or she there, [...] Cheth Life, [...] Teth Good, [...] Ioth Beginning, [...] Chaph a Hand, [...] Lamed Discipline, or the Hart, [...] Mem Theirs, or of these, [...] Nun Continuall, [...] Samech Aide or succour, [...] Ain a Spring, or an Eie, [...] Phe a Mouth, [...] Sade Iustice, [...] Coph Calling, [...] Resch a Head, [...] Schin Téeth, [...] Tau Signes. All which may be thus put to­gither and expounded. The doctrine of the Church, which is the house of God, is found in the fulnes of the Tables: that is, the holy Scriptures. This doctrine and that fulnes of the tables is the life; for what life can we haue without the knowledge of holy Scripture? Out of these we learne Iesus Christ, who is the life of them that beléeue. And although this knowledge be excellent and parfit in God, yet as for vs, we know not but in part, we sée as it were by a glasse in darknes: But when we shal ascend vp into heauen, & become like vnto the Angels, then the doctrine of the house, and the fulnes of the tables of Gods truth, shall be accomplished: then shall we sée face to face the Good prince (to wit, God himself the Soueraign Good, who is the Be­ginning of all things) euen as he is in his owne nature. In the mean-time we must lay Hand to y ^e worke of our Calling, by the meanes of a right Discipline or a true Hart, assuring our selues that we shall finde Continuall Succour in this heauenly truth, which is the Spring or Eie of the Mouth of Iustice, namely Christ our Head, whose Calling is in Signes, or marks of Teeth or framed voice of the Scripture. I desire th [...] [...]ader to take in good part this short Allegorie that I am bo [...]d make vpon the Hebrue letters; and if he desire more in this kinde; let him repaire to the Rootes of th' essential words of these letters, there [Page 42] may he view the matter more at large. For this time it shall suffice to haue shot this arrow at y ^e marke our Poet aymed at.

Now for the second point touching the names of seuerall men, of nations and cities, I will note you a couple of examples of each: [...] Abraham signifieth A father of many, so was his houshold much increased temporally and spiritually, he is the father of all the Beléeuers, whose number is vncountable. [...] Moses signifieth Taken out of the waters, so was he by Pharoes daughter, when his mother, loth to haue him slaine ac­cording to the kings cruell commandement, had laid him foorth in a pitched flasket by the riuers brinke, Exod. 2. By him also God guided his people through the waters of the red sea, and wrought many miracles. The Arabians are a people who euen at this day haue no certaine place of abode, they wander still vp and downe the champion countreyes and wildernes, they are famous théeues, and lurking in secret places make often sallies out vpon their neighbours, and set vpon all passengers vna­wares. Their name commeth of the Verbe [...] Arab, by Ain in the first coniugation [...] Hearib, which signifieth to mingle day and night togither: and bicause that in a desert and waste place all things are confused, as if day and night were mingled togi­ther, therefore the countrey for the situation is called Arabia. This Verbe agréeth right with another [...] Arab, written by Aleph, which signifieth to lie in ambush, or to lurke in dennes as théeues and rauening beasts doe. The Egyptians in the Scrip­ture are called [...] Mitsraim bicause of their strong holds and places of defence, that haue béen long amongst them: the primi­tiue word is [...] Tsor that signifieth to Trusse close togither: In some places of Scripture Egypt is called [...] Rahab, that signi­fieth Proud: so ind [...]d they haue alwaies béen high-minded and greater braggers than any other people. Now for cities [...] Ierusalem signifieth The vision of peace, and iust according to the truth: for the peace and grace of God hath béene séene and continued vp [...] [...] place many hundred yéeres, and chiefly bi­cause it hath [...] figure of the Church militant and trium­phant; as often mention is made of the new and heauenly Ie­rusalem. Babilon commeth of the word [...] Babel, which is de­riued [Page 43] of the Verbe [...] Balal to confound, mingle, or trouble, as water when it is mudded. For so indéed the earthy Babel, that was in Chaldaea, hath made a hotchpotch of the world: and that Babel, the spirituall, that is spoken of in the Reuelation, hath made so many confusions, that it is vnpossible to name them all.

There remaineth the third point, touching Birds, foure-foo­ted beasts, and fishes, whereof and euery of them I will name two onely, for a patterne, least I séeme too long in the anno­tations. The Storke, so commended for hir loue towarde those by whom she receiued life, is called [...] Chasida, that is to say, dutifull, louing, and religious. The Eagle is cal­led Nescher that commeth néere to Shor and [...] Iashar, the one signifieth to looke, the other to be rightfull: and this bird of all other hath the sharpest sight, and looketh against the sunne. There is further a liuely description of this bird in the 39. chap­ter of Iob, as also of the Austrich, and many other in diuers pla­ces of Scripture. The horse, called [...] Sus, is thought to come of the Verbe [...] Nasas, if rather this Verbe be not thence deri­ued, which signifieth to aduaunce himselfe: for it is the brauest and fiercest of all other foure-footed beasts: as Iob finely descri­beth him in the 39. chapter. The Hebrues haue thrée names for a Lion; [...] Arieh, [...] Labi and Laijsch: the first commeth of a Verbe that signifieth to snatch, and teare in sunder: the second of the word [...] Leb, that signifieth the Hart, and [...] Laab, to be in solitarie and desert places: the third is commonly interpre­ted a great and roring Lion, not vnlike the Verbe [...] Losh, that signifieth to surprise or deuoure, for tha [...] [...]his beast rampeth-vp­on and swalloweth vp his pray. The [...]hales and great fishes are called [...] Thannim, Snakes, Ser [...]nts, or Dragons, bi­cause they are of a great length, and turne and fould themselues euery way, and are no lesse dangerous in the sea than serpents and dragons on the land. In the 40. chapter of Iob that great fish is called [...] Leuiathan, which some de [...] of the Verbe [...] Lauah, which signifieth to borrow or take [...] [...]or his recrea­tion: bicause the Whale séemeth to play vp [...] downe the sea, as in a place borrowed for recreation. The C [...]codile, that li­ueth both on land and water, is called [...] Hatsa [...] and séemeth [Page 44] to come of the word [...] Tsab, which signifieth the couering of a Chariot, bicause this mightie creature hath so long and so thicke a skin. Moreouer, th'Hebrues of the whole kinde of fishes speake commonly as if they were of another world, bicause they are so farre parted and seuered from the sight and con­uersation of men: they make thrée sorts of them, which they expresse by the words [...] Dagh, [...] Thannim, and [...] Leuia­than. This haue I added the more to shew the liuelihood and naturall importance of this toong, and héerewith I will content my selfe at this time, desiring that some other, stirred vp by my example, would take this matter in hand, and discourse of it bet­ter and more at large.

14

For when Adam. Moses saith plainly, in the 19. and 20. verses of the second Chapter of Genesis: That God made all the beasts of the fielde, and foules of the heauen come before A­dam, to sée how he would name them, and that howsoeuer he named euery thing liuing, so was the name thereof. The Man therefore gaue names vnto all Cattaile, and to the Foules of heauen, and to euery Beast of the field. The wisedome, where­with our first father was endued before his fall, importeth thus much, that he should giue méete and couenable names vnto all creatures vnder his dominion: & although the knowledge and search of birds and beasts names be hard, bicause of the weak­nes of mans iudgement now since his fall, yet is it not vnpossi­ble, as men wel séene in the Hebrue toong haue alreadie shewed.

15

15 And for each Bodie. Adam a man parfitly wise before he sinned, gaue not onely méete names to all creatures, that were (in a maner) the moouables and instruments of his house, and of this great shop of the world, whereof the Lord had made him master; but further enriched his language with all maner of ornaments that might be required to make it parfit: So that before his fall he spake more eloquently than any mortall man since. After he had sinned, entred ignorance into his vn­derstanding, and frowardnes into his affections: which haue made the spéech of him and his posteritie vnfitting, vnparfit, deceiuable, and often false, euen in humane and indifferent things, yea such sometime as we most curiouslie studie vpon: [Page 45] But the grace of God, the long life of this Patriarch, and his fresh remembrance of the woondrous things that he had séene in the Garden of Eden, haue brought to passe doubtlesse, that the conuersation, instruction, reports and authoritie of so great a personage, had a maruellous force to perswade and teach all those that were in his schoole. For from him had we first our Arts & Sciences deriued, & especially the knowledge of the true God. And although since his time the things haue béene more and more illightened and parfited, yet must we néedes confesse that Adam was the first teacher of them. Who so desireth to know the depth of his wisedome, let him at his leysure medi­tate vpon the foure first Chapters of Genesis, and he will con­fesse there is contained the summe of all that all men haue knowne, or shall vnto the worlds end. Now out of all doubt it is, that Adam taught his children and their posteritie all these things exactly. But Moses, by the direction of the spirit of God, thought it sufficient to represent onely the grounde of things: otherwise the world neither had nor would euer be able to con­taine the bookes that might be made vpon these foure first Chapters.

16

This toong that Adam spoke. The first world conti­nued 1656. yéeres. Adam liued 930. yéeres, his posteritie kept his language, and although they possessed with their tents and dwellings a large péece of ground, yet is there no place of Scrip­ture to be found, whereout may be gathered any proofe of the di­uersitie of toongs before the flood. There being then but one, it must néedes be the same that Adam taught his children: as may also appéere by this, that all proper names vntill the flood are Hebrue. Noe the true sonne of Adam retained and spoke this toong, and taught it his children. And although thrée or foure score yéeres before the flood they began to spread abroade themselues, and corruption grew more and more among them (as by that may be gathered, that is written of Nimrod and Asshur, and the children of Cham, Genesis the 10.) yet in the beginning of the eleuenth Chapter Moses witnesseth that at what time they, that came to dwell in the plaine of Sennaar, spake of building the Citie and Tower afterward called Babel, [Page 46] all the earth was one lāguage & one spéech: which I vnderstand not onely of those that dwelt in the plaine of Sennaar, but of all people then liuing in the world. It is likely that they that came out of the East countries, and setled themselues in Sennaar were a great number. They spake Hebrue, but when confusion befell their toong, some drew one way, others another way, and by continuance of time their Hebrue varying by meanes of their separation was embased, and euery seuerall people had their language apart. As for such as were not mingled in this disorder, namely the families of Sem, or the most part of them, they kept the originall and primitiue toong, wherof Heber was the chiefe professour at the confusion of Babel; and thence it commeth (as it is thought) that the toong was called Hebrue, and the people Hebrues; as Abraham in whose family that spéech remained, is surnamed an Hebrue. The Poet, with some inter­pretours, leaues it in doubt whether Heber was among the builders of Babel, or dwelt apart. I thinke with some others, that he was not of the number, but hearing how the Tower-builders were scattered, he gaue the name of Peleg (that is, Di­uision) to his sonne that then was borne: bicause (saith Moses, Genes. 10.25.) that in his time the earth was diuided. Thus much of the Hebrue toong, which was after preserued by Moses and the high Priests, the Iudges, Kings and Prophets. Now let vs consider what the Poet saith further as touching those other toongs, that first arising of the Hebrue, were after the con­fusion a hundred thousand waies altered and disguised by the nations liuing asunder, who themselues inuented, and carried new words and language, each to the place of their abode.

17.

But softly-sliding Age. The Poet héere entreth into consideration of other toongs beside the Hebrue: and saith these first toongs that begun in Babel, being all (as it were) Meslins of Hebrue, by tract of time are so worne out, that each one of them hath engendred a many others, as a man may quickly vn­derstand, if he consider the great varietie of ancient people that were before the Gréekes and Latines. It shall suffise at this present thus to haue pointed hereat in a word. Who-so is desi­rous of more, let him cast his eie vpon the thrée first and princi­pall Monarchies, and all the diuers nations subiect vnto them, and mentioned in the Chronicles of the worlde: the Abridge­ment of all is to be found in the first Volume of the Historicall librarie of N. Ʋignier.

18.

Each language altereth. He sheweth by diuers reasons whence commeth the change of toongs. First, the trafficke that one countrey people hath with another, as well by sea (which he calleth, Th'azur'd Amphitrite) as also by land, is cause why we learne some new words, as if we made no lesse exchange of words than of wares. Secondly, a writer that dares venter, and is desirous to enrich his mother-toong, decketh it boldly with that which he borroweth of others, setteth forgotten words on foote againe, inuenteth new words, colouring and fa­shioning them according. Thirdly, time altereth a spéech; as we sée it doth all things else, that we might be forced thereby daily more and more to sée and confesse, that nothing is sure and sted­fast vnder heauen; and to beate downe also the vanitie of mans conceit, who commonly vaunteth himselfe and taketh pride in such things as haue nothing constant in them but their owne vnconstancie.

19.

A courage bold. This commeth too néere the seconde reason to be counted a fourth. The French Commentar must pardon me; I thinke rather the Poet hauing spoken of Wri­ters, Marchandise and Time, the right and onely means wher­by [Page 49] new words and phrases are first brought into a language: here he sheweth vs how they are accepted, for as before he tou­ched in a worde that the Courts dislike of old words bred their disuse; so héere he telleth vs plainly that the authoritie of him, that deuiseth or vseth new words, is cause of their acceptance: which is afterward confirmed by vse, Quem penes arbitrium est, & vis & norma loquendi: as Horace writeth. But forasmuch as vse without Art draweth a language head-long into Barba­risme, and so out of request, and Art without authoritie of Em­pire, shutteth it vp in a narrow compasse, he saith, that the He­brue, Latine, and Gréeke, had all these maintaining meanes, whereby they haue continued so long, and spred so far abroad. So beginneth he cunningly to make his passage from words and phrases vnto entire languages, the better to come at length to that excellent discourse, that followeth in the next Section, vpon all the principall toongs now spoken or knowen in the world. As for the Hebrue, besides the perfections aboue menti­oned, he saith, in it God hath reuealed his will, and that it is the originall of the diuine Law: both of great force to make the toong farre knowne, and continue long: it had further the Art and knowledge of high Priests and Prophets, the wisedome and state of Salomon, & was a long time vsed and accustomed to be spoke in the famous cōmonwelth of the Iewes. But these bicause they belong not vnto that toong onely, but as well to the other two, the Poet here leaueth out. The Gréeke he saith, in hir bookes containeth at large all the liberall Sciences: a great cause and most proper to the Gréeke: the rest as common to the others are let passe. The Latine more graue & forcible than the Gréeke (that was a more neat and wanton toong) was aduanced and continued in request by the Romanes force of armes: whose Empire was the greatest and most warlike of all the rest; and therfore is this cause héere onely mentioned, as most proper to the Latine toong, and the rest omitted. These thrée toongs do at this day farre surpasse all others; but vngodlinesse and contempt of the true Diuinitie, is cause why the Hebrue is not estéemed as it deserueth: the more is it regarded of thē that know it. As for the Gréeke, that which is now commonly spo­ken [Page 50] is very grosse. The pure and good Gréeke is contained with­in the bookes of Plato, Aristotle, Zenophon, Demosthenes, Iso­crates, Homer, Euripides, Sophocles, Plutarch, Basil, Nasian­zen, Chrysostome, and many others. The Latine, after some ignorant and vnlearned men had greatly embased it, was rest­ned and set on foote againe within these foure-score yéeres, at what time there flourished many great and learned personages in Europe, as Melancthon, Erasmus, Picus Myrand. and others: but they come short of that grace and liuelihood that the ancient Latine writers haue: Cicero, Caesar, Liuie, Virgill, Horace, and a number of others wel enough knowne: of whom (as also of the most excellent authors in other toongs) the Poet here goes about to entreat.

20.

Tracing these latter lines. Before he endeth this Booke or discourse, hauing begun to speake of toongs, and their compa­rison one with another; he taketh thence occasion to set before our eies the thrée principall toongs, Hebrue, Gréeke, and Latine, accompanied with sixe other greatly now-a-daies estéemed throughout all Europe. For this purpose, and to enrich his po­eme with some new ornament, worthie the things he treateth of; he declareth, how being wearie with ouer-watching him­selfe in these his former studies, he cast him on his bed and slept; yet so as the earnest desire he had to delight and profit his coun­trymen, kept still his soule awake; which caused him to sée in his Dreame the Vision héere following. A fine inuention and fra­med to the imitation of the best ancient Poets both Gréeke and Latine, who, being to handle matters of great importance, are woont by such deuises cunningly to prouoke the readers to mark and giue eare vnto them.

21.

And golden-winged Dreame. Of Dreames and their causes hath béen spoken sufficiently in the first day of this second Wéeke, intituled Eden, Page the 46. 47. 48. &c. hauing héere to speake of a Dreame cléere and easie to be conceiued, he distin­guisheth it from such as are darksome and deceiuable, saying it was about the dawning of the day when the golden-winged (that is, the swéete, pleasant, and vntroubled) Dreame came [Page 56] foorth at the Christall gate in the East: as much to say, as when the day starre ariseth, or the morning draweth on, we féele (if we were awake before) sléepe gently seazing on vs, and our spi­rits comming and going as it were thorow christall gates: for then be dreames and visions cléerest and best distinguished; whereas before our meate be fully digested, our braine ouerlo­den with vapors, receiueth but troublesome impressions, wa­ued so to and fro, and so enterlaced one with another, that in the twinkling of an eie, it frameth a thousand shapes, that pre­sently vanisheth away and are no more remembred. Now the Poet saith, he was guided (as he thought) into a place most de­lightfull, which he describeth in few verses, and it is verie fit for the matter following.

22.

Iust in the middle point. First he describeth the dwel­ling of Eloquence: to wit, on a great Rocke, wrought and fashi­oned in manner of a footestall, or base for an Image to stande on: to shew how stedfast and certaine a thing this excellent gift of God is. Secondly, the resemblance or Image of Eloquence, he calleth a Colosse, that is, of stature surpassing all others: which betokeneth thus much, that eloquent and faire spoken men go many degrées beyonde others, whom they vse at their pleasure, and draw whither they list, as the examples of Peri­cles and Cicero declare, and many proofes thereof are founde in the holie Scripture. He maketh this Image of Brasse, which implieth the faire glosse, the swéete sounde and strong force of Eloquence; he placeth in the left hand a fire-brand, to signifie that learned, true, and faire vttrance maketh men sée & touch (as it were) the right nature of things: in the right hand an Ewer, bicause the spéech of the wise dampeth and putteth out the flame of passions. I might note hereof many examples, but I leaue them for the diligent Reader to search: meaning here to offer him but Annotations, which I feare already are growen too long. The little chaines that come foorth from the Images gol­den toong, & draw such a number of hearers by the eares & hart, signifie the great power of a wel framed spéech: the truth wher­of appéereth chiefely in preaching the word, in counsels of graue common wealths-men, and orations of good Magistrates and [Page 85] valiant Captaines. In this maner did the ancient Frenchmen paint & set out their Hercules surnamed Ognius: whereupon Alciat hath made a pretie Embleme) it is the 180. expounded at large by Cl. Minos. The summe of al is, that Eloquence is to be preferred before force. Our Poet aimeth at that description. Further concerning the Bore, the Tygre, and the Beare lying tame at the féete of this Image, it signifieth that a pleasant and learned spéech appeaseth all angrie, cruell, and sauage men; and euen the maddest and most brutish people in the worlde: it maketh the woods and hils to daunce and leape: that is to saie, it mooueth, bendeth & instructeth very block-heads, and such as are most hard of vnderstanding; & this may be the meaning of those fained tales of Amphion, Orpheus, Arion, and other like. Lastly, this Image is enuironed with a double ranke of pillers, well and strongly grounded and vnder-pinned, that beare vp in due proportion the nine languages following, each by hir owne chiefe authors & maintainers. For euery pillar was wrought in fashion of a man, & framed to the countenance of one of their best writers in a long gowne, or stole. And that is the meaning of the French a la Cariatide: After the Carian right: as Vitru­uius writeth at large in this first Chapter of his first booke of Architecture. This I note bicause the French Commentar lets it passe and it troubled my selfe to vnderstand it at the first.

23.

Among the blessed wits. For chiefe props of the He­brue toong (which he placeth in the fore front of Eloquence, as in euery regard it was méete, whether we consider the swéete grauitie, the naturall impliance, the shortnes, hautines, liuely­hood of it, or the sinceritie, holines, light, and heauenly maiestie) he nameth first Moses, bicause he is the most ancient of those whose writings in this toong are extant. As for the booke of the Prophesie of Henoch, it was lost a long time ago. He describeth this holy Law-writer after an excellent manner, as was requi­site in a discourse of Eloquence. His face shineth like a blasing Starre: alluding to that in the Scripture that Moses comming downe from the mount where he had talked with God, his face so shined, that none was able to behold his countenance; inso­much [Page 58] as he was faine to weare a vaile ouer it: the rest is verie easie to be vnderstood, especially of such as haue neuer so lightlie turned ouer the Historie. Now for the bookes of Moses, they were written many hundred yéeres before the Gréekes were knowne: who were not heard of in the world but a little before the raigne of Saul, and had but few works in writing, or none at all, till after the time of Salomon, as their owne Histories witnes, whosoeuer will take paines to turne them ouer. Naie further, all their knowledge came from the Egyptians, Phe­nicians and others, who had learned somewhat by conuersing with the Hebrues. And to come againe to Moses, he hath béene in maruellous account with infinite Heathen writers. If any haue lightly regarded, or found fault with him, it was either bi­cause they vnderstood him not at all, or maliced him excéedingly, which a man may easily finde in their writings. The second au­thor of the Hebrue he counteth Dauid, whose Psalmes he spea­keth much of in few lines, but little it is in comparison of their excellencie, wherof many ancient and late writers haue spoken notable things: I will not heape them vp here, assuring my selfe that all true Christians will grant me that the Booke of Dauids Psalmes is (as Saint Basill saith) the Storehouse and treasu­rie of all good learning, for all men to come at; and will confesse with Saint Ierome and S. Chrysostome, that nothing better becommeth a man, be he Peasant or Craftes-man, great or small, than to sing vnto the Lord the praises and thankesgiuing in these excellent songs contained: the very liuely and true Anatomies of a beléeuing soule. O how cursed and abominable before God and his Church are those wicked ones, that haue forbidden Christians the vnderstanding and vse of them, and banished them out of Christendom: that haue suffred, allowed, maintained, commanded and commended vnto the people these shamefull and wanton Poesies, these bookes of vanitie, error, & leasings, which with their authors deserue the fire: and not the quiet and peaceable persons, that call vpon Iesus Christ, and beléeue stedfastly the life euerlasting. The soule that feareth God will not take this my digression ill, nor thinke it néedlesse: [Page 59] As for the vngodly, let them spit at it, if they will, I regarde them not. The thirde authour and ornament of the Hebrue is reckoned Salomon in his Prouerbes, the booke of the Preacher, and the Song of Songs, bookes more besprinckled with golden words and notable sentences, than his crowne was with preti­ous stones and pearles embossed. Happie is the man that taketh delight to marke and daily thinke vpon so profitable and neces­sarie instructions. The fourth is the Prophet Esay the sonne of Amos, right such a one as the Poet hath described. These foure he thought sufficient to name, bicause they haue most writings extant, and are withall excéeding eloquent, as might easilie be prooued by particulars, if I were to write a Commentarie, or a whole discourse thereof.

24.

The Greeke. Homer, his Illias and Odyssea contai­ning 48. bookes, is the most ancient Gréeke Auctor we haue: his inuentions are wonderfull, his vaine naturall, his verses smoothe, and full of Art, and the more they are considered, the greater grace they haue. There is also in them a hidden sense, and the very welspring of all humane knowledge; as may ap­péere by that infinite péeces of his poesies are cited in the bookes of ancient & late Philosophers, Geographers, Historiographers and Orators, as Plutarch and others witnes. The next to Ho­mer is Plato, not in time but in worthines: he is called the di­uine Philosopher, bicause he is so maruellous pure, so high & loftie in al his discourses; the true scholler of him that profes­sing himselfe to know but one thing, namely that he knew no­thing, declared that he knew all things that might be learned in the worlde, as touching the worlde. For concerning the know­ledge of saluation, Plato and his maister both were ignorant: and sith all other knowledge is nothing in comparison of that, (the more are we bound to God that haue it) he said most truly, that he knew nothing. The third is Herodotus, who writeth in th' Ionick Dialect, that is a kinde of Gréeke differing a lit­tle in phrases and pronuntiation from the common-spoken, as some farre scituate shires do from the Court or mother Citie of their Countrie: in diuers points it agréeth with the French. [Page 60] Plutarch dealeth somewhat too roughly with this woorthy Hi­storiographer, in whose defence I will oppose the authoritie of a learned man of our time: who in a certaine Preface of his, saith of Herodotus: Narrationes eius sunt disertae, indicationes ex­pressae, speciosae, explicationes accuratae & euidentes, collectiones certa atque plenae, in his rerum gestarum, hominum, temporum fides, accu­rata compertorum relatio, dubiorum coniectura sagax, fabulosorum verecunda commemoratio, mira vbi (que) simplicitas, & eximius quidam candor. Sée the great praises, and perfections of a graue Histo­riographer. The fourth is Demosthenes, the prince of Gréeke Orators, the very rule and square of all that endeuour to speake eloquently, a man that leadeth other mens mindes as he list, excellent in all his discourses: which are extant, the most of them, and read to the great vse and profit of those that know how to applie them.

25.

Then he of Anthonie and Catiline great foe. That is Cicero, surnamed the father of Eloquence: he is the first and chiefe of those that grace and maintaine the Latine toong. He was extremely hated of Marke Anthonie and Catiline, both whom he hath also bitterly pursued and touched to the quicke, as his Catilinarie and Philippick Orations declare: the often printing of his works, and learned mens continuall reading of them, and borrowing thence the best graces of their writings, do prooue his learning, eloquence and plentie of spéech to be such as the Poet héere describeth. The second is Caesar, the most vali­ant of eloquent men, and most eloquent of valiant men, as may well appéere by his life in Plutarch, and his Commentaries de bello Gallico: by which worke he hath wrung the pen out of learned mens hands, and in a maner discouraged them al from writing Histories, bicause they sée such perfection therein, as they are not able to come néere. The third is the Historiogra­pher Salust: we haue of his works, besides diuers Orations, two Histories remaining, Coniuratio Catilinae: & bellum Iugur­thinum, short they are, but full of sentence and sinewes, witnes­sing the ancient force and vigor of the Roman toong. The Rea­der may hereto adde the commendations of these thrée authors, [Page 61] as they are in many learned bookes of late writers here and there scattered. As for those that thinke Cicero bableth with­out learning, and that Caesar the Dictatour and first Emperour wrote not these Commentaries that beare his name, and that Salust writeth a hard and forced stile: bicause their accusations are false, and they so farre out of the way, I thinke them woor­thie none other answere, than our Poets few verses here. Of the fourth, which is the Poet Virgil: too much cannot be spoken: his bookes of Georgickes and Aeneidos, being such maruellous works, and so farre excéeding all other bookes of humanitie: I speake not onely for the excellence of his verse; but sure in the depth of his inuentions, his iudgement, his decence, his mode­stie, his grauitie, and his state, how much he doth outstrip and go beyond al others, may be séene not onely in euery booke of his, but euen in euery verse; wherein is contained a thousand thou­sand secrets, and as it were the abridgement of all kind of Arts and knowledge; besides his proper tearmes, his Epythites al­way fit, his metaphors and figures sow'n and sprinkled in their right places, and his spéech quite throughout eloquent and pure, without any bodging or dawberie whatsoeuer. The learned Caesar Scaliger among many others, hath plainly and at large declared in his Art of Poetrie, the excellencie of this Authour.

26.

Th' Italian. For ornament of the Italian, a language risen of the Roman or Latine, he nameth thrée Poets and one Orator, slipping diuers writers of historie & Secretaries, that haue left diuers excellent works, Orations, and Epistles among vs. The reason is (I thinke) bicause these foure containe in them all the graces of the others. He nameth also the Tuscan toong, bicause of all the diuers Dialects of Italie the Luquish, Milanish, Geneuish, and Venetian, none are so pure and fine as the Florentine or Tuscan. Iohn Boccace hath written long time agoe, but a very fine and pure stile; as his Decameron, his Fiametta, the Philocope, The Laberinth, and his other bookes wit­nes, that with the world are in so great request. Frauncis Pe­trarch hath written since, and inuented goodly words, and part­ly by his owne pregnant wit, partly by imitation of all the best [Page 62] Auctors, hath enriched the toong with many graces: he hath ventured also far and made Sonets, Chapters, and Cantoes wonderfull curious. Then Ludouico Ariosto of Ferara hath set foorth a legend of Loue, entituled Orlando furioso, in verses swéete and méete, famous throughout all Italie, he is full of affections in his discourse, and as delightfull as is possible, by reason of the varietie of that fabulous matter he writeth of, which he shadoweth so cunningly, that the reader is therewith often affected and mooued, as if it were a true storie, or at least not altogither false. Torquato Tasso is last of the foure in time of writing, but in account (as the Poet saith) the first and chiefe: he was the sonne of Bernardo Tasso that eloquent man, whose excellent Epistles are in print. This his sonne hath written in twenty books or Cantoes, of stately verse a poeme, the best of all Italians, entituled Gierusalemme liberata, all the graces and riches of the Gréekes and Latines are there gathered togither, and wrought into it after the best maner, so graue, so short, so learned, so comely, so liuely, so stately, as if it were the worke of another Virgil. There are also Printed at Ferrara, thrée vo­lumes of his works, containing other kindes of verse, and all sorts of fine inuentions, a Comedie, a Tragedie, diuers Dia­logues and discourses in prose, all are woorth reading, and all make good the iudgement that our Poet hath giuen of the Au­thour.

27.

The language Arabike. This language is comen of the Hebrue: among other learned mens bookes that haue made this toong of account, we haue the works of Aben Roïs, that is, the sonne of kings: for Ben signifieth a sonne, in Hebrue; and the Arabians adde to the beginning this preposition A, and som­time Al. This Aben Roïs is the same that we commonly call Auerroës, the Commentar, a very excellent Philosopher. He hath commented vpon most of Aristotle, and is translated into Latine, printed at Venice; the worke doth shew the déepe reach and subtill braine of the man. Auicen was a great Philosopher and Physition, as his writings also declare. Gesner saith Auer­roës was of Cordway, and Auicen of Seuill, and so I thinke: [Page 63] but it appéereth by their works that they were both Arabians, and professed the superstition of Mahomet. As for Eldebag, Iohannes Leo writeth of him in the fift booke of his description of Affrike. This poet borne at Malaga in Grenade, of great name thorough all the parts of Buggie and Thunes, was very eloquent in the Arabian toong, and wonderfull sharpe in railing on those that did him hurt: he made the men of Tebesse féele it in a Satyre he wrote against them, the effect whereof is this: that Nature knowing the Tebessians should be men of little worth and very swine, woulde make no good thing growe about their citie but nuts. The last, to wit, Ibnu-farid, the French Commentar knoweth not what he was, and I can not learne.

28.

The Dutch. For the Dutch or Almaine toong he setteth vs downe Mychaell Beuther, who very well hath translated the Latine Commentaries of Sleidan: the next is Luther borne at Islebe, as learned and eloquent a man as any was among the Diuines and Preachers of Germanie, as all will confesse, that haue read his works in Dutch: he Preached and read Diuini­tie the space of many yéeres at Wytteberg in Saxony. Then Gasper Peucer sonne in law to Phillip Melancthon, an excel­lent Philosopher, Mathematician, and Phisition, as his works declare. And lastly Peter Beutrick, Counseller to Duke Iohn Casimer, and chiefe dealer for him with diuers Princes; lately deceased. I could name you many more, but I content my selfe, as the Poet hath done, with these foure.

29.

Then Gueuare. The bookes of Anthony de Gueuare, du Boscan, de Grenade, de Gracylace, haue béene for the most part, translated into Latine, Italian and French: but they are far better in their Castilian: which is the most pure Dialect of the Spanish toong, and wherein the men of learning and good nourriture are woont ordinarily to write and speake. And these foure the Poet hath chosen for the most eloquent writers in this toong: yet nothing foredéeming diuers others that haue writ­ten well both in verse and prose; as namely Osias, whom but for his old Dialect, he iudgeth as good an author as the other.

30.

The speech of English. For ornament of the English toong he nameth sir Thomas Moore and sir Nicholas Bacon both Lord Chauncellors: the first of them was very learned in the Arts and toongs: the second excéeding well séene in the com­mon lawes of England: and both very eloquent in their mo­ther language. As for sir Philip Sidney he deserueth no lesse commendation than the Poet hath giuen him. Chaucer deser­ueth the like commendation here that Osias did among the Spanish Auctors.

31.

But what new Sunne is this. He maketh a digression in praise of the Quéene of England, who the space of seuen and thirtie yéeres hath gouerned hir Realme in great prosperitie; so as, during the troubles and ouerthrowes of other king­domes about hir, hir selfe and hir people haue béene preserued from infinite dangers. This famous Quéene hath also the toongs héere mentioned by the Poet, very parfit, and at this day by the singular grace of God she is accounted the pretious pearle of the North, and very fortunate in all the wars she taketh in hand: hir happie successe and victories are euery way so memo­rable, that they deserue to be written in a large historie, and re­uerenced of all posteritie.

32.

But what are these of Fraunce? Clement Marot wor­thie to be admired for his time, in regard of the ignorance and barbarisme that raigned in Europe many yéeres before him, hath led the Muses ouer the Alpes, and araied them after the French fashion: as witnesseth, among other his works, the translation of nine and fortie Psalmes of Dauid, a worke that will continue in account as long as Yea and Nay are spoken, euen to the worlds end. Indéede he wanteth that Art and those fine deuises that some later writers haue; but euen in this want & these imperfections he hath done woonderous well; & sheweth in his naturall vaine that if he had sist he could haue béene ex­cellent: yea in some points and places he hath so done alreadie, as the best of them all could haue done no better. For transla­tions we haue Iacques Amiot, who hath turned into French the Ethiopian Historie of Heliodorus, seuen bookes of Diodo­rus [Page 65] Siculus, and all Plutarch, wherein he hath laboured to very good purpose, and with happie successe: I would to God he had set his hand also to Thucidides, Xenophon, and Seneca: his stile is pure, and naturall, not affected, not forced; right good and true French. Blase Viginere hath also translated manie bookes, as the Polonian historie, a part of Liuie, Caesar, Chal­condylas, Philostratus, thrée Dialogs of Friendship, and the Psalmes in frée verse, all which I haue read ouer and againe, yet doe I prefer Amiot before him. Indéede I finde in Viginere a very ready stile and matter well chosen, but the other (I know not how) me thinks hath a better carriage of himselfe. The Seiour de Vaupriuas in his French Librarie saith, of all the foster-children of the Muses that were bred in Fraunce Vigi­nere hath so written, that, as well for learning as for eloquence of spéech, he hath preuented all that shall come after him, and as it were shut the gate against them. Sée what a commenda­tion héere is: I leaue the Reader to iudge of our opinions. Our Poet staieth in doubt, but I haue béene bould to go further; I trust without any great offence: in this consisteth not the good or bad state of Fraunce. Concerning Poets, he nameth Peter Ronsard, who hath made himselfe rich with Gréeke and Latine spoiles, as his Treatises of Loue, his diuers Poemes, his Odes, Elegies, and Hymnes doe witnes: wherein a man may reade all sort of verses, and all kinde of matter, sometimes in a lowe stile, sometimes in a meane, sometimes in a loftie stile: For which cause the Poet calleth him Great Ronsard. I will note héere a notable spéech of his: after our Poets first Wéeke was come foorth in print, being asked his opinion of the worke, he answered, alluding to the title, Mounseiur du Bartas hath done more in one wéeke than I haue done in all my life time. As for Philip de Mornay, Lord of Plessie Marly, his learned worke of the truth of Christian religion, honoured thus by the true title, and written in good French, with liuely reasons there gathered togither, mooueth and draweth to his purpose, that is, to acknowledge the truth, all that read it with a hart de­sirous of peace and good. The like may be said of his Discourse [Page 66] of life and death, of his Treatise of the Church, his Meditati­ons, and some Epistles and Demonstrations of his. For all his writings are strengthened with arguments, inductions, and proofes inuincible, and all in a stile with grauitie & swéetnes mixed, well knit, and well sounding, and easie enough to those that are neuer so little acquainted with it. The Poet hauing so liuely represented his Vision, endeth his discourse of Elo­quence, and hir most renowmed fauourers in euery language, and so shutteth vp his sixt Booke: Which is the second of the second day of his second Wéeke.