Babilon, a part of the Seconde vveeke of Guillaume de Saluste seigneur du Bartas, with the commentarie, and marginall notes of S.G.S. Englished by William L'Isle

BABILON .

O How great good it is to liue vnder a ¹ Prince , A preface representing the felicitie of common-wealths gouerned by good and wise princes , and the distresse of people subiect to a Tyrant . Fitly foreplaced of the Poet to lead him to the life and deedes of Nimrod . That counts more than his weal , the weal of his prouince ! Still hark'ning to the wise , no eare to gloser lending , The wicked punishing , and honest man defending : That sou'raigne of himselfe , doth all vice ouer-awe , More by his honest life , than punishment , or lawe : That being inward meeke , outward maiesticall , Hath , for his persons guard , loue of his subiects all . That makes no idol of his bright imperled Mace ; And knowing himselfe set on stages highest place , Where to controll his works , a world hath him in sight , Doth not what ere him list , but rather what is right . But sure a hell it is to liue in seruitude , A mans whole course of life , vnder a ² Tyrant rude : Such one as Dionyse , that with hot coles him shau'd , Or Nero , that his house with incest all deprau'd : Or as an owle , that hates the light of gouernment , Of parlament and peeres , that feares the prattlement Of euery priuate toong , that for his best delight , His subiects sets at ods , and still maintains their spight . Ne're sets before his eies faith , honour or iustice , But raiseth eurie day office vpon office : Nor would his subiects were the best learn'd , wisest , strongest , But eu'rie day crops off , that eare whose stalke is longest Throughout his haruest field : and worse than Tigre wood , Will not his kindred spare , no not his brothers blood . Who though enuironed with sword and halberds aid , Yet feares much people , more than he doth make afraid : Reioyceth to inuent , new taxes generall , And his owne to the bones , eates like a Caniball . Imprint ( O king of heau'n ) within our princes brests , A praier to God , fitly arising of the words and matter aforegoing , and making way to the sequele . Loue to their people-ward , and reu'rence of thine hests . And incase any courtiers poysoned language , Or these enormities familiar in our age , Shall leaue there any taint of Nimrods propertie , Draw thereupon thy quill , and rase it speedily : That for proud Babels towre they may thy Sion reare , And my Muse vnder them may chaunt it eu'ry where .

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 .

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 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 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.

Nimrods first studie and exercise , to get the soueraigntie of the people , furthered by nature . 3. Nimrod scarce yet in age to twelue yeeres did arise , But ouer all his peeres , he sets to tyrannise : He ouergrowes them all , and of his might future , The ground-worke planteth he vpon so good Augure : And bearing in his hand , in steed of scepters reedes , Among the shepheard-swaines begins his prentise-deedes . Then knowing that the man , whose courage doth aspire , Vnto the deemed blisse of an awfull empire , Must passe in braue exploits the doltish vulgar sort , Or else by seeming good , obtaine a good report : He passed not the night drown'd in a feather bed , Nor yet the day in shade : but yoong accustomed Himselfe to good and ill , making ambitiously His boulster of a rocke , his curtaines of the skie . Sweate is his sweet delight , his games are bow and arrowes , His Ganimeads the lists , his haukes the little sparrowes . His most delicious meat , the flesh of tender kid , Which trembleth yet , and scarce is from the skin vnhid . Somtime he sports himselfe , to conquer with one breth , The continuance of his labours to obtaine the peoples fauour . Some craggie rocks asscent that ouer-peeres the heath : Or else some raging flood , against the streame diuide , That swolne with raine , hath drou'n a hundred brigs aside , And with a bounding course , vnbrid'led gallops fast , All ouerthwart the stones , in some strait vallie cast : Or else after his cast , to catch againe his dart , Or in plaine field on foote , to take the Hinde or Hart. But now once ouerpast twenty fiue yeeres of age , And feeling with high minde , his sinewes and courage Worthie a fiercer Mars , if he know any where A Lion , a Leopard , a Tigre , or a Beare , He fearlesse sets thereon , kils , conquereth , and foiles , And plants in highest place of those the bloodie spoiles . The people then that see , by his hands martiall frayes , From those boot-hailers wilde , each-where set free the wayes , The fearfull cattels heardes , and all the waste forests Rid of their hideous cries , loues this tamer of beasts , This chase-ill Hercules , and shewes him speciall fauour , And cals him euermore their father and their sauiour . Nimrod now by the haire hand-fasting this good fortune , He leaueth his former chase for a better pray . And striking th' iron hot , doth flatter , presse , importune , Somtime some , somtime others , and hasting to his blisse , Before that hunted beasts , now of men hunter is . For as he did imploy , in his hunting before , The grins , hare-pipes , and traps , and all the limie store : And further at his need , against the most haggarts , The heauie clubs , the shafts , the sharpe swords , and the darts : So some mens harts he gaines , by faire hopes closely stealing , Others he wins by gifts , and others by hard dealing , And breaking furiously the bonds of equitie , Of that respringing world , vsurpes the Royaltie . Whereas in time before the chiefe of each houshold The same did rule apart , nor did the yoong-man bold , Boyst'rous , ambitious , vpon a wanton braue , His sickle thrust ( as now ) in haruest of the graue .

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 , 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 , The tyrannous gouerment of Nimrod , and his proud attempt . by force he will haue wrought A thousand cruelties , carelessely sets at naught Lawes both of God and man , out-braues th' almightie king , And reares vp to his nose the scepter florishing . And least the people at length ( ease puffing vp their pride ) Should thinke to cast his yoke , he keeps them occupide . He powreth foorth his coyne , and makes them labour still , In building of a Towre , more like an Atlas hill . We liue too long ( quoth he ) thus like beasts wandering : Let 's leaue these gadding tents , these houses wayfaring : A pallace let vs build , that stately may be ioynt , In Base vnto the deepe , and vnto heau'n in Poynt . A Sanctuarie safe , and priuiledg'd refuge , Against the swelling rage of a rauenous Deluge . Come let vs build a Towne , and there incorporate , Passe the rest of our daies vnder a royall state : Least that we sundered in tents with many princes , Be scattered abroad throughout all the prouinces , That with bright shining course are viewd by Phoebes brother , Not able then to helpe , or counsell one another : And in case burning coles of at-home-breed sedition , Or what mishap so e're , shall driue vs to diuision , Yet brothers , let vs leaue for lasting monument Our names grau'n on these wals , high as the firmament . ⁵ Like as the Vulcan weake , that some chill companie , A fit comparison to shew what force haue the plots of tyrants , to bring the vengeance of God vpon the people . Of shepheards in the leaffie verges haue let lie Of some one forest wide , a while it selfe keepes in , Yet vomiting smoke-waues , dark'neth the bright welkin : Then by soft Zephyrs helpe , whiles in low bush it lurks , Makes a red flaming way to his fierce angers works ; Vp to the blooming Thorne , fro th' humble bush it stirs , From thorne to oke , from oke vp to the tallest firs , And still it gaineth ground , by running force it findes , No Dryades it leaues within their natiue rindes : Right so this pleasant speech soone as his toong had plac'd , Of some few Fauorites with praise it was imbrac'd : And straight with giddie-braines it goes from hand to hand , Eu'n to the baser sort of people through the land , Who greatly bent to see the great Towre perfect made , Themselues toyle day and night , eu'ry chone in his trade . Some trip great Asshes downe , with sharp-edg'd axes strokes , Some fell the sailing Elmes , and some th' enduring okes . So they degrade the woods , and shew vnto the Sunne The ground where his bright eye before had neuer shunne . Hast thou at any time , an armie seene to sacke A citie vanquished ? ther 's griefe and ioy no lacke , Togither hurly burl'd , one carteth , one takes hold , One drawes , another leades , and there the soldiour bold Can finde no place too sure , nor yet no locke too strong , The whole towne in one day forth at the gates doth throng : So do these carpenters pill off in one moment , From those Assyrian hils , the shaking ornament Of their shadie Deserts , despoyle they the mountains , And boiling hot mow down the trembling branched plains . The waines and teemes of Mules , scarce one by other wend : The groning axeltrees , o'rcharg'd with loades do bend . A liuely description of a people busied about a great worke . Heere to make morter hard , one day and night is bruing , Of some thicke slimy poole the water flatly gluing : Heere the brick-burner bakes within his smokie kell Claie into stone , and heere some hollow downe to hell So deepe foundations , that many a damned spright Gazeth on once againe the sunnes vnhoped light . All heau'n replyes the sound of their maules clitter clatters , And Tigris feeles his fish all trembling vnd'r his waters . The ruddie coloured wals in length and height do growe , Far do they cast a shade , far do they make a showe . With workmen als turmoyl'd , the feeble and mortall frie , Thinke at the first daies work , their hand shall reach the skie . God being angry with the bould enterprise of Nimrod and his followers , determineth to breake of their enterprise , by confounding their language . ⁶ God seeing this , to wrath inclin'd his countenance , And with a thundring sound , that doth like tempest glance , Downe through the clowdy plain , that doth hils ouerthrow , And makes heau'ns stedfast gates flash often too and fro , See , see ( quoth he ) these dwarfes , see this same rascall people ! These children of the dust , O what a goodly steeple , What mightie wals they build ! O th' impregnable castle , Of strength to beare my shot , and with my wroth to wrastle ! I sware an oth to them , hencefoorth the fruitfull ground Should neuer stand in feare of waters breaking bound : They doubting , sense themselues : I would by their extent Haue peopled all the world , they by themselues here pent Are prisner-like emparkt : I would haue bin for euer Their master , their defence , their shepheard , their law-giuer ; And they haue chose for king a sauage liue-by-spoyle , A tyrant seeking gaine by their great losse and toyle : Who doth my force despise , and with vaine-glorie swo'ne , Attempts to scale the wals , of my most holy throne . Come , let 's breake off their drift , and sith by speeches vnitie , As by will , as by law , and as by consanguinitie , They hart'ned are to ill , and with a saucie toong , Waxe mad vpon this worke all night and all day long ; Let 's set a pulbacke on their hastie-pac'd intention , And strike them quickly with the spirit of dissention . Their language let 's confound , and make both one and other , Sire barbarous to his sonne , and brother deafe to brother . ⁷ Thus had he said , and straight confusedly there went I know not what a noise throughout the battlement . The execution of Gods sentence . Right such a iangling sound as one heares in a band Of slaues , whom drunkards God doth with his launce command . One doth his language toothe , another noze his note , Another frames his words vnseemly through the throte , One howles , and one doth hisse , another sluttereth ; Each hath his babble , and each in vaine endeuoreth To find those loued termes those tunes before exprest , That in their rowling cradle they drew from mothers brest . Go get thee vp betimes , A fit comparison . and whiles the morning gay With Rainbow-glosse bedecks the portail of the day , Giue eare awhile and marke the disagreeing moodes Of those trim quiristers that sing amidst the woodes Goodmorrow to their loues : where each one in his fashion , Pearched vpon a bough , pronounceth his oration : Then shalt thou vnderstand what mingle-mangle of sounds Confusedly was heard among those mason-lounds : A Trowell ho saith one , his mate a Beetle heaues ; Cut me saith he this stone , and he some timber cleaues ; Come ho , come ho , saith one , and winde me vp this rope : Then one vnwinding striues to giue it all the scope ; This scaffold bourd , saith one , one makes it downe too fare : Giue me the line saith one , and one giues him the square . He shoutes , he signes in vaine , and he with anger boyles , And looke what one hath made , forthwith another spoyles . With those confused cries they windles chafe in vaine : Each one the more he striues the lesse appeeres his paine . Another excellent comparison declaring how neither counsell , art , force , diligence , nor multitude , is able to resist God . And shortly as the men that altogither stood To build in channell deepe of some great rau'ning flood High arches of a bridge , marking from hils descend A hundred sudden streames , and now far to extend The mountaine-hating waues , leaue off without aduise , Scudding some here , some there , their goodly enterprise : Right so these Architects , feeling the stormie smart Of Gods displeasure rise , had neither strength nor hart . But there they left their worke , and with hands malcontent , Rules , mallets , plummets , lines , all down the Towre they sent .

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 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 .

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 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 .

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 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 when 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 .

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 vain-glorious masons in stéed of their imagined renowme , haue gotten 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 .

The harmes that men suffer by the confusion of speech . O proud rebellion , O traiterous impietie ! Marke in what maner sort by thy speeches varietie God hath thee punished , alas that pleasant toong , That holy bond of townes , of anger bridle strong , Strong glue of amitie , once one , now doth wayfare In hundred riuers drie ; this gould so richly rare , Wroth-taming , charming-care , men-drawing , hart-intāgling , Both colour , waight , and sound , hath lost by mingle-mangling . This gift corrupted is , and from the North to South Babels confused fall sounds yet in eu'ry mouth . The cold Finlanders once might visit Africans , The Spanish Indians , th' English Americans , Without interpreters ; but now the compas small That doth our cities bound , our language bounds withall : And if we from our home but ne're so little went , Dombe should we be , and rest of reasons instrument . Or if we speake at least vnto our neybour nations , T is by a borrow'd toong , or by strange animations . Without schoole , without paines , sucking our mothers brest , We might haue learn'd the tong that all mens minds exprest ; And after seu'n yeeres old , vpon small glistring sand Begun to draw with skill the shape of sea and land , To part and multiplie ; and so from skill to skill We might haue climbed soone the ridge of that high hill , Where Arts perfection , in signe of their victorie , Crowneth hir Fauorites with euerlasting glorie . Now , infants we alwaies , soone as we learne to sound The Latine , Hebrue , Greeke , are going to the ground . We learne but prittle-prattle , and for the deepe inseeing Of natures secresies , and of that onely Being That makes all things to be , we labour , neuer staying , Well to decline a Verbe , or find some prety saying : Of letters and syllabs to way the quantitie , Old knowing naught without masters auctoritie : Who teach vs how to read , and put into our pawes Some little Chriscrosrow , in stead of ciuill lawes , And for Hippocrates , and for that holy wrighting Where God himselfe reueales to Readers there delighting .

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 , 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 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 ? The Hebrue toong generally spoken before the confusion of toongs . Men spoke in eu'ry place That holy Dialect , the language of Gods grace , A parfit toong , that hath no Letter , no small tyttle , But is embellished with mysteries not lyttle . Now since this proud reuolt seu'rally people prate , Depraued bibble-babbles , bastard , effeminate , That eu'ry day do chaunge , and loosing all their light , Scarse vtter any sound of that first language right . 10 Long since the Phrygians and those by Nilus dwelling , Nilus that nourisheth , and fats the ground by swelling , Desirous to haue tri'de which was of more antiquitie Of their two languages , trusted against all equitie The right of eloquence to tender stammering , And those that iudgement lackt made iudges of the thing : To wit , two sucking Babes whom their two Mothers dombe In Hermitages kept , where go man else did come : No humain charming voice was heard sound neare the place Of their toong-ty'de aboad , for whol three twelmonth space . Then being called foorth and set betweene the people Of Xanthus and of Nile , they cry with voices feoble , And often cry they , Bec ; bec bec is all the ground That either toong can frame or else their mouth will sound . Whereat the Phrygians that knew bec signify'de In their owne language Bread , their countenances dy'de With ioy their hart conceiu'd , bicause they were so blest , To haue on their behalfe obtain'd natures arrest . 11 O fooles , that litle thought how those bec-bleating flocks , That shore the tender flowres from off the neybour rocks , Had school'd them to this terme , & that the words Roomish , French , Latin , Hebrue , Greeke , Egyptian or English , Are not brought-forth with vs ; but well may be discern'd That each language by haunt and by long vse is learn'd . Onely remaines a powre , this or that sound to place , Gift naturall to men ; as eeke that other grace , * * To speak diuers languages . Men only speake . An answere to the obiection taken from the vndistinct voice of beasts . Which variably rich , and richly variable , Vs rendreth most vnlike heards brute and miserable . And if thou list oppose how that the Bull doth bellow , The slothfull Asse doth bray , the Lion cruell fellow , Now treble rores , now base , and by those tunes we finde , They seeme right eloquent to make vs know their minde ; Surely those are no words , they are but declarations Of their disquiet stur , by meanes of some few passions ; Confused signes of griefe , and tokens of their sadnes , Of ioyfulnes , of loue , of hunger , thirst , and madnes . An answere to a second obiection taken from the chirping of birds . The like may well be said of that light winged quier That to the verdaunt boughes of bushes doth retier , Chirping before the sunne : for though against faire weather Two by two , three by three , they seeme to talke together , Though their voice bends it selfe a hundred thousand wayes , Though they can descant bold a hundred wanton layes , Though great Apolloes selfe within their schoole was taught , 'T is but a groundlesse tune of notes intending naught : A thousand times a day the selfesame song repeated , A dombe discourse amids the trembling trees defeated . But onely man hath powre to preach of modestie , Of honour , of wisedome , of force , of equitie , Of God , of heau'n , of earth , of water and of aire , With words of good import , diuers and chosen faire , Vnfolding all his thoughts not by some one language : But like to Scaliger the woonder of our age , The lampe of learned men , can wisely speake , and much , In Latine , Hebrue , Greeke , English , Italian , Dutch , Spanish , Arabian , French , and Slauonian , Chaldean , Syrian , and Aethiopian : Who like Chameleon maketh his transformation ( O rich , O pliant wit ! ) to any auctors facion . Great Iulies worthy sonne , great Siluies yonger brother In Gasconie renowmd more than was euer other . Now as for Popinjayes that passing all their ages Within the pearced grates of thorow-aired cages , An answere to the third obiection touching Parrets . Doubt not in eloquence to plead with vs for chiefe ; Pronounce all thorowout the Christian beliefe ; Repeat the praire deuout that from our Sauiour came , And all the houshold call togither name by name ; They like to th' eccho be , our sounding voices daughter , That through the vaulted Vales importune bableth after , Not weening what she saith : in vaine this aire they breake , And speaking without sense , they speake , and nothing speake : Not hearing their owne voice ; bicause the right language , Naught is but of the minde the right sounding image : Chiefly when it is short , when it is sweete and painted , As that wherewith All were , ere Nimrods time , acquainted .

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 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 , 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 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 confused 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 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 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 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 .

Now when I duly way how ¹² th' Ebrue toong doth shew The Hebrue toong most ancient . And readily expresse in words a very few Most combersome conceits , and through each secret plight Of reasons laberynth affoords the Reader light , Much better than the Greeke with hir Synonymons , The first reason . Hit lofty Metaphors , hir bould Epithetons , Hir compounding of words , hir tenses and hir cases , And of so great request a thousand other graces : When I consider well how that the schoole Rabine The second reason . Findes in the letter-row of that language diuine All we beleeue with hart , all that with eie we see , And that within the law all Arts comprised be : Be it that with much ado one curiously assaies The letters of each word to turne a hundred waies ; ( For in Arithmetike as cyphers changing roome Doth either much enhaunse or much abate the somme , So th' Anagramme straight knits or else vndoth the grace Of words whose letters take right enterchange of place ) Or be it to put togither thou rightly do deuise The numbers mysticall that from the letters rise Of some one Hebrue word , and vnder that one name Another findest hid in number like the same ; Or that some word is know'n by some one element , Or by some onely word a parfit speech is ment , As in an Embleme short th' Egyptian silence Was mystically woont to presse a long sentnce . When I consider well that from th' East-Indian sand Vnto the flaming mount that borders Ireland , the third reason . From cold Tartarian seas to schorched Tambuts shore , Thou Sunne no people see'st so voide of gentle lore , No men so ignorant of Gods most holy law , But they retaine as yet some words of Hebrue Saw ; And but their letters do ( though out of order set ) Come neere the holy names of Moses Alphabet ; The fourth reason . When with my selfe I way the sacred counterpawn Of Gods old Testament was in those letters draw'n ; That VRIM , that the DREAME , and that the VISION wise But in the Hebrue toong spake not their Prophesies ; And that th' Eternals selfe would with his finger deigne To graue in Hebrue words his Law on Marbles twaine ; And that since many yeeres the messengers Diuine Did preach the ioyfull Word in language Palestine ; The fift reason . And when I farther way , that th' ancient Patriarchs Had not their names impos'd without some reasons marks , Yea such as fully shew'd ( and that with great moment ) Of their whole course of life some famous accident , And that a man may see that eu'ry ancient name Both by sound and by sence from Hebrue language came , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 As Eue , is consterd life ; Cain , first of all begot ; 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 Adam , create of clay ; Abel , that profits not ; Seth , set in others place ; and he surnamed Rest , That saw th' all-stroying flood below the ground supprest ; I cannot choose but grant , though Greece do fret and fome , The sacred elder right to th' Ebrewes Idiome . Great commendation of the Hebrue toong . 13 Then do I thee salute , O euer-running Spring Of reasons portraiture , Phrase of th' eternall king , Thou brightly-shining Pearle , Queene-mother of languages , That spotles hast escap'd the Dungeon of all ages , That hast no word but wai'th , whose very elements Are full of hidden sence , whose points haue Sacraments , O holy Dialect , in thee the proper names Of men , towns , countries , are th' abridgments of their fames And memorable deedes : the names of winged bands , Of water-habitants , of armies of the lands , Are open treatises , whereout each one might gather Their natures histories , before th' heau'n-rowling father By raging anger mou'd with flaming Symeteer The way to Eden karu'd from these base cuntries heere . Adam gaue Hebrue names to all 14 For when Adam , in signe of his preheminence , Names did in true Elyse to all creatures dispence creatures according to their nature . Then when before his eies in muster generall Two by two , side by side , in ranke they marched all , He chose them all so fit , that eu'ry learned eare Bearing the sound to minde , the maruailes might eke beare Wherewith th' al-fourming word did richly beautifie Both those that liue in wet , and those that liue in drie . He enriched the toong with Verbes and clauses . 15 And for each Body must suffer some thing , or do , When he the Nounes had fram'd , the Verbes he ioyn'd therto ; Then , more to beautifie this goodly ground of pleading , Many a tittle made , that serues to grace the reading , The parts of most account to sow togither fit ; As doth a little glue two mightie planchers knit : And farther serues as doth the wauing plume of feathers That on the chamfred top of glistring helmet weathers : To marble Images , as footstals do and bases To siluer cups their eares , to veluet robes their laces . 16 This toong that Adam spoke , The Hebrue toong continued generally spoken , from Adam to Nimrod , then it remained onely in the familie of Heber : whence it was called Hebrue . till in bad time arriu'd That heau'n-assaulting prince , sincerely was deriu'd From father vnto sonne , the worlds circumference Did throughly sound the tunes of hir rich eloquence : But then as partiall full quickly was she gone To Hebers familie , or bicause he was none Of that rebellious band , or wisely did abide Far from the Sennar plaine in that vnhappie tide ; Or if he thither were among the rest constrain'd In corners worshipt God and secretly complain'd , And so with slauish armes holpe them to build those wals Which in despight he vow'd vnto the deepe entrals Of darksom Tartarus : as gally-slaue in giues , That combating the sea most miserably striues Against his libertie , and curseth in his hart Those for whom night and day he practiseth his art : Or be it th' eternall God with his hands euer-giuing Preuenting as it were the works of men well liuing , For his owne honors sake , and of his onely grace , This treasure left in trust with Hebers holy race ; When as of Masons proud the rest full ill bested A hundred thousand waies the same disfigured , And eu'ry one dispers'd where destinie them taried Into a new-found land a new-made language caried .

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 ( 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 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 & perfections ) 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 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 what s 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 the 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 Abraham . 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 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 , 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 Letter-row Eusebius & S. Ierom in his Epistle ad Paul . vrbic . which is the 155. expoundeth 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 the 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 may he view the matter more at large . For this time it shall suffice to haue shot this arrow at the 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 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 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 .

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 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 : 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 .

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 , all the earth was one language & 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 .

The first languages deriued from the Hebrue are each of them againe diuided into diuers others . 17 But softly-sliding Age , that enuious all doth wast , Those ancient languages soone eu'ry one defac'd That in the thundring sound of masons clattring hands , By Tygris banks deuis'd , had ouerspred the lands : And , that the world might be more out of order left , Into a many toongs the least of them hath cleft . Whence commeth the alteration of a toong . 18 Each language altereth , be it for that marchandise Imparting vnto vs the treasures of great prise From azur'd Amphitrite , and sending ours aboord , Bould with a good successe , oft changeth word for word : Or that the learned man ingenuously endighting With guilt and curled words tricks vp his wanton writing . And hunting after praise some stampe nere seene before Sets both on deeds and things , or doth at least restore Disclaimed words to vse , and makes againe be borne Those that with ouer-age , with rot and mould were worne . With them it falleth out , as with leaues in a wood , One fals , another growes ; the words that once were good , And , like faire Lillie floures in greenest medow strew'd , Quite through the lerned speech their glittring beuty shew'd , Now are not in request ; but sith Court them exiles , Asham'd they shrowd themselues vnder base cottage tiles : And those that long-ago were censur'd curiously For base and counterfait , now passe on currantly . 19 A courage bould led with discretion fortunate May licence words to passe , although they but of late Were forged in his shop , among plants naturall May graffe some forraine imps , his language therewithall Enriching more and more , and with a diuers glose Enameling his talke , his Muses taske , or prose . Some language hath no law , but Vse head-strong and blinde , That runneth wheresoere the people light as winde Goes headlong driuing it : another closely running Within the bounds of Art , hir phrases frames with cunning : Some one straight waxing old assoone as it is borne The cradle hath to graue , another is not worne With file of many yeeres ; some liueth ill bested Within a straight precinct for euer prisoned , Another bouldly doth from Alexanders altar Among the learned stretch vnto the mount Gibraltar . Such now the Hebrue toong , the Greeke and Latine be ; Hebrue , Greeke , and Latine the best of all toongs . Hebrue , for still she holds , and by hir hand hold we , The Word , the sacred Word of God thrise-eternall , And was of Lawes diuine the true originall : The Greeke , as one that hath within hir learned writ Plainly comprised all the knowledge of mans wit . And valiant Latine eke , bicause hir eloquence By sword was planted through the worlds circumference .

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. Vignier .

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 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 commonwelth 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 them that know it . As for the Gréeke , that which is now commonly spoken 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 .

The Poets takes breath to enter afresh into the next discourse , where by way of a Vision , he cunningly describeth the principall toongs , with their best authors . 20 Tracing these latter lines , halfe tyred as I were With this entising paine of heau'nly Pallas Lere , Still now and then I strike my chin vpon my brest , And softly both mine eies begin to close to rest , Moist with Ambrosian dew ; knit is my senses band , And fairely slides my pen foorth of my fainting hand . Vpon my flattring couch I spread my selfe againe , And plunge in Lethe-streame all troubles of my braine : There drowne I all my cares , saue one , that with no traunce Is discontinued , to please and profit Fraunce . The sacred Forge of Loue , that me enflamed keepes , Will not let sleepe my soule although my body sleepes . 21 And golden-winged Dreame rising in th' Easterne shore Foorth at his Christ all gate , a little while before The Day-gate opened , into a Valley faire Me led fantasticall , where day and nights fresh aire , The north windes & the south , the drought & th' Ises mother The faire daies and the foule , came not one after other : There May did alway raigne , and Zephirus bedight With Rosie coronets , blew nicely day and night A woods soft-rustling boughes , that blossoms sweet did yeeld A description of the seat & image of eloquence . And Oualwise bewall'd the flowr-embroidred field . 22 Iust in the midst of all this Ammel-blooming glade Raisd was a mightie Rocke , in footstall maner made : Vpon the top thereof a brasfe Colosse did stand , That in the left hand held a flaming fierbrand , An Ewer in the right ; out from hir golden toong A thousand little chaines all ore the medow sprong , That worlds of hearers drew , fine wrought by subtill art , Some linked by the eares , and some fast by the Hart. The Boare lay at hir feete , nor foming , nor enraged , There slept the Tigre charm'd , & Beares their fume asswaged : The neighbour Hillocks leapt , the Woods reioiced round , Eu'n daunsing as it were at hir sweete voices sound . A double circled row of pillers high and dight By cunning workmans hand after the Carian right , With bases vnderpinn'd for their more sure foundation , Beset this rauishing Image of sweete Oration : And foure by foure bore vp amid them one language Of those that flourish most in this our learned age . 23 Among the blessed wits , 6. The Hebrue . to whom heau'n gaue the grace That they should vnderprop the Hebrue in this place The man whose face did shine like to a blasing starre Heau'n-decking , fraying-men ; that for a Scepter barre A scare , yet budding rod , and in his fingers hent The ten-fold register of Gods Commandement ; He guideth Israel , he left authoritie First both of prose and verse to his posteritie . Such holy writings as not onely long fore-run The writings of the Greekes , but all that they haue done . The second Dauid is , whose touch right cunningly Combined with his voice drawes downe sweete harmony From th' organized heau'ns , on Harpe that still shall sound As long as daies great star shall ore our heads go round . Nay farther who can tell , after these heau'nly Lights Their Measures ended haue , but that the blessed Sprights , Christs holy champions , at sound of his accords Shall daunce in honor of th' Almightie Lord of Lords : When many legions of Angels , winged ghosts , Shall sing holy , holy , holy , Lord God of hosts . The third is Salomon , whose goodly monuments Are wisely powdred with more store of documents And golden sentences , than doth his diademe With Diamondes and Pearles , and firy Rubies beame . The fourth is Amos sonne , that hath the Graces all , Deuout and full of threats , graue and Rhetoricall . 2. The Greeke . 24 The Greeke Homer vpholds , that sweetely versifies , Whose learned Schoole brought foorth a many companies Of old Philosophers , that made his cunning plea The world to ouerflow like some great Ocean sea . And Plato all Diuine , who like the Bird we call The Bird of Paradise , soyles not himselfe at all With earth or waters touch ; but , more than Hels descent Surmounted is by Heau'n , surmounts the firmament . And smooth Herodotus ; and he of pleaders Arts The Law , Demosthenes ; gold-mouthed , king of harts . 3. The Latine . 25 Then he of Anthony and Catiline great foe That lightneth and thundreth , & from whose brest doth flow A thousand streaming floods , wherin the rarest wits Daily torment themselues , surpris'd with maruaile-fits . And Caesar , that can do aswell as he can plead ; And Salust full of force ; and he that Troy doth lead Againe to Tybers banks , a writer sent from heau'n , That neuer shuts his eies to sleepe morning nor eu'n , That euer treadeth sure , alway plaine , alway graue , Shamefac'dly venterous and temperately braue , That still is like himselfe , and vnlike others all : These beare the sweete-graue toong was last emperiall . 4. The Italian . Th' Italian founded is on Boccace pleasurous ; On Petrarch finely dight , bold and sententious ; On Ariosto smoothe , diuers , in passions feirce ; And Tasso , worthie man to write heroick verse , Sharpe , short , fyl'd , figured , with language flowing fast , The first to be esteem'd albeet he wrote the last . 5. Th' Arabian . 27 The language Arabick is mightily sustained By Auerroës great , deepe-reaching subtill-brained : By faire-spoke Auicen , and Eldebag satyricall ; By smooth Ibnu-farid , pleasant and allegoricall . 28 The Dutch dependeth on the famous Michell Buther , 6. The Dutch. That Sleidan turn'd to Dutch ; and next on Martin Luther . Witbergs and Islebe's fame , and on my Butrick next , And last of Peucer sweet , that dooble-guilds his text . 29 Then Gueuare , and Boscan , Grenade , and Gracilas , 7. The Spanish . With Nectar all distaind , that mantleth in the glas Of honny-powring pyth , vphold the Castillan , And had not th' ancient grace of speaking Catallan , Osias rauished , his learning might haue bore The Spanish Lawrel from one of the foresaid foure . 30 The speech of Englishmen hath for hir strong pillers Three Knights , Bacon and More , they two Lord Chancellers , 8. Th' English . Who knitting close their toong rais'd it from infancie , And coupled eloquence with skill in policie : Sir Philip Sydney third , who like a Cignet sings Faire Tham'ses swelling waues beating with siluer wings : This streame with honour fild his eloquence doth beare Into dame Thetis lap , and Thetis eu'ry-where . 31 But what new Sunne is this that beameth on mine eies ? What ? am I wrapt amongst the heau'nly companies ? For the fourth piller of the English toong he nameth our gratious Queene Elizabeth , duly and truly praising hir for wisdome , maintenance of peace , learning , and eloquence . O what a princely grace ! what state emperiall ! What pleasant lightning eies ! what face Angelicall ! Ye learned daughters of him that all gouerneth , Is' t not that Pallas wise , the great Elizabeth : That makes the sturdie men of England nothing bent For mans empire to change a womans gouernment ? Who whiles Erynnis , loth to tarry long in Hell , Hir neighbour kingdomes all with fire & sword doth quell , And whiles the darke affright of tempest roring-great Doth to the worlds Carack a fearfull shipwracke threat , Holdeth in happie peace hir Isle , where true beliefe , And honorable lawes are reck'ned of in chiefe : That hath not onely gift of plentie delectable To speake hir mother-toong , but readily is able In Latine , Spanish , French , without premeditation , In Greeke , Italian , Dutch , to make as good oration , As Greece can , as can Fraunce , as Rome emperiall , As Rhine , as Arne can , plead in their naturall . O bright pearle of the North , martiall , Mars-conquering , Loue still and cherish Arts , and heare the Muses sing : And incase any time my verses winged-light Shall ouer th' Ocean sea to thine Isle take their flight , And by some happie chaunce into that faire hand slide , That doth so many men with lawfull scepter guide : View them with gracious eie and fauourable thought , I want thine eloquence to praise thee as I ought . 9. The French . 32 But what are these of Fraunce ? this count'nance is vnshap'd Hence hath the bungler hand of idle Mason scrap'd Onely the harder scales of eu'ry rugged knot ; 'T is Clement Marot sure that laboureth so hot Artist like without art , and prickt with Phaebus launce Transporteth Helicon from Italie to Fraunce . Marot I honour thee like as an old Colosse All soiled , all-to-broke , all ouergrow'n with mosse , Worne pictures , tombes defac'd , not so for their beautie As in deuour regard of their antiquitie . What one this other is I scarse remember me ; A cunning one he seemes what one so ere he be . Still rest I in suspence , somtime he doth appeere To be Iames Amiot , somtime Blase Viginiere . Great Ronsard is the next , that doth of graces wrong The Greeke and Latin both , to grace his mother-toong , And with a courage bould doth mannage happily All kind of argument in prose and poetrie . De Mornay this man is , that combats Atheisme , Iewes stubborne vnbeleefe , and foolish Paganisme , With weapons of their owne , he godly , graue , setled , Stifneth so well his stile , plaine eke and flourished , That pregnant reasons of his winged words , like darts , Deeply instrike themselues into all gentle harts . Then thus I spoke to them . O bright , O goodly wits , The Poets desire considering the learned writers of Fraunce . Who in most happie case haue consecrate your writs To immortalitie ! sith that my feeble shoulders May not among-ye be the French glories vphoulders ; Alas ! sith I can scarce looke after you so hie As is the double mount approching to the skie , Yet suffer me at least heere prostrate to imbrace Your honourable knees , graunt me at-least the grace On your bright-shining heads to guirlond Aprils spring ; Graunt of your gentlenes that these base tunes I sing May in your glorie get an euerlasting glorie , And that alway my verse may register your storie . They granting my request made semblance with their hed , The end of the Vision . So vanished the vale , and all the pillers fled : So likewise had the Dreame with them togither hasted , But that I with mine inke his nimble feathers pasted .

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 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 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 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 : 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 . 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 vbique 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 , 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 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 : 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 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 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 .

FINIS .