IF EVER THERE wer Art for all mens vse inuented , Science set forth wherein consisteth Sapience , or Treasure worthy to be had in estimation : no doughte ( louynge Reader ) either Cosmographie is the same , or els it is not to be founde vppon th' Earth . For if we do well consider with oure selues what her office is , there is no man I suppose , so meane witted , but will confesse her ample vse , nor yet so simply learned but must acknowledge her manifold benefites . And if I shall begin with the defence of our Country , which ought to be more praecious , than Parentes wife Children or Consanguinitie , Cosmographie herein do so much profite , that without it both valeaunt Corage , Policy and Puisaunce oftentimes can take no place . For by her we are taught whiche way to conduct most safely our ooste , where to pitch oure tentes , where to winter : yea , and where most aptlye to encounter with them in the fielde . Which thing Alexander the mighty Conqueroure vnderstanding , accustomed to haue the Mappe and Carte of the Country , by his Cosmographers set out , with which he would warre . Commaunding it also to be hanged in open markets for all men to behold , wherby the Capitaines did for see , and seke out where was the easiest places to arriue , and the Souldiors allured with the commodities of the Countries , were made the willinger to the thinge . This was it which got him so many victories , and made him so great à Conqueror . This was it which obteined the Romanes their fame , more then ther force and strength . This hathe bene to all men profitable , and iniurious to no man . On the contrarye parte , what domage , yea vtter subuertion hathe folowed to moste noble Princes , and valeaunte Capitaines throughe Ignorance of this Art , histories full well can testify . And that amonge manye , I maye resight one Example , was not the mightye pertian King Cyrus ( who had brought Babilon , and all the East partes in subiection ) vanquished withall his armye of Tomyris the Scythian Quene , at the Riuer Oaxis , as he shuld haue passed ouer ? what shall I speake of Agamemnons armye in the Troian warres : of the Persians , against the Leonidians : or of Crassus , against the Partheans : whiche ware them selues destroyed , or made captiue , theyr wiues children and family spoyled , and theyr country most ruinously subuerted , for want of Cosmographie . Also , as touching the study of diuinitie , it is so requisite , and neadfull , that you shall not vnderstand any boke , ether of th' old law or Prophets ( yea I had almost said , any part of à booke , or Chapter of the same ) being in this Art ignoraunt . For what numbre of places , Ilands , Regions , Cities , Townes , Mountains , Seas , Riuers , and such like , is ther to be found in euery Booke ? How often doth father Moses in his . v. bookes , make mention of Babilon , Sinehar , Armenia ( in whose hilles , Noë his Arke stayed after the vniuersal deludge ) Assur , Charan , Caphdorim or Caldaea , Aegipt called of the Hebrues Mizraim , Syria ( deuided into thre parts , Mesopotamia , Arabia , and Aethiopia , ) with infinite like places , whiche without Cosmographie can nether be rightly vnderstand , or yet trulye expounded ? What contention , and strife , haue ther spronge in all ages amonge th' Interpreters of the scriptures , touching the situation of Paradice : their owne workes moste euidentlye beare witnesse . All they agree in this poynt , that it is à place of ioy , reast , and abounding in all kinde of pleasures , but yet as touchinge the situation , some vnderstand it spiritually : some imagin it ether in heauen or in the harts of the quiet and faithfull : other affirme it à place in th' Earth at this praesent yet remaining , but is so kepte with Angels that no man maye come to it : some say it is in th' East part of the worlde , aboue the middle reagion of th' Aëre , and so is free from the violence of all windes . Other suppose it to be in the burning Zone , vnder th' Equinoctiall : So that not two in this poynt do accord . But yet of all the rest , ther opinions semeth most fond , whiche place it in the middle region of the Aëre , and also those , that vnderstand it spiritually , for that the scripture affirmeth it to be in th' Earth , and the. iiij famous floudes ( Euphrates , Hidekel nowe called Tigris , Gihon , which many interprete Nilus , and Phison at this daye named Ganges ( to come from thence . These thinges I bring in only as example , to proue the necessarye vse of it in deuinitie , and not to dispute ether of Paradise or his situation , seing it belongeth not to my profession , and office . Moreouer mannes helth ( withoute whiche Honour , Fame , Richesse , Frendes , and Life it selfe , semeth bothe troublous , and noysome ) can not be conserued in perfite estate , or once lost be recouered and restored without Cosmographie . For howe greatlye herein it profiteth , to consider the temperature of Regions , Cities , and Townes , in what Zone , & vnder what Clymate and Parallele they are situated : Hippocrates dothe plainlye set out . Yea it might seme superfluous , to show how bothe he & Galenus , commaunded ther pacients to remoue from one place , to an other ( especiallye in longe sickenesse ) because of th' alteration of th' Aëre . What it auaileth also , to know the natures of waters , the quality & pertition of windes , the maners & complexions of th' inhabitantes all Physicions right well do vnderstand . And to conclude , in th' election of simples , as stones , treis , rotes , herbes , gummes , earthes , metals , beasts , foules , & fishes , what lighte springeth by consideringe the countrye from whence they are brought : I suppose no man of that profession , is ignorant . In the making , & ordaining lawes , for brideling mans froward appetide , Cosmographie is not vnfrutfull . For she setteth out the natures of all people , the lawes and statutes by which they are gouerned , & the sequele of euery decre established . Grammarians also , can not fullye vnderstande the pleasaunt inuention & perfite sence of the witty Poëtes , but by Cosmographies aide , because of the names of Regions , Cities , Townes , waters , fluddes , mountaines , ceremonies , people and monsters , which euery Poet do commenlye introduce , in all theyr writinges . I omit for breuitie , th' incredible benefits , whiche springe by reading of Histories : the beautye , & ornature of which , consisteth in the description of countreis , names of people , & nature of th' inhabitants : whiche remaine as vnknowne of th' inexperte of Cosmograghie . Moreouer , the famous marchaunts , haue by it not onlye inriched them selues , but also their country : fineding out suche commodities , as without it shuld remaine , as not knowne . Yea & that is daily more & more perceiued , for what countrie , or Iland , is not in oure age searched out ? what shall I herein speake of Vesputius Americus , who ( by his knowledge in Cosmographie ) found out America , the .iiij. parte of the world , ( vnknowne in all ages before our time ) to the great benefites of all Europe . I may seme to vtter that all men know , in making rehersall of th' Indians , Calicute , Ginea , the. v. Ilandes Moluccae , also Porne , Sololi , & infinite other , which are the frutes of Cosmographie in this our age . Mariners & trauailers on the seas ( without which no realme can long stand , or mans life be sustaind ) are bound to acknowledge Cosmographies benefites . For it setteth forthe there portes , it sheweth ther course , it declareth th' ordre of windes , it warneth them of rockes , shaloues , sandes , & infinite like dangers . In trauailing by land , her tables poynteth which way to folow , that thy iornay may be spedier , safe , short , & plesant , wher you shall ascend vp to hilles , wher to passe ouer waters , where to walke through woodes , and wher most aptly to remaine at night . If al these were not ( as it serueth to infinite vses more then time will permit to repete , ) yet this one were sufficient to kepe it in honor , that by it , in so small à lumpe , or piece of clay , beholding such strange formes of men , beastes , foules , and fishes : such diuersitie of times , such burning hilles , such merueilous stones , metalles & plants , we are inforced to confesse th' omnipotency , and wonderous worke of God . This is it , that prouoked Dioscorides to leaue cities , & townes , & trauail into deserts , & wods , to serch the nature of herbes This caused Atlas , Ptolomaeus , & Alfonce , to be so diligent in setting out the heauens course , & forme of this earthly mansion . The vtilitye of this , alured Orpheus , Solon , Democritus , Pythagoras , Eudoxus , Plato , Hipparchus , Polybius , Strabo , & an hundreth more of the auncient Philosophers , to leaue their country , frends & acquaintance , not doubting perel of the seas , dangers of enemies , losse of substance , werines of body : or anguish of mind . Yea the sweatnes therof was so great that Strabo after his trauails said , that if any arte were requisite for à Philosopher : it was Cosmographie . And Homer called Vlisses the wisest among the Graecians , because he knew the natures of people , and the diuersitie of nations : Adding , that his eloquence , prudence , fortitude , constancye , & other like vertues ( mete for à man ) insued of hys perigrinations , & trauails , which remaining at home , he shuld neuer haue learned by any preceptes , discipline , or teacher . But seing diuers in oure age are desirous of knowledge no lesse then the Philosophers were , & yet can not trauaile for the discorde of nations , the sondrye sectes of people , and diuers other impedimentes , our refuge is , to saye with Propertius .

In which , I had almoste ( through making ouer much hast ) forgotten to resight the benefits we receiue of Cosmographie : in that she deliuereth vs from greate and continuall trauailes . For in à pleasaunte house , or warme study , she sheweth vs the hole face of all th' Earthe , withal the corners of the same . And from this perigrination , thy wife with sheadinge salte teares , thy children with lamentations , nor thy frendes with wordes shal dehort & perswade the. In trauailing , thou shalt not be molested with the inclemencye of th' Aere , boysterous windes , stormy shoures , haile , Ise , & snow . Comming to thy lodginge , thou shalt not haue à churlish & vnknowne hoste , which shall mynister meate twise sodden , stinking fish , or watered wine . Going to rest , thou shalt not feare lowsy beddes , or filthy sheates . In Somer , the sonne with his fierye beames , shall not vexe thee : nor yet in winter , stormye Saturnus shal make thy beard frosen . In sayling , thou shalt not dread Pirates , feare Peries and greate windes , or haue à sicke stomacke through vnholsome smelles . Therfore these things considered , who is not incoraged to acheue suche an interprice , as shall redounde to his countries fame , & his perpetuall memorye ? what wise man dothe not delite to reade such thinges , as Emperoures , Kinges & Princes haue painfully trauailed in , esteming ther labours plentuouslye rewarded , with the frute of this Art ? But least these my wordes , should stirre vp the greadye appetides of diuers to this knowledge , & then to wante herein that mighte satisfie the same , beholde I haue compiled this my Cosmographical glasse . By which , such as are delighted in trauailing as well by land , as water , shal receiue no small comfort ( If I be not deceiued ) & th' other sort , by it may also protract , & set out perticuler cardes for anye countrye , Region , or prouince : or els th' vniuersall face of th' earth in à generall Mappe . Firste if they describe Parallele circles in the Mappe , answeringe to the like circles in the heauens : & by the right or croked Horizont , th' equinoctiall , polary circles , and altitude of the pole , to limite out the Zones , Climates , & Paralleles of Longitude , and Latitude : which being once praepared , you shall place there in the countries , hilles , fluddes , seas , fortresses , Ilandes , cities , desertes , & such like ( according to the praecepts of th' art ) as are placed on the platte forme of th' earthe . And that the praeceptes myghte seme the more facile & plaine , I haue reduced it into the forme of à Dialoge : the names of the personages in dede fained , but yet most aptly seruing our institution . In which Spoudaeus ( repraesenting the Scho ler ) maketh doubtes , asketh Questions , obiecteth : yea , & some tyme , digresseth not from the fonde imaginations of the grosse witted . Vnto which , Philonicus ( supplying th' office of à teacher ) answereth to to all th' obiections , & giueth praeceptes . What diligence I haue giuen in time of the Printing , to the correction herof , and also in diuisinge sundry newe Tables , Pictures , demonstrations , & praeceptes : that you may easely iudge by readyng the same worke . Also what charges the Printer hath susteined , that his good will might not be wanting , that shal be euident conferryng his beautiful Pictures & letters , with suche workes , as herto hath bene published . And thus I leaue the with my Cosmographicall Glasse , requiryng that these my trauayles & labours , be not rewarded with ingratitude , or ill reporte . And if for the difficultie of the worke , any errour escape : remember I am the firste that euer in oure tongue haue written of this argument , & therfore am constrained , to finde out the pathe . whiche if it be not at this time made plaine , smothe & pleasaunt : if God graunt life , & leisure , I trust so to treade it againe , that both night and day ( walking in the same ) thou shalt not misse of the desired Port. Againe fare well , & fauoure me , as I wishe thy furderaunce in knowledge .