Book III,

The Carthagi¬ nians well still'd in Sai¬ ling.
Chap . t7*
% Kjngsc. io.
Many things in nature grow out of ufe.
MCtlef. I.
Solomon held nothing to be new .
whether the Art of Printing be old.
whether Guns were of old.
&neid.L.€*
paflc Plautus fpeaks of, was the fame with ours, or verylikTir And yctl think that our Compafie is more compleat, and brought to a greater perfection, and thews things more exa&ly. But fince the Carthagenians,vcry skillfull in failing, for abo vet wo thoufand years did not onely frequent the Ports and havens of the Mediter¬ ranean Seas, but went farther into the Ocean, and with a very great beet failed into Mauritania, round about $ It is very likely that they wanted not this inventions to fay nothing of the Tyri¬ ans and Sidomaos, who as Pzechtel (peaks, had great skill in Na¬ vigation, and ufed much Merchandiie: and befides th Qk,Sdomon$ Mamners failed with a great fleet by the Red-Sea, and the Perfi- an Guiph, whereby there lyes an openpaflage into India (the Tews call it Ophir) and brought a vaft treafure of Gold, Apes, Peacocks Elephants, Jewels, from thence as the Portingals do now, and can hardly make their voyage in the fpace of a year. Wherefore I think no man ought ra(hly to believe that in thofe times they wan¬ ted thefe helps for fayling, efpecially in fo happy an age, that was abundant in wifeand painfull Arcifi&rs. But it may be by reafon of the incur (ions of the Barbarians, who wafted, killed, deftroyed, and depopulated all, fuch a noble mftrument might be loft, and the Artificers all (lain and dead ; but when peace grew on again, and all wars ceafed, by the care and induftry of man (whole wits are ready to find ouc things) it wa. brought into ufe again ftranse- ly. So fome fay that in former years many things were in ufe, that we think to be new Inventions, which Solomon conftantly af¬ firms. tvhat was faith he, afore -time is now, and what is pafl JJW/ be renewed : and there is no new thing under the Sun , and if any thing feem to be new r it was in the day eS that were before m ; and the things that now are [hall be forgotten, becaufethey [hall peri [h and decay with age . So fome think there was fome Art of Printing formerly ufed, as they conjecture from fome Antient pictures, feals, rings, medals, in which there are feen fome Characters of Letters, as though they were printed*; for in that age they wanted not Seal-cutters and Engravers, and fuch Artificers; yet if any of the Antients had in¬ vented any fuch matter, as no man ought to lofe his deferved com¬ mendation, we muft confeffe it was not fo perfect, exa& and com- plcat, nor were the Letters fo artificially let and directed. Alfo Guns and Ordinance of Brafle and Iron, and Piftols, and Mufquets that are more traCtible than the great Guns,becaufe by putting the , hand to the trigger, as to the helm of a fhip, and by the fnap of the flint with the (parks of fire they are difeharged againft the Enfc- my, are thought to be inventions of former ages, as appears by thefe Verfes of Virgil.
I f aw Salmoneus tortur'd cruelly, *
whiVft he Joves flames and Thunder did prefent ;
He rode with Horfesfour , his Coach did fly ,
Amongfl the G reeks , through Elis City went,
\ : * t*. ' * • . ' 4 , ' % i ~ 'l\ 3.
He
Chap.4.
Of the Marriners Compafte.
2 01
He [hook his Torch , and boafted that by right.
As Gods,ador d befbould be for his might .
Mad fool, to think that Aye and Horfes can 3 Make f'louds and Thunder , are too high for man.
Though all thefe things are doubtfull, and we can pronounce nothing certainly from them; for, it may be, fome other thing is meant cnereby, yet of the Needle there is another reafon. For when the Pole and little Bear by interpofition of Clouds and dark- nefte ’cannot be fecn by the Marriners, they are in eminent danger on all (ides, and therefore we may certainly determine, that Tince Navigation was then fo common, in that age they did not want thefc helps of Sailing. Nor am I ignorant that Philander who • ^ ; i.
hath written excellently learned Commentaries upon Kitruvim, L’10'c'u* was in this opinion, that he believes this CompafTe which by the Loadftone and Needle fhews the Pole, was made not naany ages o^whntnU tikft at Amalphis a Town of Campania: but I think this Inftrument cmpajfe. @ was not invented there nor in that time, nor yet invented in our dayes, but it is new drefled and renewed from former ages; and that the Artificers then, did exactly and perfectly without any de- fed or declination of the Needle make this Inftrument to point out the Poles with both ends * that fo their (hips might Sail more artificially and fucceflefully to the place they defired. Where¬ fore Plautus Teems in thefe words to intimate that the Antients wan¬ ted not the ufe of it, an$ that they failed by its diredion over the Seas at great diftances ; and to take occafion from this to haften their voyages when need was.
If you make hajle , to do it better , take The Comp aft e whil’ ft the wind is good ; forfake Delays , the Weft winds clear , the S outh brings rain That drives clouds oft, this brings them back again .
Wherefore no man can doubt but the Antients had the ufe and benefit of the Marriners Chart.
De Mm di. - Scenj.
CHAP. y.
what it is makes Dogs mad, and at what time of the year chiefly, and what are the be ft remedies to cure them .
Ogs that are mens faithfull fervants, and familiar houfe-
D
_ _ - companions, and warders of them, are mad, either when
the Sun h very hoc in the Dog-dayes, or in winter when it is ex- treamcold; becattfe at that time of the year bHc£ choller is ex-vrycitdwu' afperated and fharpned, and the venome of i^wppwfed forth, thtu which by theafperfion and touch of it is deadly and deftrudive :
Pf - In
202
what it is that wakes Doggs mad.