againe to the blacke Moores. I myself haue seen an Ethiopian as blacke as a
cole brought into England, who taking a faire English woman to wife, begat
a sonne in all respects as blacke as the father was, although England were
his natiue countrey; and an English woman his mother: whereby it seemeth
this blacknes proceedeth rather of some natural infection of that man which
was so strong, that neither the nature of the Clime, neither the good
complexion of the mother concurring, coulde any thing alter, and therefore
wee cannot impute it to the natureof the Clime. [Sidenote: The colour of
the people in Meta Incognita. The complexion of the people of Meta
incognita.] And for a more fresh example, our people of Meta Incognita (of
whom and for whom this discourse is taken in hande) that were brought this
last yeere into England, were all generally of the same colour that many
nations be, lying in the middest of the middle Zone. And this their colour
was not onely in the face which was subiect to Sunne and aire, but also in
their bodies, which were still couered with garments as ours are, yea the
very sucking childe of twelue moneths age had his sonne of the very same
colour that most haue vnder the equinoctiall, which thing cannot proceed by
reason of the Clime, for that they are at least ten degrees more towardes
the North then wee in England are, No, the Sunne neuer commeth neere their
Zenith by fourtie degrees: for in effect, they are within three or foure
degrees of that which they call the frozen Zone, and as I saide, fourtie
degrees from the burning Zone, whereby it followeth, that there is some
other cause then the Climate or the Sonnes perpendicular reflexion, that
should cause the Ethiopians great blacknesse. And the most probable cause
to my judgement is, that this blackenesse proceedeth of some naturall
infection of the first inhabitants of that Countrey, and so all the whole
progenie of them descended, are still polluted with the same blot of
infection. Therefore it shall not bee farre from our purpose, to examine
the first originall of these blacke men, and howe by a lineall discent they
haue hitherto continued thus blacke.
[Sidenote: The cause of the Ethiopians blacknesse.] It manifestly and
plainely appeareth by Holy Scripture, that after the generall inundation
and ouerflowing of the earth, there remained no moe men aliue but Noe his
three sonnes, Sem, Cham, and Iaphet, who onely were left to possesse and
inhabite the whole face of the earth: therefore all the sundry discents
that vntil this day haue inhabited the whole earth, must needes come of the
off-spring either of Sem, Cham, or Iaphet, as the onely sonnes of Noe, who
all three being white, and their wiues also, by course of nature should
haue begotten and brought foorth white children. But the enuie of our great
and continuall enemie the wicked Spirite is such, that as hee coulde not
suffer our olde father Adam to liue in the felicite and Angelike state
wherein hee was first created, but tempting him sought and procured his
ruine and fall: so againe, finding at this flood none but a father and
three sonnes liuing, hee so caused one of them to transgresse and disobey
his fathers commaundement, that after him all his posterity shoulde bee
accursed. [Sidenote: The Arke of Noe.] The fact of disobedience was this:
When Noe at the commandement of God had made the Arke and entred therein,
and the floud-gates of heauen were opened, so that the whole face of the
earth, euery tree and mountaine was couered with abundance or water, hee
straitely commaunded his sonnes and their wiues, that they should with
reuerence and feare beholde the iustice and mighty power of God, and that
during the time of the flood while they remained in the Arke, they should
vse continencie, and abstaine from carnall copulation with their wines: and
many other precepts bee gaue vnto them, and admonitions touching the
iustice of God, in renenging sinne, and his mercie in deliuering them, who
nothing deserued it. Which good instructions and exhortations
notwithstanding his wicked sonne Cham disobeyed, and being perswaded that
the first childe borne after the flood (by right and Lawe of nature) should
inherite and possesse all the dominions of the earth, hee contrary to his
fathers commandement while they were yet in the Arke, vsed company with his
wife, and craftily went about thereby to dis-inherite the off-spring of his
other two brethren: for the which wicked and detestable fact, as an example
for contempt of Almightie God, and disobedience of parents, God would a
sonne should bee borne whose name was Chus, who not [Sidenote: Chus the
sonne of Cham accursed.] onely it selfe, but all his posteritie after him
should bee so blacke and lothsome, that it might remaine a spectacle of
disobedience to all the worlde. And of this blacke and cursed Chus came all
these blacke Moores which are in Africa, for after the water was vanished
from off the face of the earth, and that the lande was dry, Sem chose that
part of the land to inhabite in, which nowe is called Asia, and Iaphet had
that which now is called Europa, wherein wee dwell, and Africa remained for
Cham and his blacke sonne [Sidenote: Africa was called Chamesis.] Chus, and
was called Chamesis after the fathers name, being perhaps a cursed, dry,
sandy, and vnfruitfull ground, fit for such a generation to inhabite in.
Thus you see, that the cause of the Ethiopians blacknesse is the curse and
naturall infection of blood, and not the distemperature of the Climate;
Which also may bee prooued by this example, that these blacke men are found
in all parts of Africa, as well without the Tropickes, as within, euen vnto
Capo de buona Speranza Southward, where, by reason of the Sphere, should be
the same temperature that is in Sicilia, Morea and Candie, where al be of
very good complexions. Wherefore I conclude, that the blacknesse proceedeth
not of the hotenesse of the Clime, but as I saide, of the infection of
blood, and therefore this their argument gathered of the Africans
blacknesse is not able to destroy the temperature of the middle Zone. Wee
may therefore very well bee assertained, that vnder the Equinoctiall is the
most pleasant and delectable place of the worlde to dwell in; where
although the Sunne for two houres in a yeere be direct ouer their heades,
and therefore the heate at that time somewhat of force, yet [Sidenote:
Greatest temperature vnder the Equinoctial] because it commeth so seldome,
and continueth so small a time, when it commeth, it is not to bee wayed,
but rather the moderate heate of other times in all the yeere to be
remembred. And if the heate at any time should in the short day waxe
somewhat vrgent, the coldnesse of the long night there would easily refresh
it, according as Henterus sayeth, speaking of the temperature vnder the
Equinoctiall.
Quodque die solis violento incanduit æstu,
Humida nox reficit, paribusque refrigerat horis.
If the heate of the Sunne in the day time doe burne or parch any thing, the
moysture of the night doeth coole and refresh the same againe, the Sunne
being as long absent in the night, as it was present in the day.
Also our Aucthour of the Sphere, Johannes de Sacro Bosco, in the Chapter of
the Zodiacke, deriueth the Etymologie of Zodiacus, of the Greeke word Zoe,
which in Latine signifieth Vita, life; for out of Aristotle hee alleadgeth,
that Secundum accessum et recessum solis in Zodiaco, fiunt generationes et
corruptiones in rebus inferioribus: according to the Sunnes going to and
fro in the Zodiake, the inferiour bodies take their causes of generation
and corruption. [Sidenote: Vnder the Equinoctiall is greatest generation.]
Then it followeth, that where there is most going to and fro, there is most
generation and corruption: which must needes be betweene the two Tropikes;
for there the Sunne goeth to and fro most, and no where else but there.
Therefore betweene the two Tropikes, that is, in the middle Zone, is
greatest increase, multiplication, generation, and corruption of things,
which also wee finde by experience; for there is Sommer twice in the yeere,
and twice Winter, so that they haue two Haruests in the yeere, and
continuall Spring. Seeing then the middle Zone falleth out so temperate, it
resteth to declare where the hottest part of the world should bee, for we
finde some places more hote then others.
To answere this doubt, reason perswadeth, the hotest place in[61] the world
to bee vnder and about the two Tropikes; for there more then in any other
place doe both the [Sidenote: Greatest heate vnder the Tropicks.] causes of
heate concurre, that is, the perpendicular falling of the Sunne beames, at
right angles, and a greater continuance of the Sunne aboue the Horizon, the
Pole there being eleuated three or foure and twentie degrees. And as before
I concluded, that though the Sunne were perpendicular to them vnder the
Equinoctiall, yet because the same continued but a small time (their dayes
being short, and their nights long) and the speedie departure of the Sunne
from their Zenith, because of the suddeine crossing of the Zodiake with the
Equinoctiall, and that by such continuall course and recourse of hote and
colde, the temperature grew moderate, and very well able to bee endured: so
nowe to them vnder the two Tropikes, the Sunne hauing once by his proper
motion declined twentie degrees from the Equinoctial, beginneth to drawe
neere their Zenith, which may bee (as before) about the eleuenth day of
May, and then beginneth to sende his beames almost at right Angles, about
which time the Sunne entreth into the first degree of Gemini, and with this
almost right Angle the Sunne beames will continue vntill it bee past
Cancer, that is, the space of two moneths euery day at noone, almost
perpendicular ouer their heades, being then the time of Solstitium
Aestiuale: which so long continuance of the Sunne about their Zenith may
cause an extreeme heate (if any be in the world) but of necessitie farre
more heate then can bee vnder the Equinoctiall, where the Sunne hath no
such long abode in the Zenith, but passeth away there hence very quickly.
Also vnder the Tropikes, the day is longer by an houre and a halfe, then it
is vnder the Equinoctiall; wherefore the heate of the Sunne hauing a longer
time of operation, must needes be encreased, especially seeing the night
wherein colde and moysture doe abound vnder the Tropickes, is lesse then it
is vnder the Equinoctiall. Therefore I gather, that vnder the Tropickes is
the hotest place, not onely of Torrida Zona, but of any other part of the
world, especially because there both causes of heate doe concurre, that is,
the perpendicular falling of the Sunne beames two monethes together, and
the longer abode of the Sunnes presence aboue the Horison. And by this
meanes more at large is prooued, that Marochus in Summer is farre more
hote, then at any time vnder the Enoctiall, because it is situate so neere
the Tropick of Cancer, and also for the length of their dayes. Neither yet
doe I thinke, that the Regions situate vnder the Tropicks are not
habitable, for they are found to be very fruitfull also; although Marochus
and some other parts of Afrike neere the Tropike for the drinesse of the
natiue sandie soile, and some accidents may seeme to some to be intemperate
for ouer much heat. For Ferdinandus Ouiedus[62] speaking of Cuba and
Hispaniola, Ilands of America, lying hard vnder, or by the Tropike of
Cancer, saith, that these Ilands haue as good pasture for cattell, as any
other countrey in the world.
Also, they haue most holesome and cleare water, and temperate aire, by
reason whereof the heards of beastes are much bigger, fatter, and of better
taste, then any in Spaine, because of the ranke pasture, whose moysture is
better digested in the hearbe or grasse, by continuall and temperate heate
of the Sunne, whereby being made more fat and vnctious, it is of better and
more stedfast nourishment: For continuall and temperate heate doeth not
onely drawe much moysture out of the earth to the nourishment of such
things as growe, and are engendred in that Clime, but doeth also by
moderation preserue the same from putrifying, digesting also, and
condensating or thickning the said moyst nourishment into a gumme and
vnctious substance, whereby appeareth also, that vnder the Tropikes is both
holesome, fruitefull, and pleasant habitation, whereby lastly it followeth,
that all the [Sidenote: Vnder the Tropickes is moderate temperature.]
middle Zone, which vntill of late dayes hath bene compted and called the
burning, broyling, and parched Zone, is now found to be the most delicate,
temperate, commodious, pleasant and delectable part of the world, and
especially vnder the Equinoctiall.
Hauing now sufficiently at large declared the temperature of the middle
Zone, it remaineth to speake somewhat also of the moderate and continuall
heate in colde Regions, as well in the night as in the day all the Sommer
long, and also how these Regions are habitable to the inhabitants of the
same, contrary to the opinion of the olde writers.
Of the temperature of colde Regions all the Sommer long, and also how in
Winter the same is habitable, especially to the inhabitants thereof.
The colde Regions of the world are those, which tending toward the Poles
Arctike, and Antarctike, are without the circuite or boundes of the seuen
Climates: which assertion agreeable to the opinion of the olde Writers, is
found and set out in our authour of the Sphere, Iohannes de Sacrobosco,
where hee plainely saith, that without the seuenth Climate, which is
bounded by a Parallel passing at fiftie degrees in Latitude, all the
habitation beyonde is discommodious and intolerable. [Sidenote: Nine
Climates.] But Gemma Frisius a late writer finding England and Scotland to
be without the compasse of those Climates, wherein hee knewe to bee very
temperate and good habitation, added thereunto two other Climates, the
vttermost Parallel whereof passeth by 56. degrees in Latitude, and therein
comprehendeth ouer and aboue the first computation, England, Scotland,
Denmarke, Moscouia, &c which all are rich and mightie kingdomes.
[Sidenote: A comparison betweene Marochus and England.] The olde writers
perswaded by bare conjecture, went about to determine of those places, by
comparing them to their owne complexions, because they felt them to bee
hardly tolerable to themselues, and so took thereby an argument of the
whole habitable earth; as if a man borne in Marochus, or some other part of
Barbarie, should at the latter end of Sommer vpon the suddeine, either
naked, or with his thinne vesture, bee brought into England, hee would
judge this Region presently not to bee habitable, because hee being brought
vp in so warme a Countrey, is not able here to liue, for so suddeine an
alteration of the colde aire: but if the same man had come at the beginning
of Sommer, and so afterward by little and little by certaine degrees, had
felt and acquainted himselfe with the frost of Autumne, it would haue
seemed by degrees to harden him, and so to make it farre more tollerable,
and by vse after one yeere or two, the aire would seeme to him more
temperate. It was compted a great matter in the olde time, that there was a
brasse pot broken in sunder with frosen water in Pontus, which after was
brought and shewed in Delphis, in token of a miraculous colde region and
winter, and therefore consecrated to the Temple of Apollo.
This effect being wrought in the Parallel of fouretie three degrees in
Latitude, it was presently counted a place very hardly and vneasily to be
inhabited for the great colde. And how then can such men define vpon other
Regions very farre without that Parallel, whether they were inhabited or
not, seeing that in so neere a place they so grossely mistooke the matter,
and others their followers being contented with the inuentions of the olde
Authors, haue persisted willingly in the same opinion, with more confidence
then consideration of the cause: so lightly was that opinion receiued, as
touching the vnhabitable Clime neere and vnder the Poles.
[Sidenote: All the North regions are habitable.] Therefore I am at this
present to proue, that all the land lying betweene the last climate euen
vnto the point directly vnder either poles, is or may be inhabited,
especially of such creatures as are ingendred and bred therein. For indeed
it is to be confessed, that some particular liuing creature cannot liue in
euery particular place or region, especially with the same ioy and
felicitie, as it did where it was first bred, for the certeine agreement of
nature that is betweene the place and the thing bred in that place; as
appeareth by the Elephant, which being translated and brought out of the
second or third climat, though they may liue, yet will they neuer ingender
or bring forth yong.[63] Also we see the like in many kinds of plants and
herbs; for example, the Orange trees, although in Naples they bring forth
fruit abundantly, in Rome and Florence they will beare onely faire greene
leaues, but not any fruit: and translated into England, they will hardly
beare either flowers, fruit, or leaues, but are the next Winter pinched and
withered with cold: yet it followeth not for this, that England, Rome, and
Florence should not be habitable.
[Sidenote: Two causes of heat.] In the prouing of these colde regions
habitable, I shalbe very short, because the same reasons serve for this
purpose which were alleged before in the proouing the middle Zone to be
temperate, especially seeing all heat and colde proceed from the Sunne, by
the meanes either of the Angle which his beames do make with the Horizon,
or els by the long or short continuance of the Suns presence aboue ground:
so that if the Sunnes beames do beat perpendicularly at right Angles, then
there is one cause of heat, and if the Sunne do also long continue aboue
the Horizon, then the heat thereby is much increased by accesse of this
other cause, and so groweth to a kinde of extremitie. And these two causes,
as I sayd before, do most concurre vnder the two Tropicks, and therefore
there is the greatest heat of the world. And likewise, where both these
causes are most absent, there is greatest want of heat, and increase of
colde (seeing that colde is nothing but the priuation and absence of heate)
and if one cause be wanting, and the other present the effect will grow
indifferent. Therefore this is to be vnderstood, that the neerer any region
is to the Equinoctiall, the higher the Sunne doth rise ouer their heads at
noone, and so maketh either right or neere right Angles, but the Sunne
tarieth with them so much the shorter time, and causeth shorter dayes, with
longer and colder nights, to restore the domage of the day past, by reason
of the moisture consumed by vapour. But in such regions, ouer the which the
Sunne riseth lower (as in regions extended towards either pole) it maketh
there vnequall Angles, but the Sunne continueth longer, and maketh longer
dayes, and causeth so much shorter and warmer nights, as retaining warme
vapours of the day past. For there are found by experience Summer nights in
Scotland and Gothland very hot, when vnder the Equinoctiall they are found
very cold. [Sidenote: Hote nights nere the pole. Colde nights vnder the
Equinoctiall.] This benefit of the Sunnes long continuance and increase of
the day, doth argument so much the more in colde regions as they are nerer
the poles, and ceaseth not increasing vntill it come directly vnder the
point of the pole Arcticke, where the Sunne continueth aboue ground the
space of sixe moneths or halfe a yere together, and so the day is halfe a
yere long, that is the time of the Sunnes being in the North signes, from
the first degree of Aries vntill the last of Virgo, that is all the time
from our 10 day of March vntill the 14 of September. [Sidenote: One day of
sixe moneths.] The Sunne therefore during the time of these sixe moneth
without any offence or hinderance of the night, giueth his influence vpon
those lands with heat that neuer ceaseth during that time, which maketh to
the great increase of Summer, by reason of the Sunnes continuance.
[Sidenote: Moderate heat vnder the poles.] Therefore it followeth, that
though the Sunne be not there very high ouer their heads, to cause right
angle beames, and to giue great heat, yet the Sun being there sometimes
about 24 degrees high doth cast a conuenient and meane heate, which there
continueth without hindrance of the night the space of sixe moneths (as is
before sayd) during which time there followeth to be a conuenient, moderate
and temperate heat: or els rather it is to be suspected the heat there to
be very great, both for continuance, and also, Quia virtus vnita crescit,
the vertue and strength of heat vnited in one increaseth. If then there be
such a moderate heate vnder the poles, and the same to continue so long
time; what should mooue the olde writers to say there cannot be place for
habitation. And that the certainty of this temperate heat vnder both the
poles might more manifestly appeare, let vs consider the position and
quality of the sphere, the length of the day, and so gather the height of
the Sunne at all times, and by consequent the quality of his angle, and so
lastly the strength of his heat.
Those lands and regions lying vnder the pole, and hauing the pole for their
Zenith, must needs haue the Equinoctiall circle for their Horizon:
therefore the Sun entring into the North signes, and describing euery 24
houres a parallel to the Equinoctiall by the diurnall motion of Primum
mobile, the same parallels must needs be wholly aboue the Horizon:
[Sidenote: The Sunne neuer setteth in 182 dayes.] and so looke how many
degrees there are from the first of Aries to the last of Virgo, so many
whole reuolutions there are aboue their Horizon that dwell vnder the pole,
which amount to 182, and so many of our dayes the Sunne continueth with
them. During which time they haue there continuall day and light, without
any hindrance of moist nights. [Sidenote: Horizon and Equinoctiall all one
vnder the pole.] Yet it is to be noted, that the Sunne being in the first
degree of Aries, and last degree of Virgo, maketh his reuolution in the
very horizon, so that in these 24 houres halfe the body of the Sunne is
aboue the horizon, and the other halfe is vnder his only center, describing
both the horizon and the equinoctiall circle.
And therefore seeing the greatest declination of the Sunne is almost 24
degrees, it followeth, his greatest height in those countries to be almost
24 degrees. [Sidenote: London.] And so high is the Sun at noone to vs in
London about the 29 of October, being in the 15 degree of Scorpio, and
likewise the 21 of Ianuary being in the 15 of Aquarius. Therefore looke
what force the Sun at noone hath in London the 29 of October, the same
force of heat it hath, to them that dwell vnder the pole, the space almost
of two moneths, during the time of the Summer solstitium, and that without
intermingling of any colde night; so that if the heat of the Sunne at noone
could be well measured in London (which is very hard to do because of the
long nights which ingender great moisture and cold) then would manifestly
appeare by expresse numbers the maner of the heat vnder the poles, which
certainly must needs be to the inhabitants very commodious and profitable,
if it incline not to ouermuch heat, and if moisture do not want.
For as in October in England we finde temperate aire, and haue in our
gardens hearbs and floures notwithstanding our cold nights, how much more
should they haue the same good aire, being continuall without night. This
heat of ours continueth but one houre, while the Sun is in that meridian,
but theirs continueth a long time in one height. This our heat is weake,
and by the coolnesse of the night vanisheth, that heat is strong, and by
continuall accesse is still increased and strengthened. [Sidenote:
Comodious dwelling vnder the poles.] And thus by a similitude of the equal
height of the Sun in both places appeareth the commodious and moderate heat
of the regions vnder the poles.
And surely I cannot thinke that the diuine prouidence hath made any thing
vncommunicable, but to haue giuen such order to all things, that one way or
other the same should be imployed, and that euery thing and place should be
tollerable to the next: but especially all things in this lower world be
giuen to man to haue dominion and vse thereof. Therefore we need no longer
to doubt of the temperate and commodious habitation vnder the poles during
the time of Summer.