The World
Sources from old books
1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.
OF THE WORLD. (Book description of the world)
THis Universe, which rather presents it selfe to the con∣templation of the minde of man, then to the sight of the Eyes, for the perfect elegancie, and absolute puritie there∣of, is called in Latine Mundus. This Pliny, in the 11. Lib.* 1.1 Cap. 1. of his Naturall Historie, calleth, That which cove∣reth all things with his Circumference. And Apuleius painting forth an admirable picture of it calleth it, That which consists in the societie of heaven and earth, and of those things which belong unto their natures. The same Apuleius more elaborately describes the world thus, or to this purpose. The world (saith hee) is a garnished ordinance of things, the just charge and custodie of the Gods, whose pole, (for so I call the Cen∣ter) beeing strong and immoveable, passeth through the earth, the Mo∣ther and nourisher of all living creatures. All the higher parts, as may be seene, being enclosed and hidden with the moistnesse of the aire in manner of a covering: Beyond is the house of the Gods, called Heaven, which wee see is full of divine bodies, as the faire and shining lights of the Sunne, Moone, and the other Starres, with which it is carried about by the diurnall and nocturnall motion in such a perpetuall course, as shall never have an end. Now that the forme thereof is gathered round together like a Globe, the name thereof doth declare, and the consent of men calling and painting it in manner of a Globe, besides diverse arguments that prove the same: As because such a figure is most capable, most simple, and doth bend in all parts towards it selfe, sustaines it selfe, includes and containes it selfe, wanting no joyning together, nor having any end or beginning in any of its parts: as also because where∣soever you behold it, it hath a circular forme in all its parts, which can∣not happen in another figure. Therefore it was a ridiculous imagination of them who supposed that it had not a a 1.2 Sphericall round figure, but either an angular, or ovall, or some other forme. There be two parts of the World, the Aetheriall or heavenly, and the Elementary or sub∣lunary. The Aetheriall is that cleare part which containeth all the ce∣lestiall Spheeres, and is free from * 1.3 alteration. The Elementary is that which is placed beneath those Orbes, and it admitteth generation and corruption, and containeth not onely simple Bodies, as Fire, Aire, Wa∣ter, Earth: but also those which are compounded of them, whereof wise men have delivered five kindes. For some are imperfectly mixt, which we call Meteors, as Hayle, Raine, Snow, Thunder, Lightning, Winde; others perfectly mixt, but without life, as Stones, Mettalls, &c. There are others which have a vegetable soule, as Plants; and those which have a sensible soule, as Brute Creatures: Lastly, there are some in the highest and last degree of compound things, which beside all these have a reasonable soule, as Men. We, leaving those things which belong to Astronomers and Philosophers, will chiefly consider the Globe of the Earth. The whole Earth being diversly divided by Seas, Rivers, and Marshes, doth make altogether an absolute Globe. Homer for no other cause calleth it Orbicular. And Numa Pompilius for the same consideration, did consecrate a round Temple to Vesta, the mo∣ther of Saturne, whom Poets take for the earth. And that the figure thereof can be no other, both Aristotle hath demonstrated by the reason of heavy things making towards one certaine point, and also Mathema∣ticians prove by the Eclipses, and shadowes of Dyalls. Besides it is found out by the long and certaine observations of Travellers, that the longitudes and latitudes of places doe varie according to their severall distances, so that it is most certaine without any farther demonstration, that there are b 1.4 Perioeci, that is to say, those that dwell under the same Parallel, and c 1.5 Antoeci, that is, those that dwell alike distance from the Aequator, but the one Northward, and the other Southward, and d 1.6 An∣tipodes, that is, people dwelling on the other side of the earth, with their feet directly against ours. Antiquitie sheweth that the compasse of this Globe, where it is largest, is 360 degrees; and this latter age doth affirme the same, wherefore if to every degree you allow 15 Ger∣mane miles, or 60 Italian miles, it will be easie to finde out the e 1.7 circuit of the whole earth. All the parts whereof (as Plinie saith in his 2d booke of Naturall Historie, Cap. 68. and as others also have delivered) are but a point in respect of the World, for the whole Earth is no better. This is the matter and seate of our glory, here we beare honours, here we exercise government, here wee covet riches, here men doe make tumults, and wage civill warres, thereby to make themselves roome upon the earth by slaughtering one another. And (that I may passe over the publicke furie of nations) this is it in which we drive forth our bordering neighbours, and by stealth encroach upon their Country, so that hee that hath most enlarged his territories, and driven the adjoyning inhabitants from their bounds, in how small a part of earth doth he rejoyce? or when hee hath enlarg'd it to the measure of his owne covetousnesse, what portion doth hee ob∣taine for all his labour? Thus farre Plinie. And let this suffice concerning the earth as it does make one Globe with the Sea. Now as it is distin∣guisht from the waters, and called in the Scriptures drie land, it is the proper habitation of men. And for the great desert thereof, we give it the name of Mother. This receiveth us at our birth, nourishes us being borne, and being once brought to light, it doth alwayes sustaine us: Lastly, when we are cast off and forsaken by nature, then chiefly like a mother shee hides us in her bosome. This also is to be added, that a f 1.8 Promontorie is called a part of land lying out farther than the rest, and is contrary to a Bay. Such are the Lacinian and Sephyrian in the farthest part of Italie, the Lilybaean in Sicilie, and the Sigaean in Asia. That is cal∣led an Iland which is washed on every side with the Sea: such are Crete, Cyprus, Sicilie, &c. A g 1.9 Paeninsula is that which is joyned to the Conti∣nent by a narrow ridge of Land, which the Greekes call Isthmos, and the Paeninsula it selfe, h 1.10 Chersonesus: such are the golden Chersonesus; the Cimbricke, the Dacike, the Tauricke, and others.
In this place something also is to be added concerning the Sea: one Sea is called the i 1.11 Mediterranean, the other the k 1.12 Ocean. The Ocean, which the holy Scripture doth call the gathering together of the wa∣ters, doth exceed all the other Seas in bignesse and largenesse, and is spread abroad through the whole earth, and wandring with a winding course by diverse coasts of the world, and by the Shoares, Iles and Pro∣montories of severall Nations, it changeth its name with those places. As in one place it is called the Westerne Ocean, in other places the Easterne, Aethiopian, Spanish, Atlanticke, Scythian, French, Brittish, Germane, Nor∣therne, and Frozen, and elsewhere by moderne observation it is called Mare del Sur, or the peaceable Sea, the Archipelagus of Lazarus, the Indian Sea, Lantchidol. There are many Bayes belonging to it, as the Arabian, the Persian, the Gangeticke, the Great, the Sarmaticke, the Mexican, and the Ver∣milian. There are two famous Streights of the Ocean, the one ofl 1.13 Gibral∣tar, the other of m 1.14 Magellan, to which may be added Ania, which lyeth between the farthest Westerne parts of America, and the Easterne parts of Tartaria. The Mediterranean Sea divideth Africke from Europe, and hath diverse names according to the situation of diverse Countries. As the Iberian, the Balearick, the French, the Tuscane, the Sicilian, the Adriatick, the Ionian, Cretian, Aegyptian, Pamphilian, Syrian, Aegean, Myrtian, Icari∣an, and the Sea of Propontis. Concerning the motion of the Sea, which they call the Tide, seeing it is a matter most worthy of admiration, we are to speake something of it in this place. The Tide is said to be a mo∣tion of the Sea, wherby it floweth upward, & having finished his course, ebbeth backe againe. As there is one cause thereof so there are many e∣vents and effects concerning it. For in some places there is little or no Tide at all. On the Northerne Coast of the Pacificke Sea, there is none. In the Tuscan, Tyrrhene, and Narbonian Sea, in the Celtiberian Sea at Bar∣chino, and in the Mexican at Cuba, with the neighbouring Islands there is none at all. But elsewhere it is great; as at Bengala in the Indies neere to Ganges, in the Gothicke, Germane, Brittish, and Portugall Ocean, and so great in the Erythrean, that the despisers of holy Scriptures have fained, that Moses used to passe over on dry-land by the opportunitie of the Ebbe, which could not be, because even to Sues, which lyeth backward, the Sea covereth that Shoare; neither going backward doth it leave it so naked as that by its ebbing it should discover the lower parts, over which the Hebrewes passed. The Tides in the Ocean are alwaies greates then those in Bayes, yet are they more discerned about the shoares, then in the deep.
But concerning them we will speake more in another place.* 1.15 The Sea is not altogether barren, but bringeth forth Fish, Plants, and pretious stones, and it is to be noted how Nature, with Dedalus cunning, hath re∣presented in the Sea all the chiefest things which are seene either on the Earth, or in the Aire. I let passe the Sea-Elephants, the Sea-Hogges, the Torteises, Dog-fishes, Sea-calves, Sea-horses: I omit the Falcons and Sea-swallowes, seeing Nature hath exprest even man himselfe, in the Mairman, in the Siren, and Nereides: and also in the Monke-fish: as for the Corrall, the Pearles, the Amber, Gumme, Sponges, and infinite other things. Whom do they not worthily draw into the admiration and a∣doration of Gods power? But of this wee have spoken sufficiently. Let us come now to the distribution of the Globe of the Earth. The Ancients have divided the Globe of the Earth sometimes into two parts, some∣times into three: the division into three parts, Europe, Asia, Africke, or Libya, is most famous among the Ancients, to whom the new World was not yet knowne. But America being found, our age hath added that for the fourth part. Our Mercator doth distinguish this Globe of the Earth into three Continents: hee calleth that the first, which the Anci∣ents divided into three parts, the second that which we now call Ame∣rica: the third, the Southerne, or Magellanicke land. But we will divide the whole Globe into five patts, Europe, Africke, Asia, America, and the Southerne Land.