A Briefe Introduction to Geography Part 1

A Briefe Introduction to Geography.

by William Pemble.

To the Reader

Gentle Reader; I here present vnto thy view these few sheets, written by that learned man _Mr William Pemble_, I doubt not to call him the father, the childe fauours him so much. It hath long lay hid from thy sight, but now at length emboldned vpon thy curteous acceptance of his former labours, it lookes abroad into the world; Its but little; let not that detract any thing from it, there may lie much, though pent vp in a narrow roome; when thou reades, then iudge of it; Thus much may bee sayd: Though many haue writ of this subiect, yet this inferiour to none; thou may'st obserue in it an admirable mixture of Art and delight, so that for younger Students it may bee their introduction, for others a Remembrancer, for any not vnworthy the perusall: only, let it finde kinde entertaynment, at thy hands. _Farewell._

A BRIEFE INTRODVCTION TO GEOGRAPHIE.

CHAP. 1.

_A generall description and division of Geography._

Topographie is a particular description of some small quant.i.ty of Land, such as Land measurers sett out in their plots.

Chorographie is a particular description of some Country, as of England, France, or any s.h.i.+re or prouince in them: as in the vsuall and ordinary mappe.

Geography is an art or science teaching vs the generall description of the whole earth, of this especially wee are now to speake of, and also Chorography as a part vnder it conteyned: both, excellent parts of knowledge in them selues, and affoording much profit and helpe in the vnderstanding of history & other things. The parts of Geography are two.

Generall, which treateth of the nature, qualities, measure, with other generall properties of the earth.

Speciall, wherein the seuerall countrys and coasts of the earth are deuided and described.

Of the generall in the first place, and more at large then of the other, because it is more difficult, and hard to bee vnderstood, and yet of necessary vse, for the vnderstanding of the other.

This generall tract may bee parted into fiue particular heads.

1 of the properties and affections of the earth.

2 of the parts of it in generall.

3 of the Circles of it.

4 of the distinction and diuision of it accordinge to some generall conditions and qualities of it.

5 of the measuringe of it.

These in theire order.

CAP. 2.

_Of certaine generall properties of the earth._

In Geography when wee name the earth wee meane not the earth taken seuerally by itselfe, without the seas and waters. But vnder one name both are comprised, as they are now mingled one with another and doe both together make vp one entire and round body. Neither doe wee diue into the bowels of the earth, and enter into consideration of the naturall qualities, which are in the substance of Earth and water, as coldnes, drinesse moisture, heauines, and the like, but wee looke only vpon the out side, contemplating the greatnesse, scituation, distances, measuringe, and other such affections which appeare in the superficies of it, to the eyes of our bodies and mindes: These then of the earth and water together, rules are to bee knowne,

1 _The earth and the water doe make one globe, i.e., one round or sphericall body._

The naturall place of the water is to bee aboue the earth, and soe it was in the first creation of it, compa.s.sing, the earth round aboute as appeares Genes. 1. 9. But for the vse of man and all other liuing creatures, G.o.d made a separation of them caussing the waters to sinke downe into huge hollow channells, prepared to receaue it, that so the drie land might appeare aboue it. Notwithstanding which separation, they doe both still remaine together, not couering one another as at first, but intermingled one with another, and that soe exactly as they now make but one round body, whereas at first they made two. Here therfore are two poynts to be proued, 1. That they are one globe. 2. that this one is round.

1 They are one globe hauing the same Center or middle pointe, and the same surface or conuexe superficies, which will appeare by these reasons.

1 Common experience. Take a lumpe of earth and any quant.i.ty of water, and let them both fall downe together vpon the earth from some high place, wee see that in the desc[~e]t they doe not seuer, but keepe still together in on streight line, which could not bee, if the earth and water were two seuerall round bodies hauing seuerall centers. As for example suppose them to bee two globes and let (_a_) bee the Center of the earth and (_b_) the center of the water; fr[~o] (_c_) some high place aboue the earth hurle downe earth and water, I say the earth will part from the water in going downe and the earth will fall downe vpon (_d_) & the water vpon (_e_) but this is contrary to experience & _ergo_ the supposition is false.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 The shadow which in Eclipses is cast vpon the Moone by the earth and the water, is but one and not two, & therefore the body is so likewise. This will appeare in the proofe of the next point, v. 2.

2 _That both earth and water are one round body, not square, long, hollow, of any other figure. This is proued by diuerse reasons._

1 By Eclipses; when the earth, stands iust betweene the Sunne and the Moone, then doth the shadow of the earth falling vpon the Moone darken it wholy or in part. Now as is the fas.h.i.+on of the shadow, such is the figure of the body, whence it falls, but the shadow of the earth and water cast vpon the Moone is round, and also one, therefore they are round and also one body.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

2 By the orderly and successiue appearing of the starres, as men trauile from North to South, or from South to North, by sea or land. For as they goe by degrees, they discouer new starres, which they saw not before, and loose the sight of them they did, which could not bee if the earth were not round. As for example, let (_X.O.R._) the inward Circle bee the earth, (_Q.S.P._) the outward, the Heauen: they cannot see the starre (_S_) which dwell vpon the earth in (_X_) but if they goe Northward vnto (_O_) they may see it. If they goe farther to (_R_) they may see the starre (_P_) but then they loose the sight of the starre (_Q_) which being at (_X_) and (_O_) they might haue seene. Because, as it appeares in the figure, the earth riseth vp round betweene (_R_) and (_X_).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

3 By the orderly and successiue rising of the Sunne and starres, and settinge of the same. Which appeare not at the same time to all countryes, but vnto one after another. As for example, let (_F.C.B._) be the Circle of the earth, (_D.E.A._) the Circle of the heauen from East to west, let (_A_) bee the Sunne or a starre. When the Sunne (_A_) is vp, and s.h.i.+nes vpon them that dwell in (_B_) hee is not risen to them that dwell in (_C_) againe when hee is risen higher and is come to (_E_) and so s.h.i.+nes vpon those that dwell in (_C_) hee is not yet vp to them that dwell in (_F_). Againe when hee setts in the West, in (_D_) and so is out of sight to the inhabitants in (_B_) hee is yet vp to them that dwell in (_C_) and (_F_). Which shews plainely the earth is round.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

4 By the different obseruations of Eclipses. One and the same Eclipse appearing sooner to the Easterly Nations then those that lye farther west, which is caused by the bulke of the earth swelling vp betweene. As for example.

Let (_X.O._) bee the Circle of the earth, and the greater the Circle of the heauen from East to West. Let (_P.Q._) bee the body of the Sunne, (_W.S._) of the Moone in the eclipse by reason of the earth betweene it and the Sunne. It is manifest that the inhabitants in (_O_) shall see the eclipse before the inhabitants in (_X_) by certaine houres, according as the distance betweene (_X_) and (_O_) is more or lesse. They that dwell in (_O_) shall see it in (_S_) they that dwell in (_X_) see it not till it come to (_W_) a great deale higher.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

5 That the water is round besides the naturall weight and moisture of it, which being apt to yeeld and runne abroad, will not suffer some places to ly high, and some low, like hills, & dales, but though it be made rough and vneuen by tempest, doth pres[~e]tly returne to their naturall smoothnesse and euennesse: I say besides this: it is cleare by common experience; for if wee stand on the land, and see a s.h.i.+p goe forth to sea, by degrees wee loose the sight of it, first of the bulke then of the mast, and all. So also one the other side they that are at sea by degrees doe loose or gaine the sight of the Land: As for example.

Let (_A_) bee some steeple vpon the land (_B_) a s.h.i.+pp at sea: He that stands at (_A_) shall by little and little loose the sight of the s.h.i.+p, as shee goes out, & gett sight of her as shee comes in. Both first and last hee shall haue the sight of the top mast (_B_) when hee sees nothing else. Because the sea riseth vp betweene his sight and the s.h.i.+p.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

These reasons and experiments may suffice to proue the roundnesse of the earth and water; which might bee farther demonstrated by shewing the falshood of all other figures regular or irregular that can be giuen vnto it; that it is neither square, nor three-cornerd, nor Piramidall, nor conicall on Taperwise, nor Cylindricall like a barley rowle, nor hollow like a dish, nor of any other fas.h.i.+on, as some haue imagined it to bee of.

Wee come to this second rule.

2 _The tops of the highest hills, and the bottoms of the lowest vallies although in seuerall places they make the earth vneven, yet being compared to the vast greatnesse of the whole, doe not at all hinder the roundnesse of it._

Among all Geometricall figures the sphaeriall or the round is the most perfect, and amongst all naturall bodies the heauen is the most excellent. It was therefore good reason the most beautifull body should haue the most perfect and exquisite shape. Exact roundnesse then is not found in any body, but the Heauens; the earth is round as was showed before, but not precisely, with out all roughnes and inaequality of its surface. There are hills like warts and vallies like wrinkels in a mans body; and that both for ornament and vse. Yet is there such vnformity in this varietie, as that there is no notable and sensible inaequality made in the earth by Hills and vallies. No more then if you should lay a fly vpon a smooth Cartwheele, or a pinnes head vpon a greate globe.

Now that this is soe appeares by Sense and Reason. By Sense thus, If wee stand on a hill or in a plaine, when wee may discrie the country round about 15. or 20. miles; wee may behold the brim or edge of the earth round about vs to bee in a manner euen and streight, euen there, where the country is very hilly, and full of mountaines. So that a farre of their height makes but a little alteration and difference from the plaine Countreys, when wee behold all togeather a farre of: though when wee come neere, the alteration seemes more sensible.