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CHAP. II.
Of Egypt and of the famous Riuer Nilus: and her first Kings, Temples, and Monuments, according to Herodotus, Diodorus, and others.
AFter our generall view of Africa, Egypt may iustly challenge the prin∣cipall place in our African discourse, as being both in situation next to Asia (whence wee are lately come) and consequently from thence first peopled; besides that Religion, our Load-Starre, hath here found the soonest and solemnest entertainement. And not in Religion alone, but in Politie, Philosophie, and Artes, the Grae∣cious a 1.1 which would seeme the first Fathers of these things haue been Disciples to the Aegyptians, as b 1.2 Am. Marcellinus and D. Siculus, Plutarch, and many others affirme. Hence Orpheus, Musaus, & Homer fetched their Theologie; Lycurgus and Solon their lawes; Pythagoras, Plato, Anaxagoras, Eudoxus, Democritus, Daedalus, here borrowed that knowledge for which the world hath euer since admired them. Let it not then be imputed to me as a tedious officiousnesse, if I longer detaine the Reader (otherwise delighted with the view of those rills which hence haue flo∣wed among the Greeke and Latine Poets and Philosophers) in surueying these Aegyptian Fountaines and well-springs, whence haue issued especially a deluge of Superstition, that in elder times drowned all the neighbouring parts of the world. Nor let it bee tedious vnto vs to behold (in this historicall Theater) those Aegyp∣tian Rarities; the sight whereof hath drawne not Philosophers alone, but great Princes too, and mighty Emperours, to the vndertaking of long and dangerous iourneyes: As c 1.3 Seuerus, who though hee forbade Iudaisme and Christianitie, yet went this Pilgrimage, in honour of Serapis, and for the straunge sights of Mem∣phis, Memnon, the Pyramides, Labyrinth &c. Vespasian also and others did the like.
The name of Egypt (saith d 1.4 Iosephus) is Mesre, of Misraim, the sonne of Cham, and the Egyptians of themselues Mesraei. So the Arabians at this day call it (as Leo e 1.5 affirmeth) but the inhabitans they call Chibth. This Chibth they say was hee which first ruled this Countrey, and built houses therein. The inhabitants also doe now call themselues thus: yet are there not now left any true Egyptians, saue a few Christians: the Mahumetans hauing mingled themselues with the Arabians and A∣fricans. The Turkes f 1.6 call both the countrey it selfe, and principall Citie (Cairo) by the name of Misir. The name Egyptus is deriued from Aegyptus brother of Denaus after the common account: as others say, of g 1.7 Ai and Copti.
Egypt hath on the East, the gulfe, & some part of Arabia; on the South the falles and mountaines of Aethiopia; on the West, the Deserts of Libya; on the North, the Me∣diterranean Sea: all which Nature hath set not onely as limits, but as fortifications also to this Countrey. Nilus runneth through the middest thereof, threescore miles from Cairo making by division of himselfe that Delta, to which some appropriated the name of Aegypt, refuted by Iupiter Ammon, whose Oracle (saith Herodotus) rec∣koned all that Aegypt, which Nilus ouerflowed. Ptolomaus h 1.8 numbreth three of those Deltas. Touching the head of Nilus; Bredenbachius (as Adrichomius citeth him) affir∣meth, that many Soldans haue sent men on purpose furnished with skill and prouisi∣on for the Discouery, who, after two or three yeares, returning, affirmed that they could finde no head of this Riuer, nor could tell any certainety, but that it came from the East, and places not inhabited: both of like truth. For indeede this Riuer ari∣seth