loynes Christ was to come according to the flesh) is first named Ham or Cham, and
Iapheth, who seemeth (as
learned men gather by the
text) to be the eldest. Fa∣bulous
Methodius, contrary to Moses, speaketh of an other sonne Ionithus after the
Floud, whereas the
Scripture saith, That of those three all the Earth was repleni∣shed.
To shew directly which Nations descended of each of these three, were a hard
taske: and now after this confusion of Nations by wars, leagues, and otherwise, im∣possible.
But for the first beginnings of Nations, before that Colonies were by vio∣lence
of Conquerours, or by themselues, in their exceeding multiplying, voluntarily
translated from one place to another, they are by Moses faithfully related, although
the confusion of Languages and of peoples do make the matter hard and harsh to vs.
Yet the names of Nations in the Greeke Stories doe in great part agree with the
names of these first Patriarkes, as maister
Broughton hath shewed, by laying downe
the names of Noahs house, which, vnvowelled, may admit sundry pronouncings, set∣ting
against them such names as heathen Authors haue mentioned. Out of him, and
Arias Montanus his Phaleg, and others, what I thought likeliest, I haue heere inser∣ted.
Iapheth, Iapetus: Gomer, or after the Septuagint Gamer: Camaritae Cimmerij,
and Cimbri.
Iosephus saith, That the inhabitants of Galatia were of Gomer some∣time
called Gomarae.
Maister Camden deriueth the ancient Galls and Britans from
this Gomer: the name which they giue to themselues to this day implying the same,
which is Kumero, Cymro, and Kumeri, a Brittish or Welsh woman Kumeraes, and
their language Kumeraeg.
Magog is supposed the father of the Scythians, before (saith Iosephus) called Ma∣goges,
Ezek. 38.2. and 39.6. who after inuading those parts, left the name Magog to
Hierapolis in Syria: Plin lib. 5. c. 23. Of Madai came the Medes, of Iauan the Iones
or Grecians. Of Thubal the Iberians, called sometime (saith Iosephus) Thobeli. The
Iberians, saith Montanus, dwelt neere to Meotis: certaine colonies of them inha∣bited
Spaine, and called it Hiberia, and themselues Hiberians: whence the Spaniards
haue a report, that Thubal was the first peopler of their countrey. The Cappadoci∣ans
were called Meschini of Meshech, whose citie Mazaca was named of Meshech,
since by Tiberius named Caesarea, where Basil was Bishop. Hence was named Mos∣chicus
mons, and Moschos, and the Moscouites.
From Thiras came the Thracians. The name Tros may cause men to ascribe the
Troians to this beginning. Of the sonnes of Gomer, Aschenaz was Author of the
nations in Asia, Pontus, and Bithynia, where was the lake and riuer Ascanius, a pro∣per
name also of men in those parts: the Axine or Euxine Sea: the Ascanian Iland,
and Ascania in Phrygia. Of Riphath came the Paphlagonians, sometimes called the
Riphathaei, saith Iosephus: and the Riphaean hills in the North: the Amazonians were
also called Aeorpatae in Herod. Melpom. The Arimphei neere to the Riphean hilles.
Thogarma gaue name to the inhabitants of Armenia Minor, whose Kings, called
Tygranes, and Townes Tygranokartae, witnesse it: some also attribute the Turkes
or Turkeman Nation to this name and author. These peopled Asia first, and from
thence by degrees these parts of Europe: Of Togarma, Africanus deriueth the Ar∣menians.
Of Iauans children, Elisha founded the Aeoles, called also Aelisei of Tarshish came
the Cilicians, whose mother-citie was Tarsus, Paules birth-place. Montanus thin∣keth
that Tharsis was Carthage in Africa, which the Poeni after possessed: some re∣ferre
the Venetians to Tharsis also. Cittim was an other part of Cilicia. The Cre∣tans
(after Montanus) were called Chetim, and of others Cortini, of whom the Ita∣lian
coast called Magna Graecia was inhabited, and the city Caieta, builded. Of Do∣danim
came the Dorians and Rhodians. These peopled the North and West parts
of the World in Asia and Europe.
Chams posteritie was Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan: These possessed the
South of Asia, and Africa. Of Cham is the name Chemmis in Aegipt; and Ammon