GERARDVS MERCATOR in his Chronologie, reasoneth for the Aegyptians An∣tiquitie in this manner: That the sixteenth Dynastie (where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 begins to reckon the Aegyptians times) had beginning with the generall floud: and that there∣fore the first of the other fifteene reached the Creation, or soone after it. To which coniecture of Mercator, Pererius maketh this answere. That therein Mercator was first deceiued, because he taketh it for granted, that the beginning of the sixteenth Dynastie was at once with the generall floud: which Eusebius maketh 292. yeeres af∣ter, and in the time of Abraham. Secondly, Mercator maketh the beginning of the [unspec 30] shepherds Dynastia (being in number the 17.) in the time of their first King, Saltis, to haue beene in the yeere of the World 1846. which Eusebius findeth in the Worlds age 2140. For the 16. Dynastia was begunne but in the 292. yeere after the floud, as they account, and continued 190. yeeres. Thirdly, whereas Mercator ma∣keth euery Dynastia to endure 115. yeeres, Eusebius reckoneth many of them at lesse then 100. yeeres: for the 28. had but sixe yeeres; the 29. but 20. and the 30. but 18. yeeres.
Now Annius in his Supplement of Manethon affirmeth, That all these 15. Dyna∣sties lasted but 162. yeeres: and that the first of the 15. beganne but in the 131. yeere after the floud: so as where Mercator makes all the 15. to precede the floud, [unspec 40] and the 16. to haue beene then in being at the time of the floud, Annius makes them all after it. But the contrarietie of falshood cannot be hidden, though disguised. For Annius had forgotten his former Opinion and Assertion, that it was in the 131. yeere that Nimrod with the sonnes of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 came into the Valley of Shinaar: so he forgets the time which was consumed in the building of Babel: and that before the confusion of Speech there was no dispersion, nor farre-off plantation at all. And though he hastily conueyed Gomer into Italie, and Tubal into Spaine, in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yeere of Nimrods reigne: (which was ten yeeres after his arriuall into Babylonia) yet herein he is more vnaduised. For he makes Aegypt possest, and a gouernement established in the very first veere of the arriuall of Nimrod into Shinaar, before all partition, or [unspec 50] any expedition farre off or neere in question: for from 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (that is, from Babel) did the Lord scatter them vpon all the earth.