Som animadversions and observations upon Sr. Walter Raleigh's Historie of the world wherein his mistakes are noted and som doubtful passages cleered / by Alexander Ross.

Lib. 1. cap. 7. § 10. † 2, 3, 4.

SIR Walter will not have the Ark to rest in Arme∣nia, as the received opinion is, but in som part of the Indies; becaus (saith hee) it's unlikely, that in a 100 years they would staie so long from Shinar, beeing not above twentie daies journie from the hills of Armenia. 2. Becaus the East was peopled before anie other Countrie. 3. Becaus Semiramis found great resistance by the Indians. 4. Becaus the Vine grew not naturally in Armenia, but in In∣dia where Noah planted his Vineyard] But these reasons are not of that validitie, as to make us re∣cede from the generally received opinion, which is, that the Ark rested on the hils of Ararat, which the Chaldee Paraphrase call's the hils Carduaeni. And so the Chaldees call Armenia Cardu, where Ptolomie's Gor∣diaean or Cordiaean mountains are. This wee know that in Isa. 37. and Jer. 51. Armenia is called the land of Ararat, and here the Ark rested, Gen. 8. and the place in Armenia where Noah came out of the Ark was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as Josephus saith.

Abidenus * 1.1 report's, that in his time som part of the Ark was extant in Armenia. So Nich. Damasce∣nus lib. 96. that upon the great hill of Armenia cal∣led Baris a great part of the Ark was remaining. And Cartwright in his travels, that there are manie ru∣ines to bee seen in the hillie countries of Armenia,

which were thought to bee the buildings of Noah's children, who durst not venture to com down into the lower Countries, fearing they might bee sur∣prised by another Deluge. This hill Baris on which the Ark rested may bee so called, either becaus in the Armenian tongue it signifie's a going out, for there Noah came out of the Ark, therefore the Greeks call it Apobaterion: or els from Berith in Hebrew, which signifieth a Covenant, becaus there God made a Covenant with Noah and his posteritie. These hills also where the Ark rested were called Cordiaei or Car∣duthi, which are placed by Xenophon, Pli∣nie and Strabo near Tygris in Armenia, * 1.2 which Countrie in Jeremie is called Mi∣ni also, so that Armenia seem's to bee * 1.3 made up of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Har-mini, the Hill of Mini. In these hillie Countries both of Arme∣nia and along towards the Indies, Noah's posteritie conteined themselvs for about a 100 years: all which time they durst not venture to dwell in the low Countries, therefore fearing least they might bee surprised by another Flood, would not trust themselvs to the low vallies of Shinar, though it was so near them. We read of divers Plantations near the Sea coast, where the Planters contained themselvs, and durst not in manie years adventure far into the land. Wee know how long is was before the Ro∣mane Colonies would venture over the River of Rhene, Danubius, and Euphrates: Therefore to saie that the Ark rested not in Armenia (becaus Shinar beeing so near Noah's children would not have been so long from it) is of no force: nor his other rea∣sons taken from the populousness of the East, and resistance made to Semiramis. For I denie not but Noah's posteritie might enlarge their Plantations towards the East, but yet still keeping the hillie Countries, yet it will not follow that the Ark rested

there, or anie where els then in Armenia; and as for Noah's planting of his Vineyard in India, not in Armenia becaus this Countrie is too cold for Vines, is an opinion altogether groundless: For first, how knew hee that there were not as well in Armenia, as in India wilde Vines, for of those Noah made his Vineyard, by pruning, cultivating and dressing of them. 2. Wee know by relation of Travellers, Historians, and Geographers, that in Armenia are plentie of verie good Wines, and contrarie in India there are no wines, or verie scarce, so that they sup∣plie the want of wine, with the liquor of the Palm∣tree, and with a drink brewed of Rice and Barlie. 3. It is not altogether the coldness of the Countrie that hinder's the growing of Vines, but the nature of the Soil, and manie times excessive heat is an im∣pediment; so is the unseasonableness of the months of Julie and August by reason of too much rain that hinder's the maturation of the grapes: for Spain and Italie, which are fortie degrees in Northerlie Lati∣tude from the Line, being forth excellent wines, and yet New Spain in America, which is nearer the Line by twentie degrees produceth no wine, as Jos. Acosta witnesseth. So Chile which is a cold Coun∣trie in comparison of those nearer the Line, yieldeth excellent wine, and abundance, beeing fortie de∣grees off Southerly Latitude from the Equinoctial.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In Chron. Graec, Euseb. & praepar. Evan. 1. 9. c. 4,
• * 1.2

  Xenoph. lib. 4. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 13.
• * 1.3

  Strab. lib. 16. Jet. 51. 27.