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THe Chelfalines are Christians, dwelling vpon the borders of Persia, betwéene Mesopotamia and Persia, at a place cal∣led Chelsa. These bring silke to Aleppo to sell. They are plai•••• dealing people. If a man pay them money, and (by ouer-rec∣koning himselfe) giue them more than their due, though there
be but one peece ouer, so soone as they perceiue it, though it bée many daies after, they will bring it backe againe, and restore it, and thinke they shall neuer returne safely into their Coun∣try, if they should not make restitution thereof. These people perswade themselues, and report vnto others, that they dwell in that place which was called Eden, whereinto Adam was put to keepe it and dresse it. But some hold that this pleasant gar∣den Eden did extend ouer all the earth. But by the second chap∣ter of Genesis it appeareth manifestly, that this garden where∣in man was placed, which we call Paradise, was a certaine place on earth, not spreading ouer all, but only a part thereof, containing a conuenient portion of the Countrey called Eden, bounding vpon the Riuer Euphrates▪ which Riuer is deuided into foure streames, and runneth (or at leastwise did then flow) in manner as it is described, Gen. 2. 10. &c. And Eden is the name of a Country, so called for the pleasantnesse of it. For Ha∣dan in Hebrue, is in English to delight. From hence also the Greekes call pleasure, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
And howsoeuer it besomewhat probable, that these Chelpha∣lines dwell now in that Country which was called Eden, yet Plato, and Aristo••le, and Lactantius, and others, doe constantly affirme (as they haue receiued of ancient monuments) that Mountaines, and Riuers, and Ilands, and Countries, haue receiued much alteration in this kinde. Sicilia is said to haue beene diuided from Italy, Cyprus from Syria, England from France, by the violence of the Sea, whereas before they were ioined, as Pelo••onne••us is to the rest of Grecia, or as the towne of Rye (at an high water) séemeth to be to the rest of England: So that no certainty can be giuen either by reading, or trauel∣ling, of the place where Eden was, because these Riuers run in other streames: forasmuch as Cyrus, at the taking of Babylon, is affirmed to haue restrained the maine chanell of this very ri∣uer Euphrates, vnto an vnwonted course; and to haue deuided the riuer Gindes (which is next vnto it in greatnesse) into 360. streames. Besides, the Country of Mesopotamia, by which these riuers passe, being partly dry and sandy, and seldome wa∣tered with the showers of heauen; and on the other part, excée∣ding
fruitfull by the nature of the soile; is (by the industry of the inhabitants) so nourished with waters, by cutting out cha∣nels and ditches out of the maine streames, as the same is a∣mended, where it is barren, of the same vnfruitfulnesse; and corrected againe of his ouerrich increase, where it is ouer fertile. No maruell therefore if these riuers are not fully agreed vpon by Writers, hauing lost perhaps their ancient streames, toge∣ther with their names, as Paradise, and the whole earth be∣sides hash lost her ancient fruitfulnesse.
And these Chelphalines are ignorant people, and haue no reason to prooue that they now dwell in the place which was called Eden, whereinto Adam was put to kéepe it and to dresse it, but that the riuer Euphrates, and other riuers (mentioned Gen. 2. 10. 11. 12.) run by their Country.
Others of them say, that they haue receiued it by Tradition from their Elders, from time to time. But that which God hath concealed, I will not search out. But (notwithstanding all that I haue read, heard, or séene in my trauels) I resolue my selfe, that no man liuing can demonstrate the place, which God (for the sinnes of Adam) accursed; and euer since, the place is vnknowen.