To the Reader Gentle Reader; I here present vnto thy view these few sheets, written by that learned man Mr William Pemble , I doubt not to call him the father, the childe fauours him so much. It hath long lay hid from thy sight, but now at length emboldned vpon thy curteous acceptance of his former labours, it lookes abroad into the world; Its but little; let not that detract any thing from it, there may lie much, though pent vp in a narrow roome; when thou reades, then iudge of it; Thus much ma

Topographie is a particular description of some small quantity of Land, such as Land measurers sett out in their plots. Chorographie is a particular description of some Country, as of England, France, or any shire or prouince in them: as in the vsuall and ordinary mappe. Geography is an art or science teaching vs the generall description of the whole earth, of this especially wee are now to speake of, and also Chorography as a part vnder it conteyned: both, excellent parts of knowledge in them s

In Geography when wee name the earth wee meane not the earth taken seuerally by itselfe, without the seas and waters. But vnder one name both are comprised, as they are now mingled one with another and doe both together make vp one entire and round body. Neither doe wee diue into the bowels of the earth, and enter into consideration of the naturall qualities, which are in the substance of Earth and water, as coldnes, drinesse moisture, heauines, and the like, but wee looke only vpon the out side

The properties of the earthly Globe haue beene handled in the former chapter wee come now to the parts which are two in generall. The more notable parts of the Earth are these. A Continent or maine Land, or as some call it firme Land, which is not parted by the Sea running betweene. An Iland, a land compassed about with waters. A Peninsula, a land almost surrounded by waters saue at one place, where ioynes by a narrow necke of land to the Continent; this is also called Chersonesus. An Isthmus, a

In a round body as the earth is, there can be no distinction of parts, & places, without the helpe of some lines drawen or imagined to be drawen vpon it. Now though there are not, nor can be any circles truly drawen vpon the earth, yet because there is a good ground in nature and reason of things for them, we must imagine them to be drawen vpon the earth, as truly as we see them described vpon a Globe or in a plaine paper. Further this must be noted, that all circles on the earth haue th

Next after the Circles of the Earth, wee may not vnfitly handle the seuerall Divisions and distinctions which geographers make of the parts, and inhabitants of the earth. These are many, but wee will briefely runne them ouer. The first and most plaine is by the Coasts of the Heauens, and rising, and Setting of the Sunne, so it is distinguished into the East where the Sunne ariseth. Oreins , Ortus ανατολη . West where the Sunne goeth downe. occidens . North: betweene both fromwards the Sunne at N

Wee are now come to the last point concerning the measuring of the Earth, which is two fold. Either of the Whole earth. Severall parts thereof, and their distance one from another. Concerning the first it is but a needlesse labour to recount the diversity of opinions that haue beene held from time to time by learned Geographers. What is the compasse and depth of the earth. This may be seene in Hues de vsu Globi, part. 3. cap. 2. and in Clavius on Sacrobosco with others. They all differ so much o