vnknowen, whiche aftre men soughte. Beginnyng therfore at them, after I
haue shewed how the worlde is deuided into thre partes (as also this
treatise of myne) and haue spoken a litle of Aphrique, I wyll shewe the
situacion of Aethiope, and the maners of that people, and so forthe of al
other regions and peoples, with suche diligence as we can.


¶ The thirde Chapitre.

¶ The deuision and limites of the Earthe.

Those that haue bene before our daies, (as Orosius writeth) are of opinion,
that the circuite of the earth, bordered about with the Occean Sea:
disroundyng hym self, shooteth out thre corner wise, and is also deuided
into thre seuerall partes, Afrike, Asie, and Europe. Afrike is parted from
Asie with the floude of Nilus, whiche comyng fro the Southe, ronneth
through Ethiope into Egipte, where gently sheadyng hymself ouer his
bancques, he leaueth in the countrie a marueilous fertilitie, and passeth
into the middle earth sea, with seuen armes. From Europe it is separate
with the middle earth sea, whiche beginnyng fro the Occean aforesaied: at
the Islande of Gades, and the pileurs of Hercules, passeth not tenne miles
ouer. But further entryng in, semeth to haue shooued of the maigne lande on
bothe sides, and so to haue won a more largenesse. Asie is deuided from
Europe, with Tanais the floude, whiche comyng fro the North, ronneth into
the marshe of Meotis almoste midwaie, and there sincking himself, leaueth
the marshe and Pontus Euxinus, for the rest of the bounde. And to retourne
to Afrike again, the same hauyng Nilus as I saied on the Easte, and on all
other partes, bounded with the sea, is shorter then Europe, but broader
towarde the Occean, where it riseth into mounteigne. And shoryng towarde
the Weste, by litle and litle waxeth more streighte, and cometh at thende