A.D. 



1578. 



Chus the sonne 

 of Cham ac- 

 cursed. 



Africa was 

 called Chame- 



[III. 53- 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



who nothing deserved it. Which good instructions and 

 exhortations notwithstanding his wicked sonne Cham 

 disobeyed, and being perswaded that the first childe borne 

 after the flood (by right and Lawe of nature) should 

 inherite and possesse all the dominions of the earth, hee 

 contrary to his fathers commandement while they were 

 yet in the Arke, used company with his wife, and craftily 

 went about thereby to dis-inherite the off-spring of his 

 other two brethren : for the which wicked and detestable 

 fact, as an example for contempt of Almightie God, and 

 disobedience of parents, God would a sonne should bee 

 borne whose name was Chus, who not onely it selfe, but 

 all his posteritie after him should bee so blacke and 

 lothsome, that it might remaine a spectacle of disobedience 

 to all the worlde. And of this blacke and cursed Chus 

 came all these blacke Moores which are in Africa, for 

 after the water was vanished from off the face of the 

 earth, and that the lande was dry, Sem chose that part 

 of the land to inhabite in, which nowe is called Asia, and 

 Japhet had that which now is called Europa, wherein wee 

 dwell, and Africa remained for Cham and his blacke 

 sonne Chus, and was called Chamesis after the fathers 

 name, being perhaps a cursed, dry, sandy, and unfruitfull 

 ground, fit for such a generation to inhabite in. 



Thus you see, that the cause of the Ethiopians black- 

 nesse is the curse and naturall infection of blood, and 

 not the distemperature of the Climate ; Which also may 

 bee prooved by this example, that these blacke men are 

 found in all parts of Africa, as well without the Tropickes, 

 as within, even unto Capo de buona Speranza Southward, 

 where, by reason of the Sphere, should be the same tem- 

 perature that is in Sicilia, Morea and Candie, where al be 

 of very good complexions. Wherefore I conclude, that the 

 blacknesse proceedeth not of the hotenesse of the Clime, 

 but as I saide, of the infection of blood, and therefore 

 this their argument gathered of the Africans blacknesse 

 is not able to destroy the temperature of the middle 

 Zone. Wee may therefore very well bee assertained, 



264 



