ARGUMENTS OF LACTANTIUS. 19 



to that of Magellan. But it sufficeth for our subiect, to LlB&amp;gt; r&amp;lt; 

 knowe that there is a firme Land on this Southerne part, as 

 bigge as all Europe, Asia, and Affricke ; that vnder both 

 the Poles we finde both land and sea, one imbracing an 

 other. &quot;Whereof the Ancients might stand in doubt, and 

 contradict it for want of experience. 



CHAP. vn. To confute the opinion of Lactantius, who Jwldes 

 there Le no Antipodes. 



Seeing it is manifest that there is firme land vpon the 

 South part or Pole Antartike, wee must now see if it be 

 inhabited : the which hath bene a matter very disputable Lact - lib - 



* i vn, mst. 



in former times. Lactantius Firmian and S. Augustine 33 cap 

 mocke at such as hold there be any Antipodes, which is as Aug.,ii 



ib. 



xvi de 



much to say, as men marching with their feete opposite to Suitale &amp;gt; c - 9 - 

 ours. But although these two authors agree in theis ieasts, 1 

 yet doe they differ much in their reasons and opinions, as 

 they were of very divers spirits and iudgements. Lactan 

 tius followes the vulgar, seeming ridiculous vnto him that 

 the heaven should be round, and that the earth should bee 

 compassed in the midst thereof, like vnto a ball, whereof 

 he writes in these tearmes : &quot; What reason is therefor some 

 to affirme that there are Antipodes, whose steppes are 

 opposite to ours ? Is it possible that any should bee so 

 grosse and simple as to beleeve there were a people or 

 nation marching with their feete upwardes, and their heades 

 downwardes, and that thinges which are placed heere of 

 one sort, are in that other part hanging topsie turvie ; that 

 trees and corne growe downwards, and that raine, snow, 

 and haile, fall from the earth upward.&quot;&quot; Then, after some 

 other discourse, the same Lactantius vseth these words : 

 &amp;lt;c The imagination and conceit which some haue had, sup- 

 i Cosa de burla.&quot; 



C2 



