Htflvrie of the Indies lib. i. 11 



ment of water,fpeaking generally, that God placed the 

 earth vpon the waters . And in another place, that hee #* 

 framed the roundnes of the earth vpon the Sea. And 

 although S. Atiguftint doth not conclude vpon this 

 text as a matter of faith , thattt^eearth and the water 

 make one globe in the midft of theworld, pretending 

 by this meanes to give another expofition to the words *** M & 

 of the Pfalme: yet notwithftanding it is moft certaine, 

 that by the words of the pfaline we are given to vnder- 

 ftand , that we haue no other reafon to imagine any o- 

 thercimentorvnitingtotheearth then the Element 

 of water, the which although it be pliant and movea- 

 ble, yet doth it fupport and inviron this great mafle of 

 the earth, the which was wrought by the wUedome of 

 that great Archited. They fay, the earth is built vpon 

 the waters,and vpon the fearbut contrariwife, the earth 

 is rather vnder the waters: for according to common 

 iudgemcnt and imagination , that which is on theo- 

 thcr part of the earth which we inhabite, feemes to be 

 vnder the earth , andfo by the fame reafon, the waters 

 and fea, which doe compaflc in the earth on the other 

 part, fliould be vnderneath, and the earth aboue : yet 

 the very truth is, that what is properly beneath, that 

 is alwaies in the midft of the vniverfall : but the holy 

 fcripture frames itfelfeto our manner of conceiving 

 and fpeaking . Some may demaund ( feeing the earth is 

 fet vpon the waters, as the fcripture ^(ayeth,) whereon 

 the waters arf placed, or .what fupport have they { And 

 if the earth and the water make one round globe , how 

 can all this monftrous mafle be fuftayned ? To this the 

 holy fcripture anfwereth them in another pfcce,giving 

 vs greateft caufe ro admire the power of the Creator: 

 andfaithin thcfe wordes : Tbt earth extends towards the - '** 



North 



