Htttorie of the Indies lib . z. 



Equino<3iall- fo called, for that the Sunne running his 

 courfe therein, makes the daies & nights even through 

 out the world: yea, they that d well vnder this line, in- 

 ioy, throughout the y eare, the fame equalitie of daies, 

 and nights. In this Equinoftiall line, we firide fo many 

 admirable qualities, that with greatreafon mans vndcr- 

 ftanding doth ftudie and labour to fearch out the cau- 

 fcs- not moved therevnto fo much by thedo&rine of 

 ancient Philofophers , as by reafonand certainc expe 



rience. 



For what reafon the Ancients held, that the burning 

 ZonevffAS inhabitable. CHAP. 2. . 



Examining this fubie<S from the beginning, no 

 man can denie that which we plainely fee, that the 

 Sunne when it drawesneere, doth heatc, and when it 

 retyres, groweth cold. The daies and nightes,with the 

 Winter and Summer be witnefles heereof; whofe va- 

 rictie with the heate and cdfJ, growes by the ncerenes 

 and diftance of the Sunne. Moreover it is certaine,the 

 more the Sunne approacheth and cafteth his beames 

 prependicularly , the more the earth is fcorched and 

 burnt , the which we fee plainely in the heate of the 

 South,and in theforce of Summer , whereby we may 

 iudgc fin my opinion) that the farther a Countrie is 

 diftantfrom thecourfe of the Sunne, the more cold 

 it is.So we findeby experience, that the Countries and 

 Regions, which approach neereft to the North, are 

 coldeft: and contrari wife, thofethat lieneere thelfr- 

 diakc^ where the Sunne keepes his courfe, are moft hot. 

 For this caufe Et&iopia pafleth Affiike and Barbarie in 



G 2 heat: 



