io8 The Natural and Morall 



mountaines are colder then in the bottomc of the val~ 

 lies, the which proceedes,not onely for that the funne 

 beames have greater repercuflions vpon lower places, 

 although it be a great reafon yet there is an other, 

 which is, that the Region of the ayre is colder when it 

 is farthetl from theground. The Plaines of Cotiao at 

 Peru & ofPopaiaa in newSpawe make fufficicnt proofe 

 hereof For without al doubt thofe parts are high coun 

 tries , and for this reafon cold, although they be all in* 

 vironed with high points of mountaines,rnuch fubied 

 to the Sunne beames. But if we demand why at Peru, 

 and in new Spaine , the Plaines along the coaft be very 

 hote , and the plaines of the fame Countries of Peru 

 and new Spaine be contrariwife colder In truth I fee no 

 other reafon can be given , but that the one is a lowc 

 country, and the other high . Experience dooth teach 

 vs, that the middle region of the ayre is colder than the 

 neather . And therefore the more the mountaines ap 

 proach to the middle, the colder they are, being cove 

 red with (how and frofts. Reafon it felfe dooth yeelde 



to it. Foriftherebeafphereandregiofloffire, as^r/ 

 fat/eznd the other Philofbphers fay,the middle region 

 of the ayre muft be moft colde 3 by Antiparittdfis , the 

 coide being expelled and thickncd there, as in fummer 

 time we fee in wells that are very deepe. For this caufe 

 the Philofophers affirme , that the two extrcame regi 

 ons of the ayre, that above, and the other belowe , are 

 the hotteft, and the middle region more colde. Ifit be 

 thus, as experience doth teach vs, we (hall yet draw out 

 another reafon and notable argument, to (hew that th 

 burning Zone is temperate, which is, that the greateft 

 part of the Indies is a high countrey , filled with many 

 mountaiaes ? which by their neerenefle refreih the 



neighbor 



