The fifth Booke of 



Mathematicianjallc^gcc! an hidden rcafon thereof, to wit^that the head and fbufce of Nilus is G 

 named Phiala^andtha river it felfe is hidden^ asit were drowned within certainefecretirenehcs 

 within the ground, brcathingforth vapours out of reeking rockes, whereitthiis liech in fccret* 

 Butfbfoonc as the Sunnc during thofedaiesjcommethneere, drawiie up it is by force of hear, 

 and fo all the while he hangeth aloftjovcrflowcth : and then againe for feare he fhould bee whol- 

 ly devoured and confumedjputteth in his head againe^and lieth hid. And this happeneth from 

 the rifingof the Dog ftarre Sicinus^in the Sunnes entrance into Leojwhilc the PJanetftandeth 

 plumbc over the fountainc aforefaid : for as much as in that climate there are no fhadowes to be 

 leenc. Many againc wereof a different opinion, that a river floweth more abundantlyjwhcn the 

 Sunne is departed toward the North pole, which happeneth in Cancer and Leo : and therefore 

 at that time is not foeafily dried: but when he is returned once againe backe toward Capricorn H 

 and the South pole^it is drunke up, and therefore floweth more ^arily. But if according to T/- 

 v/af^ a man would thinke it polTible that the water lliould be drawne up, the want of fhaddowes 

 during thofe daics,and in thofe quarters,continueth ftill without end.For the river beginncth to 

 rife and fwcll at the next change of the Moone after the Sunnefleedjby little and little gently,fo 

 long as he pafleth through the figneCancer,butmort abundantly when he is in Leo, And when 

 he is entred Virgo,hc falleth andTettleth low againc,in the fame meafure as he rofe before^ And 

 is cleane brought within his bankes in Libia, whichis, ^sHcro^onesthinkethj by tlie hundreth 

 day.All the whiles it rifethjit hath beene thought unlawfull for kings or governoursto faileor 

 pafic in any veffell upon it,and they make conlcience fd to doe. How high it rifeth,is knowne by 

 inarkes and meafures taken of certaine pits. Thcordinarieheigthof itisfixtcenecilbites. Vn- j 

 der that gage the waters overflow not all. Above that ftjnr,ihere are a let and hinderance, by rea- 

 fon that the later it is ere they bee falleujanddowne againe. By thcf<;,ihe feed time is much of it 

 ipentjfor that the earth is too wet. By the other there is none at all, by reafon that the ground is 

 drie and thirflie.The province taketh good keepe and reckoning of both, the one as well as the 

 other.For when it is no higher than 1 2 cubites,it findeth exircame famine : yea, and at 1 3 it fee- 

 Icth hunger flillj 14 cubites comforts their hearts, 15 bids them take no care, buti^'tlfoordeth 

 them plentie and delicious dainties. The greateflfloud that ever was knowne untiilthefedaies, 

 was i8cubites,in the time of prince CUudn^i Emperor : and theleaft,in the Pharfalian warrc,a- 

 gainft the death of Powpey: as if the very river by that prodigious token abhorred to fee the fame* 

 W'hen at any time the waters feeme to fland and cover the ground ftill, they are let out at cer- % 

 taincflucesorfloud-gatesdrawneupandfetopen.Andfofoone asanypartof the land is freed 

 fromthewater,f\reightwaiesitisfowed. This is the onely river of all others that breatheth out 

 no wind from ic.The Seignorie and dominion of iEgypt beginneth at Syene,rhe frontier town 

 ofiEthyopia.For that is the name of a demic Ifland a hundred miles in compaire,wherin are the 

 Ccrai upon the fide of Arabia : and overagainfl it the foure lilandsPhilcEj^oo miles from the 

 partition of Nilus,where it began to be called Delta,as we have iaid.This fpace of ground hath 

 Artemidorw delivered,and withalljthat within it were 250 townes. JuhakxiQih down 400 milcs^ 

 jirijlocreonXmh^hzi^tom Elephantis to the feais 750 miles.ThisElephantis being an Ifland, 

 is inhabited beneath the loweff cataract or fall of water three miles, and above Syene i<^: and 

 !t is the utmoft point that the ^Egyptians faile unto:and is from Alexandria 58^ miies.See how £ 

 farre the authors above wrieten,have erred and gone out of thcwayithere meet the ^thyopian 

 fliips, for they are made to fold up together, and carrie them upon their fhouiders, fo often as 

 they come to there cataracts or downefals aforefaid. ^gypt, over and above all other their 

 boail and glorie of antiquitiCjbrags that in the reigne of king Amafa^thcic were inhabited in it 

 and peopled twentie thoufand citties.And even at this day full it is of them,fuch as they be,and 

 of bafe account. Howbeit^ that of Jpi>/io is much renowned, as alfo ncere unto it another of 

 cjf Leucathea,and*Diofpolis the greatjihc very fame thatThebes,famous for the hundred gates 

 in it. Alfo,Captos,a great marttowne next toNilus,much frequented for merchandife & com-^ 

 itiodities out of India & Arabia. Moreover.the town o^Fefim^^nd another of /«/';7fr,and Ten- 

 tj^iris, beneath which flandethAbydus, the roiall feat of iMtmnon^ and Ofiris renowmedfbr 

 the temple there, feven miles and an halfc diflant from the river,toward Lybia^ Then Ptole- M 

 fhais, Panopolis, and another yet of Alio in theLybiancoafl,Lycon, where the hill 

 d6e bound Thebais. Soone after,thefe townes of tJMercmit^ Alabaflron,Canum, and that 

 ^f^ mrcuh^^oVz^ of before.After thefejArfinoejand the abovefaidMemphis^betweene which 



