A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine, Book 5 · Part 1 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. 1. The intention of the Author in this Treatise.
PLATO being sick said to the Physician being about to prescribe Physick unto him, Cure me not foreign as a Countrey-oxe-driver, but foreign, as one well versed in Philosophy; and demanded of him the reason of his receipts, how the medicine was proper for his malady, why this, why thus, why now, why thus much, why no more was prescribed unto him. In like manner it seemeth unreasonable for Map-makers, here to plant a wood, there mount a hill, here to sink a valley, there to run a river in their draughts; and then magisterially obtrude all these on the beliefe of an ingenuous Reader, without giving a particular account how the same are conformable to Nature and true Geography: especially seeing it is vehemently suspected, that many maps are full of affected extravagancies. And must their fancies draw up the forms for other mens judgments to subscribe?
But on the other side it seems not onelyonly an ungentile harshness, but an unconscionable injustice, strictly to exact a reason for every Puntillo in a Map. Gally-slaves would be in a more freer condition then Geographers, if thus dealt with. As the Poets feign Atlas was wearied by bearing the weight of heaven, Mercator would be more tired by bearing the burden of his own Atlas, if questioned for the crookedness or straightness of every line in so vast a volume. A lawfull latitude herein hath been ever allowed. For instance, it is generally agreed that Meander, a River in Phrygia, runs wonderfully winding; but it breaks not the head of Truth in a Map, if a curle of that River be made more or less, or be put out of its proper place. Let the Stewards of Lords Courts, or rather Bailifes of Gentlemens Manors know each nook of a wood, corner of a field, reach of a River within so small a compass; such as describe a Countrey in generall, if truly presenting the most materiall things therein without visible disproportion, doe what their diligence can exactly perform, and what the Readers discretion can rationally expect.
Desiring therefore to acquit my self in the best manner to all ingenious capacities, I have here exposed my self to the strongest objection… which without favour or flattery, I could make against the former description. And left scattering of them before in the respective Tribes should have interrupted the entireness of our discourse (what thred can run smooth if full of so many knots? we have reserved them all for a small Treatise by themselves in the conclusion of the work. Solemnly promising that if any shall enfavour me so far as to convince me of any error therein, I shall in the second Edition (God lending me life to set it out) return him both my thanks and amendment, or else let him conclude my face of the same metall with the Plates of these Maps.
Whatsoever can be objected against the Generall description of Iudea returns in the particular Tribes, and therefore to avoid repetition we shall there more properly meet with it. This premised, without further delay (by Gods blessing) we fall on the matter in hand. And can we begin higher then at Adam it self?
CHAP. II. Objections concerning Reuben answered.
Philogus. Alethaeus.
Philol.
I First take exceptions at your placing the City Adam so near unto Iordan. For where it is said, That the waters which came down from above, stood and rose up upon an heape, very aJosh. 3. 16.far from the City Adam, which is besides Zartan, you make Adam not above three miles from that stoppage of waters, which is not very far.
Aleth.
Very far, is a relative terme, and accordingly admits of much alteration. Three miles is little in respect of so many leagues, but very far in respect of so many furlongs. Attend I pray you the main scope of the holy Spirit, which was to notifie the place where these upper waters failed in view of the Israelites. Which must be acknowledged within the discovery of their sight; otherwise the land-mark more obscure, then the staying of the waters that were dated from it. Where therefore the distance is measured in a plain Countrey by the eye, three miles may well pass for very far.
Philol.
Why make you so great a flexure in Iordan just at his influx into the Dead-sea, contrary to the nature and custome of great Rivers? Indeed small brooks like little children goe wadling on one side, their streams are winding and crooked, because they must run where they may run, and finde soft ground to receive them. But great Rivers which doe not finde but make their way, flow generally in a straight channell, and so it seems should Iordan, sliding through a flat, low, and levell Countrey, and not meeting with any effectuall opposition.
Aleth.
I have sufficient warrant for this my description. Pliny saith of Iordan, Invitus Asphaltit…n lacum, natur…d dirum petit; unwillingly he goes into that slimy Lake, terrible by nature. You perchance will say, Iordan needs not to follow the motion of Plinies pen, as if because he makes a flourish with his phrase, the River must fetch a compass with his channell. But consider, I pray, how in the mixture of all liquours of contrary kinds, the best liquour (which may be said to lose by the bargain) incorporates always with a reluctancy, and the same Antipathy causeth here this crookedness of Iordan. This is precisely taken notice of by learnedbIn Plinianis exercit. in Ca… Iul… Solini Polyhist. p. 577. S…lmasius, and is agreeable to the observations of modern Travellers.
Philol.
You place three severall stations of Balak and Balaam with seven altars a piece upon them in this Tribe of Reuben, whereas more probably all those passages were transacted south of Arnon in the Kingdome of Moab. It is utterly unlikely that King Balak would adventure his person out of his own dominions, into a strangers (not to say an enemies) Countrey.
Aleth.
In so short a journey the pains was little, the danger none at all. For (although on Balaks side there might be private▪ heart-burnings) there was no open hostility betwixt Israel and Moab. Yea we know that then the Israelites had familiarity, much with the men, toocNumb. 25. 1. much with the women of that Countrey. I confess the places as described in Scripture stand (as I may say) equivocally betwixt Israel and Moab. But herein I have followed the example ofdIn Theat. Ter. sanc. in R…uben. Adrichomius, and other good authors, not to say, that if Balak had taken his view in the kingdome of Moab of the people encamping then at Abelshittim, he could not at that distance have taken a discovery of them.
Philol.
Mr. More in his Maps bringeth down the waters of Nim…im (with a stream in breadth corrivall, if not bigger then Arnon it self) running through the very midst of this Tribe into the Dead-sea, whereof no appearance at all in your description. It was a very envious part of the Philistines tocGen. 26. 18. stop up the wells of Isaac, (so needfull a commodity in that Countrey) but how great a fault in you to deprive Reuben of this river, except it was not your envy that stopped, but ignorance that omitted it?
Aleth.
I am sensible full well of such waters, but cannot be convinced that they took their course through this Tribe into the Dead-sea, but rather conceive they ran onelyonly through the Tribe of Gad, and emptied themselves in Aroer, whereof in due time we shall give our best account.
Philol.
I wonder you make Nophah so near to Medeba contrary to fSee M. Mores Map.others descriptions, which set it thence twenty miles at least.
Aleth.
I wonder they place it so far from Medeba contrary to the words of thegN…m. 21. 30. Scripture, and we have laid them wast unto N O P H A H which reacheth unto M E DE B A: where the verb, though supplyed by the Translatours, is implyed in the Text.
Philol.
Why make you three fishponds in Heshbon, to which the eyes of the hCant. 7. 4.Spouse are compared, which is in effect to make her a monster if the resemblance be applyed?
Aleth.
I set a certain for an uncertain number: in the originall it is foreign plurall, and therefore indefinite. In all these comparisons, the strength of the similitude lies in the nature, not the number of the things. They deserve not the name of a flock of sheep which are under an hundred, to which the teeth of the Spouse areiCant. 3. 2. compared, and nature commoly allowes not above thirty two.
Philol.
The City of Misor belonging to the Levites, and recorded by Adrichomius in this Tribe, is omitted by your oversight.
Aleth.
Commendable is his charity to the Levites. For whereas Moses allotted them but four Cities in Reuben, namelykJosh. 21. 36. Kedemoth, Iahazah, Mephaah, and Bezar: his bounty bestoweth a fifth, this Misor, upon them. But the poor Priests might well be full lean, had they nothing to feed them, but this imaginary City, groundless in the Hebrew, and onelyonly founded on the erroneous Vulgar. Yea generally the descriptions of Adrichomius are guilty herein, that (more made ad splendorem, then ad veritatem) to render them specious to the beholder (because a lean bald Map is not so amiable as one filled full) he poulders them thick with places, rather scraped then gathered, thereby offending the judgments of the learned to please the eyes of the ignorant. But it is my business to excuse my self, not accuse him, and consciousness to my own many faults, commands me to be tender to the errors of others.