men were thus censur'd, I may iustly then expect to be derided
by most, and to be believed by few or none; especially since this
opinion seemes to carry in it so much strangenesse, so much
contradiction to the generall consent of others. But how ever, I am
resolved that this shall not be any discouragement, since I know that it
is not the common opinion of others that can either adde or detract from
the truth. For,

1. Other truths have beene formerly esteemed altogether as ridiculous
as this can be.

2. Grosse absurdities have beene entertained by generall opinion.

I shall give an instance of each, that so I may the better prepare the
Reader to consider things without a prejudice, when hee shall see that
the common opposition against this which I affirme cannot any way
derogate from its truth.

1. Other truths have beene formerly accounted as ridiculous as this, I
shall specifie that of the Antipodes, which have beene denied and laught
at by many wise men and great Schollers, such as were _Herodotus_, St.
_Austin_, _Lactantius_, the _Venerable Bede_, _Lucretius_ the Poet,
_Procopius_, and the voluminous _Abulensis_ with others. _Herodotus_
counted it so horrible an absurdity, that hee could not forbeare
laughing to thinke of it. +Gelo de horon ges periodous grapsantas,
pollous ede kai oudena noon echontas exegesamenon hoi Okeanon te
rheonta graphousi, perix ten te gen eousan kukloterea hos apo tornou.+

"I cannot choose but laugh, (saith he) to see so many men venture to
describe the earths compasse, relating those things that are without
all sense, as that the Sea flowes about the World, and that the earth
it selfe is round as an Orbe."

But this great ignorance is not so much to be admired in him, as in
those learneder men of later times, when all sciences began to flourish
in the World. Such was Saint _Austin_ who censures that relation of the
Antipodes to be an incredible fable,[1] and with him agrees the eloquent
_Lactantius_,[2]

_quid illi qui esse contrarios vestigiis nostris Antipodes putant?
num aliquid loquuntur? aut est quispiam tam ineptus, qui credat esse
homines, quorum vestigia sunt superiora quam capita? aut ibi quae apud
nos jacent inversa pendere? fruges & arbores deorsum versus crescere,
pluvias & nives, & grandinem sursum versus cadere in terram? &
miratur aliquis hortor pensiles inter septem mira narrari, quum
Philosophi, & agros & maria, & urbes & montes pensile