Thus the banish’d Japanners forsook their Native Countrey, and setled themselves in a desolate Soyl, since a flourishing Empire, shining with Riches, and Crown’d with stately Cities: So the Batavians took possession of the uninhabited Isle, lying between the Rhyne, and the Wael, being driven out of Hessen by Civil-Wars, and preserv’d the memory of the place, from whence they had their Original on the utmost Point of the Island, in the Villages of Cattenwyck; for the Hessens formerly went by the name of Catti; others that remov’d did not onely fall upon their Neighbors, but made a way by force of Arms, chosing their Habitations under a temperate Climate, and in a fruitful Soyl. After which manner the Franks enter’d Gaul, and afterwards the Normans set upon France; so that the Conquer’d Countreys, have ever since from the Conquerors been call’d France and Normandy: But although it cannot punctually be said, how the Inhabitants of America remov’d, yet it is without contradiction, that they first found an empty Countrey. The Opinions which they have themselves concerning it, are full of idle Fancies; First, they question their Original from the Floud, which is so well rooted in the memory of all Nations, that the blindest and most ignorant know something of it, though deformedly alter’d and vary’d, tack’d up with additional fabulous Stories, the truth it self known onely to us, but to all others lost in Oblivion.
Who hath not heard of Deucalion’s Flood, how his Wife Pyrrha and he only escap’d in a little Boat, and (as ’tis Fabl’d) landing on a Mountain, from thence Peopled the World again, by throwing Stones backwards over their Heads? Something of this seems to hint the true Story of Noah, his Wife, and Children, from whom the desolated World was replenish’d.
Prometheus and Noah are the same.
The same they relate of Prometheus, concerning whom, thus Diodorus Siculus: “They say that the Nyle breaking through his Dams, and over-flowing his Banks, drown’d all Egypt, especially that part where Prometheus Rul’d, where all the Inhabitants were swallow’d by the Deluge.” None can imagine but that Diodorus by this makes mention of a particular Flood, and not the general one in Noah’s time; for as the Greeks ascrib’d all things to their Heroes, so the Egyptians in like manner did the same to theirs: Therefore they have of the general Flood, made a particular one in Egypt, though perhaps it never was: So that what is Fabled of Prometheus, is nothing but a Part of the Universal Deluge; which the Name Prometheus proves, because it signifies, Sprung from Heaven, and is the same with Noah, whom they hold to be the first Father of all Mankind since the Flood, born of, or regenerated from his Wife Asia; and Asia signifies Earth, or The Mother of all things; and so espousing Noah, being sprung from God, to Ararat, from whence descended the Generations of Mankind, and by degrees spread over the whole surface of the Earth.
Acosta, l. 1. c. 25.
Strange Opinion of the Americans concerning the Flood.
Original of the American Kings, and their Custom.
The Chineses, East-Indians, Japanners, and other People of Asia and Africa, have also some knowledge of a very ancient Flood; but hood-wink’t under many idle Fancies, not unlike that which the Americans relate, from whom several Learned Persons find no obscure Confessions of the Deluge, which thus mystically they have wrapp’d up, That one Viracocha came out of the great Lake Titicaca, and setled his Residence upon Tiaguanaco, where yet remain the Ruines of ancient Walls, built after a wonderful manner: At length removing from Tiaguanaco to Cusco, he began to multiply the Generation of Mankind. They shew in the foremention’d Lake a small Island, under which, the Americans say, the Sun sav’d himself from the Flood; wherefore in ancient Times they superstitiously observ’d that place, heightning their Bloody Sacrifices with Humane Slaughter. Others relate, That six Persons leap’d through a Hole out of a Window, from whence all Men were since Extracted; and from that new Increase, the place (after the Inhabitants of the Old World were all drown’d) got the Denomination of Pacari Tampo; and therefore they hold the Tampo’s to be the most ancient Families: From hence Mangocapam deriv’d, being the Primogenitor of the Ynca’s or Kings; from whom sprung two Generations, Hanon Cuzco, and Urim Cuzco. They tell us also, That their Ynca’s, when they make War upon any People, say that the occasion, as they pretend, was, because all Territories are Tributary to them justly, from whom they were deriv’d and restor’d, being the first Planters of the New World; and withal, That the true Religion was declar’d to them from Heaven.
Americans Flood is taken out of the Scripture.
This Relation, though mix’d with Fables, shews (but very darkly) that they have some knowledge of the Flood: For who are those six else that leap’d out of a Window to replenish the Generations of Mankind, but Shem, Ham, and Japhet, with their Wives?