Then starting over the Greek and Latin, the Teutonicks would likewise produce many Words which have the same sound and signification with the Hebrew; as Chobel, a Cable; Ethmol and Etmael, Watching; Sothim and Sotten, Fools; the Hebrew Arets, is in Dutch, Aerde, or as we in English, Ear’d Lands; Phert and Peert, a Horse; Levyah and Leeuw, a Lion; Shad and Schadea, Damages; Kisse and Kussen, in our Dialect the very same, Kisse; Shaken and Schenken, a giving, whence we derive our English Skinker, from serving of Drink; Bel and Beeld, an Image; for Bel properly signifies Lord, perhaps because the Images of Heroes or Lords were worshipp’d by them, or else because Ninus first erected an Image for his Father Belus, or Bel, to be worshipp’d.
Greek and Latin Tongues agree.
Abrah. Milii, Ling. Belg. c. 5, 6, 7, 11.
It would make a large Volume it self, to reckon up the Consonancies of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and their scatterings among all Languages where ever their Empire spread, the one being indeed borrow’d from the other, as all Languages that deal or have any converse together: For not only the Words, with some small Alterations of Letters, signifie the same in both Languages; but also without the least alteration. Both Greeks and Latins express I do, by Ago; the Number Eight, by Octo; an Arm, by Brachium or Brachion, in English, Branches, and Braces; I eat, by Edo; a Cup, by Phiale; a Curtain, by Cortina, or Cortine; Merry, by Hilaris, or Hilaros; a ratling Noise or Sound, by Clango; a Camel, by Camelus, or Camelos; a Knee, by Genu, or Gonu; a Bowl or Chalice, by Calix; a Mouse, by Mus; Deceit, by Dolus, or Dolos; a House, by Domus, or Domos; I carry, by Fero, or Phero; the Pronoun I, Ego; a Lion, by Leo, or Λέων; Flax, by Linum, or Linon; a Mother, by Mater, or Meter; now, by nunc, or nun; the Night, by Nox, or Nux; a Rock-stone, by Petra; a Nick-name, by Scomma, or Skomma; a Boat, by Scapha, or Skaphe; a Treasure, by Thesaurus, or Thesauros; Father, by Pater; I tremble, by Tremo; an Hour, by Hora; the Evening, by Vespera, or Hespera; and an innumerable many Words more, that are of one signification in both.
Phenician and American Tongues have no similitude.
Americans much divided in Speech and People.
Now if there is not the hundredth part of the resemblance found between the American and Phenician Tongues, as there is between the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Dutch, according to the foremention’d Examples, which notwithstanding cannot be observ’d to be deriv’d from one another, what testimony can there be in five or six Words, which only have a few Letters that do not differ? But suppose that the agreeing of the Phenician and American Tongues could serve for a testimony; that these last People had their Original from the first, then there remains another doubt, viz. To know what Americans acknowledge the Phenicians for their Fathers; because their Countrey is so big, that it may almost stand in competition with all the other three parts of the Known World, being divided by so many Nations, which differ not only in their various Customs, but also in their several Languages, most of them not having the least likeness one with another: Nay, often times the Inhabitants of one Province differ so much in Dialect, that, according to Petrus de Cieca, the one cannot understand the other.
In America one Tongue is not at all like the other.
Decad. 3.
De Laet. Orig. Amer. obs. 5.