Africa

E l’Affrica nelle marine, e nelle sue provincie di verso levante, e le rive del nostro Mare tirreno. E venendo di tempo in tempo verso il ponente, comprese la Sardigna, e la Corsica, e l’altre isole di questo mare; e dall’altra parte, ch’è detta Europa, per simigliante modo aggiunse alle parti vicine verso il ponente, volgendosi verso il mezzogiorno con più aspro assalimento che sotto le parti settentrionali. E negli anni di Cristo 1348 ebbe infetta tutta Italia, salvo che la città di Milano, e certi circustanti all’Alpi, che dividono l’Italia dall’Alamagna, ove gravò poco. E in questo medesimo anno cominciò a passare le montagne, e stendersi in Proenza, e in Savoia, e nel Dalfinato, e in Borgogna, e per la marina di Marsilia e d’Acquamorta, e per la Catalogna, e nell’isola di Maiolica, e in Ispagna e in Granata. E nel 1349 ebbe compreso fino nel ponente, le rive del Mare oceano, d’Europa e d’Affrica e d’Irlanda, e l’isola d’Inghilterra e di Scozia, e l’altre isole di ponente, e tutto infra terra con quasi eguale mortalità salvo in Brabante ove poco offese. E nel 1350 premette gli Alamanni, e gli Ungheri, Frigia, Danesmarche, Gotti, e Vandali, e gli altri popoli e nazioni settentrionali.

It took in the coasts of Africa and its eastern lands, and the shores of our Tyrrhenian Sea. Moving westward over time, it took in Sardinia, Corsica, and the other islands of this sea. On the other side, called Europe, it reached the nearby lands to the west in the same way, striking the south more fiercely than the north. In the year of Christ 1348 it had infected all Italy except the city of Milan and some places near the Alps, which divide Italy from Germany; there it weighed lightly. That same year it began to cross the mountains and spread into Provence, Savoy, the Dauphiné, and Burgundy, along the coast at Marseille and Aigues-Mortes, and into Catalonia, the island of Majorca, Spain, and Granada. By 1349 it had reached the shores of the Ocean in the far west, in Europe, Africa, and Ireland, the islands of England and Scotland, and the other western islands. Inland, too, the mortality was almost equal everywhere, except in Brabant, where it did little harm. In 1350 it bore down on the Germans, the Hungarians, Frisia, Denmark, the Goths and Vandals, and the other peoples and nations of the north.

Jam quod singula Hemisphæria seorsim attinet, ingens inter ea est diversitas. Neque enim tantum præsentia et absentia Volvæ dissimilima exhibet spectacula; sed hæc ipsa communia Phænomena, diversissimos habent effectus hinc et inde: adeò ut rectiùs fortassè Privolvarum hemisphærium dici possit intemperatum; Subvolvarum temperatum. Nam apud Privolvas nox est nostros quindecim vel sedecim dies naturales longa, perpetuis horrida tenebris, quantæ apud nos sunt nocte illuni, quippe nullis Volvæ radijs ne illa quidem illustratur unquam; itaque omnia rigent gelu et pruinis insuperque et ventis rigidissimis et validissimis: succedit dies, quatuordecim nostros longa, vel eo paulò minus, quibus et Sol major, et sub fixis tardus, et venti nulli. Itaque immensus æstus. Atque sic spacio nostratis mensis, seu diei LEVANICI, uno eodemque loco et æstus est quindecies ferventior Africano nostro, et gelu intolerabilius Quivirano.

Taking each hemisphere on its own, there is great difference between them. The presence or absence of Volva makes their sights very unlike. But even the things they share have very different effects on each side. So the Privolvan hemisphere might better be called intemperate, and the Subvolvan temperate. Among the Privolvans, night lasts fifteen or sixteen of our days. It is rough with endless darkness, like our moonless nights, for not even a ray of Volva ever lights it. So everything is stiff with frost and ice, and on top of that there are harsh and violent winds. Then comes the day, fourteen of our days long or a little less. The Sun is larger and moves slowly against the fixed stars, and there are no winds. So the heat is immense. In the space of one of our months, which is one day on Levania, the same place has heat fifteen times fiercer than our Africa, and cold harder to bear than Quivira’s.

Here we have a clear Evidence, that in Africa, where the Poor Creatures dye of the Small Pox in the common way like Rotten Sheep, a Merciful GOD has taught them a wonderful Preservative.

Here we have a clear evidence that in Africa, where the poor creatures die of the smallpox in the common way like rotten sheep, a merciful God has taught them a wonderful preservative.

It is a Common Practice, and is is attended with Success. I have as full Evidence of this, as I have that there are Lions in Africa. And I don't know why 'tis more unlawful to learn of Africans, how to help against the Poison of the Small Pox, than it is to learn of our Indians, how to help against the Poison of a Rattle-Snake.

It is a common practice, and is attended with success. I have as full evidence of this as I have that there are lions in Africa. And I don’t know why ’tis more unlawful to learn of Africans how to help against the poison of the smallpox than it is to learn of our Indians how to help against the poison of a rattlesnake.