¶ The first Chapiter. ¶ The true opinion of the de­uine, concernyng the be­ginnyng of man.

WHen God had in .V. daies made per­fecte the heauens and the earth, and the fur­niture of bothe: whi­che the latines for the goodlinesse and beau­tie therof, call Mundus, and we (I knowe not for what reason) haue named the worlde: the sixth daie, to the entent there mighte be one to enioye, and be Lorde o­uer all, he made the moste notable crea­ture Man. One that of all earthly crea­tures alone, is endowed with a mynde, and spirit from aboue. And he gaue him to name, Adam: accordyng to the colour of the molde he was made of. Then dro­wyng out of his side the woman, whilest he slept, to thende he should not be alone, knitte her vnto hym, as an vnseparable compaignion, and therwith placed them in the moste pleasaunt plot of the earth, [Page]fostered to flourishe with the moisture of floudes on euery parte. The place for the fresshe grienesse and merie shewe, the Greques name Paradisos. There lyued they a whyle a moste blessed life without bleamishe of wo, the earth of the own ac­corde bringing forth all thing. But when they ones had transgressed the precepte, they ware banysshed that enhabitaunce of pleasure and driuen to shift the world. And fro thenceforth the graciousnes of the earth was also abated, & the francke fertilitie therof so withdrawen, that la­bour and swette, now wan lesse a greate deale, then ydle lokyng on before tyme had done. Shortly crepte in sickenes, and diseases, and the broyling heate and the nipping cold began to assaile their body­es. Their first sonne was Layin, and the seconde Abell, and then many other. And as the world grewe into yeares, and the earth began to waxe thicke peopled, loke as the nombre did encreace, so vices grew on, and their lyuing decaied euer into woors. For giltelesse dealyng, wrong came in place, for deuoutenesse, cōtempte of the Goddes, and so farre outraged their wickednes, that God skarcely fyn­ding [Page]one iuste Noha on the earth (whom he saued, with his housholde, to repayre the losse of mankind and replenysshe the worlde) sente a floude vniuersall. whiche couering all vnder water, killed all fleshe that bare lyfe vppon earth, excepte a fewe beastes, birdes, and wormes that ware preserued in the misticall arke. In the ende of fiue Monethes aftre the floude began, the Arque touched on the moūtei­nes of Armenia. And within foure Mo­nethes aftre, Noas and all his beyng re­stored to the earth, with Goddes fur­theraunce in shorte space repeopled the worlde. And to thende the same myghte euery wheare again be enhabited, he dis­persed his yssue and kyndredes into son­drie coastes. After Berosus opynion he sent Cham otherwyse, named Cameses and Chamesenuus with his ofspring, in­to Egipte. Into Lybia and Cirene, Tri­ton. And into the whole residewe of Af­frike the ancient Iapetus called Attalus Priscus. Ganges he sent into Easte Asia with certeine of the sonnes of Comerus Gallus. And into Arabia the fertile, one Sabus, sirnamed Thurifer. Ouer Ara­bia the Waaste he made Arabus gouer­nour, [Page]and Petreius ouer Petrea. He gaue vnto Canaan, all that lyeth fro Damasco to the outemost bordre of Pa­lestine. In Europe he made Tuisco king of Sarmat [...]a, from the f [...]oude of Tanais vnto the Rhene. And there were ioyned vnto him all the sonnes of Istrus, and Mesa, with their brethren, fro the moun­teyne of Adula to Mesemberia pontica. Archadius and Emathius gouerned the Tirianes, Comerus Gallus, had Italie and Fraunce, Samothes, Briteigne and Normandie, and Iubal, Spayne. That spiedie and vnripe puttyng forthe of the children from their progenitours, before they had throughly learned and enured them selues with their facions and ma­ners, was the cause of all the diuersitie that after ensued. For Cham, by the rea­son of his naughty demeanour towarde his father, beyng constrayned to departe with his wyfe and hys chyldren, planted him selfe in that parte of Arabia, that af­ter was called by his name. And lefte no trade of religion to his posteritie, because he none had learned of his father. Wher of it came to passe, that when in processe of tyme they ware encreased to to ma­ny [Page]for that londe: beyng sent out as it ware, swarme aftre swarme into other habitations, and skatered at length into sondry partes of the worlde (for this ba­nyished progeny grewe aboue measure) some fel into errours wherout thei could neuer vnsnarle themselues. The tongue gan to altre & the knowledge of the true God and all godlie worshippe vanished out of mind. Inso muche that some liued so wildely (as aftre thou shalt here) that it ware harde to discerne a difference be­twixte them and the beastes of the felde. Thei that flieted into Egipt, wonderyng at the beautie and course of the Sonne, & the Moone, as though there had been in them a power deuine, began to worship them as Goddes: callyng the lesse, Isis and the bigger Osiris. To Iupiter also thei Sacrificed, & did honour as to y^e prin­cipall of life. To Vulcan for fire, to Pal­las, as Lady of the skie, to Ceres as go­uerneresse of the arth, and to sondry other for other sondry considerations. Ney­ther staied that darkenesse of iniquitie in Egipte alone, but where so euer the pro­geny of Cham stepte in from the begyn­nyng, there fell true godlines, all oute of [Page]minde and abōdage to the deuell entred his place. And there neuer was countrie, mother of moe swarmes of people, then that part of Arabia, that he, and his, chase to be theirs. So greate a mischief did the vntymely banishemente of one manne, bring to the whole. Cōtrarily the proge­nie of Iapheth, and Sem, brought vp to full yeres vndre their elders, and right­ly enstructed: contentyng thē selues with a litle circuite, straied not so wide as this brother had doen. Whereby it chaunced that the zeale of the truthe, (I meane of good liuyng and true worshippe of one onely God) remained as hidden in one onely people, vntill the tyme of Messias.

¶ The seconde Chapitre. ¶ The false opinion of the Philo­sophre concernyng the be­gynnyng of man.

BVt the aunciente Philo­sophers, whiche without knowledge of God, and his truthe, many yeres a­go, wrate vpon the natu­res of thinges, and thisto­ries of times had another opinion of the [Page]originall of man. For certain of them, be­lieued the worlde euer to haue been, and that euer it should be, and man together with it to haue had no beginnyng. Cer­taine did holde that it had a beginnyng, and an ende it should haue, and a time to haue been, when man was not. For saie thei, the begynner of thynges visible, wrapped vp bothe heauen and earth at one instant, togither in one paterne, and so a distinction growyng on betwixte these meynte bodies, the worlde to haue begon in suche ordre as we see. The aire by nature to be cōtinually mouyng, and the moste firie parie of the same, for the lightenesse thereof, moste highe to haue climbed. So that sonne and Moone, and the planetes all, participatyng of the na­ture of that lighter substaunce: moue so muche the faster, in how muche thei are of the more subtile parte. But that whi­che was mixed with waterie moisture, to haue rested in the place, for the heaui­nesse therof, and of the watery partes, the sea to haue comen: and the matier more compacte to haue passed into a clammi­nesse firste, and so into earth. This earth then brought by y^e heate of the sonne into [Page]a more fastenesse. And after by the same power puffed and swollen in the vpper­moste parte, there gathered manye hu­mours in sondry places, which drawing to ripenesse enclosed them selues in sly­mes and in filmes, as in the maresses of Egipt, and other stondynge waters we often se happen. And seynge the heate of thaier sokyngly warmeth the cold groūd and heate meint with moisture is apt to engendre: it came to passe by the gentle moisture of the night aire, and the com­forting heate of the daie sonne, that those humours so riped, drawyng vp to the rinde of the arth, as though their tyme of childbirthe ware come, brake out of their filmes, and deliuered vpon the earth all maner of liuyng thinges. Emōg whiche those that had in thē moste heate, became foules into the aire: those that ware of nature more earthie, became wormes and beastes of sondrie kindes: and where water surmounted, thei drewe to the e­lemente of their kinde, and had to name fisshes. But afterwarde the earth beyng more parched by the heate of the Sonne, and the drouthe of the windes, ceased to bring furthe any mo greate beastes: and [Page]those that ware already brought furthe, (saie thei) mainteined, and encreased by mutualle engendrure, the varietie, and nombre. And they are of opinion that in the same wise, men ware engendred in the beginning. And as nature putte them forth emong other beastes, so liued they at the first an vnknowen lyfe wyl­dely emong them, vpon the fruictes, and the herbes of the fieldes. But the beastes aftre a while waxing noysome vnto them, they ware forced in commune for eche others sauftie to drawe into compa­nies to resiste their anoyaunce, one hel­ping another, and to sieke places to make their abiding in. And where at the firste their speache was confuse, by litle and litle they sayed it drewe to a distincte­nesse, and perfeighte difference: in sorte that they ware able to gyue name to all thinges. But for that they ware diuer­sely sparckled in diuers partes of the worlde, they holde also that their speache was as diuers and different. And herof to haue aftreward risen the diuersitie of lettres. And as they firste assembled into bandes, so euery bande to haue broughte forthe his nacion. But these men at the [Page]firste voide of all helpe and experience of liuyng, ware bittrely pinched with hon­gre and colde, before thei could learne to reserue the superfluous plenty of the So­mer, to supply the lacke of Winters bar­reinesse, whose bitter blastes, and hōgrie pinynges, consumed many of them. whi­che thing whē by experiēce dere bought, thei had learned: thei soughte bothe for Caues to defende them fro colde, and be­gan to hourde fruictes. Then happe foūd out fire, and reason gaue rule of profite, and disprofite, and necessitie toke in hand to sette witte to schoole. Who gatheryng knowledge, and perceiuyng hymself to haue a helpe of his sences, more skilfull then he thought, set hande a woorke, and practised connyng, to supplie all defaul­tes, whiche tōgue and lettres did enlarge and distribute abrode.

THEI that had this opinion of the o­riginall of manne, and ascribed not the same to the prouidence of God, affirmed the Ethopiens to haue bene the firste of all menne. For thei coniectured that the ground of that countrie liyng nierest the heates of the Sonne muste nedes first of all other waxe warme. And the earth at [Page]that tyme beyng but clammie and softe, through the attemperaunce of that moy­sture and heate, man there first to haue bene fourmed, and there to haue gladlier enhabited (as natiue and naturall vnto him) then in any other place, whē all pla­ces ware as yet straunge, and vnkno­wen, whiche aftre men soughte. Begin­nyng therfore at them, after I haue she­wed how the worlde is deuided into thre partes (as also this treatise of myne) and haue spoken a litle of Aphrique, I wyll shewe the situacion of Aethiope, and the maners of that people, and so forthe of al other regions and peoples, with suche diligence as we can.

¶ The thirde Chapitre. ¶ The deuision and limites of the Earthe.

THose that haue bene before our daies, (as Orosius writeth) are of opinion, that the circuite of the earth, bordered about with the Occean Sea: dis­roundyng hym self, shooteth out thre corner wise, and is also [Page]deuided into thre seuerall partes, Afrike, Asie, and Europe. Afrike is parted from Asie with the floude of Nilus, whiche co­inyng fro the Southe, ronneth through Ethiope into Egipte. where gently shea­dyng hymself ouer his baneques, he lea­ueth in the countrie a merueilous fertili­tie, and passeth into the middle earth sea, with seuen armes. From Europe it is se­perate with the middle earth sea. whiche beginnyng fro the Occean afore saie deat the Istande of Gades, and the pilours of Hercules, passeth not tenne miles ouer. But further entryngin, [...]semeth to haue shooued of the maighe lande on bothe sides, & so to haue won a [...]ore largenesse. Asie is deuided from Europe, with Ta­nais the floude, whiche comyng fro the North, ronneth into the marshe of Meo­tis almoste mid waie, and there sincking himself, leaueth the marshe and Pontus Eurinus, for the rest of the bounde. And to retourne to Afrike again, the same ha­uyng Nilus as I saied on the Easte, and on all other partes, bounded with the sea, is shorter then Europe, but broader to­warde the Occean, where it rileth into mounteigne. And shoryng towarde the [Page]Weste, by litle and litle waxeth more streighte, and cometh at thende to a na­rowe poincte. Asmuche as is enhabited therof, is a plentuous soile, but the great parte of it lieth waste, voide of enhabi­tauntes, either to whote for menne to a­bide, or full of noisome and venemous vermine, and beastes, or elles so whel­med in sande & grauell, that there is no­thing but more barreinesse. The sea that lieth on the Nor the parte, is called Libi­cum, that on the Southe Aethiopicum, and the other on the West Atlanticum.

AT the first the whole was possest by fower sondrie peoples. Of the whiche, twaine (as Herodotus writeth) ware founde there, tyme out of minde, and the other twaine ware alienes and incom­mes. The two of continuaunce, ware the Poenj, and Ethiopes, whiche dwelte, the one at the Northe of the lande, the other at the South. The Alienes, the Phoenices the Grekes, the old Ethiopians, and the Aegipcianes, if it be true that thei report of thēselues. At the beginnyng thei ware sterne, and vnruly, and bruteshely liued, with herbes and with fleshe of wilde bea­stes, without lawe or rule, or faciō of life, [Page]roilyng and rowmyng vpon heade, hea­ther and thether without place of abode, where night came vpon them, there lai­yng their bodies to reste. Aftrewarde (as thei saie) Hercules passyng the seas out of Spaine, into Libie (a countrie on the Northe shore of Afrike) and bringyng an ouerplus of people thence with hym, somewhat bettre facioned and manered then thei, trained them to muche more humanitie. And of y^e troughes thei came ouer in, made themselues cotages, and began to plante in plompes one by ano­ther. But of these thinges we shall speake here afire more at large.

Afrike is not in euery place a like en­habited. For toward the Southe it lieth for the moste part waste, and vnpeopled, for the broilyng heate of that quartre. But the part that lieth ouer against Eu­rope, is verie well enhabited. The frute­fulnesse of the soile is excedyng, and to muche merueillous: as in some places bringyng the siede with a hundred folde encrease. It is straunge to beleue, that is saied of the goodnesse of the soile of the Moores. The stocke of their vines to be more then two menne can fadome, and [Page]their clousters of Grapes to be a cubite long. The coronettes of their Pasnepes, and Gardein Thistles (whiche we calle Hortichockes) as also of their Fenelle, to be twelue Cubites compasse. Thei haue Cannes like vnto those of India, whiche may contein in the cōpasse of the knot, or iointe, the measure of. ij. bushelles. Ther be sene also Sparagi, of no lesse notable bigguenesse. Toward the mounte Atlas trees bee founde of a wondrefull heigth, smothe, and without knaggue or knotte, vp to the hard toppe, hauyng leaues like the Cypres, but of all other the moste no­ble Citrus, wherof the Romaines made greate deintie. Affrike hath also many sondrie beastes, and Dragones that lye in awaite for the beastes, and when thei see time, so bewrappe and wreathe them aboute, that takyng fro theim the vse of their ioynctes, thei wearie them and kille theim. There are Elephantes, Lyons, Bugles, Pardales, Roes, and Apes, in some places beyonde nombre. There are also Chamelopardales and Rhizes, like vnto Bulles. Herodote writeth, that there be founde Asses with hornes, Hie­nas Porpētines, wilde Rambes, a beast [Page]engendred of the Hie [...]e and the Woulfe named Thoas, Pantheres, Storckes, Oistruthes, and many kindes of serpen­tes, as Cerastes, and Aspides, against whom nature hath matched the Ichneu­mon (a verie litle beast) as a mortall en­nemie.

¶ The .iiij. Chapitre. ¶ Of Ethiope, and the auncient maners of that nation. Cap .iiii.

TWo countreies there ware of that name Ouerlanders, and Netherlanders. The one pertainyng to A­phrique, the other to Asie. The one whiche at this daie is called Inde, hath on the east the redde sea, and the sea named Barbaricum, on the northe it toucheth vpon Egypte, and vpon that Libie that standeth on the vtter border of Afrike toward the sea. On the west it is bounded with the other Libie that stā deth more into the mayne londe. The re­sidue that runneth toward the south, ioy­neth vpon the netherland Ethiope, whi­che [Page]lyeth more southerly, and is muche greater. It is thought that these Ethi­opes toke name of Ethiopus Vulcanes sonne, that (as Plinie saieth) was gouer­nour there. Or els of the Greke wordes aythoo and ops, whereof the former si­gnifieth to broyle, or to bourne vp with heate, and the other, in the eye or sight. Whiche sheweth in effecte, that the coun­treie lyeng in the eye of the Sonne, it must nedes be of heate almost importa­ble. As in diede it lyeth in the full course of the sonne, and is in continuall heate. Toward the weast it is hilly, in the mid­des grauell and sande, and on the easte waste and deserte. There be in it dyuers peoples of sondry phisonomy and shape, monstruous and of hugly shewe. They are thought (as I saied) to haue bene the fyrst of all men, and those whiche of all other maye truelyest be called an home-borne people. Neuer vnder the bondage of any: but euer a free nacion. The first waie of worshippyng God (say thei) was deuised and taught emonge theim: with the maners and ceremonies there to ap­pertinent. They had two kyndes of let­ters, one, whiche ware knowen onely to [Page]their priestes for matters of Religion, whiche they called misticall, and another for the vse of the people hidden frō none. Yeat ware not their Letters facioned to ioyne together in sillables like ours, but Ziphres, and shapes of men and of bea­stes, of heades, and of armes, and arti­ficers tooles, whiche signified in sondrie wise echone accordyng to his propertie. As by the picture of an hauke swiftenes and spiede, by the shape of a crocodile di­spleasure or misfortune, by the figure of an eye, good watche or regarde, and so forthe of other. Emong their priestes, loke whome they sawe startle aboute as haulfe wood, him did they iudge of all o­ther mooste holy, and making him their king, they fall downe and worship him, as thoughe there ware in him a God­head, or as thoughe at the least he ware by goddes prouidence giuen them. This king for al that, must be gouerned by the lawe, and is bounde to all thinges after thordre of the contry. He his selfe maye neither punishe or guerdon any manne. But loke vpon whome he wyl haue exe­cucion done, he sendeth the minister ap­poincted for the purpose, to the person [Page]with a token of deathe: whiche when he hath shewed, the officier retourneth, and the persone what soeuer he be, inconti­nent fordoeth him self. So greatly ware they giuen to thee honour of their kyn­ges, suche a feruencie had they towarde them, that if it fortuned the king through any mishap, to be maymed or hurte in a­ny parte of his bodye, as many as ware towarde him, namely of householde, vo­luntarily woulde giue them selues the lyke hurt, thincking it an vnsitting thing the kynge to lacke an eye or the vse of a legge, and his frindes neither to halt, ne yet to lacke parte of their sight. Thei say it is the manier also, that when the king dieth, his friendes should wilfully dis­patche theim selues and die with hym, for this compte they glorious and a testi­mony of very frendship. The moste part of them, for that they lye so vnder the Sonne, go naked: couering their priuiti­es with shiepes tayles. But a feawe of them are clad with the rawe felles of be­astes. Some make them brieches of the heares of their heades vp to the waeste. They are comonly brieders and grasiers in commune together. Their shepe be of [Page]very small body, and of a harde & rought coate. Their dogges also are neuer a whitte bigger, but thei are fierce and hardie. They haue good store of gromel and harly, wherof they vse to make drincke. All other graine and fruictes thei lacke, excepte it be dates whiche also are verye skante. Some of them lyue with herbes and the tender rootes of cannes or Rie­des. Other eate flesshe, milke, and these. Meroe, was in time past the heade citie of the kyngdome, whiche stondeth in an Isse of the same name facioned like a shi­elde, stretching it selfe thre thousand fur­long alongest by Nilus. Aboute that Is­lande do the cattle masters dwelle, and are muche giuen to hunting, and those that be occupied with tilthe of the groūde haue also mines of gold. Herodotus wri­teth that thethiopians named Macrobij, do more effieme lacton then thei do golde whiche thei put to nothyng that thei cōpt of any price. In so muche that the Am­bassadours of Cambises, when thei came thether, found the prisoners in the gaole fettred and tied with Chaines of golde. Some of theim sowe a kinde of graine called Sesamus, and other the delicate [Page] Lothō. Thei haue greate pleaty of Hebe­num, a woode muche like Guaiacum, and of Siliquastrum. Thei hunte Elephantes and kyll them to eate. There be Lions, Rhinocerotes, Basiliskes, Pardales, and Dragones, whiche I said enwrappe the lephauntes, and sucke them to death, for their bloude. There be found the pre­cious stones called the Iacinthe, and the Prasne. There is also cinamome gathe­red. Thei occupie bowes of woode seaso­ned in the fire, of foure cubites lōg. Wo­men be also trayned to the warres, and haue for the moste parte a ring of lation hanging throughe their lippe. Certeine of theim worshippe the Sonne at his vp­rijste, and curse him moste bittrely at his doune gate. Diuers of thē throwe their dead into Riuers, other cofer them vp in earthen cofres, some enclose them in glasse, and kepe them in their houses a yeare, and in the meane season worship them deuoutly, and offre vnto them the first of all their encreace. In the naming of a newe king, they giue ther voice chie­fly to him that is moste goodly of stature, moste conning in brieding of cattle, and of strengthe and substaunce passing the [Page]reast. The lawe hath bene, that the prie­stes of Memphis shoulde haue the auc­thoritie to sende the Kinge the token of deathe, & to set vp another in the place of the deade, whome they thoughte good. They haue an opinion that ther are two Goddes, one immortall, by whome all thinges haue their beginning, and conti­nuaunce vnder his gouernement, and a­nother mortall, and he is vncerteine.

Their king, and him that best deserueth of the city next vnto him, they honour as Goddes. This was the state of Ethiope from the beginning, and many yeares sence.

BVT at this daye as myne Authour Sabellicus saieth y^e he learned of those that are enhabitantes in y^e contrey: The king of Ethiope (whome we commonly calle Pretoianes or Presbiter Ihon) is a man of suche power, that he is reported to haue vndre him thre skore and two other kin­ges. If the heade Bysshoppes of the Realme desire to do, or to haue aughte done, al is referred vnto him. Of him be giuen al benefites, and spiritual promo­cions, which prerogatiue the Pope hath giuen, to the maiestie of kinges. Yet is [Page]he him selfe no priest, ne hath any maner of ordres. There is of Archebisshoppes (that is to say of superiour and head bis­shoppes) a great nombre, whiche haue e­uery one vndre them at the least twenty other. The Princes, Dukes, Earles, and head Bisshoppes, and suche other of like dignitie, when they come abrode, haue a crosse, & a basine of golde filled ful of earthe caried before them: that thone maye put them in remembraunce that earth into earth must again be resolued, and y^e other renewe the memory of Chri­stes suffering. Their priestes to haue ys­sue, mary one wyfe, but she ones beyng dead, it is vnlawfull to mary another.

The temples & churches ther, are muche larger, much richer, and more gorgeous then ours, for the moste part voulted frō the floore to the toppe. They haue many ordres of deuout men, moche like to our ordres of Religious: as the ordre of S, Anthony, Dominique, Calaguricant, Augustines, and Machareanes, whiche are bound to no colour but we are some suche one as Tharchebysshoppe shall al­lowe. Next vnto the supreame and soue­reigne GOD, and Mary the virgin his [Page]mother, they haue moste in honour Tho­mas sirnamed Didimus. This King, of all other the worthiest, whome they call Gias (a name giuen him of his mighti­nesse and power) is of the bloud of Da­uid, continued from one generation to a­nother (as they are perswaded) by so ma­ny yeres of successiō. And he is not as the moste of the Ethiopians are, blacke, but white. Garama the chiefe citie, and as we terme it the chābre of the king, ston­deth not by building of masonrie, & car­pentrie as ours, but strieted with tentes and pauilions placed in good ordre, of deluet and saten, embrauded with silkes and purples of many diuers sortes. By an auncient ordre of the realme, the king liueth euer in presence and sighte of his people, and neuer soiourneth within the walles aboue two daies. Either for that they iudge it an vncomely thing, and a token of delicate slouthfulnes, or elles for that some lawe doth forbid it. His army in the warres is ten hundred thousande men, fiue hundred Elephantes, and hor­ses, and Cameles, a wonderfull nomber, and this is but a meane preparacion.

Ther are througheout the whole nacion [Page]certeine houses and stockes, that are pē ­cionaries at armes, whose issue is as it ware branded with the marcke of the crosse, y^e skinne beyng pretely s [...]it [...]e. Thei vse in the warres, Bowe, Pique, Ha­bregeon, and helmette. Their highest d [...] ­gnitie is priest hode, y^e next, thordre of the Sages, whiche thei cal Balsamates, and Tāquates. They attribute moche also to the giltelesse and vprighte dealing man, whiche vertue they est [...]eme as the firste staier toclimbe to y^e dignitie of the sages. The nobilitie hath the thirde place of di­gnitie, and the pēcionaries aforesaid, the fourthe. Whē the iudges haue giuen sen­tence of life, or of deathe, the sencence is brought to the headborough of the Citie (whom we call the Mayour) and they Licomegia: he supplieth the place of the King. Lawes written thei occupy none, but iudge accordyng to reason and cōsti­ence. If any man be con [...]ict of adulterie he forfeicteth the fourtieth parte of his goodes, but thadulteresse is punished at home, according to the discretion of the partie offended. The men giue dowrie to those whom thei mary withal, but not to those y^e thei purchase besides. Their wo­mens [Page]attire is of Golde, (whereof that country hathe plentie) of pearle, and of Sarsenette. Bothe men and women are apparelled in long garmentes downe to the foote, slieued, and close rounde about of al maner of colours, sauig only blacke for that in that contry is proper for mor­ning. They bewaile their dead. xl. dai­es space. In bancquettes of honour, in the place of our fruicte (which the larine calleth the seconde boorde) they serue in rawe flesshe very finely minced and spi­ced, whervpō the gestes fiede very licou­ricely. They haue no maner of wollen webbe, but are eyther cladde in sarsenet­tes, or in linnen. One maner of speache serueth not througheout the whole con­try, b [...]t sondry & diuerse, aswel in phrase as in namig of thinges. Thei haue twise in the yere haruest, and twise in the yere somer. These Ethiopians or Indianes excepted, al the reste of the people of Li­bia Westward, are worshippers of Ma­homet, and liue aftre the same sorte in maner, that y^e Barbariens do in Egipte at this present, and are called Maures, or Moores, as I thincke of their outlea­pes and wide rowming. For that people [Page]was no lesse noysome to Lybie in those cursed tymes (when so greate mutation of thinges happened, when peoples ware so chaunged, suche alteration of seruice, and religion broughte in, and so many newe names giuen vnto contries) then the Sarasens ware.

¶ The. v. Chapiter. ¶ Of Aegipte, and the auncient maners of that people.

AEgipte is a Countrie liyng in Affrike, or as some hold opintō, bor­deryng thervpō, so na­med of Aegiptus, Da­naus brother, where a­fore it was called Ae­ria. This Aegipte (as Plinie recordeth in his fiueth boke) tou­theth on the East, vppon the redde Sea, and the land of Palestine, On the West fronteth vpon Cirene, and the residue of Afrike. On the South it stretcheth to Ae thiope: And on the Nor the is ended with the sea, to whom it giueth name.

The notable Cities of that Countrie, [Page]ware in tyme past, Thebes, Abydos, Ale­xandrie, Babilon, and Memphis, at this daie called Damiate, alias Chairus or Alkair, and the seate of the Soldā, a citie of notable largenesse. In Aegipt as Plato affirmeth, it was neuer sene rain. But Nilus suppliyng that defaulte, yerely a­boute saincte Barnabies tide, with his o­uerflowynges maketh the soile fertile. It is nombred of the moste parte of wri­ters, emong the Islandes: For that Ni­lus so parteth hymself aboute it, that he facioneth it triangle wise.

The Aegiptians firste of all other, de­uised the names of the twelue Goddes, builte vp Altares, and Images, erected Chappelles, and Temples, and graued in stone the similitude of many sondrie beastes. All whiche their doynges, dooe manifestly make, that thei came of the Aethiopes, who (as Diodore the Sicilian saieth) ware the firste inuentours of all these. Their women in old tyme, had all the trade of occupiyng, and brokage a­brode, and reuelled at the Tauerne, and kepte iustie chiere: And the men satte at home spinnyng, and woorkyng of Lace, and suche other thynges as women are [Page]wonte. The men bare their burdeins on the heade, the women on the shulder. In the easemente of vrine, the men rowked doune, the women stoode vprighte. The easemente of ordure thei vsed at home, but commonly feasted abrode in the stre­tes. No woman tooke ordres, either of God, or Goddesse. Their maner of or­dres, is not to make seuerally for euery Goddesse and God, a seuerall priest, but al at a shuffe, in generall for all. Emong the whiche, one is an heade, whose sonne enheriteth his roume by succession. The men children, euen of a custome of that people, did with good wil kepe their fa­thers and mothers, but the women chil­dren (yf they refused it) ware compelled. The moste part of men in solempne bu­rialles, shaue their heades and let theyr beardes growe, but Thegiptians shaued their beardes and let their heades grow. They wrought their doughe with their fiete, and their claye with their handes. As the Greciens do beleue, this people, and their ofspring, are they that vsed cir­cumcision. Thei ordre their writyng frō their right hande towarde their left, con­trary to vs. It was the maner emonge [Page]them, that the menne should we are two garmentes at ones, the women but one, As the Aethiopes had, so learned they of them, two maner of lettres: the one seue­rall to the priestes thother vsed in com­mune. Their priestes, euery thirde daye shaued their bodies, that there might be none occasiō of filthinesse whē they shold ministre, or sacrifie. Thei did weare gar­mentes of linnen, euer cleane wasshed, and white: and shoes of a certeine kinde of russhes, named Papyrus, whiche aftre became stuffe, to geue name to our paper They neither sette beane their selues, ne eate them where soeuer they grewe: no the priest may not loke vpon a beane, for that it is iudged an vncleane puls. They are wasshed euery daye in colde water thrise, and euery nighte twise. The hea­des of their sacrifices (for that they vsed to curse them with many terrible woor­des) did they not eate, but either the prie­stes solde them to such strangiers as had trade emonge them, or if there ware no suche ready in time, they threwe them in to Nilus.

All the Egiptians offer in sacrifice, nei­ther cowe, ne cowe calfe, because they are [Page]hallowed to Isis their goddesse, but bul­les, and bulle calues, or oxen, and stieres. For their meate they vse, moche a kynde of pancake made of rye meale. For lacke of grapes they vse wyne made of Barly. They liue also with fisshe, either dried in the Sonne and so eaten rawe, or elles kept in pikle. They fiede also vpō birdes, and foules, firste salted, and then eaten rawe. Quaile, and mallard, are not but for the richer sorte. At all solempne sup­pers, when a nomber is gathered, and the tables withdrawen, some one of the company carieth aboute in an open case, the image of death, caruen out of wodde, or drawē with the pencille as niere to the vine as is possible, of a cubite, or two cu­bites long at the moste. Who shewyng it aboute to euery of the gestes, saieth, loke here: drinke, and be mery, for aftre thy death, suche shalt thou be. The yonger yf they miete their auncient, or bettre, vpon the waye, giue them place, going some­what aside: or yf the aunciente fortune to come in place where they are sitting, they arise out of their seate. wherin they agre with the Lacedemoniēs. Whē thei miete in the waye, they do reuerence to eche o­ther, [Page]bowing their bodies, and letting fal their handes on their knees. They weare longe garmentes of lynnen, hemmed a­bout the skirtes beneth, whiche they calle Casiliras: ouer the which they throwe on another white garment also. Wollen ap­parelle thei neither weare to the churche, ne bewry any man in.

Nowe forasmoche as they afore time that euer excelled in anye kinde of lear­ning, or durste take vppon them to pre­scribe lawe, and rule of life vnto other, as Orpheus, Homere, Museus, Melampode, Dedalus, Licurgus, Solon, Plato, Pithago­ras, Samolxis, Eudoxus, Democritus, Ino­pides, and Moses the Hebrue, with ma­nye other, whose names the Egiptians glorie to be cronicled with theim: trauei­led first to the Egiptians, to learne emō ­gest them bothe wisedome, and politique ordre (wherein at those daies they passed all other) me thinketh it pleasaunte and necessarie also, to stande somewhat vpon their maners, ceremonies and Lawes, that it may be knowen what they, & son­dry moe haue borowed of thē, and trans­lated vnto other. For (as Philip Bero­alde writeth in his commentary vpon A­puleius [Page]booke, entituled the Goldē Asse) the moste parte of the deuices that we vse in our Christian religion, ware borowed out of the maner of Thegiptians. As sur­pluis and rochet, and suche linnen gar­mentes: shauen crownes, tourninges at the altare, our masse solem puities, our or ganes, our knielinges, crouchinges, prai­ers, and other of that kinde. The kin­ges of Egipte (saieth Diodore the Sicili­an in his seconde booke) liued not at ro­uers as other kinges doe, as thonghe me lusteth ware lawe, but bothe in their mo­nie collections, and daily fare and appa­rell, folowed the bridle of the lawe. They had neither slaue that was homeborne, ne slaue that was forein bought, appoin­ted to attende or awaite vpon them. But the sonnes of those that ware priestes of honour, bothe aboue thage of twenty ye­res, & also singulerly learned. That the king hauing these attendant for the body both by daie and by night, restrained by the reuerence of the company about hym might commit nothing that was vicious, or dishonourable. For men of power are seldome euil, where they lacke ministres for their vnlawfull lustes. There ware [Page]appoincted houres, bothe of the daie and the night, in the whiche the kinge mighte lawfully doe, what the Lawe did permit. In the morning, assone as he was ready, it behoued him to peruse al lettres, suppli­cacions, and billes: that knowing what was to be done, he might giue aunswer in tyme: that all thinges might rightlie, and ordrely be done. These being dispat­ched, whē he had washed his bodie emōg the Pieres of y^e Realme, he put on some robe of estate, and Sacrified to the god­des. The maner was, that the Primate, or head of the spiritualty (the beastes ap­poincted for the sacrifices being brought harde to the altare, and the Kyng stan­ding by) should with a loude voice, in the hearing of the people, wysshe to the king (that bare him selfe iustely towarde his subiectes) prosperous healthe, and good fortune in all. And should further parti­culerly recite the vertues of the king, his deuoutnes and reuerence towarde God, and clemency towarde men. Commende him as chaste, iuste, and vpright: of noble and great courage, soth faste, liberal, and one that well brideled al his desires Pu­nisshing thos [...]endour vnder his deserces, [Page]and rewarding the well doer aboue his mecites. Making a processe of these, and such other like: in the ende with the reher­salle of the contrary vices, he cursed the wicked & euil. Then absoluing the King of his offences, he laied all the faulte vpon the ministres, and attendauntes, y^t shouls at any time moue the king to any thing vnright, or vnlawfull. These thinges be­inge done, he preached vnto the King the blessednes of the life, led accordyng to the pleasure of the goddes, and exhorted him thervnto: as also to frame his maners & doinges vnto vertue, & not to giue care to that, that leude mē should counsaile him, but to followe those thynges that led vn­to honour and vertue. In thende, whan the King had sacrificed a bulle, the priest declared certain preceptes and examples of exellente, & moste worthy men: written in their holy scripture. To thende that the Kynge admonisshed by the example of theim, might ordre his gouernaunte iust­lye, and godly, and not geue hym selfe to couetous cloinyng, and hourdyng of tre­sure. He neither satte to iudge, ne toke his vacacion, ne walked abrode, ne wasshed at home, ne laye with his Quiene, ne fi­nally [Page]did any maner of thing, but vpō the prescripte of the lawe.

Their fare was but simple, nothing but veale, and goose, and their wine by mea­sure appoincted. So that thone should ne­ther ouerlade the bealy, ne the other the heade. To conclude, their whole life so bounde vpon temperaunce, that it might be thoughte raither to haue bene prescri­bed them by a discrete Phisicen to pre­serue heithe, then by a politique Lawyer. It siemeth wondrefull that the Egipti­ans mighte not rule their owne priuate life, bur by the Lawes. But it semeth more wonderfull that their King had no liberty of him selfe, either to sitte in iudgement, to make collections of money, or to punishe any man, vpon wstfulnes, stoute stomacke, angre, displeasure, or anye vn­iuste cause: But to be holden vnder lawe as a commune subiecte, and yet not to be agreued therwith, but to thincke them selues moste blessed in obeyeng & folowyng the lawe, and other in folowing their lu­stes most vnhappy. As being led by them into many daungiers, and damages.

For suche oftentimes, euen when they know them selues to do euil, either ouer­come [Page]with malice, and hatred, or some other mischiefe of the minde, are not able to witholde theim selues from the euille. But they which by wisedome and discre­cion, gouerne their liues, offende in fewe thinges. The kinges vsing suche an equi­tie, and vprightnes towarde their subdi­tes, are so tendred againe of them, that not onely the priestes, but all the Egip­tians in generall, haue more [...] are for the health and the welfare of the King, then for their wiues, their childrens, or any o­ther princes.

He that to his death continueth in this goodnesse, him being dead, do they in ge­neral lamente. They teare their clothes, they shut vp y^e churche dores, they haunte no place of wonte cōmune cōcourse, they omytte all solempne holy daies: and gir­ding them selues vnder the pappes with brode Kibbond of Sarsenet, two or thre hundred on a company, men and women together, renewe euery daye twise, thre skore & .xii. daies together, the buriall be­wailing, casting dirte on their heades, and singing in rithme the vertue of the Kinge. They absteine from al flesshe of beastes, all meates y^e touche sire, all wine [Page]and all preparation of serusce at the ta­ble. They bathe not, thei smel of no swie­tes, they goe to no beddes, they pleasure not in women: but as folkes that had bu­ried their beste beloued childe, all that cō ­tinuaunce of time they lamente. During these seuenty and two daies (hauyng pre­pared all thinges necessarie for the fune­rall pompe: the laste daye of all, the bodie keyng enbaulmed and cofred, is sette be­fore the entrie of the Toombe. There, aftre the custome, one redeth an abridge­mente of all the thinges done by the king in his life. And if there be any man dispo­sed to accuse the deade, libertie is giuen him. The priestes are present, & euer giue praise to his well doinges, as they be reci­ted. Ther stondeth also rounde about the Toombe a multitude of the communes, which with their voices allowe asmuche as is trew, and crie out vpon that, that is false, with vehemēt gainsatenges. Wherby it hath happened, that sondry kynges by the repugnynges of the people haue lien vntoombed: and haue lacked the ho­noure of bewrialle, that the good are wonte to haue. That feare, hath driuen the kynges of Aegipte, to liue iustly, and [Page]vprightly, lesse the people aftre their deathes, might shewe them suche dishonour, and beare them perpetuall hatred. This was the maner specially, of the auncient kynges there.

The whole realme of Egipte was di­aided into Shieres: and to euery Shiere was appoincted a Presidente, whiche had the gouernaūce of the whole Shiere. The reuenewes of the realme ware diui­ded into, iij. partes: wherof the companie of the priestes had the first parte, whiche ware in greate estimacion emong them, bothe for the administracion of Goddes Seruice, and also for the good learnyng, wherin thei brought vp many. And this porcion was giuen theim, partely for the administracion of the Sacrifices, & par­tely for the vse and commoditie of their priuate life. For thei neither thincke it mete, that any parte of the honour of the Goddes shou [...]d bee omitted, or that thei, whiche are Ministres of the commune counsaill and profecte, should be destitute of necessary commodities of the life. For these menne are alwate in matters of weighte, called vpon by the nobles, for their wisedome and counsaille: And to [Page]shewe (as thei can by their cōnyng in the Planettes, and Starres, and by the ma­ner of their Sacrifices) the happe of thin­ges to come. Thei also declare vnto thē, the stortes of men of olde tyme, regested in their holy Scripture, to the ende that accordyng to thē the kynges maie learne what shall profighte, or disprofighte. For the maner is not emong them, as it is e­mong the Grecians, that one manne, or one woman, should attende vpon the sa­crifices and Ceremonies alone: but thei are many at ones aboute the honour of their Goddes, and teache the same ordre to their children. This sorte of menne is priuilged, and exempte from all maner of charges, and hath next vnto the kyng, the second place of dignitie and honour.

The second porcion cometh to the king to mainte in his owne state, and the char­ges of the warres: and to shewe liberali­tie to men of prowesse according to their worthinesse. So that the Communes are neither burdoned with taxes nor tri­butes.

The thirde parte do the pencionaries of the warres receiue, and suche other as vpō occasions are moustered to the war­res▪ [Page]that vpon the regard of the stipende, thei maie haue the better good wille and courage, to hasarde their bodies in bat­taile. Their communaltie is deuided in­to thre sortes of people. Husbande men, Brieders of cattle, and men of occupari [...] The Husbandmen buyeng for a litle money a piece of grounde of the Priestes, the king, or the warriour: al daies of their life, euen from their childhode, continu­ally applie that care Whereby it cometh to passe, that bothe for the skoolyng that their haue therin at their fathers handes, and the continuall practisyng fro their youthe, that thei passe all other in Hus­bandrie.

The Brieders, aftre like maner, lear­nyng the trade of their fathers, occupie their whole life therabout. We see also that all maner of Sciences haue bene muche bettred, yea, brought to the toppe of perfection, emong the Egiptians. For the craftes men there, not medlyng with any commune matiers that mighte hin­dre theim, emploie theim selues onely to suche sciences as the lawe doeth permit them, or their father hath taught thē. So that thei neither disdaine to be taughte, [Page]nor the hatred of eche other, ne any thing elles withdraweth them frō their crafte.

Their Iudgementes and Sentences of lawe, are not giuen there at aduēture, but vpon reason: for thei surely thought that all thinges well done, muste niedes be profitable to mannes life. To punishe the offendours, and to helpe the oppres­sed, thoughte thei the best waie to auoide mischiefes. But to buye of the punishe­mente for money or fauour, that thought thei to be the very confusion of the com­mune welfare. Wherefore thei chase out of the chief cities (as Heliopole, Mem­phis, and Thebes) the worthiest men, to be as Lordes chief Iustice, or Presiden­tes of Iudgemētes, so that their Iustice henche did sieme to giue place, neither to the Areopagites of the Athenienses, ne yet to the Senate of the Lacedemonians that many a daie after theim ware in­stituted. Aftre what tyme these chief Iu­stices ware assembled (thirtie in nōbre) thei chase out one that was Chauncel­lour of the whole: and when he failed, the citie appoincted another in his place. All these had their liuynges of the kyng: but the Chauncellour more honorably then [Page]the rest. He bare alwaie about his necke a tablette, hangyng on a chaine of golde, and sette full of sundrie precious stones, whiche thei called Veritie and Truthe▪ The courte beyng set and begunne, and the tablet of Truthe by the Chauncellour laied furthe, & theight bookes of their la­wes (for so many had thei) brought furth into the middes emong them: it was the maner for the plaintife to putte into wri­tyng the whole circumstance of his case, and the maner of the wrong doone vnto him, or how muche he estemed himself to be endamaged thereby. And a time was giuen to the defendant to write answere again to euery poinct, and either to deny that he did it, or elles to alledge that he rightfully did it, or elles to abate the esti­mate of the damage or wrōg. Then had thei another daie appointed, to saie final­ly for thē selues. At the whiche daie whē the parties on bothe sides ware herd, and the fudges had conferred their opinions, the Chaūcellour of the Iudges gaue sentence by pointyng with the tablet of Ve­ritie, toward the parte y^e semed to be true. This was y^e maner of their iudgemētes.

And for asmuche as we are fallen into [Page]mention of their iudgementes, it shall not be vnsyttyng with myne enterprise, to write also the aunciente Lawes of the Egiptians, that it maie be knowen how muche they passe, bothe in ordre of thyn­ges, and profite.

Fyrst to be periured was headyng: for they thought it a double offence. One in regarde of cōsciēce not kept toward god, and another in gyuynge occasion to de­stroy credite among men, whiche is the chiefest bonde of their felowship. If any wayfaryng man shuld espy a man sette vppon with thieues, or otherwyse to be wronged, and dyd not to his power suc­cour & ayde hym, he was gyltie of death. If he ware not able to succour and to reskewe hym, then was he bounde to vtter the thieues, and to prosecute the matter to enditement. And he that so dyd not, was punyshed with a certayne nombre of stripes, and was kept thre days with­out meate. He that shuld accuse any mā wrongfully, if he fortuned afterward to be broughte into iudgement, he suffered the punishement ordeyned for false accusers. All the Egyptians ware compel­led to brynge euery man their names to [Page]the chiefe Iustices, and the facultie or sci­ence wherby they liued. In the which be­halfe if any man lyed, or lyued with vn­laufull meanes, he felle into penaltie of death. If any man willyngly had slaine any man free or bond, the lawes condemned hym to die, not regardynge the state of the man, but the malicious pourpose of the diede. Wherby they made men a­frayd to doe mischief, and death beynge erecuted for the death of a bondman, the free myght goe in more sauftie. For the fathers that slewe their chyldren, there was no punyshement of death appoyn­ted, but an iniunction that they shoulde stande thre daies and thre nyghtes togi­ther at the graue of the deade, accompa­nied with a common warde of the peo­ple to see the thyng done. Neyther dyd it sieme them iuste, that he that gaue life to the childe, should lose his life for the chil­des death, but rather be put to continual sorowe, and to be pyned with the repen­tance of the diede, that other myght therby be withdrawen from the like wyckednes. But for the chyld that kylled either father or mother, they deuised this kynd of synguler torment. They thruste hym [Page]and disfigured.

The Lawes that apperteigned to the trade and occupieng of men, one with a­nother: ware made (as thei saie) by one Bocchorides. It is commaunded in them, that if money haue bene lent any manne without writyng, vppon credite of his woorde: if the borower deny it, he should be put to his othe, to the whiche the cre­ditour muste stande. For thei so muche estiemed an othe, that thei thoughte no man so wicked, as wilfully to abuse it. And again, because he that was noted to sweare very oftē, lost vtterly his credite, and name: many menne affirme, that for the regard of their honesties, it happened very seldome, that any man came to his othe. Their Lawe maker also, iudgyng that vertue was the engēdrer of credite, thoughte it good by good ordres to accu­stome men to good liuyng and honestie, vpon feare to sieme vnworthie of all re­putaciō. He thought it also to be against conscience, that he that without anothe had borowed, should not nowe for his own, bebeleued with anothe. The forfect for non paiment of the lone, mought not bee aboue the double of the somme that [Page]was borowed. And paiement was made onely of the gooddes of the borower, the body was not arrestable. For the Lawe­maker thought it conueniente, that one­ly the gooddes should bee subdite to the debte, and the bodies (whose seruice was required bothe in peace and in warre) subiecte to the citie. It was not thoughte to bee Iustice, that the manne of warre, whiche hasardeth his bodie for the sauf­tie of his countrie, should for an enterest of lone, bee throwen into prisone. The whiche lawe, Solon siemeth to haue trā ­slated to the Athenienses, vndre the name of the lawe, Sisarea decreyng that the bo­dy of no citezein, should for any maner of enterest be emprisoned.

The giptians also for thieues, had this lawe alone, and no people els. The lawe commaunded that as many as would steale, should entre their names with the chief Prieste: and what so euer was stol­len, incontinente to cary the same vnto hym. Likewise, he that was robbed was bounde to entre with the saied Chiefe Priest, the daie, time and houre, when he was robbed. By this meanes the thefte being easely founde out, he that was rob­bed [Page]loste the fourthe parte and receiued the residue, the whiche fourthe was giuen to the thiefe. For the Lawe maker (seing it was impossible vtterly to be withoute thieues) thought it moche bettre by this meanes that men bare the losse of a piece then to be spoiled of the whole.

The ordre of Mariage emong the E­giptians is not vniforme, for the priest might mary but one onely wife. All other haue as many as they wille, acording to their substaunce. Ther is no child emong them, though it be borne of a bought wo­man slaue, that is compted illegitimate. For they onely compte the father to be the authour of his kynde, and the mother onely but to geue place and nourishemēt to the childe. When their childrē be borne they bring them vp with so lytle coste, as a man would skantly belieue. They fiede them with the rootes of mererusshes, and other rootes, rosted in the embries, and with marshe Caubois, and colewortes which partly they seathe, and partly they roste, and parte giue them rawe. They go for the moste parte withoute hosen or shoes, all naked, the contry is so tempe­rate. All the coste that the Parentes be­stowe [Page]on their children til they be of age to shift for themselues, surmounteth not the somme of a noble.

The priestes bring vp the childrē, both in the doctrine of their holye scriptures, and also in the other kindes of learning necessary for the commune life, and chief­ly in Geometry and Arithmetique. As for the roughe exercises of wrasteling, ronning, daunsing, playeng at weapons, throwyng y^e barre or suche like, thei train not their youth in, supposyng that the dai­ly exercise of suche, shoulde be to roughe, and daungerous for them, and that they should be an empeiryng of strēgth. Mu­sique they doe not onely compte vnprofi­table, but also hurteful: as making mens courages altogether womanlyke. When they are sicke, they heale them selues, ey­ther with fasting or vomiting: & that ey­ther euery eche other daye, or euery third daye, or fourthe. For they are of opinion that all diseases growe of superstuite of meate, and that kinde of cure therfore to be beste, that riddeth the grounde of the griefe. Men goyng to the warres, or tra­ueillyng the countrie, are healed of free cost. For the Phisicens, & Chirurgiens, [Page]haue a stipende allowed them of ordena­ry at the charge of the communes.

In curing, they are bounde to folowe the preceptes of the auncient and allow­ed writers, regested in their holy scrip­ture. Yf a man folowing the prescripte of the scriptures can not so heale y^e sicke, he is not blamed for that: But yf he for­tune to heale him by any other meanes then is in the scripture appoincted, he dieth for it. For the lawe giuer thoughte that it was harde to finde a bettre waye of curing, then that y^e which of suche anti­quitie was by longe practise founde cute and allowed, and deliuered vnto them by suche a continuaunce. The Egiptians do worship aboue measure certeine bea­stes, not onely whilest they be onliue, but also when they are dead. As the Catte, the Icneumon the dogge, the hauke, the woulfe, the Cocodrille, and many other like. They are not onely not ashamed to professe the worship of these openly, but setting them selues out in the honouring of them to the vttermoste: they compte it asmuch praise and glory to them selues, as yf they bestowed the like on the God­des. And they go about on processiō with [Page]the propre Images of them, from citie, to citie, and from place, to place: holding them vp and shewing them a farre of vnto other, which fall on their knees, and euery one worship them. When any one of them dieth, they couer it with Sarce­ner, and houling, and crieng, and beating of their breastes they all to bestrawe the carckesse with salte. And aftre they haue enbalmed it with the licour of the Cedre and other fragraunt oyntmentes, and oyles, to preserue it the longer: thei bew­rye it in holy sepulture. If a man haue slayne any of these beastes willingly: he is condempned to death. But yf he haue slaine a catte or a snyte, willingly or vn­willingly: the people ronneth vpon him vppon heapes, and withoute all ordre of Iustice or lawe, in moste miserable wise torment him to death. Upon feare of the which daungier who soeuer espieth one of those lyeng dead: standing a farre, he howleth and crieth professing that he is not giltie of y^e death. These beastes with great attendannce and chardge are kept vp aboute the cloistres of the Temple, by men of no meane reputation: whiche fiede them with floure and otemeale, [Page]and diuers deinties, sopped and stiepe [...] in milke. And they set euery daie before them goose, bothe soddē and rosted. And before those that delight al in raw meate they sette birdes and rawe foules. Fi­nally as I said they kiepe them all with great diligence and coste. They lament their death asmoche as the death of their owne children, & bury them more sump­tuously then their substance doth stretch. In so moche that Ptolomeus Lagus reigning in Egipt, when there chaunced a cowe to die in Memphis, for very age: he that had taken charge of the kepyng of her, bestowed vpon the buriall of her (beside a greate some of mony that was giuen him for the keping) fiftie talentes of siluer, that he borowed of Ptolome. Peraduenture these thynges will seme vnto some men to wondreful: but he wil wondre asmoche yf he cōsidre what com­munely is done emonge euery of the E­giptians in the funeralle of their deade.

When any man is departed his lyfe, all his niere friendes and kindesfolke, throwing dirte vpō their heades, go wie­ping and wailing rounde about the citie vntle the Corps be buried. And in the [Page]meane season they neyther bathe, ne drincke wine, or eate any meate, but that that is most base & vile, ne weare any ap­parell that is gorgeous or faire. They haue thre sortes of Sepulchres, Sumptu­ous, meane, and basse. In the firste sorte they bestowe a talente of siluer. Aboute the seconde, twenty Markes, and aboute the thirde litle or nothing. There be cer­taine Pheretrers, whose facultie it is to sette forthe burialles, whiche learne it of their fathers and teache it their childrē. These when a funeral happeneth, make vnto him that is doer for the deade, an estimate of the exequies in writing, whi­che the doer may at his pleasure enlarge or make lesse. When thei are ones fallen at appoyncte, the bodye is deliuered to the Pheretrer to bee enterred acordyng to the rate that they agreed vpon. Then the bodie beyng laied foorthe, commeth the Pheretrers chiefe cutter, and he ap­poincteth his vndrecutter a place on the side haulfe of the paunche, wher to make incision, and how large. Then he with a sharpe stone (whiche of the country fro whence it cōmeth, they call Ethiopicus) openeth the left side as farre as the lawe [Page]permitteth. And streight with all spiede ronneth his waye frō the company stan­ding by, which curse him and reuile him and throwe many stones aftre him. For they thincke there yet remaineth a cer­teine hatred due vnto him that woūdeth the body of their frinde. Those that are the seasoners and embalmers of the bo­dy (whome they calle poulderers) they haue in greate honour and estimacion, for that they haue familiaritie with the priestes, and entre the temples together with them. The bodye nowe commen to their handes, one emong all (the reste standing by) vnlaceth the entrailes, and draweth them out at the foresaid incisi­on, all sauing the kidneis, and the harte. These entrailes are taken by another at his hande, and wasshed in wine of the country Phenicea, wherin are enfused many soote odours and drugges. Then enoincte they the whole bodye ouer, firste with Cedre, and then with other oyncte­mētes. xxx. daies & aboue. Then do thei ceare it ouer with Mirrhe & Cinamome and suche other thinges as wil not onely preserue it to cōtinuaunce, but also make it soote smelling. The Corps thus being [Page]trimmed, is deliuered to y^e kindesfolke of y^e deade, euery parte of it kepte so whole (not an heare of his browes or eye liddes being hurte) y^e it raither lieth like one be­ing in sliepe then like a dead corpse. Be­fore y^e body be enterred, y^e kindesfolke of the deade signefie to the iudges, and the friendes of this passed, y^e day of y^e burial. Whiche (according to the maner then v­sed) thei terme the deades passaige ouer the mere. The maner wherof is this.

The iudges, aboue, xl. in nomber, sit­tinge on the farther side of the mere, on a cōpassed benche wheling haulfe roūde and y^e people standing about them: The body is put into a litle boate made for the nones, and drawen ouer to the iudges by a chorde. The body then standing be­fore the iudges in the sight of the people, before it be cofred, if ther be any manne that haue aught to saye against the dead, he is permitted by the lawe. Yf any be proued to haue liued euyll, the iudges geue sentence that the bodye shall not be buried. And who so is founde vniusce­lye to haue accused, suffreth greate pu­nyshemente therfore. When no manne wyll accuse, or he that accused is knowen [Page]to haue slaunderously done it, the kins­folke endyng their mournyng: tourne them selues now to the prayse of y^e dead, nothing aftre the maner of the Greci­ans, for that the Egiptians thinke themselues all to be gentlemen alike. But beginnyng at his childehode, in the whiche thei reherse his bringing vp, nourtering and scholyng, thei passe to his mannes age, their commending his godlines, his iustice, his temperaunce, & the residewe of his vertues. And calling vpon the vn­dre earthe, goddes, they beseche them to place him emonge the godlye and good. To the which wordes all the whole mul­titude crieth Amen: showtyng oute, and magnifieng the glorye of the deade, as thoughe they shoulde be with the vnder earth goddes, among y^e blessed for euer. This done euery man burieth his dead, some in Sepulchres made for the pur­pose, and other that haue no suche prepa­racion, in their strongest wall at home in their house, setting vp y^e cofre ther taber­bernacle wyse. But they that for some offence, or debte of enterest, or suche like, are denied their bewriall, are sette vp at home without any cofre, vntle their suc­cessours [Page]growyng to abilitie canne dis­chardge their debtes and offeces, and ho­nourably bewrie them.

There is a maner emong them, some­tyme to borowe money vpon their parē ­tes corpses, deliueryng the bodies to the creditours in pledge. And who so rede­meth theim not, ronneth into vtter infa­mie, and is at his death, denied his bew­riall. A manne (not altogether causeles) mighte merueile, that thei could not be-contente to constitute lawes for the fra­myng of the maners of those that are on­liue, but also put ordre for the exequies, and Hearses of the deade. But the cause why thei bent them selues so muche her­vnto, was for that thei thought ther was no bettre waie possible, to driue men to honestie of life. The Grekes, which haue set furthe so many thynges in fained ta­les, and fables of Poetes (farre aboue credite) concernyng the rewarde of the good, and punishment of the euill: could not with all their deuices, drawe men so vertue, and withdrawe them from vices. But rather cōtrariwise, haue with them that be leudely disposed: broughte all to­gether in contempte and derision. But [Page]among the Egiptians, the punishemente due vnto the wicked and lewde, and the praise of the godlie and good, not heard by tales of a tubbe, but sene daiely at the eye: putteth both partes in remēbraunce what behoueth in this life, & what fame and opinson thei shall leaue of them sel­ues, to their posteritie. And hervppon it riseth, that euery man gladly emong thē, ensueth good ordre of life. And to make an ende of Thegiptiās, me siemeth those Lawes are of very righte to be compted the beste, whiche regarde not so muche to make the people riche, as to aduaunce theim to honestie and wisedome, where riches of necessitie must folowe.

¶ The. vi. Chapitre. ¶ Of the Poeni, and thother peoples of Aphrique.

OF the Penois there are many and sondrie naciōs. Adrimachidae lieng toward Egipte, are like of maners to Thegiptiās, but their apparell is like to the other Penois. Their [Page]wiues haue vpon ethe legge, a houpe of Latton. Thei delight in long heare, and looke what lyce it fortuneth any of them to take aboute them: thei bite theim, and throwe theim awaie, the whiche propre­tie, thei onely of all the Poeni haue. As also to present their maidens that are v­pon mariage, to the kyng, whiche choo­syng emong them the maiden that liketh hym beste, sieketh in her lappe, that aftre can neuer bee founde. The Nasamones (a greate and a terrible nacion, spoilers of suche Shippes as fortune to bee thro­wen vpon the Sandes in the streightes) towarde Sommer, leauyng their cattle vpon the Sea coaste, goe doune into the plaine countrie to gather Dates, whiche are there very faire, and in greate plen­tie. Thei gather the boughes with the fruicte, not yet perfectely ripe, and laie them a Sonnyng to ripe. Afterward thei stiepe theim in Milke, and make soupin­ges and potages of theim. It is the ma­ner emong theim, for euery man to haue many wiues: and the felowship of their wiues, that other vse in secrete: thei vse in open sighte, in maner aftre the facion [Page]that the Massagetes vse. It is also the maner of the Nasamones, when any mā marieth his first wife, to sende her about to euery one of the ghestes, to offer hym her body. And asmany as receiue her in­to armes, and shewe her the curtesie she comes for, must giue her some gifte, whi­che she hath borne with her, home to her house. Their maner of takyng an othe, & foreshewyng of thinges to come, is thus.

Thei sweare by the menne that ware (by reporte) the best and moste iuste men emong thē, layeng their handes on their Graues, or Tumbes. But for the fore knowledge of thynges, thei come to the Graues of their kyndreade, and there when thei haue praied their stinte, laye them doune vpon them to slepe: and loke what thei dreame, that doe thei folowe. Where in cōfirmyng of our promise, we vse to strike hādes (as we calle it) thei vse to drincke one to another: or elles if thei lacke liquour, to take duste fro the earth, and one to licke parte of that to another. The Garamantes shonne the felowship and the sighte of all other peoples: and neither vse any kinde of weapon, or ar­mour, ne yet dare defende them selues a­gainst [Page]other that vsed them. They dwell somwhat aboue the Nasamones, more vp londe. Aboute the sea coaste towarde the weste, ther bordereth vpon them the Maces: whiche shaue their heades in the crowne, and clyppe them rounde by the sides. The Gnidanes (nexte neighbours to the Maces) when they giue battaylle to the ostruthes, their brieding vnder the grounde, are armed with rawe felles of beastes. Their women ware prety wealtes of leather, euery one a greate manye whiche (as it is sayde) they begge of suche menne as haue lien with them. So that the moe she hath, the more she is estemed, as a deinty derling beloued of ma­ny. The Machlies dwelling aboute the mershe of Tritonides, vse to shaue their foreparte of their heade, and the Anses their hindre parte. The maydens of the Anses, at the yerely feastes of Mi­nerua, in the honoure of the goddesse their country womā: deuiding them sel­ues into two companies, vse to giue bat­taile, one parte to another with staues, and with stones: sayeng that thei obserue the maner of their country in the honour of her that we calle Minerua. And the [Page]maiden that departeth the battayle with out wounde, thei holde her for no maide. But before ther battayle be tought, they determine that what maydē so euer bea­reth her selfe moosre valeaunte in the fielde, all the other maydens with com­mune consente shall garnishe her, and arme her, both with the armour of Gre­cia, and the helmei of Corinthe. And shal sette her in a chariot, & carye her rounde about the mershe. The same menne vsen their women as indifferētly commune, as kyen to the bulle. The children re­maine with the women vntil they be of some strengthe. Ones in a quartre the men do assemble wholy together, & then looke with whome the childe fantasieth mooste to abide, him do they compte for his father.

There is a people named Atlantes, of the mounte Athlas, by the whiche they dwell. These giue no names one to ano­ther as other peoples do, but eche man is namel [...]sse. When the sonne passeth ouer their heades, they curse him, and reuyle him with all woordes of mischiefe: for that he is so brotling hote, that he destroi­eth bothe them and ther countrye.

They eate of no kinde of beaste, neither dreame in their sliepe. The Aphres (whiche are all brieders of catteile) liue with flesshe and milke, and yet abiteine they fro cowes milke, and all cowe fleshe, ac­cording to the maner of the Egiptians, and therfore kepe they none vp. The wo­men of Cy [...]ene thincke it not lawfull to strike a cowe, for Isis sake that is ho­noured in Egipt, to whome also they ap­poincte fasting, and feastefull daies, and obserue them solempuly. But the womē of Barcea absteine bothe frō cowe fleshe and sowe flesh. When their children are iiii. yeare olde they vse to cauterise them on the coron vaine (and some on the tem­ples also) with a medecine for that pur­pose, made of woolle as it is plucked fro the shiepe: because thei should not at any time be troubled with rheumes or poses, and by that meanes they say they liue in very good health. Thei sacrifie after this maner. When in the name of their firste frutes they haue cutte of the eare of the beaste, they throwe it ouer the house.

That done, they wring the necke on the one side. Of all the goddes they offre sa­crifice to no more but Sonne & Mone. [Page]All the Aphres burye their deade as the Grecians doe, sauing the Nasamones, which bury them as thoughe they ware sitting: wayting well when any man li­eth in drawing on, to set him on his taile, leaste he should giue vp the ghoste lieng vpright. Their houses are made of wic­kers, and withes, wrought aboute trees, moch like vnto those that we calle frāck­encēce trees, and in suche sorte that they may tourne them rounde e [...]ery waye.

The Maries, shaue the lefte side of their heade, and lette the heare growe on the right. They die their bodie in redde, and vaunte that they come of the Troianes. The women of the Zabiques (which are the next neighbours to the Maries) driue the cartes in the warres, in the which the men fight. Ther are a people called Zi­gantes, wher beside the great plentye of hony that they gather fro the Bies, they haue also certeine men that are makers of honye. They all die them selues with red, and eate apes fleshe, wherof thei that dwel in the mounteines haue great plen tye. These al being of the part called Li­bye, liue for the mo [...] parte a wilde lyfe abrode in the fieldes like beastes, ma­king [Page]no household prouision of meate, ne wearing any maner of apparell but go­tes felles. The gentlemē, and men of ho­nour emong thē, haue neither cities nor townes, but Turrettes builte vpon the waters side, in the which they laye vp the ouerplus of that that they occupy. They sweare their people euery yere to obeye their Prince, and that they that obey in diede, shoulde loue together as felowes and companions: but that the disobedi­ente shoulde be pursued like felons and traitours. Their armour and weapō, are bothe acording to the nature of the coun­try and contrimen: for wher thei of them selues are very quicke, and deliure of bo­dye, and the country champaine, and playne, they neither vse swearde, dag­ger, ne harneis, but onely cary thre Ia­uelines in their hande, and a nombre of piked and chosen stones, in a case of stiffe leather hāging aboute them. With these they vse bothe to fight and to skirmishe. In his coming towarde the ennemy, he throweth his stone, fetching his ronne, and maketh lightlye a narowe mysse, thoughe it be a good waye of: suche con­tinuall practise they haue of it. They [Page]kiepe neither lawe ne faithe.

The Troglodites (whiche are also na­med of the Grecians pastours, for their fieding and brieding of carteille) a people of Ethiope, do lyue in companies, & haue their heade ouer them, whome they call Tiraunte. But not meaninge in him so much tirāny in diede, as sometime some of our gouernours vndre a fayrer name do execute. None of them hathe any se­uerall wife, and therfore no seueral chil­dren, but bothe those in commune, the tiraunte excepted: Who hathe but one wyfe onely. To the which yf any manne do but approche or drawe nighe: he is condempned in a certeine nombre of cat talle to be paied to the Tiraunte.

From y^e beginning of Iuly vntle about midde August (at y^e which time thei haue great plenty of raine) thei nourishe them selues with milke, and bloude, sodden a litle together. The pasture vplōd being, dried away with the heate of the Sonne: They sieke downe to the marshe, & lowe groundes, for the whiche onely they be often at debate. When their catteil war­eth olde or sicke, they kyll them, and eate them, & altogether liue vpon such. They [Page]do not giue the childe the name of the fa­ther, but name him aftre a bull, a rambe or an eawe. And those call thei father (the beastes I meane of the masle kinde) and thother of the femel kynde, they call mo­ther, because ther daily fode is giuen by them. The people called Idiote, vse for their drincke the iuyce of a whinne na­med Paliurus. But the men of worshyp and gentlemen vse the iuce of a certeine floure they haue emonge them, whiche maketh drincke moche like the worste of y^e Renishe muste. And because thei cary great droues of catteile with them, they chaunge their soile often. Their bodies are all naked, sauing their priuities, whiche they hide with felles of beastes. All the Troglodites are circūcised aftre the maner of the Egiptians, sauing only the Claudians: which they so terme of clau­dication or limping. They onely, dwel­linge from their childehode within the country of the Hesternes, are not tou­ched with rasour or knife. The Troglo­dites that are called Magaueres, carye for theyr armour and weapon, a rounde buckler of a rawe are hide, and a clubbe shodde with yron. Other haue bowes, & [Page]Iauelines. As for graues or places of buriall, they passe not. For they binde the heade, and the fiete of the dead together with witthes of Paliurus, & then setting it vp vpon some hilly place, haue a good sporte to all to bethwacke it with stones, vntle they lie heaped ouer the corps. The laye they a goates horne on the toppe and departe, biddinge sorrowe go plaie him. They warre one with another, not as the Griekes vpon rancour and Am­bicon, but onely for foode sake. In their skirmishes, firste they go to it with sto­nes, as afore ye haue hearde, vntle it for­tune some nombre to be hurte. Then oc­cupieng the bowe (wherin they are very sure handed) thei kille one another vpon hepes. Those battayles are attoned by the women of mooste auncient age. For when they be ones comen into the mid­dle emonge them (as they maye do with­oute harme, for that is compted abhomi­nacion in any wise to hurte one of them) the battaille sodenly ceaseth. They that are nowe so fiebled with age, that they can no longer folowe the heard: winding the tayle of an oxe aboute their throte choke vp & die. But he that differreth to [Page]ridde him selfe in ths sorte: It is laweful for another (aftre a warninge) to doe it. And it is there compted a friendly bene­faicte. Men also diseased of feures, or a­nye other incurable malady, they doe in lyke maner dispatche: iudginge it of all griefes the woorste, for that manne to liue, that canne nowe nothinge doe, why he shoulde desyre to lyue. Herodo­te writeth, that the Troglodites myne them selues caues in the grounde, wher­in to dwell. Men not troubled with anye desire of riches, but raither giuing them selues to wilfull pouretie. They glory in nothing but in one litle stone, wherin ap­pere thre skore sondry colours: which we therfore calle Exaconthalitus. They eate sondry kindes of venemous vermyne.

And speake any distincte worde they cannot, but sieme rather to busse or churre betwene the tiethe, then to speake.

There is another people dwelling in that Ethiope that lyeth aboue Egipte, called Ryzophagi, whiche bestowe muche time in digging vp of the rootes of Rie­des growing niere aboute them, and in wasshing and clensing of the same, whi­che afterward they bruse betwixt stones [Page]til thei become clāmie, & so make swiete cakes of thē, muche facioned like a brick a hande broade. Those bake thei by the Sonne, and so eate them. And this kinde of meate onely, serueth them all their life tyme, plentifully and enough, and neuer waxeth fulsome vnto theim. Thei neuer haue warre one with another, but with Lions, whiche comyng out of the deserte there, partly for shadowe, and partly for to praie vpon smaller beastes, doe ofty­mes wourie diuers of the Aethiopes, co­myng out of the Fennes. In so muche that that nacion had long sences bene vt­trely destroied by the Lions, excepte na­ture of purpose, had shewed thē her aide. For toward the dogge daies, there come into that coaste, infinite swarmes of Gnattes, without any drifte of winde to enforce them. The men then flieng to the fennes, are not harmed by thē. But thei driue the Lions with their stingyng and terrible huszyng, cleane out of that quar­tre. Next vpon these, bordre the Ilophagi and Spermatophagi, the one liuynge by suche fruicte as falleth from the trees, in Sommer, and the residew of the yere by suche herbes as thei picke vp in the sha­dowed [Page]groundes. The other, the Ilopha­gi, siekynge to the plaines with their wi­ues and their children, climbe trees, and gather, eate, and cary home: the tendre croppes and buddes of the boughes. And thei haue by continualle practise, suche a nimblenes in climbyng, that (a wondre­full thynge to be spoken) thei wille leape from boughe to boughe, and tree to tree like Cattes or Squirelles, and by reason of their slendrenes and lightenes, wille mounte vp on braunches and twigges, without daunger or hurte. For thoughe their fiete slippe, yet hang thei fast by the handes: and if thei bothe faile theim, yet falle thei so light, that thei be harmelesse.

These folkes go naked, and hold their wiues and childrē in commune. Emong them selues they fighte for their places without weapon: but against foreiners with staues. And wheare thei ouercome, there chalenge thei Lordeshippe. Thei communely dye for hongre, when their sight faileth them: whiche was their one­ly instrumente to finde their foode. The residewe of the countrie there aboute, do those Aethiopians holde, whiche are na­med Cynecy, not vety many in nombre, [Page]but muche differing in life from the rest. For their Countrie beyng wooddie, and wilde, fulle of thicquetres, and skan [...]e of watre, thei are forced by night, for feare of wilde beastes, to slepe in trees: and to­ward the mornyng, all weaponed toge­ther, to drawe doune to the waters, wher thei shroude them selues into couert, and so abide close till the heate of the daie. At the whiche tyme the Bugles, Par dales, and other greate beastes, what for the heate, and what for thriste, fiocke togue­ther to the watres. Assone as thei haue druncken, and haue well laden their bea­lies with watre, the Ethiopes startynge out vpō them with stakes, sharpened and hardened in the fire, and with stones, and with arrowes, and suche like weapon, at this aduauntage stra them vpon heapes, and deuide the carkesses by compaignies to be eaten. And sometyme it happeneth that thei them selues are slaine by some beast of force, howbeit very seldome. For thei euer by their pollicies and traines, doe more damage to the beastes, then the beastes can do vnto them. If at any time thei lacke the bodies of the beastes, then take thei the rawe hides of suche as thei [Page]lateliest before had slaine, and clensyng them cleane fro the heare, thei sokynglie laie them to a softe fire, and when thei be throughly hette, deuide them emong the compaignie, whiche very griedely fille them selues of them.

They exercise their children whilest thei be boies, to throw the darte at a sette marke, and he that hitteth not the marke receiueth no meate. By the whiche ma­ner of trainyng, hōgre so worketh in the boies, that thei become excellent darters

The Acridophagie (a people borde­ryng vpon the deaserte) are somwhat lo­wer of stature then the resid [...] we, leane, & exceding blacke. In the Spring time, the Weste, and Southwest winde, bringeth vnto them out of the Deaserte, an houge nombre of Locustes, whiche are of verie greate bodie, and of wynge very filthily coloured. The Ethiopians well accusto­med with their maner of flighte & trade, gather together into a lōg slade betwixte two hilles, a great deale of rubbeshe and mullocke, from places nighe hande, apte for firyng, and all the grasse and wiedes there aboute. And laieng it ready in hea­pes aforehande, along the slade, whē thef [Page]seethe Locustes come with the winde like cloudes in the atre, thei set al on fice, and so swelte theim in the passyng ouer, that thei bee skante full out of the slade, but thei fall to the grounde in suche plentie, that thei be to all the Acridophagi, a suf­ficient victuallyng. For thei poudre them with salte (wherof the countrie hath plē ­tie) and so continually from yere to yere, liue by none other foode. For thei neither haue any kinde of catteille, [...]e fifthe can haue, beyng so farre fro the sea. And this maner of meate siemeth to theim, verie pleasaunce and fine.

Of bodie thei are very lighte, swifte of foote, and shorte liued, as not passyng xl. yeres, he that liueth lōgest. Their ende is not more incredible, then it is mise­rable. For whē thei drawe into age, their briedeth a kinde of winghed lice in their bodies, of diuers colours, and very hor­rible, and filthie to beholde: whiche firste eate our their be alies, and thē their brest, and so the whole body in a litle spare. He that hath this disease, first as thoughe he had on hym some tickelyng yeche, all to beskratcheth his bodie with suche plea­sure, as is also mingled with some smart [Page]And within a litle while afire, when the lyce beginne to craule, and the bodie [...], ginneth to mattre, enraged with the [...] trenes and grief of the disease, he teareth and mangleth his whole bodie with his nailes, putting furth in the meane while many a greuous grone. Then gussheth there out of hym, suche aboundaunce of lice, that a manne would thinke they had bene barelled in his body: & that the barel now broken, the swarme plomped out. And by this meanes, whether throught the enfectious airs, or the corruption of their fieding, thei make a miserable ende

Vpon the Southe border of Affrike, dwell there menne called of the Grekes Cynnamie, & of their neighbours Saul­uages: Bearded, and that with aboun­daunce of heare. Thei kiepe for the saufe­garde of their liues, greate compaignies of wilde Mastiues: for that from midde Iune, till midde Winter, there entreth into their countrie, an innumerable sorte of Kine of Inde. Whether thei flie the­ther to saue them selues from other bea­stes, or come to sieke pasture, or by some instincte of nature vnknowen to manne, it is vncertaine, Against these, when the [Page]men of their owne force, are not able to resist: thei defende thē selues by the helpe of their dogges, and take many of them. Wherof thei eate parte whilest thei are freshe, and parte reserue thei in pouldre, for their aftre niede. Thei eate also many other kindes of beastes, whiche thei hunt with their dogges.

The laste of all the Affriens Southe­warde, are the Ichthiophagi. A people borderyng vpon the Troglodites, in the Goulfe called Sinus Arabicus: whiche vnder the shape of man, liue the life of bea­stes. Thei goe naked all their life tyme, and make cōpte of their wiues and their children in commune. Thei knowe none other kindes of pleasure, or displeasure, but like vnto beastes, suche as thei fiele: neither haue thei any respecte to vertue, or vice, or any discernyng betwirte good or badde. Thei haue litle Cabanes not farre from the Sea, vpon the clieues si­des: where nature hath made great car­fes, diepe into the grounde, and hollowe Guttres, and Criekes into the maigne lande, bowtyng and compassyng in and out, to & fro, many sondrie waies. Whose entringes thenhabitauntes vse to stoppe [Page]vp with great heapes of calion and sto­nes, wherby the criekes serue them now in the steade of nettes. For when the sea floweth (which happeneth there twise in the daye, aboute the houres of thre, and of nyne) the water swelleth so highe, that it ouerfloweth into the maygne shore, and filleth those crieques with the sea. And the fisshe folowing the tide, and dis­persinge them selues abrode in y^e maigne londe to seeke their foode: at the ebbe when the water withdraweth, retiring together with it alway to the dieper pla­ces, and at laste remaining in these gut­ters & crieques, they are stopped in with the stone heapes, and at the lowe water lye drie. Then come the enhabitauntes with wyfe and children, take them, and laye them oute vpon the rocques against the midday sonne, wher, with y^e broiling heate of the same, they be within a while skorched and parched. Then do they re­moue them, and with a litle beating sepe­rate the fysshe fro the bones. Then put they the fisshe into the hollowes of the rocques, and beate it to pomois, ming­linge therewith the siede of the whynne Paliurus. And so facion it into lumpes [Page]muche like a bricke, but somewhat lon­ger. And when they haue baken them a­gaine a litle by the sonne, they sitte them downe together, and eate by the bealy.

Of this haue thei alway in store, accor­dinge to the plenty that Neptune gyueth them. But when by the reasō of tempest the sea ouerfloweth these places aboue his naturall course, and tarieth longer then his wonte, so that they can not haue this benefight of fisshing, and their store is all spent: they gather a kynde of great shelle fysshe, whose shelles they grate o­pen with stones, and eate the fisshe rawe, in taste muche like to an oyster. If it for­tune this ouerflowing by the reason of the winde, to continue longe, and their shellefyshe to fayle them: then haue they recours to the fyshebones (which they do of purpose reserue together in heapes) and when thei haue gnabeled of the sof­test and gristely partes with their tiethe, of those that are newest and beste, they beate the harder with stones into pieces, and eate thē. Thei eate as I haue said in the wilde field together abrode, reioising with a semblaunte of merinesse, & a ma­ner of singyng full vntuned. That done [Page]they falle vppon their women, euen as they come to hande withoute any choyse: vtterly voide of care, by reason they are alwaye sure of meate in good plentye.

Thus foure daies euer continual, busied with this bealy bownsing chiere, the .v. daie thei flocke together to go drinck, al on a droue, not vnlike to a heard of kiene to the waters, shouting as they go with an yrishe whobub. And when they haue dronke till their bealies stonde a strutte, so that thei are skāt able to retourne: euerye dodie layes him downe dronckar de­like to reste his water bolne bealy, and that daye eateth nothing. The next daye agayne they fall to their fysshing: And so passe they their lyfe continually.

Thei seldome falle into any diseases, for that they are alway of so vniforme diete Neuerthelesse they are shorter lyued thē we are. Theyr nature not corupted by any perswasion taken of other, compreth the satisfieng of hōgre, the greatest plea­sure in the world. As for other extraorde­nary pleasures, they seke them not. This is the maner of liuing propre vnto them that lye within the bosome of the sayde Arabique sea. But the maner of them [Page]that dwell without the bosome, is moche more merueilous. For thei neuer drinke ne neuer are moued with any passion of the mynde. These beynge as it ware by fortune throwen oute into the desertes, facre from the partes miete to be enha­bited, giue them selues altogether to fys­shing, which they eate haulfe rawe. Not for to auoyde thirste (for they desire no moyste thinges) but raither of a nature sauluage and wilde, contented with such victualle as commeth to hande. They cōpte it a principal blessednes to be with oute those thinges what so euer they be, that bringe sorowe or griefe to their ha­ners. Thei are reported to be of such pa­cience, that thoughe a manne strike them with a naked sweard, thei wil not shonne him, or flye from him. Beate them, or do theim wronge, and they onely wil looke vppon you, neither shewinge token of wrathe, nor countenaunce of pitie. Thei haue no maner of speache emong them: But onely shewe by signes of the hande, and nodding with the heade, what they lacke, and what they would haue. These people with a whole consent, are mayn­teners of peace towarde all men, straun­ger, [Page]and other. The whiche maner a [...] ­thoughe it be wondrefull, they haue kept time oute of mynde. Whether throughe longe conunaunce of custome, or dri­uen by necessitie, or elles of nature: I can not saye. They dwell not as the other, Icthiophagi doe, all in one maner of ca­banes, but sondry in diuers. Some haue their dennes, and their cabanes in them opening to the North: to the ende they might by that meanes be the bettre sha­dowed fro the sonne, and haue the colder ayre. For those that are open toward the southe, by the reason of the greate heate of the sonue, caste for the suche a breathe, fornais like, that a manne can not come niere them. They that open towarde the northe, builds them preaty if abanes of the ribbes of whales (whiche in those seas they plentuousty finde) compassing them aboute by the sides, accordynge to their naturall bendinge, and fasteninge them together at bothe [...]ndes with some maner of tyenge. Those do they couer with the woose and the wiedes of the sea tempered together. And in these they shroude them selues fro the sonne: na­ture by necessitie deuising a way how to [Page]helpe and defende her selfe.

Thus haue ye hearde the lyfe of the Icthiophagi, and now remaineth there for Aprique onely the Amazones to be spoken of, which menne saye in the olde tyme dwelte in Libye. A kinde of war­like women, of greate force, and hardf­nesse, nothing lyke in lyfe vnto our wo­men. The maner amonge them was to appointe to theirmaidens acerte in space of yeres to be trayned, and exercysed in the feictes of warre. Those beynge expired, they ware ioyned to menne for yssues sake. The women bare all the rule of the commune wealthe. The wo­men ware princes, lordes, and officiers, Capiteines, and chiefteines of the war­res. The menne had noughte to doe, but the drudgery at home, and as the wo­men woulde appoincte them. The chil­dren assone as thei ware borne, ware de­liuered to the men to nouryshe vp with milke, and suche other thinges as theyr tendrenes required. If it ware a boye, they eyther brake the right arme assone as it was borne, that it mighte neuer be fytte for the warres, or flue it, or sente it oute of the countrye. If a wenche, they [Page]streight ceared y^e pappes, that thei might not growe to hindre them in the warres Therfore the Grecians called theim A­mazones, as ye woulde saie, pappelesse. The opinion is, that thef dwelt in the I­londe named Heipera, which lieth in the marsshe, named (of a riuer that ronneth into it) Tritonis, ioyning vpon Ethiope, and the mounte Atlas, the greatest of all that lande. This Ilonde is very large and greate, hauyng plentie of diuers sortes of fruictes, whereby the enhabi­tauntes liue. Thei haue many flockes of shiepe, and goates, and other smalle catteile, whose milke and flesshe they eate. They haue no maner of graine. ne knowe what to doe ther­with.

¶ The first Chapitre. ¶ Of Asie and the peoples moste famous therin,

ASie, the se­conde part of the thre wherin to we haue said that the whole erth is diuided: tooke name as some hold opinion, of the doughter of Oceanus, and Tethis, named Asia, the wife of laphetus, and the mother of Prometheus. Or as other affirme, of A­sius, the sonne of Maneye the Lidian. And it stretcheth it self from the South, bowtyng by the Easte into the Northe: hauyng on the West parte the two floud­des, Nilus and Tanais, and the whole Sea Euxinum, and parte of the middle earth sea. Vpon the other thre quarters, it is lysted in with the Occean, whiche where he cometh by Easte Asie, is called [Page] Eous (as ye would saie toward the daw­nyng) by the South, Indicus (of the coun­trie named India) and aftre the name of the stoure Scithiane, vpon the Northe Scythicus. The greate mounteine Taurus ronnyng East and West, and in a maner equally partyng the lande in twaine: lea­ueth one parte on the Northe side, called by the Grekes the outer Asie: and ano­ther on the South, named the inner Asie. This mountein in many places is foūde thre hundred .lxxv. miles broade: and of length equalle with the whole countrie. About a fiue hundred thre skore and thre miles. From the coast of the Rhodes, vnto the farthest part of Inde, and Scithia Eastwarde. And it is deuided into many sondrie partes, in sondrie wise named, wherof some are larger, some lesse. This Asie is of suche a sise, as aucthours holde opinion, that Affrike and Europe ioyned together: are scante able to matche it in greatnes. It is of a temperate heate and a fertile soile, and therfore full of all kin­des of beaste, foule, and worme, & it hath in it many countries and Seignouries.

On the other side of the redde Sea, o­ [...]ter against Egipte in Affrike: lieth the [Page]tripartite region, named Arabia, whose partes are, Petrea: boundyng West and Northe vpon Siria: and right at fronte before hym Eastwarde, Deserta: and A­rabia Felix by Southe. Certein writers also adioyne to Arabia: Pancheia, and Sabea. It is iudged to haue the name of Arabus, the sonne of Appollo & Babilone

The Arabiens beyng a greate people, and dwellyng very wide, and brode: are in their liuyng very diuers, and as son­drie in religion. Thei vse to go with long heare vnrounded & forked cappes, some­what mitre like, all aftre one sorte, and their beardes partie shauē. Thei vse not as we doe, to learne faculties and scien­ces one of another by apprētice hode, but looke what trade the father occupied, the same doeth the sonne generally applie hymself to, and continue in. The mooste aunciente and eldest father that can be founde in the whole Countrie, is made their Lorde and Kyng. Looke what pos­sessions any one kindrede hath, the same be commune to all those of that bloude: Yea one wife serueth theim all. Where­fore he that cometh firste into the house, laieth doune his faulchō before the dore, [Page]as a token that the place is occupied. The seniour of the stocke ensoieth her alnight. Thus be thei al brethren and sistren one to another, throughout the whole people. Thei absteine fro the embrasinges nei­ther of sister ne mother, but all begrees are in that poynct as indifferent to them, as to beastes of the fieldes. Yei is adulte­rie death emong them. And this is adul­terie there: to abandon the body to one of another kindred. And who so is by suche an ouerthwarte begotten: is iudged a ba stard, and otherwise not. Thei banrquet not lightly together, vndre the nombre of thirtie persones. Alwaie foresene that, two of the same no [...]hre at the leaste, be Musicens. waiters haue thei none, but one kinsman to minister to another, and one to helpe another. Their tounes and cities are wallesse, for thei liue quietly & in peace one with another. Thei haue no kinde of oyle, but that whiche is made of Sesama, but for all other thynges, thei are most blessed with plentie. Thei haue Shiepe greater then Rien, and verie white of woulle. Horses haue thei none, ue none desire, for that their Chamelles in all niedes serue thē aswell. Thei haue [Page]siluer and golde plentie, and diuerse kin­des of spices, whiche other coūtries haue not, Laton, Brasse, Iron, Purple, Sa­fron, the precious rote costus, and all cor­uen woorkes, are brought into theim by other. Thei bewrie their kyng in a dong­h [...]l [...]e, for other thei wille skante take so muche laboure. There is no people that better kiepeth their promise and coue­naant, then thei do, & thus thei behight it

When thei wille make any solempne promise, couenaunte, or league, the two parties commyng together, bryng with them a thirde. who standyng in the mid­des betwirte theim bothe, draweth bloud of ech [...] of them, in the palme of the hand, along vnder the rote of the fingres, with a sharpe stone: and then pluckyng from eche of their garmentes a litle saggue, he enoyncteth with that bloude seuen other stones, lieng ready betwirte them for that purpose. And whilest he so doeth, he ralleth vpon the name of Dionisius and Urania, whom thei accompt emong the nombre of goddes, reuengers of faithe­lesse faithes. This done, he that was the sequestrer of the couenaunte, becometh suretie for the parties. And this maner of [Page]contracte, he that standeth moffe at liber­tie, thinketh miete to be kepte.

Thei haue no firynge but broken en­des & chippes of Myrche, whose smoke is so vnholsonie, that exrepte thei with­stode the malice therof with the perfume of Styrar, it would briede in them vncu­rable difeases. The Tinamome whiche groweth emong theim, none gather but the priestes. And not thei neither, before thei haue sacrificed vnto the goddes. And yet further thei obserue, that the gathe­ryng neither beginne before the Sonne risyng, ne cōtinue aftre the goyng doune He that is lorde and gourrnour emong them, when the whole gather is brought together, deuideth out vnto euery man his heape with a Iauelines ende, whiche thei haue ordinarily consecrate for that purpose. And emongest other, the Sonne also hath a heape deuided out for hym, whiche (if the deu [...]sion be iuste) he kinde­leth immediatly with his owne beames, and brenneth into ashes. Some of the A rabiens that are pinched with penurie, without all regard of body, life, or helth, doe eate Snakes, and Addres, and suche like vermine, and therefore are called of [Page]the Grekes Ophyophagj.

The Arabiens named Nomades, oc­cupie much Chamelles, bothe in warre, and burden, and all maner cariage, farre and nighe. The floude that ronneth a­longe their bordes, hathe in it as it ware limall of golde in great plentie. Whiche they neuertheles for lacke of knowledge do neuer fine into masse.

Another people of Arabia named De­boe, are for the great part she pemasters, and brieders. Parte of thē notwithstan­ding, occupie husbandrie, & tilthe. These haue suche plētie of gold, that ofterimes emōg the cloddes in the fieldes thei finde litle peables of gold as bigge as akecor­nes, whiche thei vse to set finely with sto­nes, and weare for owches aboute their necke & armes, with a very good grace. They sell their golde vnto their borde­rers for the thirde parte of Laton, or for the halfe parte of siluer. Partly for that they nothing estieme it, and specially for the desire of the thinges that foreiners haue. Nexte vnto them lie the Sabeis, whose riches chiefely consisteth in en­cence, Myrche and Linamome, how be. it some holde opinion also that Baulme [Page]groweth in some places of their borders. Thei haue also many date trees very re­dolente of smelle, and the roote called Calamus.

There is in that contry a kinde of ser­pentes lurking in the rootes of trees, of haulfe a foote lengthe, whose bitinge is for the moste parte death. The plenty of swiete odours, and sauours in those quarters, doeth verely stuffe y^e smelling. And to avoyde that incommoditie, they often times vse the fume of a stincking gome, and gotes heare chopped together. Ther is no man that hath to do to giue sentēce vpon any case but the king. The mooste parte of the Sabeis apply husbandrye.

The residewe gatheringe of spices, and drugges. They sayle into Ethiope for trade of marchaundise, in barkes coue­red with leather. The refuse of their ci­namome and Cassian they occupy for fi­ring. Their chiefe citie is called Saba, and stondeth vpon a hyll. Their kynges succede by discent of bloude, not any one of the kindred certeine, but su [...]he as the people haue in moste honour, be he good be he badde. The king neuer dare be sene oute of his Palace, for that there goeth [Page]an olde prophecie emong them of a king that shoulde be stoned to deathe of the people. And euery one feareth it shoulde lighte on him selfe. They that are about the king of the Sabeis: haue plate bothe of siluer and golde of all sortes, curious­ly wrought and entallied. Tables, four­mes, trestles of siluer, and all furniture of household sumptuous aboue measure They haue also Galeries buylte vppon great pillours, whose coronettes are of golde and of siluer. Cielinges, voultin­ges, dores and gates couered with siluer and golde, and set with precious stones: garnisshinges of yuorye, and other rare thinges whiche emong men are of price. And in this bounteous magnificēce haue thei continued many yeres. For why the gredy compasse how to atteyne honoure with the vniuste rapine of other mennes goodes, that hath tombled downe heade­ling so many commune wealthes, neuer had place emong them. In richesse equal vnto them, are the Garrei, whose imple­mentes of household are all of golde and siluer. and of those and yuorie together, are their portalles, their cielinges, and rophes, made. The Nabatheens of all o­ther [Page]Arabiens are the beste husbandes, and thriftiest sparers. Their caste is wit­tye in winning of substaunce, but grea­ter in kepinge it. He that appaireth the substaunce that was lefte him, is by a commune lawe punished: and contrari­wise he that encreaseth it, muche praysed and honoured.

The Arabiens vse in their warres swerde, bowe, launce, slinge, and battle axe. The rable of helhoundes (whom we calle Sarasines) that pestilent murreine of mankinde, came of this people. And as it is to be thoughte, at this daye the great parte of Arabia is degenerate into that name. But thei that dwell towarde Egipte, kepe yet their olde name, & lyue by butin, like prickers of y^e bordre, wher­in, the swiftenes of their camelles doeth them good seruice.

¶ The seconde Chapitre. ¶ Of Panchaia, and the maners of the Panqueis.

PAnchaia (a countrie of Ara­bia) is iudged of Diodore the Sicilian to be an islonde of. xxv. miles brode. It hath in it thre noble cities Dalida, [Page]Hyracida, & Oceanida. The whole contrie (excepte a litle vaine of sandie grauelle) is fertile and plenteous: thiefely of wine and encence. Whiche groweth ther in suche aboundaunce, that it sufficeth the whole worlde for the francke fume of­feringe. There groweth also good store of Myrrhe, and diuers other redolente thinges, whiche the Panqueis gather, and selle to the merchauntes of Arabia. At whose hande other buienge them a­gaine, transporte them into Egipte, and Sirie. And fro thence they are spred a­brode to al other peoples. The Pāqueis in their warres vse wagons aftre the maner of menne in olde time.

Their commune wealth is deuided in­to thre sondry degrees. The firste place haue the priestes, to whome are ioyned the artificers. The seconde the housebād men. And the thirde the menne of warre: with whom the catteile maisters or brie­ders be coupled. The priestes are y^e hea­des, and chiefe of all the residewe, and haue aucthoritie aswell in sentence of lawe, as to put ordre in al ciuile affaires: the sentence of deathe onely excepted.

The housebandemen, tille the grounde, [Page]and attende vpon the fruictes, and bring all into the commune store. And thei that shalbe founde moste diligente in that la­boure and occupation: are chosen by the priestes (but not aboue the nombre of ten at one time) to be iudges ouer the distri­butiō of the fruictes. vpon consideracion that other by their aduauncement might be stirred to like diligence. The catteile maisters, yf ther be any thing either ap­perteining to the sacrifices, or commune affaires, touching nombre, or weight, do it with all diligence.

No man amonge the Panchais hath any thinge that he can call proprely his owne: his house, and his gardein excep­ted. For bothe the customes, & reuenew­es, and all other profectes, are deliuered into the priestes handes. Who acor­dinge as they finde necessarie and expe­diente, iustely distribute them. But they them selues are graunted double share. Their garmentes by the reason of the finesse of the wolle of their shiepe spe­cially aboue other, are verye softe and gentle clothe. Bothe menne and women vse ther, to sette oute them selues with Iuelles of golde, as cheines, braselet­tes, [Page]eareringes, tablettes, owches, rin­ges, Annuletes, buttons, broches, and shoes embraudred, and spangled with golde, of diuers colours. The menne of warre serue onely for the defence of their country.

The priestes aboue all other, giue them selues vnto plesaunte life, fine, nette and sumptuous. Their garmētes are rochet­tes of fine linnen, and sometime of the deintiest wollen. Vpon their heades thei weare mitres embraudred, and garnis­shed with golde. They vse a kinde of voi­ded shoes (whiche aftrewarde the Grie­ques toke vp, and called sandalium) very finely made, and of sondry colours. And as the women weare, so do they, all ma­ner of Iuelles sauing earinges. Their chiefe occupaciō is to attende vpon god­des seruice, settinge forthe the worthie diedes of the goddes, with himpnes, and many kindes of commendacion. Yf thei be founde without the halowed grounde, it is lawfull for any manne to slea them. They saye that they came of the bloude of Iupiter Manasses, at suche time as he came firste into Panchaia, hauinge the whole worlde vndre his dominion. This [Page]countrie is full of golde, siluer, latton, tinne, and yron, of the whiche it is not laweful to carie any one out of y^e realme. The giftes both of siluer & golde, whiche in greate nombre of longe time, haue bene offred to their goddes, are kepte in the temple: whose dores are by excellent workemanship garnished with golde, siluer and yuorie. The couche of their God is. vi. cubites longe, and foure cubites brode, all of golde, gorgeous of worcke, and goodly to beholde. And by that, is there sette a table of like sorte in euerie poincte: for sise, stuffe, and gorgeousnes. They haue but one temple, all of white stone, builte vpon pilours, grauen, and embossed, thre hundred and. xxxviii. tay­lours yardes square. that is to saye, euen of lengthe and bredthe, euery waye so muche. And somewhat acordinge to the syse of the temple, it is sette full of highe ymages very precious: coruen and gra­uen. Rounde about the temple haue the priestes their habitacion. And all the grounde aboute them. xxv. myle com­passe: is halowed to their goddes. The ye­rely rente of that grounde is bestowed vpon sacrifice.

¶ The. iij. Chapitre. ¶ Of Assiria and Babilo­nia, and the maners of those peoples.

AS saieth sainct Augu­stine, the countrie cal­led Assiria, was so na­med of Assur, the sōne of Sem. And at this dase, to the ende that time might be founde an appairer of al thinges, with the losse of a sillabe is becomen Siria: Hauyng for his bounde, on the East, the countrie called Inde, and part of Media. On the West the floude Ty­gris, on the Southe Susiana, and on the Northe the maigne mounteigne Lau­casus. It is a deintie to haue in Assiria a showre of raine: and therefore are thei constreined for the due moistyng of their lande, to tolle in the riuers by pollicie of trenching and damming: wherwith thei so plentisie their grounde, that thei com­munely receiue two hundred busshelles for a busshell, and in some speciall veine, three hundred for one. Their blades of [Page]their Wheate and Barlie are fowre fin­gers brode. Their Sesamum, and Milium (Somer cornes) are in groweth like vn­to trees. All the whiche thinges Herodo­tus the historien, thoughe he knoweth thē (as he writeth) be to vndoubtedly true, yet would he that men toke aduisemente in the reportyng of theim: for that thei mighte steme vnto suche as neuer sawe the like, incredible. Thei haue a tree cal­led Palma, that beareth a kinde of small Dates. This fruicte thei fiede muche vp­pon, and out of the bodie of the tree, thei draw at one time of the yere a liquour or sappe, wherof thei make bothe wine and hon̄y. In their fresh waters thei vse boa­tes facioned round like a buckler. which the Armenians that dwelle aboue them, do make of salowe wikers wrought one within an other, and couered with rawe leather. The appareile of the Assyrians is a shirte downe to the foote, and ouer that a short garment of wollen, and last of al a faire white pleicted cassaque doun to the foote agayne. Their shoes are not fastened on with lachettes, but lyke a poumpe close about the foote. Which al­so the The bans dydde vse, and but they [Page]twayne, no moe. They suffre theyr hea­res to growe and couer them with pre­ty forked cappes somwhat my trelyke. And when they goe abroade, they be­sprinkle them selues with fragraunt cy­les, to be swete at the smelle. They haue euery man a rynge with a signet, and al­so a sceptre finely wrought: vppon whose toppe thei vse to sticke either an apple, or a rose, or a lillye, or some lyke thynge. For it is a dishonour to beare it bare.

Emongest all the lawes of that people I note this chiefly as worthie memorie. Whē their maidens came to be mariage able, thei ware frō yere to yere, brought foorthe into the Marquette, for suche as would buye them to be their wiues. And because there ware some so hard fauou­red, that menne would not onely be loth to giue money for them, but some menne also for a litle money to take theim: the fairest ware first solde, and with the pri­ces of theim brought into the commune Treasourie, ware the fowler bestowed. Herodote writeth thet he heard by rea­porte, that the Heneti (a people on the bordre of Italie towarde Illiria) ware wonte to vse this maner. Whervpon Sabellicus [Page]takyng an occasion, writeth in this ma­ner. Whether there ware suche a maner vsed emong that people (saieth he) or not I haue litle more certaintie to laie for my self then Herodote had. But thus muche am I able to saie: that in Venice (a citie of famous worthines, and whose power is well knowen at this daie, to be greate, bothe by Sea and by lande) suche maner as I shall saie, was sometyme v­sed. There was in the Litie of Venice, a place dedicate, as ye would saie to our Ladie of Pietie. Before whose doores it happened a child or twaine, begotten by a skape (whiche either for shame or ne­cessitie could finde no mother, or for the nombre of parteners, no one propre fa­ther) to bee laide. And when by the good Litezeins suche tendrenes had been she­wed to two, or thre, as the mothers loked for, and manhode (to saie the truthe) doth require: the dore of pitie became so fruict full a mother, that she had not now one or twoo in a yere, but three or fower in a quarter. Whiche thyng when the gouer­nours of the citie perceiued, their toke or­dre by commune consente, that frō thens foorthe suche women children onely, as [Page]should fortune so to bee offred to Pietie, should bee nourisshed at the commune charge of the citie, & none other. And for those acordyngly, thei ordeined a place wher thei ware brought vp, hardly kepte in, and diuersly enstructed acordyng to their giftes of witte and capacitie, vntill thei ware mariage able. At the whiche tyme, she that had beautie and good qua­lities bothe, found those a sufficient dow­rie to purchase her choyse of husbandes, And she that hadde but beautie alone, thoughe her qualities ware not so excel­lēte, yet for her honestie that beside forth was singuler in theim all, founde that beautie and honestie could not be vnma­ried. These therfore ware not permitted to euery mannes choise, but graunted to suche as ware thoughte menne worthir of suche women. If there ware any that lacked the grace of beautie, yet if she ware wittie, and endewed with qualities (together with her honestie) a small dowrie purchased her a husbād in good time. But if there ware any in whō there hap­pened neither commendacion of beautie nor wit, but onely bare honestie: for her bestowyng was there a meane found, by [Page]waie of deuotiō, as we terme it whē we signifie a respecte of holines in the diede.

Menne vnmaried beyng in daungier vpon Sea or on Lande, or bryng sore di­stressed with sickenes, makyng a vowe for the recouerie of healthe, where vnto thei holde them selues bounden in consci­ence (if it fortuned theim at that tyme to be deliuered) for satisfactiō of their vowe in that case not vprightly perfourmed, v­sed to take for their wiues, suche of the simplest as other had left. So that in pro­cesse thei alwaie fonnde husbandes, and the commune wealthe a diminishyng of charge.

Another Lawe of the Babilonians there was, more worthie of memorie a greate deale, for that it imported more weight. And that was this. Thei had frō their beginnyng no Phisicens emong theim, but it was enacted by the consente of the Realme, that who so was diseased of any malady, should comon with other that had bene healed of the like afore. And acordyng to their counsaille, practise vpon himself. But he that vsed or attem­pted any other waie, to be punished for it. Other write that the sicke ware brought [Page]out into the Marquet place, where suche as had bene deliuered of the like grief afore: ware bounde by the lawe, to go fro persone to persone, and shewe theim by what meanes thei had bene remedied.

Thei bewrie their dead in Honie, and obserue the same maner of mournyng that the Egiptians do. If any man haue medled with his wife in the nighte, nei­ther of theim bothe toucheth any thyng the next mornyng, before thei be washed:

There was in Babilon a Temple de­dicate to Venus, & it hath bene the ma­ner in tyme paste, that when their came any straunger to visite this Temple, all the women of Babilon should come vn­to hym or them, with greate solempnitie and freshely appareile [...], euery one ha­uing a garlande on her heade, with some seueralle knowledge of distinction one frō another, and offre their seruice to the straungter. And looke whom he liked, he must laie doune in her lappe, suche sōme of money as pleased him. That done thef bothe withdrew themselues fro the tem­ple a greate distaunce, and laie together. That money was conserrate to Venus.

There ware cerrein kindredes emong [Page]theim, that liued with none other thyng but fisshe dried against the Sonne, and brused in a Mortare, and so laied vp till niede ware. And then did thei mingle it, and kneade it with water into a maner of paashe, and so baked it, & eate it. There ware thre sortes of menne that bare rule and office emong them. The king, the no­bles with the Seniours, and those that had serueo in the warres and ware now exempte. Thei had also menne skilfull in the secretes of nature, whiche thei calle Magj, and Chaldej, suche as ware the priestes of Egipte, institute to attende vpon the seruice of their Goddes. These men all their life daies, liued in the loue of wisedome, & ware connyng in the cours of the Sterres. And sometyme by foreto­kenyng of birdes Right, and somtyme by power of holy verses and nombres, tour­ned awaise the euilles fro menny, and be­nefited thē with thinges that ware good. Thei could expounde Dreames, and di­clare the significations of vncouth won­dres. So that men ware certein of suche successe, as thei had foreshewed. Thei wente not into straūge scholes to learne their knowledge, as the Grecians doe, [Page]but learned the science of these thynges at their fathers hādes, as heiritage from one generacion to another, euen from their childhode at home in their houses. Whereby it came to passe that beyng so­kingly learned, it was bothe the more groundedly learned, and also without tediousnes. Thei had one vniforme and constaunt waie of teaching, and one con­stantnes of doctrine, not waueryng and almoste contrary to it self, as the doctrine of the Grekes: where eche Philosopher almoste had his waie, and iudgemente, of the principles and causes of thynges. But these menne agre al in one, that the worlde is eternall and euerlastyng, with out beginnyng and without ende. And that the ordre of the whole, was disposed by the prouidence of the highest. The bo­dies aboue to haue their course, not at all aduentures and without rule, but by an inuiolable lawe of God, acordyng to his ordenaunce and will moste certein. Thei haue learned by long markyng and no­tyng of thynges tyme out of mynde, one aftre another: how by the course of the Starres, to prognostique, that is to fore­she we vnto men, many thynges to come [Page]Thei holde that of all other Sterres, the planetes are strongest of Influence, na­mely Saturnus. To the sonne thei attri­bute brightnes and vertue of life. Mars Iupiter, Mercurie, and Venus, thei ob­serue moste (for that thei haue a course propre by them selues) as interpretours of the mindes of the goddes to foresigni­fie thinges vnto men. Which opinion is so grounded in them, that they haue cal­led all those foure planetes, by the one name of Mercurius. as ye woulde saye commune currours or messengers. Thei also do warne menne of many thinges, bothe hurtefull and availeable: by the marking, and knowledge of winde and weather, of raine and droughte, of bla­sing sterres, of the eclipses of the Sonne and Mone, of earthquakes, and manye suche like.

Furthermore thei ymagine in the fir­mament other sterres, subiecte in influ­ence vnto these former. wherof some are in the haulfe heauen continually in our sighte, and some in the other haulfe con­tinually oute of our sight. And as the E­giptiens haue feigned them selues. xii. goddes, so likewyse haue thei. To euerie [Page]of the whiche they referre one moneth. and one signe of the Zodiaque. Thei haue prophecied vnto kinges, many aduentu­res. As vnto Alexandre victory, when he made his exploicte towarde Dartus.

Likewise to Hirchanour and Seleucus, and other the successours of Alexandre, prophecied thei many thinges: As also to the Romaines, which had most sure suc­cesse. Thei make compte also of. xxiiij. o­ther starres: without, and beside the waie of the zodiaque, xii. towarde the northe, and the residew towarde the southe. Of the whiche, so many as appiere in sight, they iudge to apperteigne to the quicke, and the other to the dead. These trouble­some mases haue thei broughte into the worlde more then enoughe, beside the ac­compte that thei make of their obserua­cions, and deuinaciōs from their begin­ninge to Alexandres time: nombringe them thre thousande and fourty yeres (a shamefull lie) excepte thei wil entreprete their yeres by the Mone, as the Egipti­ans doe, comptinge euery monethe for a yere.

¶ The. iiii. Chapiter. [Page]¶ Of Iewry, and of the life, maners, and Lawes of the Iewes.

PAlestina, whiche also is named Iudea, be­inge a seueralle pro­uince of Siria, lieth betwirte Arabia Pe­trea, and the countrie Coelosiria. So borde­ring vpon the Egip­tian sea on the west, and vpon the floude Iordan on the Easte, that the one with his waues wassheth his clieues, and the other sometime with his streame ouer­floweth his banckes.

The Bible, and Iosephus by ensam­ple therof, calleth this londe Cananea: a countrie renoumed for manifolde sub­staunce. Fertile of soyle, well watered with riuers, and springes, and rich with precious balme. Tienge in the nauelle of the world, that it neither might be broy­led with heate, ne frosen with colde. By the reason of the which mildenes of aier, it was iudged by the Israelites or He­brues, (and rightlye so iudged) to be the country that God promised vnto Abra­ham [Page]Isaac, and Iacob, flowinge in a­boundaunce of milke and honie. Vpon the hope of enioyenge of this londe, folo­wed they Moses oute of Egipte fortye yeres wandering in Lampe. And before thei ware broughte into Cananea by Io­sua, his substitute, ouercame with strong hande, one and thirty kinges.

This is the people that onely of all o­ther may chalenge the honour of aunci­entie. This is the people alone y^t mighte haue glorified in the wisedome, and vn­medled puritie of Language, as beinge of all other the firste. This is the people that was mother of lettres, and sciences. Amonge these remained the knowledge of the onely and euerliuinge God, and the certeintie of the religion that was pleasaunte in his eies. Among these was the knowledge, and foreknowledge of al, sauinge that Helas, they knewe not the visitour of their wealthe, and the ende of their wo, Iesus the sauioure of all that woulde knowe him, and sieke life in his deathe. But him whome thei knew not, when by reason thei should: him shal thei yet ones knowe in time when the father woulde.

The Israelites, the Hebrues or the Iewes (for all in effecte soundeth one people) liue aftre the rule of the lawes, whiche Moses their worthy duke, and deuine chiefteine, declared vnto theim. Withoute the whiche also or anye other written, thei liued holily, hundred of yea­res before: atteininge to the truthes hid­den from other, by a singuler gifte aboue other. That Philosophre of Philoso­phers, and deuine of deuines, Moses the merueilous, waienge in his insight, y^t no multitude assembled, coulde be gouerned to continuaunce without ordres of equi­tie, and lawes: when with rewardes to the good, and reuenge vpon the euill, he had sufficiently exhorted, and trained his people to the desire of vertue, and y^e hate of the contrarie: at the last beside the two tables receiued in the mounte Sinah, added ordres of discipline, and ciuile gouer­naunce, full of all goodlines and equitie. Whiche Iosephus, the Iewe, (a manne of greate knowledge, and eloquence, as­wel in the Hebrewe, his natural tōgue, as in the Grieke, amonge whome he li­uen in notable fame not a fewe yeres) hath gathered, and framed into one seue­rall [Page]treatise. Out of the which, because I rather fansie, if I maye with like com­moditie, to folowe the founteines of the first Authours, then the brokes of abred­gers, which often bring with them much puddle: I haue here translated, and an­nexed to the ende of this booke, those or­dres of the Iewes commune welthe, sē ­ding the for the reste to the Bible. And yet notwithstanding, loke what I foūde in this Abredger, neither mencioned in the bible, nor in that treatise, the same thus ordrely foloweth.

The heathen writers, and the Christi­anes, do muche diffre concerninge the Iewes, and Moyses their chiefteine. For Cornelius the stylle, in his firste booke of his yerely exploi [...]tes, called in Latine Annales, dothe not ascribe their departure oute of Egipte to the power and cōmaūdement of God: but vnto ne­cessitie, & cōstrainte, with these wordes:

A great skuruines, and an ytche saieth he, beinge risen throughe oute Egipte, Borchoris, the king sekinge remedye in the Temple of Iupiter Haminon, was willed by responcion to clense his king­dome: And to sende awaye that kinde of [Page]people whom the goddes hated (he mea­neth the Iewes) into some other cōtrey. The whiche when he had done, and they (as the poompe of al skuruines, not kno­wing wher to become) laye cowring vn­dre hedges, and busshes, in places desert, and many of them dropped away for so­rowe and disease: Moyses (whiche also was one of the outecastes saieth he) counseiled them not to sitte ther, away­tinge aftre the helpe of God or of man, whiche thei ware not like to haue: but to folowe him as their capteine, and lodes­man, and committe them selues vnto his gouernaunce. And that hervnto thei all agreinge, at wilde aduentures, with oute knowing what thei did, tooke their iorney. In the which thei ware sore troubled, and harde bestadde, for lacke of wa­ter. In this distresse, whē their ware now ready to lye them downe; & die for thirst, Moyses espienge a great heard of wilde Chamelles comming fro their fiedinge, and going into woddie place ther beside, folowed them. And iudginge the place not to be without watre, for that he sawe it fresshe and grene, digged and founde plenty of watre. Wherwith when thei [Page]had releued thē selues, thei passed on. of. daies iourney: and so exployted that the seuenth daye thei had bearen our all the enhabitauntes of the contry, where thei builte their Citie, & their temple. Moy­ses then to the entent he might satle the peoples hartes towarde him for euer: de­uised them newe ordres, and ceremonies cleane contrary to all other nacions. For (saieth Cornelius) Looke what so euer is holy amonge vs, the same is amonge them the contrary. And what so euer to vs is vnlawfulle, that same is compted lawefull amonge theim. The ymage of the beaste that shewed them the waye to the waters, and the ende of their wande­ringe: did thei set vp in their chambres, and offre vnto it a rambe, in the despight of Iupiter Hammō. whom we worship in the fourme of a Rambe. And because the Egiptians worshippe their goddesse Apis in the fourme of a cowe, therfore thei vse to slea also in sacrifice a cowe.

Swines flesshe thei eate none, for that thei holde opinion that this kynde of beaste, of it selfe beinge disposed to be skoruie, mighte be occasion againe to en­fette them of newe. The seuenth daye [Page]thei make holy day. That is to say spende awaie in ydlenes and rest: for that on the seuenth daye, they founde reste of theyr wandering, and misery. And when they had caughte a sauour in this holye daye loytering: it came to passe in processe of tyme, that thei made a longe holydaye also of the whole seuenthyere. But other holde opinion that thei do obserue suche maner of holye daies, in the honour of Saturne the god of fasting and famine: with whose whippe thei are lothe againe to be punisshed. Their breade is vnleauened. These ceremonies and deuises, by what meanes so euer they ware brought in amonge them, thei do stiffely defende. As thei are naturally giuen, to be stiffe in beliefe, and depe in loue with their owne althoughe towarde al other thei be most hatefull enemies. So that thei neither will eate ne drincke with them: no nor lye in the chambre that a straunger of a nother nacion lyeth in. A people altoge­ther giuen vnto leachery, and yet abstei­ning from the enbrasinges of the straun­ger. Emonge them selues thei iudge no­thinge vnlawfull. Thei deuised to roūde of the foreskinne of their yarde (whiche [Page]we call circumcision) because thei would haue a notable knowledge betwene thē, and other nacions. And the firste lesson thei teache vnto their children, is to de­spise the goddes. The soules of those y^e die in tormentes, or in warre, thei iudge to be immortall. A continuall feare haue thei, & a regard of heauen and helle. And wher [...] the Egiptians honour many similitudes and Images of beastes, and other crea­tures, whiche thei make them selues: the Iewes onely doe honour with their spi­rite and minde, and conceiue in their vn­drestandyng, but one onely Godheade. Iudging all other that worshippe the I­mages of creatures, or of manne: to bee vngodlie and wicked. These and many other thinges doth Cornelius write, and Trogus also in his. xxxvi. booke.

There ware amonge the Iewes thre seueralle sectes, differyng in life from the reast of the people. The Pharise [...]s, the Sadduceis, and the Esse is. The Phari­seis vsed a certeine rough solempnesse of appareille, and a very skante fare: deter­minyng the Tradicions of Moyses, by certein ord [...]naunces and decrees, whiche thei them selues sette vp. Thei caried vp­pon [Page]their foreheades, and on their lefte armes, pretie billettes of Paper, facio­ned for the place, wherein ware written the tenne preceptes of y^e two Tables. And this did thei for that the lorde saieth: And these shall thou haue (meanyng the com­maundementes) as a remembraunce hā ­ging before thine eyes, and alwaie ready at thine hande. These ware called their Philacteries, of these two woordes Phy­lexi and Thorat, wherof the former signifieth to Kiepe, and the other, the Lawe. These menne also hauyng vppon their skirtes muche broder gardes then other, stacke them full of Thornes, whiche bea­tyng and prickyng them on the hieles as thei wente, might putte them in remem­braunce of the cōmaundemētes of God. Thei attributed all thynges vnto God, and destenie, whiche thei call Emarmeni. Neuertheles thei graunted, that it laie muche in the free choise of manne: either to doe, or not to doe the thinges that are iust and godlie. but yet destenie to helpe in al cases. Whiche destenie thei thought to depende of the influence of the bodies aboue. Looke what their superiours and Elders had saied, or answered to any de­maunde [Page]thei neuer woulde contrarie it. Thei belieued that GOD should come to Iudge the worlde, and that all soules ware euerlastyng. And as for the soules of the good, thei helde opinion, that thei passed from one bodie to another, vntill the daie of the generall resurrection. But the soules of the wicked, to be plonged in to euerlasting prison & dō geō. The name of Pharisei was giuē vnto them for that thei ware disguised fro y^e cōmune maner of other, as ye would saie, Sequestred.

The Saddeiects denied that there was any destenie, but that God was the be­holder of all, and that it laie in the choise of manne, to doe well or euill. And as for ioye or sorowe that the soule should suffre aftre this life, thei denied. Neither belie­ued thei any resurrection: because thei thoughte the soule died with the bodie. Thei would not belieue that there ware any spirites, good or bad. Neither would thei receiue more of the Bible, then the fiue bookes of Moses. Thei ware sterne men, and vncompaignable: not so muche as ones kepyng felowshippe one with a­nother. For the whiche sternesse, thei na­med theim selues Sadduceis, that is to [Page]saie, [...]uste menne.

The Esse is ware in all poinctes verie like vnto our cloisterers, abhorryng ma­riage and the companie of women. Not for that thei condempned Mariage, or the procreacion of issue, but for that thei iudged a manne ought to be ware of the intemperauncie of women. And that no woman kept her self true to her husbāde Oh shameful opinion, and muche better to be reported by the dead, then to be cre­dited of the quicke, bee it neuer so true. Thei possesed all thinges in commune. As for checkes or reuilinges, was to thē muske and Honie, and slouenly vndafti­nesse, a greate comelinesse. So that thei ware alwaie in a white surcote, all was well. Thei had no certein abiding in any one citie: but Celles ouer all, where so e­uer thei became. Before the risyng of the Sonne, thei spake nothyng that touched any worldly affaire: but prated the sonne to rise. Aftre whose vprijste thei laboured vntill eleuen of the clocke. And then, wa­shyng firste their whole bodie in water: thei satte doune together to meate, in so­lempne silence euery manne. Swearing thei compted for swearyng. Thei admit­ted [Page]no manne to their secte, vndre a yere of probacion. And aftre what time thei had receiued him: yet had thei two yeres more to proue his maners and condici­ons. Suche as thei tooke with a faulte, thei draue fro their cōpaignie. Enioyned by the waie of penaunce, to go a grasing like a beast, vntill his dieng daie. When tenne ware sette in a companie together, no one of them spake without the consēte of the other nyne. Thei would not spitte within the precincte of the compaignie e­mong theim, ne yeat on their righte side. Thei kept the Sabboth with suche a pre­cisenesse, that thei would not that daie, ease nature of the belie burden. And whē vpon other daies, nature forced theim to that easemente, thei caried with theim a litle spade of woodde, wherwith in place moste secreate, thei vsed to digge a litle pit, to laie their bealie in. And in the time of doyng, thei also vsed a very greate cir­cumspection, that their clothes laie close to the grounde rounde aboute theim, for offendyng (saied thei) of the Maiestie of God. Vpon whiche respecte, thei also co­nered and bewrted it, assone as thei had bone that nature required. Thei ware of [Page]verie long life, by the reason of the vni­fourme diete that thei vsed, alwaie aftre one rate of fare: whiche was onely the fruicte of their countrie Palme. Thei oc­cupied no money. If any manne suffered for wel doyng, or as wrōgfully condemp­ned, that thoughte thei the beste kinde of death. Thei helde opinion that all soules ware made in the beginnyng, and put in to bodies from tyme to tyme, as bodies did niede theim. And for the good soules beyng ridde of their bodies againe, thei saied there was a place appoincted be­yond the weast Occean, where thei take repose. But for the euill, thei appoincted places toward the East, as more stormie colde, & vnpleasante. Ther ware amōge them that prophecied thinges. Some of them gaue themselues to wedlocke: least if thei should be of the oppinion that men oughte to absteine vttrely from women, mankinde should fade, and in processe be extincte ▪ yeat vsed thei the compaignie of their wiues nothing at rioce.

The lande of Siria (whereof we haue named Iewrie a parte) is at this daie en­habited of the Grekes, called Gripho­nes, of the Iacobites, Nestorians, Sar­racenes, [Page]and of two christian nacions, the Sirians and Marouines. The Siriās vse to saie Masse, aftre the maner of the Grekes: and for a space ware subiecte to the churche of Rome.

The Marouines agre in opinion with the Iacobites, Their lettres and congue are al one with the Arabique. These chri­stianes dwelle at the Mounte Libanus. The Sarracenes, whiche dwelle aboute Ierusalē (a people valeaūt in warre) de­lighte muche in housbandrie and tilthe. But contrary wise, thei that enhabite Siria, in that poincte are nothing worth The Marouines are feawe in nombre, but of all other thei are the hardieste.

¶ The. v. Chapitre. ¶ Of Media, and the ma­ners of the Medes.

MEdia (a countrie of A­sia) as Solinus wri­teth, toke the name of one Medus, the sonne of Medea & Egeus, kyng of Athenes. Of whō the people ware also called Medes.

But Iosephus affirmeth that it was so [Page]named of Medius, the sōne of Iapheth. This countrie as it is sene in Ptolomie, hath on the Northe, the sea named Hir­canum, on the West Armenia, and Ass [...] ­ria, on the Southe Persie, and on the aft Hircama and Parthia. Sauing that be­twixte Parthia and it, there ronneth a mounteigne, that seperateth their fron­tiers. The feactes that thei mooste exer­ci [...]e, are shootyng and ridyng. Wherein thei be righte experte, & almoste (for those quartres) without matche or felowe. It hathe bene there a longe continued and aunciente custome, to honour their kyn­ges like goddes. The rounde cappe, whi­the thei cal Tiara: and their long sliued garmentes, passed from them to the Persians together with the Empire. It was a peculier maner vsed of the Kynges of the Medes, to haue many wiues. Which thyng was aftrewarde also taken vp of the communes: so that at lengthe it was thought vnmiete to haue feawer wiues then seuen. It was also a goodlie thyng for a woman to haue many husbandes: and to be without fiue at ones, was compted amiserable state. The Medes entre leagues and conenauntes, both aftre the [Page]maner of the Grekes, and also with dra­wing bloud vpō some parte of the arme aboute the shouldre, one of another, whi­che thei vse to licke eche of of others bo­dy. All that parte of the coūtrey that lieth towarde the Northe, is barrein and vn­fruictefulle. Wherefore thei vse to make store of their fruicte, and to drie them, and so to woorke them into a masse or lumpe for their foode. Of rosted Almondes thei make their breade: and their wine of the rootes of certein herbes. Thei eate great plentie of the fleshe of wilde beastes.

¶ The. vj. Chapitre. ¶ Of Parthia, and the ma­ner of the Parthians.

ACerteine nombre of Outlawes and Ba­nisshed menne, called Parthie, gaue name to this Countrie: Af­tre suche tyme as by train, and stealth thei had gotten it. On the Southe it hath Carmania, on the North Hircanum, on the Weast the Meades, [Page]and on the easte the country of Arabia. The countrie is hilly, and full of wod­des, and of a barreine soyle. And a peo­ple which in the time of the Assiriens, and Medes, ware scante knowen, and litle estiemed. In so moche that when y^e highe gouernaunce of the whole (whiche the Grekes call the Monarchie) was yelded into the hādes of the persians: thei ware made a butin, as a nombre of raskalles without name. Laste of all thei ware sla­ues to the Macedonies. But afterward in processe of time, suche was the valeaū ­tenes of this people, and such successe had thei: that thei became lordes, not ouer their neighbours onely rounde aboute theim, but also helde the Romaines (the conquerours of the worlde) suche tacke, that in sondrie warres they gaue them great ouerthrowes, and notablye enda­maged their power. Plinie reherseth. xiiii kingdomes of the parthians. Trogus calleth them Emperours of the east part of the worlde. Althoughe they, and the Romaines holding the weste, had deui­ded the whole betwixte them.

Aftre the decaye of the Monarchie of the Macedonians, this people was ru­led [Page]by kinges. Whome generally by the name of the first king, thei termed Arsa­ces. Nexte vnto the kinges maiestie, the communaltie bare the swaye. Dute of whome they chase bothe their Capteig­nes for the warres, & their gouernours for the peace time. Their language is a speache mixte of the Scithians, & Me­des. Their appareil at the firste, was af­tre their facion vnlike to all other. But when thei grewe vnto power, louse and large, & so thinne: that a man mighte see thoroughe it, aftre the facion of the Me­des. Their maner of weapon, & armour, was the same that the Scithians vsed.

But their armies ware altogether al­moste of slaues and bondemen, contrary to the maner of other peoples. And for that no manne hath aucthoritie amonge them to giue fredome vnto anye of this bonde ofspring: The nombre of them by continuauce, came vnto a greate multi­tude. These do thei bringe vp, and make of as deerly, as thei do of their owne children: teachinge them to ride, to shote, to throwe the darte, and suche like feates, with great diligence, and handsomenes. Eche communerther, acording to his substaunce [Page]findeth a greate nombre of these to serue the kinge on horsebacke, in all warres. So that at what time Anthonie the Romaine made warre vpon the par­thians, wher thei mette him with fyftie thousande horsemen: there ware of the whole nombre but eyghte hundred fre borne. They are not skylfull to fighte it oute at hande stripes, ne yeat in the ma­ner of besieging or assaulting: but all to­gether aftre the maner of skirmisshe, as thei spie their aduauntage. Thei vse no trompet for their warninges or onsettes but a dromme: neither are thei able to endure longe in their fighte. For yf they ware so good in continuaunce, as thei be violente at a brunte: ther ware no mul­titude able to susteine their force. For the moste parte thei breake of, when the skir­miche is euen at the whottest. And with­in a while aftre thei feigne a flight, wher with thei beginne againe a newe onsette. So when thou thinckest thy selfe mooste sure of the honour of the fielde, thē arte thou at the poinct of the hardest hasarde. Their horsemen vse armour of mayle entrelaced with fethers: bothe for their owne defence, & the defence also of their [Page]horses. In times passed thei occupied no golde ne siluer, but only in their armour. Vpon regarde of chaunge in their luste, thei mary echeone many wiues. and yet punishe thei none offēce so greuously as adultery. For the auoyding wherof, thei doe not onely forbidde their women by generall restrainte from all feastes, and banckettinges of men: but also from the sighte of them. Some neuerthelesse do wrighte, amonge the whiche Strabo is one, that thei vse to giue their wiues sometime to their friendes, as in y^e waye of mariage, that thei maye so haue issue. Thei eate none other fleshe but suche as thei kylle at the chace. Thei be euer on horsebacke, whether thei go to the fielde or the banket, to bye, to selle, to cōmune of aughte with their friende, or to do a­ny thing that is to be done. Yea thei dis­patche al commune and priuate affaires, sittinge on horsebacke. And this is to be vnderstonden of the fre borne: for the sla­ues are alwaies on foote. Their buriall for all menne (sauinge the kinge) is the dogges bealy, and the kytes. But when thei or suche like haue eaten of, the fleshe, thē couer thei the bare bones with earth. [Page]Thei haue great regarde vnto their goddes, & the worship due vnto them. Thei are men of a proude nature, busie med­lers, and sedicious, craftie, deceiptfull, malaparte, and vnshamefaced: for thei holde opinion that it becometh the man aswell to be sterne, as the woman to be mylde. Thei be euer in some stirre, either with their neighbours, or elles amonge them selues. Men of fewe wordes, and readier to doe, then to saye. And therfore whether it go with them or against thēt thei lappe it vp in scilence. Thei obey not their superiours for any reuerence, bu, for feare. Altogether giuen to lechery, and yet skante in fiedinge. No farther trewe of worde or promesse, then semeth them expediente for their owne behoue.

¶ The. vii. Chapiter. ¶ Of Persia, and the maners and or­dinaunces of the Persians.

PErsia (a countrie of the easte) was so called of Per­stus the Sonne of Iupiter and Danae. Of whome the chiefe citie of the kinge­dome also, was named Persepolis, whi­che [Page]in Englishe soūdeth Persehoroughe (or as we corruptly terme it) Persebu­rie, and the whole naciō Persiens. This countrie as Ptolomie writeth in his fi­ueth booke, hath on the northe, Media: on the West, Susiana: on the easte, the two Carmaniaes: and on the southe, an inshot of the Sea, called the Bosome of Parthia. The famous cities therof, ware Axiama Persepolis and Diospolis. By the name of Iupiter thei vnderstode the whole heauen. Thei chiefely honour the Sonne, whom thei calle Mitra. Thei worship also the Mone, the planet Ve­nus, the fyre, the earthe, the water, and the windes. Thei neither haue anltare nor temple, nor ymage, but celebrate their deuine seruice vndre the open hea­uen vpon some highe place for that pur­pose appoincted. In doinge sacrifice thei haue no farther respecte, but to take a­waye the life from the beaste. As hauing opinion, that forasmuche as the goddes be spirites, thei delighte in nothinge but the spiritual parte, the soule. Before they slea it, thei set it aparte by them, with a corone vpon the heade, and heape vppon it many bittre banninges and curses.

Some of the nacion notwithstandinge, when thei haue slaine the beaste: vse to laye parte of the offalle in the fire.

When thei sacrifie vnto the fire, they timbre vp drie stickes together, cleane withoute pille or barcke. And after what time thei haue powred on neates tal­lowe, and oyle, thei kindle it. Not blo­wing with blaste of blowesse or mouthe: but makinge winde as it ware with a ventile, or trenchour, or suche like thinge. For yf any manne either blowe into it, or caste in any deade thing, or any durte, or puddle, it is deathe to the doer. The Persians beare suche reuerence to their floudes, that thei neither wasshe, pysse, nor throwe deade carcasse into them. No not so muche as spitte into thē: But very reuerentlye honour their water after this maner. Comminge to lake, mere, floude, ponde, or springe: thei trenche out a litle diche, and ther cut thei the throte of the sacryfice. Being well ware, that no droppe of blode sprinckle into the water by. As thoughe all water ware polluted and vnhalowed ouer all: yf that should happen. That done their Magi (that is to say men skylfull in y^e secretes of nature) [Page]layeng the flesh vppon a heape of Myr­tus, or Laurelle, and tymbryng smalle wandes about, sette fyre theron & brenne yt. And pronouncyng certein curses, they myngle oyle, mylke, and hony together, and sprinkle into the fyre. But these cursinges make they not against the fyre ne water. But against the earthe, a greate whyle toguether: holding in their hande a boūdle of smalle myrte wandes. Their kinges reigne by successiō of one kindred or stocke. To whom who so obeyeth not, hath his heade & armes striken of: and so wythout buriall is throwē out for kar­reine. Policritus sheweth that euery king of the Persians, buyldeth his howse vpō a greate hille: and ther hourdeth vp all the threasure, tribute, & taxe that he re­ceyueth of the people: to be a recorde after his deathe how good a husbonde he hath bene for y^e cōmune wealthe. Suche of the subiectes as dwelle vpon the sea coast, are taxed to paie money. But those that enhabite toward the mydde londe: suche cōmodities as the quartre beateth or hath wher they dwelle. As apothecary druggues, woolle, coulours, & suche like and cateille accordingly. He is not per­mitted [...] [Page]any one cause, to putte any man to death. Neither is it lawfull for any other of the Persians to execute any thyng against any of his house or stock, that maie sieme in any wyse cruelle. Euery one of them marie many wiues: & holde many cōcu­bines also beside, for the encrease of issue.

The king Proclaimeth rewarde vnto him, that within one yere begetteth most children. Fiue yere aftre thei are begot­ten, thei come not in the fathers sight, by a certein ordenaunce vsed emong theim: but are broughte vp continually emong the women. To the ende that if the childe fortune to dye in the time of his infancie, their fathers grief maie be the lesse. Thei vse not to marie but in one tyme of the yere: toward midde Marche. The bride­grome eateth to his supper, an apple of that countrey, or a litle of the maribone of a Chamel: and so without any farther banquettyng goeth to bedde. From fiue yeres olde, to twentie and fowre, thei learne to ride, to throwe the Dart [...], to shoote, and chiefly to haue atongue voide of all vntruthe. For their nourituryng and trainyng in good maners, thei haue appoincted theim Masters of greate so­brenes [Page]and vertue, that teache them die­ties, and pretie songes, conteinyng either the praises of their Goddes, or of some worthy Princes. Whiche sometime thei sing, and sometyme recite without note: that so thei mighte learne to confourme their liues vnto theirs, whose praises thei sieme them selues to allowe. To this les­son assemble thei alwaie together, at the calle of a Trompette And as thei growe into yeres, an accompt is required of thē how well thei haue borne awaie the les­sons of their childhode. Thei vse to ronne the race, & to course, bothe on horsebacke and on foote: at the leadyng of some no­ble mannes sonne, chosen for the nones. The field for the race, is at least thre mile and thre quarters longe. And to the ende that heate or colde should the lesse trouble them, thei vse to wade ouer brookes, and swimme ouer riuers, & so to rowme and to hunte the fieldes, and to eate & drinke in their armour, and wette clothes. The fruyes that thei eate are akecornes, wild Peares, and the fruicte of the Terebin­thine tree. But their daiely foode aftre their ronnyng, and other exercises of the bodie: is hard Bisquette, or a like crustie [Page]bread, Hortechocques, Gromelle sede, a litle roste flesshe or sodden, whether thei lust: and faire water their drincke. Their maner of Huntyng, is with the bowe, or the Darte on horsebacke. Thei are good also in the slynge. In the forenoone thei plante and graffe, digge vp settes, stubbe vp rootes, make their owne armour, or fisshe and foule, with the Angle or nette. Their children are decked with garni­shynges of golde. And their chief iuelle is the precious stone Piropus, whiche thei haue in suche price, that it maie come vp­pon no deade corps. And that honour giue thei also to the fire, for the reuerence thei beare there vnto. From twentie, till fiuetie: thei folowe the warres. As for by­eng and sellyng, or any kinde of Lawe prattle, thei vse not. Thei cary in their warres, a kinde of shieldes facioned like a losenge, a quiure with shaftes, & a curti­lace. On their heades a copintancke, eni­batled aboute like a turrette, and a brest­plate emboussed, of skaled woorke. The princes and menne of honour did weare a treble Anaxirides, facioned muche like a coate armour, and a long coate doune to the knees, with hangyng slieues acor­dyng. [Page]The outside colours, but the lining white. In Somer thei weare purple, and in Wintre Medleis. The abillementes of their heades, are muche like the front­lettes that their Magj doe weare. The cōmune people are double coated doune to the midde Leggue, and haue about­their heade a greate rolle of Sendalle. Their beddes and their drinking vessell, are garnished with gold. Whē thei haue matier of moste importaunce to common of, thei debate and cōclude in the middes of their cuppes: thinkyng it muche surer that is so determined, then aftre any o­ther sobrer sorte. Acqueintaunce mieting of equall degre, griete one another with a kisse. But the inferiour mietyng with his bettre, enclineth his bodie foreward with lowe reuerence. Thei bewrte their corpses in the grounde, cearyng them all ouer with waxe. Their Magicens thei leaue vnbewried, for the foules to dis­spetche. The children there, by an orde­naunce no where elles vsed: doe carnal­ly knowe their mothers. Thus haue ye heard what the maners of the Persians ware sometyme.

Herodotus reherseth certeine other, [Page]their facions not vttrely vnworthe the tellynge. That thei compted it vilanie to laughe, or to spitte before the kyng. Thei thought it fondenes in the Grekes, wor­thie to be laughed at, to imagine goddes to be sprong vp of menne. What so euer was dishoneste to be done, that thoughte thei not honest to be spokē. To be in debt was muche dishonour, but of all thinges moste vile for to lie. Thei vse not to bew­rie their deade bodies, vntill thei haue bene torne with dogges, or with fowles. And the parentes brought to niedinesse, vse there to make cheuisaunce of their doughters bodies, whiche emong no na­cion elles was euer allowed. Howbeit some holde opinion, that it was also the propretie of the Babilonians. The Per­sians at this daie, beynge subdued of the Saracenes, and bewitched with Maho­metes brainsicke wickednesse, are cleane out of memorie. a people in those daies, whiche through their greate hardinesse and force, ware of long tyme Lordes of the Easte parte of the worlde. But now tombled cleane from their auncience re­nowme, and bewried in dishonour.

¶ The. viij. Chapitre. ¶ Of Ynde, and the vncouthe tre­des and maners of life of the people therin.

YNde, a Countrie also of the Easte, and the closyng vp of Asia to­ward that quartre: is saied to be of suche a maigne syse, that it maie be cōpared with the thirde parte of the whole earth Pomponius wrireth, that a­lōge the shore, it is fowrtie daies sailyng the nighte also comprised therin.

It tooke the name of the floude called Indus, whiche closeth vp the lande on the Weste side. Beginnyng at the Southe sea, it stretcheth to y^e Sonne risynge: And Northward to the moūt Caucasus. There are in it many greate peoples: and Tou­nes and Cities so thicke, that some haue reported them in nombre fiue thousande. And to saie truthe, it oughte not to sieme greatly straunge vnto folkes, though the roūtrie be reported to haue suche a nom­bre of Tounes, or to be so populous: con­sideryng [Page]that of all other, the Yndiens a­lone, neuer discharged theim selues of a­ny ouerplus of issue, as other haue done: but alwaie kepte their owne offpryng at home in their owne countrie. Their prin­cipall floudes are Ganges, Indus, and Hy­panis. But Ganges farre passeth in great­nes the other twaine. This lande by the benefite of the battling breathe of the gē ­tle Weast winde, reapeth corne twise in the yere. And other Wintre hath it none, but the bittre blastes of Theasterly win­des called Etesiae. Thei larke wine, and yet some men reporte, that in the quar­tre called Musica, there groweth a good wine grape. In the Southe parte there­of, groweth Nardus, Cinnamome, Peper and Calamus aromaticus: as doeth in Ara­bia and Aethiope. The woodde Ebenum (whiche some suppose to be our Guaya­cum) groweth there, and not elles where Likewise of the Popiniaye and the V­nicorne. As for precious stones, Beralle Prasnes, Diamantes, firie Carbuncles and Pearles of all sortes, be found there in greate plentie. Thei haue twoo Som­mers, softe pimpelyng windes, a milde aier, a rancke soile, and abundaunce of [Page]watre. Diuerse of them therefore liue ar [...] hundred & thirtie yeres. Namely emong the Musicanes. And emong the Serites▪ yet somewhat longer.

All the Yndians generally, weare lōg heare: died either aftre a bright asshe coulour, or elles an Orenge tawnie. Their chief iuelles, are of Pearle and precious stones. Their appareille is verie diuers: and in fewe, one like another. Some go in Mantles of Wollen, some of Linnen some naked, some onely brieched to cou­uer the priuities, and some wrapped a­boute with pilles, and lithe barckes of trees. Thei are all by nature blacke of hewe: euē so died in their mothers wōbe acordyng to the dispocisiō of the fathers nature, whose siede also is blacke: as like wise in the Aethiopians. Talle men and strongly made. Thei are very spare fie­ders, namely when thei are in Campe. Neither delighte thei in muche preasse. Thei are as I saied, greate deckers and trimmers of them selues, haters of theft. Thei liue by lawe, but not written. Thei haue no knowledge of lettres, but admi­nister altogether without booke. And for y^t thei are voide of guile, and of very sobre [Page]diete: all thing prospereth well with thē. Thei drinke no wine, but when thei Sa­crifie to their goddes. But their drincke is a bruage that thei make sometyme of Rize, sometyme of Barlie. Their meate for the mooste parte is soupynges made also of Rize.

In their lawes, bargaines, and coue­nauntes, their simplicitie and true mea­nyng well appeareth: for that thei neuer are muche contencious aboute thē. Thei haue no Lawes concernyng pledges or thynges committed to another mannes kiepyng. No witnessynges, no handwri­tynges, no sealynges, ne suche like tokēs of trecherie and vntrust: but without all these, thei truste and be trusted, thei be­lieue and are belieued, yea, thei oftenty­mes leaue their houses wide open with­out keper. Whiche truely are all greate signes of a iuste and vprighte dealyng e­mong them. But this peraduenture can not seatle well with euery mannes fan­tasie: that thei should liue eche manne a­parte by hymself, and euery body to dine and to suppe when he lust, and not all at anhowre determined. For in dede for the felowshippe and ciuilitie, the contrary is [Page]more allowable. Thei commēde and oc­cupie muche as a commune exercise, to rubbe their bodies: specially with skra­pers made for the nones. Aftre whiche, thei smothe them selues again with Ebe­num, wherof I spake afore.

In their Toumbes, and Bewrialles, very plaine and nothyng costlie: But in trimming and arraieng of their bodies, to, to, gaude glorious. For there aboute thei neither spare gold, ne precious stone ne any kinde of silke that thei haue. Thei delighte muche in garmentes of white Sarcenet. And for that thei sette muche by beautie, thei cary aboute with theim phanelles to defende them frō the sonne, and leaue nothyng vndone, that maketh for the bettre grace of their faces. Thei sette asmuche by truthe alone, as by all other vertues together.

Age hath there no prerogatiue, except thei winne it with their wisedome, and knowledge. Thei haue many wiues, whithe thei vse to buye of their parentes for a yoke of Oxen. Some to serue them as their vndrelynges, and some for plea­sure, and issue. Whiche maie neuerthe­lesse vse buttoke banquetyng abrode (for [Page]any lawe or custome there is to restreine theim) excepte their housebandes by fine force, can compelle them to kepe close.

No one emong the Yndians either sa­crifieth coroned, ne offreth odours, ne li­quours. Thei wounde not their Sacri­fice in no maner of wise: but smore hym by stopping the breath. Least thei should offre any mangled thing vnto God, but that that ware in euery parte whole. He that is conuicte of false witnessyng, hath his fingres cutte of by the toppe ioinctes. He that hath taken a limme from any manne, suffreth not onely the like losse, but loseth also his hande. But if any mā haue taken from an artificer, his hande, or his eye, it lieth hym vpon his heade.

The kyng hath a garde of bought wo­men: who take chardge of his bodie, and haue the trimmyng and orderyng there­of, the residue of the armie, remainyng without the gates. If the Kyng fortune to be droncken, it is not onely lawfull for any one of these women to slea hym: but she shall also as in the waie of rewarde, be coupled in mariage to the nexte king. Whiche (as is saied) is one of his sonnes, that afore enioied the Croune. It is not [Page]lawful for the king to slepe by daie time: and yet in the night tyme to auoide tre­cherie, he is forced euery houre to chaūge his chambre. When he is not in campe, he ofte tymes cometh abroade: bothe to giue sentence, and to heare matiers de­pendyng in question. And if it be time of daie to trimme his bodie: he bothe hea­reth the pleaes, & is rubbed in the meane season with the skrapers afore mencio­ned, by thre of his women. He cometh furthe also to Sacrifices, and to hunting: Where he is accompaignied with a ra­ble of women, in as good ordre as ours ware wonte to be vpon Hocke mondaie. His waie is ranged with ropes, and his garde of menne abideth without. But if it fortune any to steale in, to the women (whiche is contrary to their ordre & due­tie) he loseth his heade for it. There go a­fore hym Tabours and Belles. When he hunteth in places fensed aboute, two or thre armed women stande preste, for his aide, and defence. But when he hun­teth in open place, he is caried vppon an Eliphante: & euen so sittyng on his backe shooteth, or throweth the darte at his game. Some of his women ride vppon [Page]Horses, some vpon Elephantes. As like­wise in the warres, where thei fight with all kinde of weapons skilfully.

Suche menne also as haue gathered thinges into writynges, recorde: that the Yndians worshippe as their goddes the father of raine Iupiter: Ganges their floude, and the familiar spirites of their countrie. And when their kyng wash [...]th his heade, thei make solempne feast, and sende his highnes greate giftes, eche mā enuyenge other, who maye shewe hym self moste riche, and magnificent.

The commune wealthe of the Yndi­ans, was sometyme deuided into seuen states or degrees. The Sages (whiche o­ther calle Philosophers) ware of the first ordre, or state: the whiche although thei ware in nombre feawer then any of the rest: yet ware thei in honour and dignitie aboute the kyng, farre aboue all other. These menne (priuiledged from all busi­nes) neither be troubled with office, ne be at any mannes commaundemente: But receiue of the communes suche thinges as serue for the Sacrifices of their god­des, and are requisite for bewrialles. As though thei ware bothe well acqueinted, [Page]and beloued in heauē, and knewe muche of the trade in helle. For this cause haue thei bothe giftes and honour largely gi­uen thē. And in very diede thei do muche good among the people. For in the beginning of y^e yere, assemblyng together, thei foreshewe of raine, of drouthe, of winde and of sickenesse: and of suche like thyn­ges as maie to profeight be foreknowen For aswell the kynge as the people, ones vndrestādyng their foresawes, and kno­wyng the certeintie of their iudgemen­tes by former experience: shone the euil­les, and are preste to attende vpon that, that is good. But if any of their said Sa­ges shall fortune to erre in his foresight: other punishement hath he none, then for euer aftre to holde his peace.

The seconde ordre is of housebande menne, whiche beyng more in nombre then any of the other states, and exempte fro the warres, and all other labour: be­stowe their tyme onely in housebandrie. No enemie spoileth thē, none troubleth them: but refraineth fro doing them any hurte or hinderaunce, vpon respect of the profighte that redoundeth to the whole, throughe their trauailles. So that thei, [Page]hauyng libertie without all feare to fol­lowe their busines, are instrumētes and meanes of a blessed plenteousnesse. Thei with their wiues and children, dwell al­waie in the countrie, without resortyng to the tounes or citie. Their paie rente to the Kyng (for all the whole Countrie is subiecte to their kyng) neither is it lawe­full for any of the commones to occupie and possesse any grounde, without paie­ynge rente. And the housebande men be­side this rente, yelde vnto the Kynges maiestie, a fiueth of their fruictes yerely.

The thirde ordre standeth all by brie­ders and fieders, of all sortes, whiche like wise neither enhabite toune ne village: but with tentes, in the wilde fieldes. And these with huntyng and foulyng in son­drie wise, so kiepe vndre the beastes and hurtefull foules: that whear other wise the housebande menne should in fiede tyme, and towarde harueste, be muche a­cloyed and hyndered by the fowles, and theim [...]selues alwaie by the beastes, the countrie is quiete frō al suche annoyāce.

In the fowrthe ordre are Artific ers, and handitraftesmen. Whiche are deui­ded, some into Smithes, some into Ar­mourers, [Page]some for one purpose, some for another, as is expediente. These doe not onely liue rence free, but also haue a cer­taine of graine allowed them at the kin­ges allowaunce.

In the fiueth ordre are the menne of warre, a greate uombre daiely exercised in armes, bothe on Horsebacke, on Ele­phantes, and on foote. And all their Ele­phantes, and horses miete for their war­res, are found of the kinges allowaunce.

The sixteth ordre is of Surueiours or Maisters of reporte, whiche haue the o­nersighte of all thynges that are done in the realme, and the charge to bryng rea­porte vnto the kyng.

In the seuenth place, are thei that be Presidētes, and heades of the commune coūsailles, very fewe in nombre, but wor­thy mē for their nobilitie and wisedome. Out of these are chosen counsailours for the kynges Courtes, and officers to ad­ministrethe commune wealth, and to de­termine cōtrouersies: yea, capitaines for the warres, and Princes of the realme.

The whole state of Ynde beyng deui­ded into these ordres or degrees: it is also ordeined, that a man shall not marie out [Page]of the ordre, wherin his callyng lieth, ne chaunge his trade. For neither maie the souldiour occupie housebandrie thought he woulde: ne the artificers entremedle with the doctrine of the Sages.

There are also amonge the Yndians, persons of honour appointed to be as it ware Tutours of straungiers, to see that no wronge be done them, to put or­dre for their kepyng, and Phisicke, if any falle sicke. As also (if it fortune any of thē to die) for the bewrieng of theim, and to deliuer their goodes, and money to their nexte friendes.

All causes are broughte afore the iud­ges, who heare the parties, and punysshe the offenders diligently. Ther is no sla­nery amonge them. Yea, thei haue a cer­taine ordinaunce, that none shalbe slaue or bonde amonge them, but all fre, and of equalle aucthoritie and honour. For thei holde opinion that who so accusto­meth his selfe neither to be Lorde ouer other, ne to wrōge any bodie: y^e man hath prepared him selfe sauftie and ease what so euer shall happen hym by any aduen­ture. And a fonde thing ware it to make the lawes indifferente for all, and not to [Page]make the states of the men indifferente

But because ther are in Indemanye sondrie contries, diuerse bothe in people and tongue (as in so large a thing muste nedes happen) ye shall vnderstonde that thei do not all alike vse suche trade as I haue described, but in some plares some­what worse.

Of those that lie towarde the Easte, some occupie brieding, and some do not. Other dwellinge in the mershe, and fen­nes vpon the riuers side: occupie fisshing, and liue by the same all rawe. And the bettre to worcke their feate, thei make them selues boates▪ of suche canes as growe ther, of a wonderfull biggenes.

So, that so muche of the cane as is be­twixte ioyncte and ioyncte, is a iuste pro­porcion of timbre for one of their boates.

These of all the other Indians, are ap­pareilled in matte, made of a certayn [...] softe kinde of mere rushes. Which when thei haue gathered out of the fioude, and sliced oute in maner of lace: they braude together muche like oure figge frail [...]e, or suche like kinde of mattinge, & make them selues ierkins therof.

Those that be yet by Easte of them, are [Page]brieders of cataille: and liue altogether with rawe fleshe, and haue to name Pa­dians. Whose condicions are sayde to be suche.

As often as it fortuneth any of their citezeins to be sicke, yf it be manne: his nierest friendes, and those that are moste aboute him, kylle him by and by. leaste (saye thei) his fleshe should waxe worse. Yea, thoughe he woulde dissemble the matier, and denie him self to be sicke, it boteth not. For withoute pardon, they kille him, and make a feaste with him. If it be a woman, looke how the menne did by the manne, so do the women by a woman. Like wise do thei with bothe sor­tes, when thei waxe croked for age, or be­come impotente: where throughe, what by the one meanes and the other, none of them die for age.

Ther is another sorte of the Indians that kille no liuinge thing, ne plante nor sowe, nor builde house: but liue with her­bes, and a certeine sede whiche groweth there of the owne accorde, muche like vn­to gromelle. whiche thei gather with the cuppe or shelle that it groweth in, and so seeth it, and eate it. If any of these falle [Page]sicke, he wandereth forthe into some de­serte place, and ther laieth him downe: no manne taking hede either to his lieng or to his dienge.

All these Yndians that I nowe haue spoken of, in quenching of natures heate, vse their women as secretly as beastes do their females.

These Yndians haue a kinde of sages, that the Griekes calle. Gimnosophistae, whiche as the worde Sophista soundeth now, might merily be interpreted brie­chelesse bablers. But as Sophista did sig­nefie then, naked Sages: or to giue one Grieke worde for a nother, naked Phi­losophres. These (as Petrarche writeth) haunte the outemoste borders, and sha­dowie partes of that countrie, wadering naked acordinge to their name, vp and downe, heather and theather, studienge, and searching the natures of thinges, the course of the heauens, and the secretes of knowledge. Thei continued sometime al the whole daye from the sonne rising, till his downe goinge: beholdinge the same with stedfaste eye, neuer tourning away the heade (althoughe it be ther moste fer­uently hote) searching and spienge aftre [Page]certaine secretes in the body thereof.

At another time thei passe the day like­wyse, standing one while on one legge, another while on another in y^e brotlinge. sande of that contrie. Froste nor snowe, nor firie heate greued not them.

Amonge these, is ther a people called Brachmanes, whiche (as Didimus their king wrate vnto Alerandre when he wēt aboute to subdue them) liue a pure and simple life, led with no likerous lustes of other mennes vanities. This people lō ­geth for no more then nature requyreth naturallye. Thei are content with suche foode as commeth to hande, desiryng no suche as other menne tourne the worlde almost vpside downe to haue, leauing no elemēt vnransaked to gette a gowbin for their glotenous gorge: but suche as the earth vnploughed, or vndoluē, yeldeth of her self. And because thei acqueinte not their table with surfet, in dede thei know not so many kindes of sickenesses, ne so many names of diseases as we doe: but thei bettre knowe what sounde healthe meaneth, and staied continaunce of the same, then euer we are like.

Thei haue no niede to craue one ano­thers [Page]helpe and reliefe, wher no manne maketh clayme by (thine) and by (myne) but euery manne taketh what he lusteth and lusteth no more then he niedeth. Enuie cannot dwell ther, ne none of her impes, wher all be equalle, and none a­boue other. and all alike poore, maketh all alike riche. Thei hane no officers of Iustice among them, because thei do no­thing that ought to be punisshed. Ther ran no lawe appiere, because none offēce appeareth.

The whole people hath one onely lawe, to do nothinge against lawe that nature prescribeth. To cherishe labour, to barre out ydlenes, and banishe colle couetyse. That lechery licke not away the vigour of their spirites, and strength: nor lacke throwe menne into desperate doompes. That euery manne hath enoughe, wher no manne couettes more. That neuer cō ­tent, is of all other the moste cruell rest­les plague. For whome she catcheth, she throweth a foote beneth beggery, whilest thei canne finde none ende of their scrat­tinge, but the more thei haue, the fellier gnaweth their longing.

Thei warme by the Sonne, the deawe [Page]is their moisture, y^e riuer is their drinke, the faire groūde their bedde. Lare brea­keth not their sleape, Compassing of va­nities wearieth not their minde. Pride hath no stroke ouer them, among whom ther is no diuersite. Neither is their any kinde of bonde knowen amonge them: but the bondage of the body to the minde whiche thei onely allowe to be iuste.

For the building of their houses, they sende not ouer sea for stone, thei burne no Calion to make lime to tempre their mortre, thei bake no brickes, nor diggs no sande. But either make them caues in the earthe, or take suche as thei finde rea­dy made in the sides of the mounteines and hilles. Ther dwel thei with out feare of rage or ruine, of weather or of winde. He thineketh him self sanflter fenced frō showres with his caue, then with a fewe tiles: and yet hath by it a double commo­ditie. A house while he liueth, & a graue ready made when he dyeth. Ther is no glittering apparell, no rattelinge in sul­kes, no rusteling in veluettes, but a litie brieche of brawded russhes, or rather a couering of honeste shamefacednesse.

The women are not sette oute to aliure, [Page]ne pinched in to please, ne garnisshed to­gase at. No heare died, no lockes outelat­ed, no face painted, no skinne slicked, no countrefeicte coūtenaunce, nor mynsing of passe. No poticary practise, no yncke­horne termes, nor pithlessepratlig. Finally no colours of hipocrisie, no meanes to set oute more beautie then nature hathe giuē them. Thei ioyne not in engēdrure for likerous luste, but for the loue of ys­sewe and succession. Thei kepe no war­res, but mainteine peace: not with force, but with peaceable behauour and ma­ners. The father and the mother folowe not the childe to y^e bewrialle. Thei builde no toumbes for the deade: more like vn­to chirches then graues. Thei be wry not vp their asshes in pottes da [...]hed full of pearle and precious stone. For why they estieme in these, neither the honour of the quicke, ne the pleasure of the deade: but raither the trouble and paine of bothe. Pestilence or other diseases (as I haue sayd) the Abrahmanes are not annoyed with, for thei enfecte not the ayer with any filthye doinges. But nature alwaye with them, keapeth accorde with the sea­son: and euery elemente his tourne, with [Page]oute stoppe or barre. Their Phisicque is abstinence, which is able not only to cure the maladie already crepte in: but also to holde oute suche as otherwise mighte en­tre. Thei couette no sightes, nor shewes of misrule: no disguisinges nor entrelu­des. But when thei be disposed to haue the pleasure of the stage, thei entre into the regestre of their stories, & what thei finde there moste fit to be laughed at, that do thei lamence & bewaile. Thei delighte not as many do, to heare olde wiues ta­les, and fantasies of Robin hoode: but in studious consideracion of the wondreful workemanship of the world, & the perfect disposinge of thinges in suche ordre of course and degree. Thei crosse no sease for merchaundise, ne learne no colours of Rethoricque. Thei haue one kinde of plaine eloquence commune to them all: tongue, & harte agreinge in truthe. Thei haue neither moote halles, ne vniuersi­ties, whose disagreable doctrine more leaning to apisshe arte, then natural reason and experience, neuer bringeth anye staye, or certeintie of thinges. One part of this people iudgeth mānes perfeteste blessednes to stande in honestie. And another [Page]in pleasure. Not in the tickelin­ges of the taile, or painperinges of the bealy, more hittre then pleasaūte as thou maye vse them: but to lacke nothing that perfecte nature desireth, ne nothing to do that perfecte nature misliketh. Thei thincke it no honour to God, to slea for him an innocēte beast: yea thei say he ac­cepteth not the sacrifice of men polluted with bloode▪ but rather loueth a wor­ship voide of all bloodsheade. That is to saye the humble entreatie of woorde, be­cause that proprety only (to be entreated with woordes) is commune to God and to manne. With this therefore saye they he is pleased, because we somewhat re­semble him self therin. And this was the life of y^e vnchristened Brahmanes, wher with we christianes are so farre out of loue, that we are afraied leaste any man should beleue it to be true.

The Yndians called Catheis, haue eche man many wiues. And assone as anyone husbande fortuneth to die, his whole nō ­ber of wiues assemble before the chiefest iudges of the citie, and there eche for her self, sheweth and alledgeth her welle de­seruinges towarde her housebande: how [Page]derely she loued him, howe muche she tendered & honoured him. And she that is by them iudged to haue borne her self beste in that behaulfe, and to haue bene dierest to her husbonde: she in the beste maner and moste gorgeous that she can deuise, triumphing and reioyfinge, get­teth her vp vpon the funeralle pyle, wher her housebandes corps lieth ready to be brente, and ther kissinge and enbrasinge the deade body, is burned together with her housebāde. So gladde is she to haue the victorie in the contencion of wiuely chastitie, and honeste behautour toward her husbande. And the other that lyue, thincke them selues dishonoured: and escape not without spotte of reproche as longe as thei liue. Their childrē in their infancie, are not nourisshed vp at the li­bertie and will of the parentes: but cer­teinether are appointed to viewe the children: whiche yf thei spie vntowardnes in the infante, deformitie, or lacke of lym­mes, commaunde it to be slayne.

Thei ioyne not mariages for nobilitie of birthe, or aboundaunce of substaunce, but for beaultie▪ and rather vpō regarde of frute, then of luste.

Certaine also amonge the Yndians haue this custome, that yf thei be of suche pouertie that thei be not able to marye oute their doughters: euen in the floure of her age thei bringe her, or them, furthe into the marcate with trompet & drōme, or suche other their noyses of warre: And their, aftre the multitude is comen toge­ther, the maiden first vncouereth her self wholie vp to the harde shoulders, on the backe haulfe, to be sene starke naked, and aftre that likewise on the bealy. Yf the multitude finde no faulte, but allowe her as worthye to please for her bodye, then marieth she to some one ther, whome she beste liketh.

Megasthenes writeth that vpon diuerse mounteines in Ynde, are people with dogges heades, and lōge clawes, cladde in hydes of beastes, speakinge with us voyce like vnto manne, but barking on­lye, muche like vnto dogges, with mou­thes roughe like a grater.

Thei that dwelle aboute the heade of Ganges, haue no nede of anye kinde of meate: for their liue by the sauour of their frutes. And yf thei fortune to iorney, so that thei thincke to fayle of the sauour [Page]when thei would haue it, they cary with theim to smell to, at times as thei fainte. But if it fortune those to smelle any hor­rible stincke, it is as present deathe vnto theim, as poyson to vs. It is recorded in writyng, that certaine of those ware in Alexandres campe.

We rede also that there are in Inde mē with one eye and no mo. And certein so notably eared that thei hange downe to their hieles, with suche a largenesse that thei may lye in either of them as vp­on a pallet: and so harde, that thei maye rende vp trees with them. Some other also hauing but one legge, but vpon the same such a foote, that when the sonne is hote, and he lacketh shadowe, lyenge downe vpon his backe, and holdinge vp his fote, he largely shadoweth his whole bodie.

It is redde that in Clesia certein wo­men haue but ones childe in all their life time: and the children assone as thei are borne, immediatly to become horeheded. Againe, that there is another nacion, much lōger liued then we are, whiche in their youth are horeheared: and in their age, their heare waxeth blacke. They [Page]affirme also that ther is another sorte of women that conceiue at fyue yeres olde, and liue not aboue the age of. viii. yeres. Ther are also that lacke neckes, & haue their eyes in their shoulders. Ther are also beside these, certeine saluages with dogges heades, & shacke heared on their bodies, that make a very terrible char­ringe with their mouthes.

But in these and suche like tales of the Indians, and their countrie: for that a manne had nede of a redie beliefe that should take theim for truthes, one had not niede to bee to large: considerynge specially that menne nowe a daies, will skante beleue the reporte of other mens writinges, in the thinges that almost lye vndre their noses.

Ther is a place betwixt Gedrosia and the floude Yndus which is called Cathai­nus of the Cathaiens that enhabyte it.

This people ware an offpring of y^e Sci­thiās, muche altered from their naturall condicions, and wonted maners, if that that Altone the Arminiane writeth of them in his storie, be true.

Thei passe (saieth he) all other men in quicke smelling. And thei saye of them [Page]selues, that though all other menne haue two instrumentes of sight, yet do none se with both two in dede, but thei: all other men in cōparison either to haue no sight, or elles as it ware but with one eye.

Their wittinesse is greate, but their boastinge greater. The whole nacion of thē is perswaded, that thei muche passe all o­ther men in knowledge, and the subtilti­es of sciences. Thei are all of colour shi­ning white, smalle eyed, beardelesse by nature. Their lettres are aftre the faciō of the Romaine, all in squares. Thei are diuerselyledde with fonde supersticions, some aftre one sorte, and some aftre ano­ther. But thei are all voyde of the true knowledge which is in Iesus Christe. Some worship the sonne, some y^e moone. Other, ymages of yoten metalle, manie of them an ore. And thus to sondry suche other monsters, hath this people in son­dry wyse deuided it selfe in supersticion. Thei haue no maner of written lawes, nor knowe not what we meane whē we speake of faithfulnesse or trustinesse. And wher (as I said afore) thei haue in al hādi worckes a passing subtiltie of witte, yet in the knowledge of heauenly thinges, [Page]thei are altogether to learne: that is to saie, thei are vtterly ignoraūt. A coward­ly people and very feareful of death. Yet exercise thei a maner of warre, but that thei handle rather by witte, and pollicie, then by strength and hardinesse. In their fighte thei vse a kinde of shaftes, and cer­taine other weapons of flight, vnknowen to other countries.

Their money is a piece of square pa­per, with their Kynges Image vpon it. And because it cannot be durable: ordre is taken, that when it is soiled or dusked muche, with passyng from man to man, thei shall bring it to the coignyng house, and make exchaunge for newe. All their vtensiles and necessaries of house, are of golde, siluer, and other metalles. Oile is so deintie emong theim, that the kyng onely vseth it, as it ware for a precious ointement. Thus haue we treated of the Yndians, and now to their borderers, the Scithians.

¶ The .ix. Chapitre. ¶ Of Scithia and their sterne maners.

SCithia (a countrie li­eng by North) is said of Herodotus, to take the name of Scitha Hercules sonne. Or as Berosus Iudgeth, of an other Scitha, borne ofoure greate graundame Araxe, Noahes wife, that dwelt first in that countrie. This people in the beginnyng, pente within narowe boundes, so in processe by litle and litle, through their valeauntnes and force en­larged their limites: that thei became lordes of many coūtries aboute, and grewe into a great gouernaunce and renoume. Thei nestled first vpon the floude Araxis so fewe in nombre and so base: that no manne thought theim worthie the trou­blyng or talkyng of. But gettyng vnto them a certein king, hardie, of great cou­rage, and notable experience in the war­res: thei enlarged their land so, that thei made it stretche on the one parte (whiche is altogether Hille, and Mounteigne) vnto Caucasus, and ouer al the plain vn­to the Occean, & vnto the greate marshe of Meotis, and Tanais the floude. From [Page]whēce the countrie of Scithia now stretcheth all along toward the East. And because the mounteigne Imaus, ronnyng along as the countrie coasteth, deuides it in the middes into two haulues: the one haulfe is called Scithia within Imaus, and the other without (as ye would saie) on this side the Mounte, and beyonde. There neuer medled any power with theim, that was able to conquere theim: or muche to endamage theim. Thei for­ced Darius, the Kyng of the Persians, with greate dishonour to flie their coun­trie. Theissue Cirus with all his armie. Thei made an ende of Alexandre with al his power. The Romaines sente theim threates thei would warre with theim, but thei proued in fine but wordes. Thei are a people not tameable with any toile bittre warriours, and of greate strength of bodie. At the first very rawe, and with out any ordinarie trade of life: neither knowyng what tillage meant, ne yet ha­uyng any houses or cotages to dwell in. But wandryng vp and boune the wilde fieldes and driuyng their catteille afore theim, their wiues and their children ri­dyng in wagons by them. Thei obserned [Page]iustice, without constraint of lawe. Thei compted none offēce more heinous, then thefce. As folke that had nothyng vndre locke nor keye, barre, nor bolte: but alto­gether in the open fielde. Thei nether oc­cupied golde ne siluer. Their chief foode was milke and Hony. Against colde and other stormes, thei wrapped their bodies in felles, and hides of beastes, and Mice skinnes. Thei knewe not what Wollen meante, ne▪ any facion of garmente.

This maner of life was in many of the Scithians, but not in all. A greate nom­bre of theim, as thei muche differed in di­staunce of place frō other, so differed thei also from other in maners: and vsed a certeine trade of liuyng emong them sel­ues, wherof we aftreward will entreate, when we haue saied somewhat more of their facions in generall.

Many of the Scithians delight in mā slaughter. And the firste man that he ta­keth in fight, his bloud drincketh he: and offreth vnto his Kynge the heades of all those y^t he ther sleaeth. For when he hath so done, he is admitted to be partaker of the butine what so euer it be, whereof he should be otherwise partles. He cutteth [Page]of the heade aftre this sorte. Firste, with his knife he maketh in it a gashe roūde a­boute like a circle, vndre the eares: then taketh he it by the heare of the croune, & striketh it of. That done, he fleaeth it, and taweth the skinne betwixte his han­des, vntill it become very souple and soft and kiepeth it for a hande kercher. This wille he hange vpō the reine of his horse, and glorieth not a litle in it. And he that hath moste of suche hādkerchers, is com­pted the valeauntest manne. There are many also that sowe together these skin­nes of menne, as other doe the skinnes of beastes, and weare theim for their clo­thyng. Some of them flea the right hand of their enemies beyng slaine, so that the nailes also remain vpon the fingres, and make couers of theim for their quiuers.

Many of thē flea the whole bodie, and stretche out the skinne vpō certaine stic­kes fitted for the nones, and so sprede thē vpon their Horse. Of the Skulles of the heades thus slaine, thei make masures to drincke in: coueryng them on the outside with rawe Neates leather, and gilding them on the inside, if he be of habilitie. And when any gheste of estimacion com­meth [Page]rounde aboute, all to begasshe his fore­heade and his nose, & shoote him through the lifte hande, in thre or fowre places. Then laie thei the corps in a Carte, and cary it to the Gerrites, where the Sepul­chres of all their Kynges are. And thei dwell vpō the floude Boristhenes, about the place wher it becometh first saileable. This people when thei haue receiued it, trenche out a square plotte in the ground very wide and large. And then rippe the healy of the corps, and bowelle it cleane: clensyng it and drieng it from all filthe, and fille it vp with Siler Montanum, Franckencense, Smallache siede, and A­nise siede, beaten together in a Mortre. And when thei haue sowed it vp againe close, thei ceare the whole bodie, and con­ueighe the same in a Carte, to the nexte people vndre the gouernaūce of the Sci­thiās, whiche with honour receiue it, and conueigh it vnto the nexte of their domi­nion: and so from one to another, vntle it haue passed rounde aboute, to as many peoples, as are of their dominion, and be comen againe to the place of bewriall e­mong the Gerrites. whether it is accom­painied with a certain of all the peoples, [Page]to whom it hath comen, as thei gathered encreace from place to place. Thei, aftre what tyme thei haue laied the corps, co­phine and all, vpon a bedde of state, amid the square afore mencioned: sticke doune their iauelines and speares aboute him, and with stickes laied ouer from one to another, frame as it ware a Cielyng, whiche thei couer with a funeralle palle. Then in the reste of the voide space, that yet remaines in the Cophine made for the nones: thei bewrie one of his dierest lemmans, a waityng manne, a Cooke, a Horsekeper, a Lacquie, a Butler, and a Horse. Whiche thei al first strangle, and thruste in, together with a porcion of all sortes of plate, and of euery suche thyng as apperteined to his housholde, or body. And when the yere comes about, then do thei thus. Thei take of those that ware nerest aboute the Kyng (now there are none aboute the king, but thei be Scithi­ans free borne, and suche as his self doth commaunde: for he maie be serued with no bought slaue) of those take thei fiuetie and as many of his best horses. And whē thei haue strangeled bothe the men and the horses, they bowell the Horses, stuffe [Page]their bealies againe with Chaffe, and sowe theim vp close, and sette the menne vppon their backes. Then make thei a voulte ouer roūd about the bordre of the greate square, and so dispose these Horse menne enuiron the same, that thei sieme a farre of, a troupe of liuyng horsemen gardyng the kyng.

The communes haue also a maner of bewrialle aftre a like sorte. When one of theim dieth, his nexte neighbours and kindsfolke laie hym in a Carte, and cary hym aboute to euery of his frindes: whi­che at the receipte of hym make a feaste, aswell to the kindsmen, as to all the resi­dewe that accompaignie the corps. And when thei haue thus caried hym aboute by the space of fowretene daies, he is be­wried. All the braine of his heade beyng first piked out, and the skulle rinsed with water cleane. Aboute the bodie thei sette vp three sparres of woodde slopyng, and restyng one vpon another at the coppes. Rounde about these sparres, thei straine cappyng wollen, patkyng theim as close as thei can. And within betwixt the spar­ [...]es, as it ware in the middest ouer the deade, thei set a traie or shallowe trough, [Page]where in to thei caste a kinde of stones, that glistereth by fire light.

The menne emong the Scithians, do not vse to washe thē selues. But the wo­men vse to powre water vpon their own bodies, and to rubbe themselues against some roughe stone: and then with a piece of a Cipresse, Ceadre, or Encence tree, to grate their whole bodie, vntill it be some what bollen or swollen. And then enoint thei bothe that and their face, with cer­taine medicines for the nones: whereby thei become the nexte daie a of very good smell, and (when the medicine is washed awaie) sticke and smothe.

Their commune othe, and the othe of charge in maciers of controuersie, or iudgemente, is by the kynges clothe of e­state: by the whiche if a man shalbe tried to haue forsworne hymself (as their en­chauntours haue a maner to trie with sa lowe roddes whether thei haue or not) by and by without respighte, he loseth his heade, and all his goodes. whiche tourne to the vse of them that haue proued hym pertured.

The Massagetes, a people of Scithia in Asie, beyond the sea called Caspiū mare [Page]in appareille and liuyng, muche like to the Scithians, and therefore of some so called: vse to sighte bothe on horse backe and on foce, with suche actiuitie and force, that thei are almoste inuincible in bothe. Their weapons are bowe and arrowes, Launces and Armynge swordes. Their beltes aboute their waste, the ornament of their heades, and their pollerone, are garnished with golde. Their Horses are barbed on the brest, with barbes of gold. Their reines, bridles, and trappour are all of golde. The heades of their Laun­ces are of Brasse, and their Quiures ar­med with Brasse. As for Siluer and I­ron thei occupie none. Eche manne ma­rieth one wife, and yet are the wiues of them all, commune one to another, whi­che thyng is not vsed emong any of the other Scithians. When so euer any man lusteth for the compaignie of his womā, he hangeth vp his quiuer vpon the carie wherein his wife is caryed by hym, and there openly without shame coupleth.

When any one of this people wareth very aged, his friendes, acquaintaunce, and kindesfolke assēbled together, make a bealie Sacrifice of hym: sleayng as ma­ny [Page]shiepe besides, as will serue for the fulnesse of the nombre. And when thei haue dressed theim, eate parte and parte like, the one with the other. And this kinde of departynge is compted emong theim, of all other moste blessed. If any fortune to pine awaie of sickenesse, hym eate thei not: but put in a hole, and throwe earthe vpō him. Sory for the losse, that he came not to the feaste.

Thei neither sowe nor mowe, but liue by flesshe of suche beastes as thei haue, and suche fishe as Araxe the floude doeth plēteously minister vnto them: and with drinckynge of Milke, wherof thei make no spare. Thei knowe no goddes but the Sonne: In whose honour thei offre vp Horses in Sacrifice, as beyng in swifte­nesse moste like vnto the Sonne.

The Seretines are a debonaire peo­ple, and suche louers of quiernesse, that thei shōne to entremedle with any other people. Merchaūtes passe their outmost floude toward them, but thei maie come no nigher. Along the banques there, thei sette out suche thynges, as thei are dispo­sed to selle. Not the Merchauntes, but the indwellers of the Countrie. For thei [Page]selle to other, and buie of none. And thei sette them in ordre as thei iudge them in price. The buyer cometh, and as he iud­geth theim by his eye to be worthe, with­out further trade or feloweshippe be­twixte theim, so laieth he doune. And if thei receiue it, he departeth with y^e ware. Emong them is there neither whore nor thiefe, nor adulteresse broughte to iudge­mente. Neither was it euer hearde, that there was a manne slaine emong theim. For the feare of their Lawes woorketh more strongly with theim, then the in­fluences of the Starres. Thei dwelle as it ware in the beginnyng, or entryng of the worlde. And for that thei liue aftre a chast sort: thei are neither skourged with Blastynges, ne Haile, ne Pestilence, ne suche other euilles. No manne toucheth a woman there, aftre she hath conceiued, ne yet in the tyme of her flowres. Thei eate none vncleane beastes, ne knowe what Sacrifisyng meaneth. Euery man there is his owne Iudge, acordyng to Iustice. Therefore are thei not chastised with suche corrections as happen vnto o­ther for synne, but bothe continue long in life, and die wighout grief.

The Tauroschithiās (so called for that thei dwell aboute the mounteigne Tau­rus) offre as many as fortune to make Shipwracke vpon their shore:) to the vir­gine, whose name ye shall aftre heare. And if it fortune any Greke or Grekes, to be driuen thether, him doe thei Sacri­fice after this maner.

Afire what tyme thei haue made pra­yer after their maner, thei strike of his heade with an hachet. And (as some saie) tomble doune the carkesse into the Sea, (for this Virgine hath a Chapelle vpon the toppe of a high clieue, hangyng ouer the Sea, where this feate is doone) and naile vp the heade vpon a Giber. In this poincte of nailyng vp the heade, all the writers agre, but in tomblyng doune the body, not so▪ for some affirme that the bo­dy is bewried. The Virgine Deuille, to whom thei Sacrifice: is laied to be Iphi­genia Agamēnons doughter. Their en­nemies as many as thei take, thus thei handle. Euery manne cutteth of his pri­soners head, and carieth it home: and fa­steneth it vpon the ende of a long pole, & setteth it vp: some vpon their house toppe some vpō their chimneis as high as thei [Page]can. And no merueile though thei set thē so that thei might well see rounde about theim: for thei saie: thei are the wardens and kepers of al their whole house. Thei liue by spoile, and by warre.

The Agathirsians are menne verie neare & fine, & greate wearers of golde in their appareill. Thei occupie their wo­men in commune, so that thei seme all of one kindred, and one householde: neuer striuyng nor grudgyng one with ano­ther, muche like in body vnto the Thra­cians.

The Neuriens vse the maners of the Sithians. This people the somer before that Darius set furthe, ware constrai­ned for the greate multitude of Serpen­tes y^t ware bredde in their quartres, to chaunge their dwellyng place. Thei ve­rily doe belieue, and wille sweare it: that euery yere ones for a certaine daies, thei become Woulues, and retourne againe into their former shape and state.

The Antropophagites (so called for that thei liue by mannes fleshe) of all menne, are the worste cōdicioned, without lawe, or officer, appareilled like the Scithiens: but in language like vnto no bodye but [Page]them selues.

The Melanchleni do all weare blacke, as their name dothe signifie. And of these also are eaters of mannes fleshe: so manie as folowe the trade of the Sci­thians.

The Budines are a great nacion, and a populous, graye eyed, & redde headed al. Their heade citie is Gelone, wherof thei are also called Gelonites. Thei kepe euery thirde yere a reuelle in the honour of Bacchus: whereat thei make reuelle in dede, yea, reuell route. Thei ware some­time Griekes, whiche put of fro their countrie, seatled them selues there. And by processe, losing the proprietie of their owne tongue, became in lāguage haulfe Grekes, and haulfe Scithians. Yet are the Gelonites bothe in language and liuinge, different from the Budines. For the Budines being natiue of the place, are brieders of Catteile: The Gelo­nites, occupienge tilthe: liue by corne, and haue their frute yardes. Neyther lyke in colour ne countenaunce to the other. All their quartres are verye full, and thicke of trees. It hathe also ma­ny meres and greate. In and about the [Page]whiche thei take Ottres, and Beauers, & many other beastes: of whose skinnes they make them pilches, and Ierkins.

The Lirceis liue by woodmanshippe, and huntinge, and aftre this maner. Their countrie beinge also very thicke of trees, thei vse to climbe suche as sie­meth them beste: and there awaite their game. At the foote of euery mannes tree lieth a dogge, and a horse well taughte to couche flatte on the bealy, as lowe as can bee. When the beaste cometh within daungier, he shoteth. And yf he hitte, he streighte commeth downe, taketh his horse backe, & foloweth with his hoūde.

The Argippians dwell vndre the foote of the highe mountaines. Men whiche fro their birthe are balde, bothe the ma­les and the females. Their noses tourne vp like a shoinge horne, and their chin­nes be great out of measure. The sounde of their voice vnlike to all other: ther ap­parell aftre the sorte of the Scithians. Thei haue small regarde to brieding: by the reason wherof thei haue smalle store of cattaile. Thei lie vndre trees, which in the wintre thei couer ouer with a white kinde of felte, and in the somer take the [Page]same awaye, and lie vndre the open tree. Ther is no manne that wil harme them for that thei are compted holy halowed: neither haue thei anye kinde of armour, or weapō of warxe. These men haue the arbitrement of their neigbours contro­uersies rounde aboute And as thei deter­mine so are thei ended. Who so flieth vn­to them, is saufe as in sanctuary.

The Issedonnes haue this propretie. When so euer any mannes father ther, dieth: all his kinsfolke bringe euery man one beast or other to the house of y^e sonne that kepeth the funeral. Which whē thei haue killed and minsed: they minse also the body of the deade. And bothe the fles­shes beinge mingled together, thei fall to the banket. Then take thei the dead mannes heade, & pike the braine oute cleane, and all other moistures and ragges, and when thei haue guilte it, thei vse it for a representaciō of the partie departed. So­lempnisinge euery yere furthe, the me­moriall, with newe ceremonies, and mo. This bothe the sonne for the father, and the father for the sonne, as the Grekes kepe their birthe daies.

These are also sayde to be verye iuste [Page]dealers, & their wiues to be as valeaunte and hardie as the husbādes. Suche haue the maners of the Scithians bene. But afterwarde being subdued by the Tarta­res, and wearing by processe into their maners and ordinaunces: thei nowe liue all after one sorte, and vndre one name.

¶ The .x. Chapiter. ¶ Of Tartarie, and the maners and power of the Tar­tarians.

TArtaria, otherwyse called Mongal: As Vincentuis wryteth, is in that parte of the earthe where the Easte and the northe ioyne together. It had vpō the easte, the londe of the Katheorines and Solangores, on the South, the Saracenes: on the weste the Naymaniens, & on the northe is enclo­sed with the occean. It hath the name of the floude Tartar that ronneth by it. A country very hilly, and full of mountai­nes. And wher it is champe in, myngled with sāde and grauelle. Barreine, except [Page]it be in places where it is moysted with floudes, which are very fewe. And ther­fore it is muche waaste, and thinly enha­bited. Ther is not in it one Citie, ne one village beside Cracuris. And wood in the moste parte of the country so skante, that the enhabitaūtes are faine to make their fyre, and dresse their meate with the drie donge of neate and horses. The ayer in­temperate and wonderfulle. Thondre, and lightening in somer so terrible, that sondry do presently die for very feare.

Nowe is it broiling hote, and by and by bittre colde, and plenty of snowe. Suche stronge windes sometime, that it staieth horse and man, and bloweth of the rider: teareth vp trees by the rootes, and do­eth muche harme. In wintre it neuer raineth ther, and in Somer very often. But so slendrely, that the earthe is skante wette with al. And yet is ther great store of Cattaile: as Camelles, neate. &c. And horses and mares, in suche plentie, as I beleue no parte of the earth hath againe. It was first enhabited of foure peoples. Of the Ieccha mongalles that is to saye, the greate mongalles. The Sumongalles, that is to say the watre mongalles, whi­che [Page]called them selues Tartares, of the floude Tartar whose neighbours thei are.

The thirde people ware called Mer­chates, and the fourthe Metrites. There was no difference betwixte them eyther in body or lāguage, but al aftre one sorte and facion. Their behauour was in the beginning very brute, and farre oute of ordre, without lawe or discipline, or any good facion. Thei liued amonge the Scithians, and kept herdes of cattalle in very base state and condition: and ware tributaries to all their neighbours.

But within a while aftre, thei deuided them selues as it ware into wardes, to e­uery of the which was appointed a capi­taine: in whose deuises and consentes cō ­sisted thordre of the whole. Yet ware thei tributaries to the Naimānes (their next neighbours) vntyll Canguista by a cer­taine prophecie was chosen their kynge. He assone as he had receiued the gouer­naunce, abolished all worshippe of deuil­les, and commaunded by commune de­cree that all the whole nacion should ho­nour the highe godeuerlasting: by whose prouidence he would seme to haue recei­ued [Page]the kingdome. It was further de­treed that as manye as ware of age to beare armour, should be preste, and rea­dy with the kyng at a certeyne daye.

The multitude that serued for their warres, was thus destributed. Their capitai­nes ouer ten (which by a terme borowed of the Frenche, we calle Diseners, are at the cōmaundemente of the Centurians. And the Cēturiane obeied the Millena­rie, that had charge of a thousande. And he againe was subiecte to the grande Coronelle that had charge ouer ten thou sande: aboue the whiche nombre thei mounted no degree of captaines.

This done, to proue the obedience of his subiectes, he commaunded seuen sonnes of the Princes or Dukes whiche before had gouerned the people: to be slaine by the hādes of their owne fathers, and mo­thers. Whiche thinge althoughe it ware muche againste their hartes, and an hor­rible diede, yet did thei it. Partely vppon the feare of the residew of the people: and partly vpon conscience of their obediēce. For why, the people thoughte when thei sawe him begyn aftre this sorte: thei had had a god amongest them. So that in di­sobeynge [Page]of his commaundemente, thei thought thei should not haue disobeied a king but God him selfe.

Canguista takinge stomake with this power, firste subdued those Scithians that bordred vpon him, and made them tributaries. And where other afore had bene tributaries also vnto thein: now re­ceiued he in that one peoples righte, tri­bute of many. Then settinge vpon those that ware further of, he had suche prosperous successe that from Scithia to the sonne risinge, and fro thence to the mid­dle earthe sea, and beyonde: he broughte all together vndre his subiection. So that he moughte nowe worthely wryte him selfe highe Gouernour, and Empe­rour of the Easte.

The Tartares are very deformed, li­tle of bodie for the moste parte, hauyng great stiepe eyes: and yet so heary on the eye liddes, that there sheweth but litle in open sight. Platter faced and beardlesse, sauyng vpon the vpper lippe, and a litle about the poincte of the chinne thei haue a feawe heares as it ware priched in with Bodkins. Thei be communely all, slen­dre in the waste. Thei shaue the hindre [Page]haulfe of the heade, rounde aboute by the croune, from one eare to another: com­passyng towarde the nape of the necke after suche a facion, that the polle behind sheweth muche like the face of a bearded manne. On the other parte, thei suffre their heare to growe at lengthe like our women: whiche thei deuide into two tres­ses, or braudes, and bryng aboute to fa­sten behinde their eares. And this maner of shauyng, do thei vse also that dwelle a­mong theim, of what nacion so euer thei be. Thei theim selues are very light and nimble: good on Horse, but naughte on foote. All from the moste to the leaste, as well the women as the menne: doe ride either vpon Geldynges, or Rien, where so euer thei become. For stoned Horses thei occupie none, ne yet Gelding that is a striker, and lighte of his heles. Their bridelles are trimmed with muche gold, siluer, and precious stones. And it is com­pted a ioly thyng emong theim: to haue a great sort of siluer sounded belles, gyn­glyng aboute their horse neckes. Their speache is very chourlishe and loude.

Their singyng is like the bawlynge of Woulues. When thei drincke, thei shake [Page]the heade: and drincke thei do very often euen vnto drōckennesse, wherin thei glo­rie muche. Their dwellyng is neither in tounes ne Bouroughes. But in the fiel­des abrode, aftre the maner of thaunciēt Scithians in tentes. And the ratherso, for that thei are all moste generally catteill mastres. In the wintre time thei are wōt to drawe to the plaines, & in the Somer season, to the mounteignes & hillie places for the better pasture. Thei make theim Tentes, or elles rounde cotages of wic­kres, or of Felte vndersette with smothe poles. In the middes thei make a round windowe that giueth thē lighte, & letteth out the smoke. In the middes of the Tēt, is their fire, aboute the whiche their wife and their children doe sitte. The menne delight muche in dartyng, shootyng, and wrastelyng. Thei are merueilous good hunters, to the whiche thei go armed at all pieces. And assone as thei espie the beaste, thei come costing together rounde aboute and enclose her. And when euery manne hath throwen his darte, or shotte his arrowe: whilest the beast is troubled & amased with the stripes, thei steppe in to her, & slea her. Thei neither vse breade [Page]ne bakyng: table clothe ne napkin.

Thei belieue that there is one GOD that made all thynges, bodily & ghostly, sene or vnsene, and hym thei honour: but not with any maner of Sacrifice or cere­monie. Thei make theim selues litle pu­pettes of silke or of felte, or of thrumme, like vnto menne: whiche thei sette vp v­pon eche side of their Tentes, and do thē muche reuerence, beseching them to take hede to their catteille. To these thei offre the first milke of all their milche catteill, of what kinde so euer thei be. And before thei begin either to eate or drinke aught, thei fette a porcion thereof before theim. Looke what beaste thei kille to be eaten, thei reserue the harte all nighte in some couered cuppe, and the nexte mornynge seath it and eate it.

Thei worshippe also and Sacrifice to to the Sonne, Moone, and elementes fo­wre. To Cham also their Lorde and Kyng, thei do very deuoute honour and Sacrifice: supposyng him to be the sonne of god, and to haue no piere in the whole worlde: neither can thei abide to heare any other manne name hym.

This people so despiseth al other men, [Page]and thincke theim selues so farre to sur­mount them in wisedome and goodnes: that thei abhorre to speake to theim, or to compaignie with theim. Thei calle the Pope and all christen menne, Doggues and Idolatres: beeause thei honour sto­nes and blocques. And thei theim selues (beyng giuen to deuelishe supersticions) are markers of dreames, & haue dreame readers emong theim: as well to enter­preate their sweuens, as to aske knowe­ledge of Idolles. In whom thei are per­swaded that God speaketh: and therfore acordyng to their answeres, frame them selues to do. Thei marke many seasons, and specially haue regarde to the chaun­ges of the Moone. Yet make thei for no season, ne chaunge, any singuler holidaie or obseruaunce: but ilike for them all in­differently. Thei are of so gredie a couei­tousenesse, and desire, that if any of them se aughte, that he coueiteth to haue, and cannot obtein with the good wille of the owner: if it apperteigne to no Tartarre, he will haue it by force. And thei thincke (through a certein ordenaunce that their Kyng made) thei offende not therin. For suche a commaundemente had thei of [Page]Canguista, and Cham, their firste Kyn­ges: That if it fortune any Tartarre, or Tartarres sernaunt, to finde in his waie, horse, man, or womā, without the kinges [...]ettres or his saulfcōduite: he should take it, him, her, or them as his owne for euer.

To suche as lacke money thei lende, but for shamefull gaines: that is to saie, two shillynges of the pounde for euery Monethe. And if it fortune ye to faile to make paiemente at the daie: ye shall also be forced to paie the enterest, acording to the rate of the Vsurie. That is to saie, of euery tenth penie, one.

Thei do so polle and oppresse their tri­butaries, with subsidies, taxes and talla­ges, as neuer did people but thei, that e­uer manne redde of. It is beyonde belief to saie. Thei euer coueite, and as Lordes of all, do rape, and rende from other, and neuer recompence aught. No, the begger that liueth on almose, getteth not an a­guelette of hym. Yet haue thei this one praise worthie propretie, that if he for­tune to finde them at meate: thei neither shutte the doore against hym, ne thruste him out, if he be disposed to eate. but cha­ritably bidde them, and parte with them [Page]suche as thei haue. But thei fiede the vn­clenliest in the worlde, as I haue saied, without table clothe, napkinne, or towell to couer the horde, or to wipe at meate, or aftre. For thei neither washe hande, face, ne body, ne any garmēte that thei weare, Thei nether eate bread, nor make bread, nor sallottes nor potage, nor any kinde of Pultz. But no maner of flesshe cometh to them amisse. Dogges, Cattes, Horses and rattes▪ Yea, sometime to shewe their crueltie, and to satissie their vengeaunce, the bodies of suche their enemies, as thei haue taken, thei vse to roste by a greate fire: and when thei bee assembled a good nombre together, thei teare theim of the spittes like Woulues, with their tieche, and deuoure thē. And aftreward drincke vp the bloude, whiche thei reserue afore hande for the nones. Otherwise thei vse to drincke Milke. Thei haue no wine of the coūtrie it self, but suche as is brought into thē thei drincke very gredilie. Thei vse to Lowse one anothers heade; and e­uer as thei take a Lowce to eate her, sai­eng: thus wille I doe to our enemies. It is compted a greate offence emong them to suffre drincke, or a piece of meate to be [Page]loste. Thei neuer therfore giue the bone to the Dogge, till thei haue eaten out the marrowe. Thei neuer eate beaste (suche vile niggardes thei are) as long as the same is soūde & in good likyng: but whē it fortuneth to be hurte, sicke, or febled by age, then bewrie they it in their bealies. Thei are greate sparers, & contente with smalle chaunge, and litle foode. Thei drincke in the mornyng, a goblet full of Milke or twaine, whiche serueth theim sometyme for their whole daies foode.

The men and the women moste com­munely are appareilled ylike. The men weare vpon their heades shallowe copin tackes, cōmyng out behinde with a taile of a handefull and a haulfe long, and as muche in breadth: whiche thei fasten vn­dre their chinnes, for falling or blowing of, with a couple of strynges of ribbande lace, as we doe our nighte cappes. Their maried Women weare on their heades, fine wickre Basquettes of a foote and a haulf long: round, and flatte on the toppe like a barrelle. Whiche are either garni­shed with chaūgeable silkes, or the gaiest parte of the Pecockes feathers, and sette with golde and stones of sondrie sortes. [Page]As for the residue of their bodie, thei wea [...] acording to their abilitie, bothe men and women, Skarlet or Veluet, or other sil­kes. Thei weare coates of a straunge fa­cion, open on the left side, whiche thei put on acordingly, and fasten with fowre or fiue Buttons. Their Somer wiedes are all cōmunely blacke: and those that thei weare in Wintre and foule weather, white: and neuer lower then the knee. Wearing furres (wherin thei muche de­light) thei weare not the furre inwarde, as we communely doe: but contrariwise the heare outwarde, that thei maie eni [...]ie the pleasure of the shewe.

It is harde to discerne by the appareile the maide, fro the wife, or the woman fro the manne: so like araied doe the menne and the womē go. Thei weare brieches, the one and the other. When thei shal go to the skirmishe, or to battaille, some co­uer their armes (whiche at all other ty­mes are naked) with plates of iron, buc­keled together alonge, in many pietes, that thei may the easelier sturre their ar­mes. Some doe the same with many fol­des of Lcather: wherwith thei also arme their head. Thei cannot handle a target: [Page]nor but fewe of theim a launce or a long sweard. Thei haue curtilasses of iij. quarters longe: not double edged but backed. Thei fighte all with a quarter blowe, & neither right downe, ne foyning. Thei be very redy on horsebacke, and very skilful archers. He is compted moste valeaūte, that best obserueth the commaundement and the obedience dewe to his capitaine. Thei haue no wages for their souldie, yet are thei prest, and ready in all affay­res, and all commaundementes. In bat­tayle, and otherwise wher oughte is to be done, very politike and experte. The prin­ces and capitaines entre not the battle, but standing aloofe, crye vnto their men, and harten them on: lookinge diligently aboute on euery side what is nedefull to be done. Sometime to make the armye sieme the greater, and the more terrible to the ennemy: thei set vp on horsebacke their wiues and their children, yea and men made of cloutes. It is no vilany a­monge them to flye: if any thinge maye eyther be saued or wonne by it. When thei will shoote, thei vnarme their righte arme, and then let thei flye with suche vi­olence, that it pearceth all kinde of ar­mour. [Page]Thei giue the onset flockinge in plumpes, and likewise in plompes they flie. And in the flighte thei so shoote backe warde behinde them, that thei slea many of their ennemies pursuinge the chase. And when thei perceiue their ennemies dispersed by pursuinge the chase, or not to fighte any thing wholie together: sou­deinly retourninge, thei beginne a newe onset with a hayle of shotte, neither spa­ring horse ne mā. So that oftetimes thei ouercome when thei are thoughte to be vāquisshed. when thei come to enuade a­ny quartre or countrie, thei deuide their armie, and sette vpon it on euery parte: so that the enhabitours can neither haue laisure to assemble and resiste, ne waye to escape. Thus are thei alway sure of the victory, whiche thei knytte vp with moste proude crueltie. Neither sparinge manne woman ne childe, olde ne younge sauing the artificer onely, whome thei reserue for their own vses. And this slaughter make thei aftre this maner. When thei haue all taken them, thei distribute them to their Centurians: who com­mitte them againe to the slaues: to e­uery one fewer or moe acordinge to the [Page]multitude. And when the slaues haue all slayne them as bouchers kylle hogges: then for a terrour to al other ther about: of euery thousāde of y^e dead thei take one, and hange him vp by the hieles vpon a stake, amydde these deade bodies: and so ordre his heade as though it appiered by his facion or maner of hanginge, that he yet bothe harkened the complainte of his felowes, and lessoned them againe. Ma­ny of the Tartarres when the bodies lie fresshe bliedinge on the grounde, laye them downe alonge, and sucke of y^e bloud a full gloute.

Thei kepe faithe to no manne, howe de­pely so euer thei binde them selues ther­vnto. Thei deale yet wou [...]se with those that thei ouercome with force. The mai­dens and younge women thei deflowre, and defile as thei come to hande, neither do thei iudge it any dishonestie. The be­autifuller sorte thei leade away with thē: and in ertreame misery, constraine them to be their slaues all their lyfe longe.

Of all other thei are moste vnbrideled in leachery. For althoughe thei marye as many wiues as thei luste, and are able to kepe: no degre prohibited, but mother, [Page]doughter, and sister: yet are thei as rācke bouguers with mankinde, and with bea­stes, as the Saracenes are, and no punishmente for it amonge them. The woman that thei marie, thei neuer take as wife, ne receiue any dowrie with her, vntill she haue borne a childe. So that if she be bar­ren he maye caste her vp, and mary ano­ther.

This is a notable meruaile, that though amonge theim manye women haue but one manne: yet thei neuer lightely falle out, ne brawle one with another for him. And yet are the menne parcialle in theyr loue: shewing muche more fauour to one then another, and goynge fro the bedde of the one, streighte to the bedde of an o­ther. The women haue their seuerall tē ­tes and householdes: And yet liue verye chastely, and true to their housebandes. For bothe the manne and the woman ta­ken in adultery, suffre death by the lawe.

Those that are not occupied for y^e war­res, driue the catteile a fielde, and there kepe them. Thei hunte, and exercise them selues in wrastlinge, other thing doe thei not. The care of prouision for meate and drincke, appareille and householde, they [Page]betake to the women. This people hath many supersticious toyes. It is a hey­nous matier with them, to touche y^e fier, or take flesshe out of a potte with a knife. Thei hewe or choppe no maner of thing by the fire, leasse by any maner of mea­nes, thei might fortune to hurte the thing which alway thei haue in reuerence, and iudge to be the clenser, and purifier of al thinges. To laye them downe to reste vppon the whippe that thei stirre theyr horse with (for spurres they vse none) or to touche their shaftes therewith, in no wyse thei wylle not. Thei neither kille younge birdes, ne take them in the neste or otherwaies. Thei beate not the horse with the bridle. Thei breake not one bone with another. Thei are ware, not to spill any spone meate, or drincke, specially milke. No manne pisseth within the compasse of their soiourning place. And if a­ny one of self willed stubbornesse should do it, he ware sure withoute all mercy to die for it. But if necessitie constraine thē to do it (as it often happeneth) then the tente of hym that did it, with all that is in it, muste be clensed and purified aftre this maner. They make two fires, thre [Page]strides one from another. And by ethe fire thei pitche downe a Iaueline. Vpon them is tied a lyne stretching fro the one to the other, and couered ouer with but­kerame. Betwene these. ii. Iauelins, as throughe a gate, muste all thinges passe that are to be purified. Two women (to whome this office belongeth) stande, on either side one, sprinckelinge on watre, and mumblinge certaine verses. No straūgier, of what dignitie so euer he be, or of howe greate importaunce so euer the cause of his comming be: is admitred to the kinges sighte before he be purified He that treadeth vppon the thressholde of the tente wherin their kinge, or anye of his chiefteines lyeth, dieth for it in the place. If any manne bite a gobet, grea­ter then he is able to swallowe, so that he be constrained to put it out of his mouth againe: thei by and by make a hole vn­dre the tent, and ther drawe him out, and cruelly slea him. Many other thinges ther are which thei compte for faultes be yonde all forgiuenesse. But to sl [...]a a mā, to enuade a nother mannes country, cō ­trary to all righte and reason, to bereue them of their goodes and possessions, to [Page]breake the preceptes of God, thei estieme as nothinge. Thei haue a beliefe that af­tre this life thei shal liue for euer in ano­ther worlde (but what maner of worlde thei cannot telle) & ther receiue rewarde for their well doinges. When any of thē falleth sicke, & lieth at the pointe of death, thei sticke vp a Iaueline with a piece of blacke clothe at the dore of the tēte wher he lieth, that none come in as they passe by. For no manne when he seeth this, dare entre thether vncalled.

Aftre what time the sicke is deade, his whole house gather together, and priue­ly conueighe the cor [...]s into some place withoute the tente, chosen for y^e purpose. Ther cut they out a tr [...]he, broade and diepe enoughe to sette vp another lyttle tent in: so that the toppe of the tent maye be well within the grounde. In that thei prepare a table with a banket: at the whiche thei sette the deade bodye in his beste appareille. And so together, as it ware with one hāde, couer all with earth againe. Thei bewry with him also some beaste of bourden, and a horse ready sad­led and appointed to ride. The gentlemē by their life time, appointe out a slaue [Page](whome thei marke with their brande) to be specially bewried with him when he dieth. And this do thei vpon perswasi­on of a life in another worlde, wher thei woulde be loth to lacke these necessaries. Then doe the deades friendes take ano­ther horse, and slea him. And when they haue eaten the flesshe, thei stuffe the hide full of haye, and sowe it againe together and sette it vp ouer the graue vpon foure poles, in remembraunce of the deade. The bones do the two ordenarie women burne, for the clensinge and purifienge of the soule. But the gentlemen, and thei of higher degree, handle the hide aftre ano­ther maner. Thei cut it out into very fine thonges, to asmuche lengthe as thei can, and measure oute asmuche grounde a­boute the Sepulchre as the thonge wille stretche vnto. for so muche groūd thincke thei shall the deade haue in another worlde. At the thirtieth daye thei ende their mourning.

Certaine of the Tartarres, professing the name of Christe, yet farre from his righteousnes: when their parentes waxe aged, to ha [...]e their death, [...]rame thē with gobins of farre. Whē thei die thei burne [Page]them to [...]ouldre, whiche thei reserue as [...] precious Iewelle, to strawe vppon their meate euery daie. But to declare with what solempnitie and [...]oifulnes thei sette vp their newe Rynge, aftre the death of tholde: because it ware to longe a thyng, bothe for the reader & writer to set out as length, I will shewe you in brief theffects

Abrode in the fieldes, in a faire plaine ordenary for the purpose: all the Dukes, Erles, Barons, Lordes, and the reste of the nobilitie, together with the people of the whole kyngdome, do assemble. Then take thei hym, to whō the croune is due, either by succession, or by election. And when thei haue set hym vp in a throne of Golde: thei all fall doune on their knees, and together with one voice crie out a loude, aftre this maner. We require the, yea, we will and commaunde the, to take the rule & gouernaunce of vs. He answe­reth, if ye will haue me doe so, then must ye of necessitie be redy to do whatsoeuer I commaunde ye. To come when I calle ye, to go whether so euer I sende ye, to slea whom so euer I commaūde ye, with­out sraieng or srackering. and to put the whole kingdome and rule in my handes, [Page]when thei haue aunswered, we are con­tent: Saieth he againe, from hencefurthe then the speache of my mouth, shalbe my swearde. To this the people yealde with greate shoutes, and reioisynges. In the meane while the princes and the nobles, taking the king our of his throne, spread abrode on the grounde a piece of felte: v­pon the whiche, thei cause hym in simple sorte to sitte doune, and thus saie to hym. Looke vp, and remembre GOD aboue the. And now looke doune also, and be­hold this felt vndre the. If thou gouerne welle, thou shalte haue all euen as thou wouldest wisshe it. But if contrary wise, thou shalt so be broughte doune againe, and so nighe be bereued of all: that thou shalte not haue so muche, as this poore felte left the, whervpon thou sittest. This ones saied, thei sette in to hym, of all his wiues the dierest derlyng. And liftyng vp the felte alofte, haile hym by the name of Emperour, & her by the name of Em­presse. Then come there presētes streight from al countries, and peoples of his do­minion: and all the Threasoures that the kyng, his predecessour lefte, are brought him. Of the whiche he giueth giftes to al [Page]the princes and high estates: commaun­dyng the reste to be kepte for himself, and so dissolueth the Parlament as it ware.

In his hande and power is then alto­gether, no manne can: or though he can, he dare not saie this is myne, or this is his. No man maie dwelle in any parte of the lande, but in that wherevnto he is appoincted. The Emperour hymself ap­poincteth the Dukes: the Dukes, the Millenaries: the Millenaries, the Cen­turianes: and thei the Disniers: and the Disniers the residewe. The seale that he vseth hath this superscripcion. GOD in heauen, and Chutchuth Cham in earth, the force of God, and Emperour of all menne. He hath fiue armies of greate multitude and force: and fiue chiefteines, by whom he subdueth all that stande a­gainst hym. He hymself neuer speaketh to any foreine ambassadours, nor admit­teth thē to his presence, as is aboue saied: excepte bothe thei and their giftes (with­out the whiche specially thei maie not come) bee purified by the ordenarie wo­men. The Kyng aunswereth by another mannes mouthe. And the persone by whom he aunswereth, be he neuer so ho­nourable, [Page]for the tyme that he becōmeth the kynges mouthe, kneleth on his knees and giueth so diligent care, that he swar­ueth not from the Kyng in one woorde. For it is not lawefull for any manne, to chaunge the kynges woordes: ne for any man in any wise, to replie against suche sentēce as he giueth. He neuer drincketh in open presence, but some body first sing to hym, or plaie vpon some instrumente of Musicque.

The gentlemen and menne of honour when thei ride, haue a phannell borne a­fore them, on a Iauelines ende, to kiepe awaie the Sonne. And as it is saied, the womē likewise. These ware the maners and facions of the Tartarres, for a two hundred yeres paste.

The Georgiās, whom the Tartarres aboute the same tyme did subdue: ware christians, aftre the fourme of the Greke Churche. Thei ware neighbours to the Persians. Their dominiōs stretched out a great length, from Palestine in Iewrie to the mounteignes called Caspij. Thei had eightene Bishopries: and one Ca­tholicque: that is to saie, one generall bi­shoppe, whiche was to them, as our Me­tropolitane [Page]to vs. At the firste thei ware subiecte to the Patriarche of Antioche▪ Menne of greate courage and hardi­nesse. Thei all shaued their crounes: the Laietie square, the Clercques rounde. Their women (certeine of theim) had the ordre of Knighthode, and ware trained to the warres. The Georgianes when thei ware sette, ordered, and raunged in the fielde, and ware at poinct to ioyne the batteill: vsed to drincke of a gourdfull of strong wine, aboute the bigguenes of a mannes fiste. And to sette vpon their en­nemies: muche amended in courage.

Their Clercques, whiche we calle the Spiritualtie, mighte vse bothe Simonie and vsurie at their wille. There was con­tinuall hatred betwixte Tharmenians and them. For the Armenians ware also christians, before the Tartarres had sub­dued the Georgianes and thē. But thei differed in many thinges, from the belief and facions of the true Churche. Thei knewe no Christemas daie, no vigilles, nor the fowre quartre fastes, whiche we call Embryng daies. Thei fasted not on Easter euē, because (saie thei) that Christ rose that daie aboute euen tide. Vpon e­uery [Page]Saturdaie, betwixte Easter and Whitsontide, thei did eate flesshe. Thei ware greate fasters, and beganne their Lēte thre wekes afore vs: and so streigh­tly fasted it, that vpon the Wedensdaie and Fridaie, thei neither eate any kinde of fisshe, ne aughte wherin was wine, or oile. Belieuing that he that drancke wine on these twoo daies: synned more then if he had bene at the stewes with a whore. On the Monedaie thei absteined from all maner of meate. On Tewsdaie and Thursdaie, thei did eate but one meale. Wedensdaie and Fridaie, nothyng at al. Saturdaie and Sondaie, thei eate fleshe and made lustie chiere. Throughe their whole Lente, no manne said Masse but on Saturdaies and Sondaies. Nor yet on the Fridaies throughout the whole yere: for thei thought then, that thei brake their fast. Thei admitted to the houseale, aswell children of two monethes olde, as all other indifferently. When thei went to Masse, thei vsed to put no watre in the wine. Thei absteined from Hares fleshe Beaws fleshe, Crowes, and suche other as the Grekes did, and Iewes do. Their Chalices ware of Glasse, and of Tree. [Page]Some said Masse without either albe or vestement, or any maner suche ornamēt. Some onely with thornamētes of Dea­con or Subdeacon. Thei ware all busie vsurers, and Simonites: bothe spirituall and Tēporall, as the Georgianes ware. Their priestes studied Sothesaieng and Nigromancie. Their Spiritualtie vsed Iunckettyng oftener then the Laietie.

Thei maried, but aftre the death of the wife, it was not lawefull for the house­bande to marie againe, nor for the wife, aftre the death of the housebande. If the wife ware a whore, the Bisshoppe gaue hym leaue to put her awaie, and marie another. As for the fire of Purgatorie thei knewe nothing of it. Thei denied al­so verie stifly, that there ware two natu­res in Christe. The Georgianes saied that thei swarued from the truthe of Christes Religion, in thirtie poinctes or articles.

¶ The .xi. Chapitre. ¶ Of Turcquie, and of the maners▪ Lawes, and Ordenaunces of the Turcques.

THE lande, whiche now is called Turc­quie: hath on Theaste Armenia the more, & ronneth endelong to the Sea of the Cili­cians: hauyng on the Northe, the Sea na­med Euxinus. There are in it many coū ­tries conteined. As Lichaonia, whose heade citie is Iconium. Cappadocia with her heade citie, named Cesarea. Isauria, whiche hath for the chief citie Seleucia. Licia, whiche now is called Briquia. Ionia: now called Quisquoun, in the whiche standeth Ephesus. Paphlagonia, and in it Germanopolis. And Leuech: that hath for the heade Citie Trapezus. All this countrie that now is called Turcquie, is not enhabited by one seuerall nacion, but there be in it Turcques, Grekes, Arme­nians, Saracenes, Iacobites, Nestori­ans, Iewes and christians. Whiche liue for the moste parte, acording to the Tra­dicions and Ordenaunces, that Maho­met the countrefeict Prophete, gaue vn­to the Saracenes (a people of Arabie) the yere of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus [Page]Christe .vi. hundred and .xxix. A manne whome I can not telle whether I maye calle an Arabiane or a Persiā. For ther be aucthorities of writers on either be­haulfe. His father was an idolastre after the maner of the heathen. His mother an Ismalite leaning to the lawe of the Ie­wes. And whilest in his childehode, his mother taught him aftre one sorte, & his father aftre another: thei printed in hym suche a doubtfull belief, y^t when he came to age he cleaued to neither. But as a manne of subtyle and guilefull witte, af­tre what time he had bene longe conuer­saunte amongest menne of the Christian religion: he draue a drifte, deuised out of both lawes (the olde and the newe) how he mighte notably enfecte the worlde.

He said the Iewes did wickedly to denie Christe to be borne of the virgine Mary, seinge the prophetes (mē of great holinesse, & enspired with the holy ghost) had foreshewed the same, & warned mē of many yeres passed to looke for him. Contrariwyse he said to the Christians thei ware very fonde to beleue that Iesus, so dierly beloued of God, and borne of a virgine, would suffre those vilanies [Page]and tormentes of the Iewes.

Martinus Segonius nouomōtanus, in his booke of the Sepulchre of Christe our king, writeth that the Turkes, and Sa­racenes by an auncient opinion receiued from Machomet: do laughe Christian menne to skorne, that seke thether with so greate reuerence. Sayeng that Christ y^e prophet of all prophetes endewed with the spirite of God, and voyde of all earthly corruption: had ther no sepulchre in very diede, for that he being a spirituall bo­dy cōceiued by the breathe of y^e holy ghost coulde not suffre, but should come againe to be iudge of the Gentiles. This saieth Segonius, and many other thinges soun­ding to like effecte: whiche the Maho­meteines are wōte to throwe out against the christians, bothe foolisshely and wic­kedly. When this countrefeicte prophet had saused his secte with these wicked o­pinions: he gaue them his lawe, and sorte of religion. Against the whiche lesse any man of righte iudgemente should aftre­warde write or dispute (as against a pe­stilent and filthie perswasion) he wrote a lawe in his Alcorane that it shoulde be deathe to as many as should reason or [Page]dispute vppon it. Wherby he euidentlie declared, that ther was nothing godly or goodly therin. For why should he elles haue so raked it vp in the asshes, and for bidden it to be examined: so that the peo­ple coulde neuer come to knowledge what maner of thinge it is that thei be­leue in. In the giuing of his lawe, he vsed muche the counselle & helpe of the mōche Sergius: of the wicked secte of the Ne­storianes. And to the ende it might please the more vniuersally: he patched it vp to­gether with peces of all maner of sectes. He thoughte it good to sette out Christe with the beste, affirminge that he was a manne excelling in all holinesse and ver­rue. yea he extolled him to a more heigth then was appliable to the nature of mā, calling him the woorde, the spirite, the soule of GOD, borne out of a virgines wombe, whome he also with many won­drefull praises magnified. He confirmed with his consente, the miracles, and sto­ry of the gospel, as farre as it varieth not from his Alcorane.

The Godspelles said he ware corrupte by the disciples of the Apostles. And therfore it behoued his Alcorane to be made, [Page]for to correcte and amende them. Thus fauning into fauour with the christiās, he would haue bene christened of Ser­gius. Then to procure, & moue other al­so to fauouor his procedinges: he denied with the Sabellians the Trinitie. With y^e Manicheis he made two goddes. with Eunomius, he denied that the father and the sonne ware equal. With Macedoni­us he said that the holy ghoste was a cre­ature, or substaunce created. With the Nicholaites he allowed the hauinge of many wiues at ones. He allowed also the olde testament. Althoughe sayd he, it ware in certain places faultie. And these fondenesses did he beswiete with a won­drefull lure of the thinges that menne in this lyfe mooste desire. Lettinge louse to as many as helde of him, the bridle of al lechery and luste. And for that cause doth this contagious euil sprede it self so wide into innumerable contries. So y^e if a mā at this day compare the nombre of them that are by him seduced, with the other that remaine in the doctrine of faithe: he shal easeli perceiue the great oddes, ware it but herin. That wher Europe alone, (and not al that by a great deale) stādeth [Page]in the belief of Christe: almoste all Asie, and Aphrique, yea and a greate pece of Europe standeth in the Turkisshe belief of Mahomete.

The Saracenes that firste receiued the brainesicke wickednesse of this countre­feicte prophete, dwelte in that parte of A­rabia, that is called Petrea: wher it entre­communeth with Iewry on the one side, and with Egipt on the other. So named of Sarracum, a place nere vnto the Naba­theis, or rather as thei woulde haue it them selues, of Sara, Abrahams wife.

Wherupon thei yet sticke faste in this o­pinion, y^t thei onely of al mē are the law­full heires of goddes beheste. Thei gaue them selues to tilthe, and cattle, and to the warres. But the greater parte to the warres. And therfore at what time they ware hired of Heraclius in the warres againste the persians: when he had got­ten the victory, and thei perceiued them selues to be defrauded by him: kindled with the angre of the villanye thei had had done vnto them, by the counsell and perswasion of Mahomet (who tooke vp­pon him to be their captaine) thei forsoke Heraclius. And going into Siria, en­uaded [Page]Damasco. Wher when thei had encreased them selues bothe in nombre, and purueiaunce necessary for them, thei entred into Egipte. And subdued firste that: then Persis, then Antioche, & then Ierusalem. Thus their power and fame daily so encreaced, and grewe: that men muche feared, that any thing afterwarde shoulde be able to resiste them. In the meane season, the Turkes: a fer [...]e and a truell people, of the nation of the Scithi­ens, driuen out by their neighbours fro the mountaines called Caspij, came downe by the passage of the moūte Can­casus, firste into Asia the lesse, then into Armenia, Media, and Per [...]is. And by stronge hande wanne all as they came. Against these the Saracenes went forth as to defende the bordres of their gouer­naunce. But forasmuche as this newe­come power was to harde for them, the Saracenes within a while felleinto such despaire of their state: that vppon condi­tion that the other would receiue Mahometes belief: thei ware content thei [...]hold reigne felowlike together with them, in Persis. Wherto when thei had agreed, it was harde to save whether of the peo­ples [Page]had receiued the greater dammage. The Saracenes, in yelding to them the haulf right of their kingdome: or the o­ther, whiche for coueteousnes therof yel­ded them selues to so rancke, and wicked a poyson of all vertue and godlynes.

One bonde of belief then so coupled and ioyned them: that for a space it made to them no matier whether ye called them all by one name, Saracenes, or Turkes. But nowe as ye se, the name of the Tur­kes hath gotten the bettre hande, & the other is out of remembraunce. This people vseth moe kindes of horseme thē one. Thei haue Thimarceni, that is to saye Pencioners, aboute a foure skore thou­sande. These haue giuen vnto them by the kinge, houses, villages, and Castles euery one as he deserueth, in the steade of his wages or pencion. And thei attende vppon the Sensacho, or capitaine of that quarter, wher their possessions lye. At this daye the Turkes are deu [...]ded into two armies: the one for Asie, and the o­ther for Europe. And either hath a chief teine, at whose leading thei are. These cheifteimes in their tongue be called Bassay. Ther are also another sorte much [Page]lyke to our aduenturers, that serue withoute wages, called Aconizie. And these euer are spoiling afore when the campe is yet behynde. The fiueth parte of their butine is due vnto y^e king. And these are aboute a fourty thousande. Their thirde sorte of horsemen is deuided into Charippos Spahiglauos, & Soluphtaros. The beste, and worthiest of these, are y^e Cha­rippie: of an honourable ordre of knight hode, as it ware for the kinges body.

And those be euer about him, to the nom­bre of eyghte hundred, all Scithians and Persians, and elles of none other kinde of menne. These, when nede is, being in the sighte of the kinge: fight notably, and do wondrefull feates on horsebacke.

Spahy, and Soluphtary be those whiche haue bene at the kinges bringing vp frō their childehode, to serue his filthy abhomination. And when thei are come to mannes state, thei marye at the kynges pleasure: And be enriched bothe with the dowery of their wife, and a stipende.

These for the moste parte serue for em­bassadours, deputies, lieutenauntes and suche other dignities, and are nerte vnto the kinge on bothe sides of him, when he [Page]goeth any whether as a garde. Thei are in nombre a thousande and thre hūdred.

Among the footemen are thre sortes, Ianizarie, these be chosen all the Empire ouer, of. xij. yeres of age, or there aboute, by certein that haue Commission for the purpose: And are for a space enstructed in the feactes of warre, in commune schoo­les. And then aftrewarde are thei chosen into souldie, and haue giuen them a shor­ter garmente, and a white cappe, with a tarfe tourned vpwarde. Their weapon is a Targette, a Curtilase, and a Bowe. Their office is to fortifie the Campe, and to assaulte cities. Thei are in nombre a­bout twentie thousande.

The seconde sorte are called Asappi, and are all footemen of light harnnesse, wea­poned with swearde, target, and a kinde of long Iauelines, wherwith thei [...]ea the horses of their enemies, in the skirmishe and battaile. These, to be knowen fro the Ianizaries, weare redde cappes. These are appoincted in nombre, accordyng as the case shall require. But thei are euer at the leaste fouretie thousande. When the warres are finished, for the whiche thei ware hired: these are no longer in [Page]wages. Tharmie roialle hath about two hundred thousande armed menne, beside a greate rable offootemen aduenturers, that take no wages, and suche other as be called out of Garrisons. And amonge these, Pioners and Cookes, Carpenters Armourers, and suche other as thei must niedes haue to make the waye, wher the place is combresome: to dresse victualles, to amende harnesse, to make bredges o­uer floudes, to trenche aboute their enne mies, to plante battries, make Ladders, and suche other thinges necessarie for the siege. Ther foloweth the armie also, sondrye sortes of money Masters: some for lone, some for exchaunge, some to buy thinges. And sondrie sortes of occupiers, such as be thought nedeful in such cases.

But there is nothing in all that nacion more to be merueiled at, then their spie­dinesse in doeyng of thinges: their con­stantnes in perilles, and their obedience and precise obseruinge of all commaun-demētes. For the least fault, of goeth the heade. Thei passe ouer raginge floudes, mounteignes and rockes: roughes and plaines, thicke and thinne, if thei be com­maunded. Not hauing resperte to theyr [Page]lyfe, but to their rulers. No men maie awaie with more watche, no men with more hongre. Among them is no muti­nyng, no vproures, no sturres. In theyr fyght thei vse no cries, nor shoutes, but a certeine fiercenes of brayeng. Thei kepe suche precise scilēce in the night, through out their campe: that thei wil rather suf­fre such as they haue taken prisoners, to run their waie, then to make any sturre. Of all the peoples at this daie, thei one­ly doe warre, acording to the ordre of at mes. So that no manne niedeth to mer­nayle howe it cometh that no people this two hundred yeare and aboue, haue had like successe vnto them. Yea, it may true­ly be sayd, that excepte it be by some pla­gue or murreyn, or discorde among them selues, they can not be subdued. The ap­parail that the souldiours do vse, is most comely and honeste. In their sadles and bridles, there is neither curiositie, ne yet superfluitie. No man emong them wea­reth his Armour, but when niede is to fight. They carry their harnesse behynde theim, at their backes. They vse neither banner, standerde, ne flaggue: but cer­tein Iauelins that haue streamynge out [Page]fro the toppe, diuers coloured thriedes, by the whiche euery hande knoweth his capiteine. Thei vse a drōme and a fiphe, to assemble their Bandes, and to sturre them to the batteile. When the batteile is done, all the armie is presented to the Regestour (whiche is some one of the nobles) bothe that it maye bee knowen who is slain, and what nombre: and that newe may be entred in their places. In all assemblies and mietinges, feaste, or other: thei praie for their souldiours, and menne of warre. But specially aboue all other, for those that haue suffred death for the commune quarelle of their countrie: calling them happie, fortunate, and bles­sed, that thei yelded not vp their liues at home, amidde the lamentacions and be­wailynges, of their wiues and children, but loste them abrode, amonge the shou­tes of their enemies, & the ratling of the Harneis, and Launces. The victories of their forefathers and eldres, thei put into Balade, and sing theim with greate ho­nour and praises: for that thei thinke the courages of the souldiours and menne of warre, be muche quickened, and kind­led thereby.

Their dwelling houses are communely of timbre and claie, very fewe of stone: for of them are the noble mennes houses their temples, and Batthes. And yet are there amonge the communes, men able of them self alone, to set furthe an whole armie, furnisshed at all poinctes. But be­cause thei are naturally giuen to sparing and to abhorre all sumptuousenesse, em­brasing a lowe and simple state: thei wel beare this volucarie pouertie, and rude, homelinesse. For this cause also, doe thei not set by any kinde of Painters Ima­gerie. As for the other imagerie of coruē grauen or molten worke, thei do so hate and abhorre: that thei call us Christians for delighting so muthe in them, verie Idolatours and Image worshippers. And do not onely so calle vs, but wil ear­nestly argue, that we are so in dede. Thei vse no Seales to their Lettres, of what sorte so euer thei be, the kynges or other. But they credite the matier, assone as thei haue red the superscripcion, or heard the name of the sender. Thei occupie no belles, nor suffre not the christianes that dwelle amōg them to do. Thei game not for money, or any valewe elles. And if it [Page]fortune that any manne be founde to do, in many sūdrie wise thei reuile him, and baite him with shames and reproche.

No man among them, of what degree or dignitie so euer he be: requireth forme chaire, stoole, or other kinde of seate to sitte vpon. But foldinge bothe him selfe and his clothes, aftre a mooste comely sorte: rucketh downe vpon the grounde, not muche vnlike to the sitting of our gē ­tlewomen ofte times here in Englande. The table wherupon thei eate, is for the mooste parte of a Bullockes hide, or a Hartes skinne. Not dressed, but in the heare, facioned rounde, beyng a fowre or fiue spanne ouer, and so set rounde about on the bordre, or verge, with ringlettes of iron: that putting a couple of stringes throughe the ringes, it maye be drawen together, and shutte and opened like a purse. House, or Churche, or any other place wher they entende to sitte, no man entreth with his shoes on. For it is com­pted a very dishonest and an vnmanerly facion, to sitte shoed. wherfore they vse a maner of slippe shooes, that may lightly be putte of and on. The place where thei sitte, either at home, or at Churche, is in [Page]some place matted, and in some place o­uerspred with course woollen Carpette. And some places also, either for the lowe nes, moistenes, or vncleanelinesse therof are plancked with boorde.

The garmentes aswell of the menne, as the women, are large and longe, and open afore: that thei may the more hone silie and couertly hide all, when nature craueth to be eased. And in doeyng those niedes, thei take greate hiede, that their face be not into the Southe, as it is whē thei praye. As also that thei discouer no prinie parte, that any man myghte for­tune to see. The menne make water sit­ting, aswell as the women. For if a man amonges them, ware sene to make wa­ter standing: he should be iudged of all, a foole, or an heritique.

From wine (as from a prouoker of al sinne and vnclennesse) thei absteine by their lawe. And yet eate they the Gra­pes, & drincke muste. Thei also forbeare to eate any thinge, that commeth of the Hogge: or any thinge elles that dieth of sickenesse, or by aduenture vnslain. But any other thinges, being mannes meate, thei refuse not to eate. Thei worshippe [Page]the Fridaie, laieng all labour and busi­nesse aparte, with as greate solempnitie and deuocion, as we doe the Sondaie, or as the Iewes doe the Sabboth daie. In euery citie there is ons principall or head Churche. In the whiche vppon the Fri­daie at aftre Noone, thei all assemble to­gether. And aftre solēpne praiers, heare a sermone. Thei acknowledge one God, to whom thei make no like, nor equalle: and Mahomet to be his trustie and wel­beloued Prophete. All the Saracenes are bound to praie fiue times on the daie, with their faces toward the South. And before thei so do, to the ende thei maie be cleane from all filthe of bodie: to wasshe them selues toppe and taile, heade, eares, eyes, nose, monthe, armes, handes, bealy, colions, legges and fiete. Specially, if he haue bene late at the soile with a woman or stouped on his taile to vnburden his bealie. Ercept he haue some lette of iour­nie, or sickenesse. But if he lacke watre to doe this withall (as that sieldome or ne­uer can happen, for that thei haue in all cities, bathes ordenarie for the purpose) thei supplie the defaulte with the moulde of fresshe cleane earthe, wherewith thei [Page]rubbe ouer their whole bodies. Who so is polluted in any maner wise: suffreth no man before this clensing, to speake with hym, or to see him, if it be possible. Euery yere for the space of fiue wiekes continu­ally together, thei faste al daie as presice­ly as is possible, bothe frō meate, drincke and women. But aftre the sonne is ones doune, till the next daie he riseth, thei nei­ther spare eatyng ne drinckyng, ne pres­syng of pappes. In thende of their lente, and againe the sixtieth daie aftre: Thei kiepe their passeouer or Easter, in remē ­braunce of the Rambe shewed vnto A­braham, to be Sacrificed in the steade of his sonne, and of a certaine nighte in the whiche thei doe beleue that the Alcorane was giuen them from heauen.

Euery yere ones, the Saracenes also are bound of duetie to visite the house of God, in the citie of Mecha: bothe to ac­knowlege their homage, and to yelde vn­to Mahomete his yerely honour at his Sepulchre there. The Saracenes com­pelle no man to forsake his opinion or be lief: ne yet labour so to perswade any coū trie to do. Although their Alcorane com­maunde theim to treade doune and de­stroye [Page]all menne of the contrary belieue yea them & their prophetes. But through this sufferaūce, ther are to be founde en­habiting in Turkie, peoples of all opini­ons, and beleue: euery man vsinge suche kinde of worshippe to his God, as to his religion apperteineth. Their priestes do not muche diffre from the commune people, nor yet their churches from their dwelling houses. Yf thei knowe the Al­corane, and the praiours and ceremonies of their lawe, it suffiseth. Thei are nei­ther giuen to contēplacion ne yet schole study. For why thei are not ocupied with any churche seruice or cure of soules. Sacramentes haue thei none, nor reliques, nor halowinges of fontes, Aulters, and other necessaries. But prouidinge for their wiues their children, and househol­des, thei occupie their time in husbōdrie marchaundise, huntings, or some other meane to get the penie, and mainteyne their liuing, euen as the temporall men doe. Ther is nothing forbidden them, nothing is for them vnlawfull. Thei be neither burdoned with tillage, ne bon­dage. Thei be muche honoured of al mē, for that thei are skilfull in the ceremoni­es [Page]of the lawe, teache them to other, and be the gouernours of the churches.

They haue many schooles and large, In the which great nombres are taught the lawes there giuen by kinges, for the ciuile gouernaunce and detence of the Realme. Of the whiche some are after­warde sette fourth to be men of the chur­che, and some to be temporalle officers. Their spiritualtie is deuided into many and sondry sortes of religions. Of the whiche some liue in the wooddes & wyl­dernes shonnyng all companye. Some kiepe open hospitalitie in cities, and yet liue by almose them selues. These if they lacke meate to refreshe the niedy straun­ger and pelligrine, yet at the least waie they giue him herbour and lodgyng. O­ther, roumyng the cities vp and downe and caryeng alway in bottles faire wa­tre and fresshe, if any man be disposed to drinke, vnasked they willingly proffre it him, and refuse not to take, if he for their gentlenesse offre aught vnto them agayn Otherwise they craue nothyng, but in al their woordes gesture, behauour, & di [...] ­des: shewe theim selues aungelles r [...] ther then menne. And euery one of these [Page]hath one knowledge or other, of differēce from the reaste. The Saracenes or Turkes are very precise executours of Ius­tice. Who so committeth bloudshed: hath in like sorte his owne shedde againe. Taken in adultery, both parties are streight without mercy stoned to deathe. Thei haue also a punisshement for fornicatiō, whiche is to the manne taken with the diede, foure score ierkes or lasshes with a skourge. A thief for the first and the se­conde time, escapeth with so many stri­pes. But at the thirde time, hath his hāde cut of, and at the four the his foote. He that endamageth any manne: as the losse or hinderaunce shalbe valewed, so muste he of force recompence. In claiming of goodes, or possessions, the claimer muste proue by witnesse that the thing claimed is his: and the denier shalbe tried by his othe. Witnesses thei admitte none, but persones of knowen honestie, & suche as mighte be belieued withoute an othe.

Thei haue also certaine spiefaultes or­dinarilye appoincted (muche like to our Sompnours) that spie in euery shiere for suche as be necligent, and let slippe suche [...]raisons, and seruice as thei be boūde to [Page]Those if thei fortune to finde them: do thei punishe aftre this maner. Theihāge a borde about their neckes, with a great many of foxe tailes, and togginge them vp and downe the stretes: all ouer the ci­tie, thei neuer lette them go vntyll they haue compounded by the purse. And in this also nothing vnlike to our Sompnours. It is lawfull for no manne, beinge come to mannes state, to liue vnmaried. It is compted amonge them as lawfull to haue. iiii. wiues, as it is amonge vs to haue one. Marie whatsoeuer is aboue this nombre (as thei may if thei liste, and be able to kepe them, no degree excepted, but mother and fister, marie a hundred) thei are not iudged so lawfulle. The chil­dren that thei haue bothe by the one, and the other haue equalle porcion in the fa­thers enheritaunce. Sauing that. ii. wo­men children are compted in porciō but for one man childe. Thei haue not. ii. of their wiues together in one house, ne yet in one citie. For the bussnes, & disquietin­ges that might happen therby, but euery wife in a seuerall towne. The houseban­des haue liberty e to put thē away chrise, and chrise to take them againe. But yet [Page]when he hath ones putte her awaie, if a­ny manne haue taken her, and she lust to abide with hym, she maie.

Their women are moste honestlie ap­pare [...]ed. And vpon their heades do [...] vse a certeine attire, not muche vnlike the veluer bonette of olde Englande: wherof the one lappe so hangeth vppon whiche side semeth her good: that when she is di­sposed to go out of the doores, or to come amongest menne within the house, she maie hide therwith by and by her whole face, sauyng her eyes.

The Saracenes woman, neuer dare shewe her self wher ther is a company of menne. To go to the marchate to occupy byeng or sellyng in any wise: is not syt­tyng for their womē. In the head churth they haue a place farre a part fro y^e men: so close that no manne canne looke into them. Into the which not withstandyng it is not laufull for euery mans wyfe to entre: but for the nobilitie onely. Ne yet for thein neyther, but on friday, at the onely houre of noone praier: whiche as I haue aforesayd, is kept amonge them high and holy.

To see a man and a woman talke to­gether [Page]ther, in the open strete or abrode: is so straūge, and so vnwonte a thing, that in a whole yere it skāte happeneth ones. For a man to sitte with his wyfe in open sighte, or to ride with any womā behinde him: amongest them ware a wondre.

Maried couples neuer dally together in the sighte of other, nor chide or falle out. But the menne beare alwaies towarde the women a manly discrete sobrenes, and the women, towarde them a demure womanlie reuerence. Greate menne, that cannot alwaie haue their wiues in their owne eye, appoincte redgelinges, or guelte menne to awaite vppon them. Whiche waite them in diede so narrow­lye, that it ware impossible for any man beside the house bande to speake with the wyfe vnsene: or the wyfe by any stealthe to false her trouth and honestie. Finally the Saracenes do so full and whole be­leue their Mahomete & his lawes: that thei doubte no whitte, but the kepers of them shall haue euerlasting blessednesse That is to saye, after their opinion, a paradise of pleasure, a gardein plotte of delighte, full of swiete rindles of Chri­stalline watre. In whose botomes y^t gra­uelle, [Page]popleth like glisteryng golde. The ayre alwaie so attempre and pure, that nothyng can be more swiere, more plea­saunte uor healthsome. The grounde co­uered and garnisshed with natures La­pesserie, neither lacking any colour that pleasaunte is to the eye, or sauour that maie delight the nose. Birdes syngyng with suche armonie, as neuer mortaile eare heard. Briefly flowyng in all plea­sure that any harte can aftre thincke. Disshes for the mouthe, of all deinties. All maner of Silkes, Veluettes, Pur­ples, Skarlettes, and other precious ap­parelle. Godly younge damose [...]es, with graie rowlyng eyes, and skinne as white as whales bone, softe as the Silke, and breathed like the Rose, and all at their becke. Vesselles of siluer and golde. An­gelles for their Butlers that shall bryng theim Milke in Goblettes of golde, and redde wine in siluer. But contrariewise, thei threaten vnto the breakers of them, helle, and euerlastyng destruction. This thei also beleue, that be a manne wrap­ped in neuer so many synnes, yet if at his death, he beleue vpon God, and Macho­mete, he shalbe saued.

¶ The. xii. Chapitre. ¶ Of the Christians, of their firste commyng vp, their Ceremo­nies, and ordenaunces.

CHriste Iesu, the eter­nalle and verie sonne of thalmightie father, the seconde persone in the holie inseparable, equalle, and euerla­styng Trinitie: Of a sette purpose, and spi­ritualle serrete, not reuealed from the be ginnyng of tyme, & aboue mannes capa­citie: was by the meane of the holy ghost, conceiued and borne manne. In Iewrie, of a Virgine, of the stocke of Dauid,It appe [...]et [...] by this place that this was written .xxx [...] ▪ yeres g [...]n [...] ▪ a thousande fiue hundred, and twentie ye­res* gone. To sette vs miserable, and vn­happie menne on foote againe, whiche ware in Adam and Eue, by the sinne of disobedience ouerthrowen. And to bryng vs againe, vnto our heauenlie natiue countrie, from the whiche we haue by s [...] many ages, for that presumpcion bene banished. Finally, to repaire and supplie in heauen againe ones, the ruine and fal [Page]of those spirites, whiche a space afore our creacion, ware thurste doune fro thence. For the whiche purpose, we chiefly ware made. This Iesus, from thirtie yeres of age, vntill thirtie and fowre (in the whiche, throughe the maliciousnes of the Iewes, he suffred on the galowe tree) traueillyng all Iewrie ouer: first moued and exhorted the Iewes, and then other peoples, from the olde Lawe of Moses, and their wicked Image worshippe, to his newe ordenaunce and trade. And as many as would folowe, and doe aftre hym, he called theim his scholers or disci­ples. Out of the whiche, he gaue vnto .xij. that he had specially chosē, Cōmission af­tre his death (when he had appered to thē on liue again, as he had forewarned thē y^t he would) to go as Legates, or Embassatours into y^e whole world, & to preache vnto all creatures, what so euer thei had sene or learned of him. Simon Petre (to whom longe afore he had surrendred the gouernaunce and chiefteinshippe of his Churche, as in reuercion aftre him) whē aftre the cōmyng of the holy ghoste some wente into one coste, and some into ano­ther, euery manne his waie, as thei ware [Page]allotted and commaunded: came first vn­to Antioche. And there setting vp the first and chief chaire of the Churche, kepte a counsaille with the other Apostles, whi­che often tymes came to hym. In this Counsaille among other thinges it was decreed, that asmany as should receiue, and cleaue vnto the doctrine, and righte perswasion of Christes godlines: should fro thence furthe be called Christianes. This Seate of superioritie, beyng aftre­warde translated to Rome: bothe he and his Successours, tooke it for their chief charge and businesse, to put the rude and rawe secte of their Christe, and the folo­wers of the same, in some good ordre and trade of gouernaunce. Bothe aftre the maner of Moses Lawe (whiche Christe came not to breake, but to consummate and finishe) and the state of the Romain gouernaunce, the Greke, and Egipcian: and also by paterne of the Ceremonies, obseruaunces, lawes, and ordenaunces Ecclesiasticalle and Temporalle, of ma­ny other peoples: But specially aftre the doctrine, of Christe Iesu, and the woor­kyng of the holy ghoste, to bryng them in to frame and facion. When thei ware en­tred [Page]in the mattier: As thei sawe that mē not emong the Hebrues alone, but emōg other peoples also, ware deuided into Ecclesiasticalle and Temporalle, Spiri­tualtie and Laietie: and eche of theim in moste goodly wise, into their dignities and degrees (The Romaine Empe­rour then being gouernour of the whole worlde alone, to haue Consulles, Fa­thers or Senatours: at whose becke all thinges ware deuised and doone: And in rhe residewe of the earthe to bee many Kynges, many Dukes, Erles, Presiden­tes, and Deputies of countries, and their Lieutenauntes: Maresshalles of the fielde, and highe Conestables for the cō ­munes, Pretours or Prouostes, Stan­derdbearers roialle, Centurianes, and Disners, Serieauntes, Conestables, Collectours, Surueiours, Porters, Scribes, Listers, and many other persones without office, bothe menne and women. And in the Temples of their Goddes, a Sacrificer roialle, whiche is to saie in effecte, a highe Prieste of the dignitie of a kyng. Archeflamines, Flamines of ho­nour, and other Flamines inferiour and laste in degree their Priestes. And by [Page]like ordre emong the Hebrues: an highe Bisshoppe, and inferiour Priestes, Le­uites, Nazareis, candle quenchers, com­maunders of Spirites, Churche War­deines, and Syngers, whiche wee calle Chauntours aftre the Frenche. And a­mōg the Grekes: Capiteines, or heades ouer a thousande, ouer an hundred, ouer fiuetie, ouer tēne, and ouer fiue. And that there ware yet beside these, bothe emong the Hebrues, and the Romaines, many couentes, or compaignies of menne and women Religious. As Sadduceis, Es­seis, and Phariseis emong the Hebrues: Salios, Diales, and Vestalles, emong the Romaines: The moste holy Apostles did all consente, that Petre, and thei that should folowe him in the seate of Rome, should for euermore be called Papa. As who would saie, father of fathers, the v­niuersalle, Apostolicalle, moste holy, and moste highe bishoppe. And that he should at Rome be Presidente ouer the vniuer­salle Churche, as the Emperour there, was ruler of the vniuersall worlde. And to matche the Consulles (whiche ware euer twaine) thei appoincted fowre head Fathers, in the Greke named Patriar­ches, [Page]one at Constantinople, another at Antioche, a thirde at Alexandrie, and the fowrthe at Hierusalem. In the place of the Senatours, thei tooke the Cardi­nalles. To matche their kynges, whiche had three Dukes at commaundemente, thei deuised Primates: To whom ware subiecte thre Archebishoppes. So that the Archebishoppe or Metropolitane, stan­deth in the place of a Duke. For as the Duke had certein Erles or Barones at his commaundemente: so haue the Arch­bisshoppes, other inferiour Bisshoppes at theirs. whiche also by reason muste rountreuaile an Erle. The Bisshoppes roadintour or Suffragane, came into the Presidentes place. Thordenarie into the Deputies, then did the Officialle matche with the Mareshalle. And with the high conestable for the cōmunes, the Bishop­pes Chauncelour. And for the Pretour or Prouoste, thei sette vp an Archedeacō In stede of the Cēturiane, was a Deane appoincted. And for the Disnere, the Persone or Vicare. For the Aduocates, crept in the Parisshe Prieste, Soule Prieste, Chaunterie Prieste, Morowe Masse Prieste, and suche other. The Deacon [Page]standeth for the Surueiour. The Sub­deacon, for the Serieaunte. For the two Conestables, came in the two Cōmaun­ders of Spirites, called Exorcistae in the Greke. The Collectours office, was mat­ched with the Churche wardeines. The Porter became the Serteine. The Chaū tour, Scribe, and Lister, kiepe stille their name. The Atholite, whiche we calle Be­net and Cholet, occupieth the roume of Candlebearer.

All these by one commune name, thei called Clerj, of the Greke woorde Cleros, that is to saie, a Lotte. For that thei ware firste from among the people, so allotted vnto God. Thereof cometh our terme Clerque, and his cosine Clergie Neuer­thelesse, this name Clergie, was not so commune vnto all: but that it siemed moste proprely to reste in the seuende, grees, that the Pope of Rome vsed for his Ministres, when he saied Masse in persone him self. That is to sa [...]e, the Bi­shoppe, the Priest, the Deacon, & subdea­con, y^e Acholite, and the Chaūtour. Ʋnto euery of these gaue thei in y^e church their seueralle dignities officies, & appareile.

To the Bishoppe was giuen aucth [...]ri­tie, [Page]to ordeine and make other Clerckes. To* enueile virgines,That is to [...]ie, to make [...]onnes, & to hallow them. To consecrate their likes, and their supe­riours also. To laie handes vpon thē. To confirme and Bisshoppe childrē. To hal­lowe Churches. To put Priestes from their Priesthode: and to degrade theim, when thei deserue it. To kiepe Conuo­caciōs and Sinodes. To make holy oile: to hallowe the ornamentes and vesselles of the churche. And to do also other thin­ges, that the inferiour Priestes doe. To enstructe those that be newly come to the faithe. To Christiane, to make the Sa­cramente of the Altare, and to giue it to other. To absolue the repetaunte of their sinnes, and to fectre the stubberne more streighte. To shewe furthe the Gospelle. To enioyne all Priestres to shaue their heades in the croune, like a circle of .iiii. fingres brode, aftre the maner of y^e Naza­reis. To kepe their heare shorte, to weare no bearde. And to liue chaaste for euer.

Their liuyng onely to rise of the firste fruictes, tenthes, and offringes: and vttrely to be voide of all temporalle and Laie­mennes cares and businesse. To be hone­stlie appareiled, and accordyngly to vse [Page]their passe and conuersacion. Onely to serue God and the churche. Diligētly to plye the reading of holy scripture, y^e they them selues mighte perfectly knowe all thinges perceining to Christian religiō, wherin thei are boūd to enstructe other. The companies or couētes of religious, aswel men as women: are Benedictines, Preachers, Franciscanes, Augustines, Barnardines, Anthonines, Iohānites, Cisternois, and innumerable other. whiche al haue their habite, and maner of li­uing by them selfe: acordinge to the rule that echeone priuately prescibed to them selues. And liued for the moste parte a so­litary life, professing, chastitie, pouretie, and perpetualle obedience. And for their solitarines the Greke called them Mo­nachi. Some of these haue for their hea­des Abbotes, some Priours: whiche are either subiecte to the Pope onely, or to the bishoppes. Al these vsed coules, much aftre one faciō, but in colour diuers, & ab stained fro fleshe. The bisshoppes when thei say masse, haue, [...]v. holy garmentes, aftre y^e maner of Moyses lawe, for y^e perfectiō of thē. His boatewes, his Amice▪ an Albe, a Girdle a Stole, a Maniple, a Tunicle [Page]of violette in graine fringed, his glo­ues, ringe, and chesible or vestimente, a Sudarie,The latine calleth it a shiepe hooke. a cope, a mitre and a * crosse staffe. And a chaire at the Aultares ende, wherin he sitteth. Of the whiche .vi. are commune to euery inferiour prieste: the Amice, the Albe, the girdle, the stole, the Maniple, and the vestiment. But ouer, and aboue all these the Pope, by the gifte of Constantine the greate, hath libertie to weare al the ornamentes Imperialle. That is to saye a kirtle of skarlet, a robe of Purple, a sceptre, and a close corone. With the whiche aftre he hath rauisshed him selfe in the vestrie, vppon solempne feastes, when he entēdeth to do masse: he commeth forth to the aultare, hauing on the right side a prieste, on the lefte side a Deacon, a Subdeacon going before him with a booke faste shutte, two candle bearers, and an encensour with the censoure in his hande smoking. When he is comē to the griessinges, the stayers, or foote of the aultare:That is, he saieth confi­teor. putting of his mitre, he ma­keth open * confession of his sinnes toge­ther with his company.

That done he goeth vp to the aultare, openeth the booke, lienge vpon the lefte [Page]corner of the same, kysseth it, and so pro­cedeth in the Solempnisaciō of y^e Masse. The subdeacon readeth the epistle, and the Deacon the godspelle. Priestes of al degrees, are charged to prayse God se­uen times a daie, and to praye with ordenarie oraisons. Towarde the eueninge, euensonge: and compline more late. Ma­tines in the morninge, and incontinente prime, and howres, in ordre of tyme,Hora prj­ma, tertia, sexta, nona. as thei stande in * ordre of name. And this humbly before the aultare, if he maye conueniently, with his face towarde the Easte. The pater nostre and the Crede said thei, onely at the beginnyng of their seruice, as the commune people do nowe a daies also. Saincte Ierome, at the vr­gent request of Pope Damasus, parted out the Psalmes acording to the daies of the wieke. And appoincted for euery houre a porciō of propre psalmes. For the nighte houres on the holy daye .ix. and on the worcking daye .xii. For laudes in the morning .v. for euensonge as many, and for eche other houre but thre. He also or­deined the Epistles, Godspelles, and o­ther seruice, vsed to be red out of the olde or newe testament, in maner altogether, [Page]sauing y^e note. The Anthemes (which Ambrose, Byshoppe of millayne wrate, and endited) Damasus put ordre that the quiere should sing side aftre side, & added to euery psalmes ende. Gloria patri. &c. The lessons and Himpnes that go be­fore eche one of the howres did y^e coūcei­les of Thoulouse and Agathone auctho­rise. The orisons, the grailes, the trac­tes, the Alleluya, thoffertorie, the Com­munions in the Masse, the Anthemes, Versicles, repitions, and other thin­ges, either songe or redde by nyghte or by daye, to the beautifieng, and pray­sing of God: did Gregory, Gelasius, Ambrose, and many other holy fathers, de­uise, and put furthe. not at one time but at sondry. The Masse (so terme thei the sacrifice) was firste vsed to be done in suche simple sorte, as yet is accustomed, vppon good friday, & Easter euen, with certeine lessōs before it. But then Pope Celestinus put to the office of the Masse. Thelesphorus, Gloria in excelsis: But Hilarius of pictauia made the Et in terra. Simachus ordeined it to be songue. The Salutaciōs, which by y^e terme of Domi­nus vobiscum, be made seuen tymes in a [Page]Masse, ware taken out of the booke of Ruthe, by Clemente, and Anaclete, and put in, in their places. Gelasius made vp all the reste to the Offertory, in the same ordre thei be vsed. Excepte the Sequenres and the Crede: wherof Nicolas put in the firste, & Damasus the nexte: acor­dinge to the Sinode of Constantinople. The bidding of the beades, with the col­lacion that was wonte to be made in the pulpite on Sondaies, and halydaies: rai­ther grewe to a custome by the example of Nehemias, and Esdras, then was by any aucthorised. In this collation at the firste comming vp therof, when so many as ware presēte at the Masse did receiue the communion, acording as was ordey­ned by a decree: thei that ware at any dis­corde ware exhorted to concorde, & agre­mente. And that thei should receiue the sacrament of the aulter cleane from the fylthe of sinne, vppon the whiche conside­racion at this daye it endeth with confi­teor, or an open confession. There ware thei wonte to teache the instrumentes of the olde lawe, and the newe. The ten cō ­maundementes. The .xii. articles of our beleue. The seuen sacramentes, holy fol­kes [Page]liues, and Martirdomes, holy day­es, doctrines, and disciplines: vertues, and vices, and what soeuer are necessary beside forthe, for a christiane to knowe. Gregory lineked on the offertorie. Leo the prefaces. Gelasius the greate Canō, & the lesse. The Sanctus blessed Sixtus. And Gregory y^e Pater noster out of the Gospell of sainte Mathewe. Martialle the scholer of blessed Peter, deuised that Bysshoppes should gyue their benedic­tion at the Agnus. And as for other infe­our priestes. Innocentius commaūded them to giue y^e paxe, that is to saye peace. Sergius tacked on the Agnus, and Gre­gory the poste communion. The closing vp of all with Ite missa est, Benedicamus, Deo gratias: was Leoes inuencion.

The. xii. articles of our beleue, whiche the blessed Apostles would euery manne not onely to confesse with mouthe, but to beleue also in harte, are these.

Firste that ther is one God in Trini­tie, the father almighty maker of heauen and earthe. The seconde, Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde. The thirde the same beinge conceiued of the holye ghoste, to haue bene borne of y^e Virgine [Page]Marie. The fourthe, to haue suffred vn­dre Ponce pilate, to haue bene crucified, deade, bewried, and to haue descended in to helle. The fiueth, to haue risen agayne the thirde daye fro the deade. The sixteth to haue ascended vp into the heauēs, and to sitte on the right hande of God the fa­ther almighty. The seuenth, that he shall come fro thence like a triūpher, to iudge the quicke and the deade. The eight, that ther is an holy ghoste. The nineth, y^t ther is an holy churche vniuersalle, the com­munion of the godly and good: The ten­the, forgiuenesse of sinnes. The eleuēth, the rising againe of the flesshe. The twel­ueth, aftre our departing, life in another worlde euerlasting.

The tenne commaundementes, whi­che god wrate with his owne fingre, and gaue vnto the Israelites by Moises, whiche thapostles willed vs also to kiepe The firste, thou shalte haue none other Goddes but me. The seconde, thou shalte not make the any grauē Image, or like­nesse of any thing that is in heauē aboue, in the earthe benethe, or in the water vn­der the earthe, thou shalt not bowe doune to them, nor worshippe them. The third, [Page]thou shalt not take the name of thy lorde God in vaine. The fowrthe, remembre that thou kiepe holie thy Sabboth daie. The fiueth, honour thy father & mother. The sixteth, thou shalte doe no murdre. The seuenth, thou shalte not commit ad­ulterie. The eight, thou shalte not steale. The nineth, thou shalt beare no false witnesse against thy neighbour. The tenthe, thou shalte not desyre thy neyghbours house, his wife, his seruaunte, his maide, his Oxe, nor his Asse, nor any thing that is thy neighbours.

The seuen Sacramentes of the chur­che, whiche are conteined in the fiue laste Articles of our beleue, and commaunded vs by the holie fathers to be beleued.

The firste, diepyng into the water, cal­led Baptisyng aftre the Greke. This, by canonicalle decree, in time paste was not wonte to be giuen (excepte greate neces­sitie soner required it) but to those that had bene scholers a space afore, to learne the thinges appertinēt to christendome. Yea, and that aftre thei had bene excea­dingly welle enstructed in the faithe: and proufe taken of their profityng, by seuen examinacions, whiche ware made vpon [Page]seuen seueralle daies in the Lente, and so ware thei Baptissed vpon Easter euen, and Whitesondaie euen. Vpon whiche daies, thei ware accustomed to hallowe the christening watre, in euery Paroche But because this specially of all other, is chiefly necessarie vnto euerlasting salua­cion: leasse any bodie should die without it, thei decreed that assone as the childe was borne, godfathers should be sought for it, as it ware for witnesses or sureties whiche should bryng the childe vnto the Churche doore, and there to stande with­out. And then the Priest should enquire, before the childe be dieped in the Fonte, whether it haue renounted Sathan and all his pompe and pride. If it beleue cer­teinely and wholie, all the Articles of the Christiane faithe. And the Godfathers answeryng, yea: for it, the Prieste brea­thyng thrise vpon his face, exorciseth it, and cathechiseth it. Aftre that, doeth he se­uen thinges to the childe in ordre. Firste, he putteth into the mouth hallowed salt. Secondely, he mingleth earthe and his spattle toguether, and smereth the eyes, eares, & nosethrilles of the childe. Third­ly, giuyng it suche name as it shall euer [Page]aftre bee called by: he marketh it on the breast and backe with holie oile, aftre the facion of a crosse. Fourthly, he diepeth it thrise in the Watre, or besprinckleth it with watre thrise, in maner of a crosse, in the name of the holie Trinitie, the father the sonne, and holie ghost. In the whiche name also, all thother Sacramentes are ministred. Fiuethly, weting his thumbe in the holie ointement, he maketh there­with a Crosse on the childes foreheade. Sixthly, he putteth a white garment vp­pon it. Seuenthly, he taketh it in the hāde a Candle brennyng. The Iewes before thei be Christened (by the determinacion of the counsaile holden at Agathone, are cathechised, that is to saie, are scholers as the enstruction of our beleue, nine mone­thes. And are boūd to fast fourtie daies: to dispossesse them selues of all that euer thei haue, and to make free their bonde men. And looke whiche of their children thei haue Circumcised, acording to Mo­ses lawe: hym are thei bounde to banishe their companie. No merueile therfore if thei come so vnwillingly to christēdome.

Bishopping, whiche the Latines calle Confirmacion, a confirming, a ratifieng [Page]establishyng, aucthorisyng, or allowyng of that went before: is the second Sacra­mente. And is giuē of the Bishoppe one­ly, before the Aultare in the Churche, to suche as are of growē yeres, and fastyng (if it maie be) aftre this maner. As many as shalbe Confirmed, come all together with euery one a godfather. And the Bi­shoppe aftre he hath saied one oraison o­uer thē all, wetyng his thumbe in the ho­lie oile, maketh a crosse vpō eche of their foreheades: In the name of the father, sonne, and holie ghoste. And giueth hym a blowe on the lefte chieke, for a remem­braunce of the Sacrament, that he come not for it againe. The godfathers, to the ende the enoilyng should not droppe a­waie, or by negligence bee wiped awaie, clappe on a faire filette on the foreheade. whiche thei iudge to be vnlawfully takē awaie, before the seuenth daie. The holie fathers estemed this Sacrament so highly, that if the name giuen to the childe at his Christendome, f [...]med not good: the Bisshoppe at the giuyng hereof mighte thaunge it.

The thirde Sacramente is holie Or­dres, whiche in the firste Churche, was [Page]giuen likewise of the Bishoppe, onely in the monethe of Decembre. But now at sixe seueralle tymes of the yere: that is to saie, the fowre Saturdaies in the embre wekes (whiche ware purposely ordeined therefore) vpon the Saturdaie, whiche the Churche menne calle Sitientes, be­cause the office of the Masse for that daie appoincted, beginneth with that woorde, and vpon Easter euen. This Sacrament was giuen onely to menne: and but to those neither, whose demeanour and life, dispocisiō of bodie, and qualitie of minde, ware sufficiently tried and knowē. Aftre the opinion of some, there ware seuen or­dres, or degrees, wherby the holy fathers would vs to beleue that there ware [...]uē speciall influences, as it ware printed in the soule of the receiuer, wherby eche one for eche ordre, was to be compted an hal­lowed manne. Aftre the mindes of other there ware nine. That is to saie, Musi­cens (whiche encludeth singing and plai­eng) Doore kiepers, Reders, Exorcistes Acholites, Subdeacon, Deacon, Prieste and Bishop. And for all this, it is cōpted but one Sacramente, by the reason that all these tende to one ende, that is to saie, [Page]to consecrate the Lordes bodie. To euery one of these, did the Counsaile of Tolede in Spaine, appoincte their seueralle li­ueries, and offices in the Churche. The Doorekepers had the office of our Com­mon Sexceine, to opē the churche dores, to take hede to the churche, and to shutte the dores. And had therfore a keie giuen vnto theim, when thei ware admitted to this ordre. The Reader, in signe and to­ken of libertie to reade the Bible, and ho­lie stories, had a greate booke giuen him. The Exorcistes, serued to commaunde e­uill spicices out of menne, and in token therof, had a lesse booke giuen them. The Acholite, had the bearyng and the orde­ryng of the Tapers, Candelstickes, and Cruetres at the Altare: and therfore had a Candlesticke, a Taper, and two emptie Cruorettes deliuered hym. The Subde­acon, mighte take the offring, and handle the Chalice, and the Patine, ca [...]ie theim to the Altare, and fro the Altare, and giue the Deacon Wine and water, out of the Cruettes. And therfore the Bishoppe de­liuereth hym an emptie Chalice with a Patine, and the Archedeacon one Cruet full of wine, and another full of watre, [Page]or Chaptres, and those againe into Pa­roches, and to set that goodly ordre, that yet continueth, aswell emong the clergie as the laietie. That the parishe should o­beie their lawfull Persone, the Persone the Deane: the Deane, the Bishoppe: the Bishoppe, the Archebishoppe. The Arch­bishoppe, the Primate or Patriarche: the Primate or Patriarche, the Legate: the Legate, the Pope: the Pope the ge­neralle Counsaile: the generalle Coun­saile, God alone.

For the fourthe Sacramente it is hol­den, that euery prieste rightly priested, a­cordyng to the keies of the Churche, ha­uing an encente to consecrate, and obser­uynge the fourme of the woordes: hathe power, of wheaten breade to make the very bodie of Christe, and of Wine to make his very bloude.

Christe our Lorde hym selfe, the daye before he suffred, kepte it solemply with his disciples, and consecrated, and ordei­ned it continually to be celebrated, and eaten in the remembraunce of him selfe. And about this mattier a man had nede of a great faythe. Firste to beleue the breade to be chaunged into the body, and [Page]the wine into the bloude of Christe. A­gaine thoughe this be done euery daye that yet Christ for all that should growe neuer a whitte the bigger for y^e making, nor the lesse for the eatinge. Thirdely that the Sacrament being deuyded into many partes, Christ should yet remaine whole in euery cromme. Fourthly that thoughe the wicked eate it, yet should not it be defiled. Fiuethly that it bringeth to as many euyll as receius it, death: and to the good euerlasting life. Sixthly that it tourneth not into the nature of the ea­ter to his nourishemente as other meate dothe: but turneth the eater contrariwise into the nature of it selfe. And yet being eaten, that it is rapte into heauen, vn­hurte or vntouched. Seuenthly that in so smalle a syse of breade and wine, the in­finite, and incomprehensible Christe, God and manne shoulde be comprehen­ded. Then, that one, and the self same bo­dye of Christe, at one very instaunce, shoulde be in many places, and of many menne receiued at ones, and in sondrye parcelles. Ninethly y^t thoughe the bread it selfe be chaunged into the very flesshe of Christe, and the wine into his bloude, [Page]that yet to all the sences thei remaine breade and wine, and neither flesshe ne bloud. Further that all these cōmodities cōteined in these verses folowing should happen vnto those that worthely eate it.

It putteth in mynde and kindleth, en­creaseth hope, and strengtheneth.

Mainteineth, clenseth, restoreth, giues life, and vniteth.

Stablissheth beliefe, abates the foode of sinne, and all vnclennes quencheth.

Finally, to be very profitable for the saluaciō aswell of those liuyng as deade, for whō it is specially offred by the priest in the Masse. And therefore to haue to name Eucharistia communio.

In the beginning of the Christiane faithe (and yet amonge certeine schisma­tiques as thei saye) one whole lofe was consecrated, of suche bigguenesse, as whē the Priest had broken it in a platter into smalle pieces, it mighte suffise the whole multitude that ware at the masse to par­ticipate of. For in time paste the Christi­anes came euery day to communicate by a speciall commaundemente, and orde­naunce. Aftrewarde but ones in a wicke and that on the Sonday. But whan it [Page]began to be skant well kepte vppon the Sonday neither: then was it commaun­ded that euery manne should receiue it thrise in the yere, or ones at the leaste, at euery Easter. And that euery christian manne, when he stode in any daungier of death, beynge whole of minde, should receiue it as a waifaring viande, to staye him by the waye: with as good prepara­cion of bodye and soule, as he possibly mighte.

Matrimonie (whiche is the lawefulle coupling of the manne and the woman) broughte in by the lawe of nature, the lawe of God, the lawe of all peoples, and the lawe ciuile, is the fiueth Sacrament, The holy fathers woulde haue but one mariage at ones, & that not in secrete but with opē solemnitie eyther in y^e churche, or in the churche porche, and so that the priest be called to the matier. Who shold firste examine the man, and then the wo­manne, whether thei bothe consent to be maried together. Yf thei be agreed (whi­che is chiefely in this case requisite) he taking them bothe by the right handes: coupleth them together in the name of the holy and vnseperable trinitie, the fa­ther, [Page]the sonne, and the holy ghoste. And commaundeth, and exhorteth them that thei alwaye remembring this their cou­pling of their owue free wille & consent: as longe as thei liue, neuer forsake one a nother, but loue & honour one another, be debonaire and buxome one to ano­ther, giuing them selues to procreacion, and not to lecherous luste. And that thei honestly and diligently bringe vp, suche children as God sendeth them of theyr bodies. Aftre that he affiaunceth thē both with one ringe. And sprinckling holy water vpon them, reacheth them a stole, and leadeth them into the churche. where (yf thei ware not blessed afore) he blesseth them knieling before the altare. The woman hath on a redde fillet or frontelette, and ouer that a white veile, withoute the whiche it is not lawfulle for her fro that daye forewarde, to go oute of doores a­brode, or to sitte by any manne. Twelue thinges ther be, whiche the holy fathers woulde haue to barre persons from con­tracting of matrimonie, and to disseuer them againe, yf thei be contracted. Er­rour of person, that is to saye, mistaking one for another. A betrowthing vpon a [Page]condicion, Cōsanguinitie or kindred, An opē crime Diuersitie of secte, Force, or cō ­strainte. Holy ordres, a Bōde or former contracte, Commune or open honestie, Affinitie, and Dishabilitie of engēdrure.

The sixteth Sacramente is penaunce or repentaunce, giuen of Christe as it ware for a wracke boorde, wherby men are preserued fro drowninge. Eche chri­stian oughte vndoubtedly to beleue that this consisteth in foure poinctes. To saie, in Repētaūce of our sinnes, Canonicalle cōfession, Absolucion, and Satisfaction, or amendes. Firste let him sorowe, not with a lighte forthinckinge, but with a moste earneste and bittre repentaunce in the botome of his conscience: for the puritie and innocencie that he had gotten ey­ther by baptisme or y^e benefite of former repentaunce, and nowe hathe eftsones loste, and forgone throughe sinne. And let him hope with this repentaunce, to be reconciled to the fauour of God againe And let him humbly, and truly with his owne mouthe, confesse to a wise prieste, in the steade of God: all those offences wherwith he knoweth him selfe to haue loste his innocencie and clennesse, and to [Page]haue prouoked the wrathe of GOD a­gainste him selfe. And let him assuredly beleue that the same prieste, hath power giuen him of Christe (as beinge his vi­care, or deputie on earthe) to absolue him of all his sinnes. Finally for satisfaction or amendes making for the faulte: lette him not with grudginge, but chierfully, and gladly doe, what so euer he shalbe cō maūded. Beleuig with vndoubted faith, that he is absolued, and quyte of all, as­sone as the priest in dewe forme of wor­des, hath pronounced the absolucion.

The seuenth, and the laste Sacramēt is the laste enoynting, by an oyle that is made to this vse, by the bisshope in euery diocesse, by an yerely custome vpō maū ­dy thursdaie, like as the chrismatory oyle is. And this by the precepte of sainte Ia­mes the Apostle, and by the ordinaunce of Felix the fourthe Pope after Sainte Peter: was giuen only to them that laie in dyeng, being of full age, and requy­ring it. Thei vse to enoynte with a pre­scripte fourme of wordes, and with of­ten inuocation of sainctes: those partes of the bodie, wher our fiue wittes or sen­ses; the hearing, seyng, smelling, tasting [Page]and touching, beare moste stroke, & with whiche man is iudged chiefely to sinne. That is, the eares, the eyes, the nosethrilles, the mouthe, the handes, and the fete. Wherby the holy fathers would vs to be leue, that there was not onely purchased cleane forgiuenesse of all smaller offen­ces, or venialle sinnes: but also either presente recou [...]rie, or a riper and gentier deathe. All the feastes and holydaies, throughout the yere, whiche the churche hath commaunded to be obserued & kept: beginne at the Aduente, or approche of Christe our Lorde. Whiche Peter the Apostle instituted to be obserued in De­cembre, with fasting and prater, thre wiekes and a haulfe before Christemas, whē we close vp the last. viii. daies of that moneth, with great ioye and feaste. Thei de­uided the yere into two & fiuetie wekes, and. xij. seueral monthes. The monethes cōmonly into. xxx. daies. The firste daye of Ianuary the churche recordeth howe Christe was circumcised acordinge to Moyses lawe. The. iii. daye aftre, howe he was worshipped of the thre Sages, with thre sondry presentes: and howe be­inge baptissed of Iohn in Iordaine the [Page]floude, he laide the foundation of the newe Lawe. The seconde of Februarie, how his mother vnspotted, obeyeng the maner of her cōtry: brought him into the temple, and suftred her self to be purified or clensed, whiche we calle churching of childe. In memorie wherof the churche vseth that daye, solempne procession, and halowing of candles. The fiue and twentieth of Marche, howe y^e aungel brought woorde to the virgin Marte, that Christ shoulde be borne of her, being conceyued in her wombe, by the ouershadowing of the holy ghoste. At the whiche time they willed vs to faste the fourtie daies that he fasted him selfe, being with vs vppon earth, and to renewe the remembraunce of his passion, and deathe, whiche he wil­lingly susteined to deliuer vs fro y^e yoke and bondage of the deuell. The laste day of that faste, which oftentimes falleth in Aprille, to celebrate the highest feaste in al the yere: in remembraunce howe he ouercame deathe, descended into helle, vanquisshed the deuell, and retourned a­gaine on liue, and appeared in glorious wyse vnto his scholers, or disciples.

In Maye, howe all those his scholers lo­king [Page]vpō him, he by his owne vertue an [...] mighte, stied vp into the heauens. At the whiche time, by thordenaunce of saincte Mamerte, bishoppe of Vienne: there be made ganginges with the lesse Letanies from one Churche to another, all Chri­stendome ouer. In Iune, and somtime in Maie, how the holy ghoste, promised to the disciples, giuen from aboue, appered to them like glowing tongues: and gaue them to vndrestande, & to speake the ton­ges of al naciōs. Theight daie folowing, Trinitie Sondaie. The fiueth daie aftre that, how Christe in his laste supper, for a continualle remembraunce of himself, instituted the moste holsome Sacramēte of his bodie and bloud, vndre the fourme of breade and wine, leauyng it to be sene and eaten of his. The fiuetenth of Iuly, how the blessed Apostles, acordyng as thei ware cōmaunded, the twelueth yere aftre the Ascencion of their Master into heauen: wente their waies into the vni­uersalle worlde, to Preache vnto all peo­ple. The departyng of Christes mother out of this life, the fiuetenth daie of Au­guste. And her Natiuitie, theight of Se­ptembre. And thone and twentie of N [...] ­uembre, [Page]how she from thre yeres of age (at the whiche tyme she was presented to the temple) vntill she was mariage able, remained there seruing God stil a peate And theight of Decembre, how she was of her parentes begotten, that longe a­fore had bene barreine. The second daie of Iulie, how Elisabethe passyng the Mounteines, visited her kind eswoman.

There wars also certeine holie daies appoincted to the .xii. Apostles. To cer­teine Martyres, Confessours, and Vir­gines. As the fowre and twentieth of Fe­bruarie to saincte Matthie. To saincte Marke the Euangeliste, the .xxv. of A­prille. Vpon the whiche daie, Gregorie ordeined the greate Letanies to be song [...] The firste of Maie is hallowed for Phi­lippe and Iames the more. The .xxix. of Iune, for Petre and Paule: & the .xxiiij. of the same, for the Natiuitie of. S. Ihon Baptiste. The .xxv. of Iuly, for Iames the lesse. For Bartholomewe the fowre & twentie of August. For Mathewe, the one and twentie of Septembre. And the eight and twentie of Octobre, for Simō and Iude. The last of Nouembre, for. S Andrewe, The one and twentie of De­cembre, [Page]for saincte Thomas. And the .vij. and twentie of thesame moneth for Ihō the Euāgelist. The daie before, for Ste­phin the first Martire. And the daie aftre for the Innocentes. The tenth of August for sainct Laurence. And the thre & twen­tie of Aprille, for saincte George. Of all the Confessours, there are no moe that haue holidaies appoincted, but S. Mar­tine and saincte Nicholas. The firste, on the eleuenth of Nouembre: and the other the sixteth of Decembre. Ratherine the virgine, the fiue and twentie of Nouem­bre, and Marie Magdalene the twentie and two of Iuly. There is also vndre the name of saincte Michael alone, the .xxix. of Septembre: a holy daie for all blessed Angelles. And one other in commune for all the sain [...]tes, and chosen of GOD, the firste of Nouembre.

Thei would also that euery seuenthe daie, should be hallowed of the Christia­nes, by the name of Sondaie, as the Ie­wes doe their Sabboth: restyng from all worldly woorke, and beyng onely occu­pied with praising of GOD, and the de­uine Seruice in the Churche. To learne by the Priestes preachyng, the Gospelle [Page]and the commaundementes of our faith. And by what meanes so euer we thinke in our conscience we haue prouoked the wrathe of God against vs all the wieke afore: that, this daie to amende, to sette cliert, and aske pardone for. In time past tuery Thursdaie also was kepte as the Sondaie. But because we mighte sieme therein, somewhat to gratefie the Hea­then (whiche that daie kepte solempne holie daie, to Iupiter their Idolle) it was laied doune againe. More ouer the cler­kes and the people, vsed bothe Thursdaie and Sondaie before Masse, to go round aboute the Churche a Procession, and the Prieste, to sprinckle the people with holy watre. Agapitus instituted the one, and the other. The Thursdaie, in remem­braunce of Thristes Ascencion, and the Sondaie, of his glorious Resurrection: whiche we celebrate fro Sondaie to Sō ­daie continually, ones euery eight daies. The night afore euery ordenary holidaie or feaste full daie: the whole clergie, and the people, ware bounde to kiepe Vigile in euery churche. That is to saie, to wake all nighte, in deuine seruice and praier. But vpon consideracion of many slaun­derous [Page]crimes and offences, that ware by diuers naughtie and malicious perso­nes committed, by the oportunitie of the darke: this maner was taken awaie, and or deined that the daie before the feaste, should be fasted, whiche yet kiepeth stille the name of Vigile. The fathers decreed that the churche in the whole yere should renue the memorie of fiue thynges.

Fro the Sondaie called Septuagesi­ma (because there are seuentie daies, be­twiene that and the octauaes of Easter) thei would vs to renue the memorie of Thristes Fasting, Passion, Death & Be wrialle. The miserable falle also of our first parentes, and those extreme errours of mankinde, by the whiche thei ware ledde awaie fro the knowledge and wor­shippe of one verte GOD: to the wicked supersticion and honour of Idolles and deuelles. And further, the greuous and intollerable bondage that the people of Israell suffred vndre the Pharao of E­gipte. Vpon whiche consideracion, the bookes of Genesis and Erodus be redde in the seruice of the churche. Whiche she­weth then in all her demeanour, and ap­pareilyng, heauinesse and sorowe.

From the octauaes of Easter, to the octauaes of Whitsontide, Christes Re­surrection, and Ascencion, with the com­myng of the holy Ghoste. And together with that, the redempcion, reconciliaciō, and at onement of mankinde with God the father, throughe Iesus Christe: and the restoryng againe of the children of Israell, to the lande of beheste. Wherein was prefigured our reconciliacion and redempcion aforesaied. For that cause is all the seruice out of the newe Testamēt, and al thinges done with ioie & gladnes.

From the octauaes of Whitsontide, till Aduente, rx. wiekes space, and more, thei would haut to bee celebrated the cō ­uersacion of Christe here in the worlde, with his miracles and woorkes of won­dre. And ouer and beside that, the longe pilgrimage that mankinde, by longe re­nolucion maketh, from one generation to another, from the tyme of our redem­ption, saluacion and sauyng, vntill the laste daie of time. Wherfore duryng this while, vpon consideracion of the diuerse happe and hasarde, wherwith the Chur­che is tossed, like a Shippe in the trou­bled Seas, she neither greatly reioiseth, [Page]ne soroweth, but redeth greate chaunge of bookes, out of the olde and newe Te­stamente: to the ende she maie walke the warelier, and the bettre wtjnde her self out of the stormes, that are trady to as­saile her.

From Aduente to Christemas, to re­membre the tyme from Moses, to the commyng of Messias. In the whiche mankinde certefied of saluacion, bothe by the lawe and the Prophetes, awaited with moste earneste desires for his com­ming, and the kingdōe that he shold haue Wherefore thei ordeined that the Pro­phecies should be redde, and fasting exer­cised. That the churche the bettre enstru­ited, and abled by these, mighte the wor­thelter receiue the Birche daie of Christ her Lorde (whiche euer falleth the fo­werth wieke aftre) and from thens holde on with feaste, and continuall gladnesse, vntill Septuagesima. Retoisyng that he was now rome: whiche should bee the saulutour of the worlde. Their oratories Temples, or places of praier (whiche we calle Churches) might not be built with­out the good will of the Bishoppe of the Diocese. And when the Timbre was re­dy [Page]to be framed, and the foundacion dig­ged: it behoued them to sende for the Bi­shoppe, to hallowe the firste corner stone of the foundaciō, and to make the signe of the crosse thervpon, and to laie it, and di­recte it iuste Caste and Weste. And then might the Masons sette vpon the reste, but not afore. This Churche did thei vse to builde, aftre the facion of a crosse, and not vnlike the shape of a manne. The Chauncelle (in the whiche is conteined the highe Altare and the Quiere) directe full into the East, representeth the heade. And therfore ought to be made somwhat rounde, and muche shorter then the body of the churche. And yet vpon respecte that the head is the place for the eyes, it ought to be of more lighte, and to bee separate with a particion, in the steade of a necke, from the body of the Churche. This par­ticion the Latine calleth Cancellj: and out of that cometh our terme, Chauncelle. On eche side of this chauncelle peraduē ­ture (for so fitteth it beste) should stand a Turret, as it ware for two eares. And in these the Belles to be hanged, to calle the people to Seruice, by daie and by night. Undre one of these Turrettes, is there [Page]commonly a voulte, whose doore ope­neth into the quiere. And in this are laid vp, the hallowed vesselles and ornamen­tes, and other vtensiles of the church. we calle it a vestrie. The other parte oughte so to be fitted, that hauing as it ware on eche side an arme, the reste maye resem­ble the bodye with the fete stretched in breadthe, and in lengthe. On eche side of the bodye the pillers to stonde. Vpon whose coronettes or heades the vaulte or rophe of the churche maye reste. And to the foote beneth, aulters to be ioyned.

Those aulters to be ordrely alway coue­red with two aulter clothes, and garnis­shed with the crosse of Christe, or some litle cofre of reliques. At eche ende a can­delsticke: and a booke towarde the myd­des. The walles to be parieted without, and within, and diuersly paintted. That thei also should haue in euery parisshe a faire sounde stone, made holowe, and fitte to holde water: in the whiche the water consecrate for baptisme, may be kept for the christening of children. Upon the right hande of the highe aulter, that ther should be an almorie, either cutte into the walle, or framed vpon it: in the whi­che [Page]thei woulde haue the Sacrament of the Lordes bodye, the holy oyle for the sicke, and the Chrismatorie, alwaie to be locked. Furthermore thei woulde that ther should be a pulpite in the middes of the churche, wherein the prieste maye stonde vpon sondaies and holidayes, to teache the people those thinges that it be­houeth them to knowe. The Chauncelle to serue onely for the priestes, and cler­kes. The rest of the tēporalle multitude to be in the body of the church. Seperate notwithstonding, the men on the ryghte side, and the women, on the lefte. And eche of them to be sobre and honest in ap­parelle and behauour. Whatsoeuer is cō trary to good facion or christiane religi­on, with greate diligence to shonne it. It was the maner in the first churche, both amonge men and women to lette their heare growe, to shewe out their naked skinne, and very litle or nothing to diffre in apparelle. Sainct Peter put first or­dre, that women should couer their heades, and menne rounde their heare, and either of them to go in seueralle and son­drye apparelle. Moreouer that to euery churche, shold be laid out a churchyarde, [Page]of the grounde adioyning, in the whiche all christen mennes bodies mighte in­differently be bewried. The same to be consecrate, or halowed by the bisshoppe, and to enioye all the priuilegies that the churche may enioye.

The funeralle for the deade, thei kepe not in euery place ylike. Some mourne and kepe dirige and Masse seuen daies continualle together, some .ix. some .xxx. or fourtye some, fiuetie, and a hundred, and other a whole yere, wrapped vp in blacke. The coūseile of Toledo ordeined that the corps beinge firste wasshed, and then wrapped vp in a shiete, shoulde be caried forthe with singing by menne of his owne condicion or sorte, clerkes by clerkes, and laye menne of laye menne. And aftre what time the priest hath sen­sed the corps, throwen holy water vppon it, & said certeine prayers, to laye it into the graue with the face vpwarde, and the heade into the weaste. Then to throwe in the earth again, and in token that ther is a christiā ther bewried, to sette vp a crosse of wodde, garnisshed with yvie, cipres, or laurelle. These be the ordres and facions of the Christiane religion.