THe Original of all true Ho­nour, is that which was from the Beginning. All Honour is due to God; and all true Honour that Men are honoured with, is from his Image shining in them. So they are honoured in the Lord: that is the honour that is from above, from God, that is Love. So they that write of it confess, that the ground of Honour is Virtue: From [Page 2]that they do define it. Pecham his Compleat Gen­tleman. Raleigh's Hi­story of the Wor. Sam's Orig. Rom. Brentius on Joh. 12. Hom. 15 Jerom and Augustin apud Obenheim. N. T. loc. 147. Yeking China in Oglby part 2. pag. 565.

Bowing, or prostrat­ing, or uncovering of Mens heads, seems to have been exhibited on­ly to God from the Be­ginning, by the expres­sion of the Angel, Rev. 22.9. And Paul's ar­guing from the Angel and Nature, 1 Cor. 11.10, 14. The transfer­ring of it to Men, most likely began where the Dominion began, which after the Flood, was in Babel; from thence therewith passing to the Persians, who as they write, Chrysolog. Serm. 120. used to set the Sphere under their Feet, and to crown themselves with the Sun and Stars, &c. and to be Adored, Plutarch in Themistoc. admit­ting none into their presence, but ador­ing [Page 3]and Bowing.

Which Custome, Alexander, they write, Aelian lib. 2. cap. 19. when he had over­come them, transfer­red to himself with the Empire, Q. Curtius, lib. 6. sect. 6. urging the Greeks to the mak­ing him a God; as Nebuchodonosor com­manded Holofernes (as some think) to abo­lish the Nation's gods, Boskhier Ara Coeli. praeleg. 3. that for them he might be account­ed God, and commanded his to wor­ship his Golden Image. And af­ter him the Romans. Domitian, after the manner of Caligula, Sext. Aurelius in Domitian. compelled them to call him Lord and God.

About which time Plutarch was famous. Plutarch Rom. Quest. pag. 226. at Paris. 24. Who amongst his Ro­man Questions, makes [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4]this one, viz. What should be the reason of uncovering the head before Potentates? And brings several con­jectures: But there he says; ‘That they uncovered to Saturn, far anci­enter than Aeneas, because he was the God of Truth: And that they Sacrifice to Honour bare-headed, be­cause it is clear, open, and splendid. For which cause they worship Excel­lent and Honoured Men: And there­fore they give this Rite to a Deity of the same Name.’ So he.

To whom Polydore Virgil also agrees, Polyd. Vir­gil, de Inv. re­rum. lib. 4. cap. 10. say­ing, ‘We uncover our heads to Magistrates and other Potentates, as if all ours ought to be open to them.’

Aylet Sammes also hath the like in the Antiquity of the Ro­mans, Samms Brit­tan. pag. 456. saying, ‘Crodo the Saxon Idol, Schedius. his naked head signified, [Page 5]that God ought to be worshipped with a pure mind, and unco­vered.’

This Crodo, Vossius thinks, Vossius de orig [...] Idololat. lib. 1. cap. 13, 33. came of Cro­nos, a name of Saturn, given to Nature and the Sun. Which Ver­stegan thinks was Seater, worshipped here by the Saxons: To whom they dedicated the day they called from him Sa­terday: Gualter on Amos. Hom. 8. Whom some think to have been Moloch and Nimrod.

Now from these Learned Men and Historians of the Rites of the Anci­ents, and their Interpretations of them, in their times, we may probably gather whence the rise hath been of Hat-Honour among the Latins; and so by their dominion in this part of the world, so to be accounted Manners: For in some parts, it is not so used, nor ac­counted; but on the contrary, ridicu­lous: So that Travellers say, they use [Page 6]it proverbially in cursing, to say, God send you as much sorrow as your Hats; meaning, little rest, through their much tossing off and on. Besides, this Rite or Ceremony they offered to men, in imitation of the God of Nature, hath very unnaturally sometime, brought some of their own Worshippers to an untimely end, if their word on their Death-bed may be credited, and may be instanced.

I have heard of a Treatise, De Pileo, not met with it; they that do, 'tis likely, may meet with a more ample Discourse than this brief Essay (that may give occasion of a further Enqui­ry) which in the mean time hints, That the false Heathen Gods have stolen the Rite from the God of Truth; and heathen men from false Gods; and false Christians from heathen men.