in forma solis lunae syderum like the Sun the Moone some like Stars which Caligula called exploratorias Coronas with these they rewarded souldiers according to their expoytes and deserts and yet the Citizens saith vigetius quod magis miremur had Coronas aureas Crownes of Gold Also it seemed that in Asia during the time of the great Alexander to whome the Amphictions sent a massy Crowne of Gold when Alexander was elected generall gouernor ouer Asia and Greece against the Persians Crownes were sent to those mighty and great Kings which held the Monarchy ouer other Nations in submission and loyalty not daring themselues to were Crownes The Kings of Egipt differed farre from all other Kings for their Diadems excelled all Princes in Maiesty and royalty for they ware the Image of a Lyon sometime of a Draggon and sometime of a Bull because they would be knowen the greatest and most auncient Kings of the world they would carry vpon their Diadems the likenes of Fier sometime of a Tree and sometime of a Serpent as though the Kingdome of Egipt should farre exceed all kingdomes for the Maiesty thereof the Kings of Egipt were chiefly set out by the regality of their Diadems The Romans and other heathen Kings in their Temples had sundry kinds of Crownes consecrated to their Idols and dedicated to their Gods and they dedicate Crownes made of the rinde of Cynamon pollished and trimmed about with Gold So religious were the heathē in their Atheisme that not only they crowned their Idols with all kind of Flowers but also trimmed and garnished the Altars of their Idoll Iupiter with Crownes and oken leaues the Alter of Appollo with Lawrell Crownes the Altar of Pluto with Cypresse the Altars of Hercules with Poplar the Alters of Bacchus with Iuie The prophet crieth out vpon the children of Israel that they obay not their God as the heathens did their Idols Sectio 5. THe regall ornaments ef Persia at the inauguration of their Kings by Cyrus in the time of Tarq Priscus the fift King of Rome was a Diadem called Cydaris the sacred fire and the figure of the Sun carried by the horse of Mars and 12. seuerall garments which Cyrus instituted and by a decree confirmed that they should remaine tanquam regalia to the posterity of Cyrus in Persia at Persepolis and to be vsed according to the law of Induendarum exuendarum vestium These regall ornaments of Cyrus were vsed with the Kings of Armenia Pontus and the most part of Asia for that they held their kingdomes vnder the Scepter of Persia. The regall ornaments of Egipt by Sheshac in the time of Salomon were such ornaments as the Priests of Vulcan in Memphis first inuented from the first to the last which was the sacred garment and rich robe of Isis which the Queenes of Egipt vsed to weare at triumphs or feasts according to the custome of Egipt were reserued and kept in Sacrario Isidis for the posterity of Sheshac and the Kings of Egipt The regall ornaments of Rome by Romulus in the time of Ezechias King of Iudah was no more but a coate of a purple coulor called Tunica Iouis and a long purple robe which Romulus himselfe the first King first inuented to set forth the Maiesty of a King The regall ornaments of the Prince of Cerinthia seemed most strange either for that they were reserued so long or that it was not lawfull by the law in Cerinthia to alter them they were so worne and consumed as Pantalion saith that the new elected Prince came to be inuested in such old garments that were so worne as he seemed more like a shepheard than a King And yet were these old garments so reserued and kept as diligently as King Cyrus robes at Persepolis in Persia or King Sheshacks garment at Memphis in Egipt The regall ornaments of Macedonia by Alexander in the time of their King was a rich Hat full of pearles called Chausia a rich slipper or pantofle called Crepida and a rich long robe which the Macedonians call Clamydem which Alexander the great vsed during his time And after him when the monarchy was brought to Rome Pompey the great vsed Alexanders robe rather for that he was likened to Alexander and for his sake rather then for credit that any Roman should seeme to haue by wearing a Macedonian garment I will omit to write of these christian Kings but only of their time of reuolting from the Romans The Longobardes the Goathes the Vandolles and Hunnes by reason of ciuill warres betweene themselues were made prouinces vnder the Romanes vntill the Empire decayed and after they had reuolted from the Romans they elected Kings to gouerne them Among the Longobardes Agelmundus their first King after their reuolting from the Romans 394. Among the Gothes after their reuolting Alaricus was their King 404. So was Gundericus ouer the Vandolles after their reuolting 413. And Attila King of the Hunnes after they had reuolted from the Romans 430. And after these Kings 1600. began the kingdome of Polonia where their first Crowned King was Miezlaus 963. In Hungaria the first crowned King was as Pantalion calleth him Beatus Stephanus 1003. And lastly in Bohemia the first crowned King was called Vladislaus 1080. of whose inauguration he hath set their Regalia aside omitting their ceremonies and inaugurations which they had from Charles the great Sectio 6. OF the manner and order of the Inauguration of Romulus the first King of Rome It was not lawfull by the Lawe of Romulus to Elect any King in Rome without diuination which during the first Kings of Rome continued in the selfe same honor as Magicke did in Persia where no Kings might be elected or sit without Magj in place as in Rome without south-sayers In Rome the South sayers did goe vp to the toppe of a hill where the south-sayer sat vpon a stone with his face towards the south with his auguring staffe called Lituus in his left hand with the which he deuided marked out the quarters of the Heauens the foure coasts the of south vpon the right hand the North vpon the left Hauing done sacrifice and offered oblations with sacred vowes made to Iupiter and Mars hee layd his hand vpon the new elected Kings head heauing vp the other hand vnto Heauen saying Iupiter Pater si fas est N. Pomp c. Then looking for lightning or thundring or some flying of byrds or some strange motion of the starres at the sight of which things the south-sayer openly pronounce him to bee King elected by Iupiter and Mars Selostris in Herodotus and Iosephus named Susacus and in the Bible Sheshac at his first cōming to his kingdome was brought by the priests of Vulcan into Memphis to the temple of Isis where the sacred booke wherein the law and secret ceremonies were written which none might read in but the priests
of Vulcan and the King at his first entrance into his kingdome after the reading of the laws and ceremonies of Isis. The priests brought the King a standing cuppe full of liquor Rosen or gumme gathered frō the barke of a firre tree a bole of milke with a few dry figgs not much differing from the ceremonies of Persia after the King had tasted a little of euery one he was brought by the Priests vnto the doore of Isis temple where the priests did giue to the King the kaye to open the doore frō thence the King was brought by the priests vnto the secret chauncell of Isis and after sacrifice the King did wash himselfe with the same water which is kept in Sacrario Isidis to wash the goddesse Isis. After this to the Kings are brought by the priests of Vulcan some regall garments which the King tooke from the priests and so vnto the last robe which is the sacred robe of the Idoll Isis according to the Law Induendarum exeundarum sacrarum vestium The seauen Princes and gouernors of the 127. prouinces of Persia assembled together in Persepolis the chiefest City in Persia to elect them a King after Cyrus and his son Cambises for Cyrus had no son but Cambises and Cambises had no son at all to succeed him in the kingdome The ceremonies of the Kings of Persia shall serue for the inauguration of the Kings of Armenia of the Kings of Pontus and for the most part of the Kings of Asia for that the Diadem which was called in Persia Cydaris in Armenia called Tiara and in Pontus called Candis differed only in manner and therefore all inauguration of the Kings of Asia shal be contained in the solemnities and ceremonies of Persia for both their ceremonies and fourme of their Diadems were alike for that all these Kings held vnder the Persians while the monarchy was there In Persia the ceremony was that they should sit in Cyrus chayre they put on these twelue garments that Cyrus first ware which were kept as monuments and reliques for the Kings of Persia in Persepolis The new King sitting so in Cyrus chayre three of the greatest Peeres in Persia brought vnto him three dishes in the one were fine dryed figs in the second a little turpentyne and in the third mylke After that the new King had eaten of the drye figs and had tasted of the turpentyne and drunke of the mylke hee rose from Cyrus chayre and thence was brought vnto the next hill For the Persians had no temple nor altars in their countryes The Funerals of the Thracians THE Thracians Funerals are full of mirth and melody with their Thracian wounds gotten in warres painted in order round about the Hearse which was the greatest glorie of the Thracians For when they bring their friends to the graue they vse to singe Thracian songes with all sweete Musicke Onely this ceremonie they reserued that when any man of great calling died his wife is brought on the same day to the graue of her husband in her richest Ornaments and best apparell accompanied with her parents and next in blood with great solemnitie which after sacrifice vpon her husbands graue she must make sacrifice of her selfe So was Polixena sacrificed and slaine vpon the graue of Achilles in Troy So was Iphiginea Agamemnons daughter slaine and sacrificed at Aulis in Greece the one to satisfie Neptune the other to pacifie Diana In great funerall feasts called Lemuria after the annointing of their crownes and trimming of their tombes with sweet hearbs and funerall flowers after sacrifice done and diuers ceremonies they fitte round about a long flint stone the parents the kinsmen the brethren of the dead soulesome with beanes some with waffers some with dry figs and euerie guest bring some thinges to this feast where they drinke to their Gods first and after to the soule of the dead with great myrth sundry ceremonies they rise vp frō the Tombe all crowned with crownes Garlands made of sweete flowers and funerall hearbes in great solemnitie daunce about the Tombe being braue garnished as is before said So did Alexander the great with diuers Macedonian Peeres and Nobles crowned with garlands daunced about Achilles graue So did Traiane the emperour solemnize the funerall feast of Alexander at Alexandria in Egipt So did Cleopatra solemnize the funerall of Marcus Antonius Ceramicus in Athens was a buriall place appointed for Generals Captaines and for marshall Magistrates slaine in the field as Martius field in Rome was both a burial place for some Consuls and Dictators so it was a place of exercise for the Romane gallants vpon the graues of these Noble Captaines in memorie of Chiualrie So did Achilles solemnize the funerall of his friend Patroclus cutting the fore-lockes of his haire to set it amonge many other of Patroclus friends vpon his Hearse or Tombe in Troy The manner of the funerall Feasts and Ceremonies of the Macedonians IN Macedonia they vsed more solemne and mournefull ceremonies at the funerall of their Kinges and Princes for they tooke downe their Bulwarkes and Fortresses of warres they vntiled their temples they subuerted their altars they reiected and deposed their Idols they put out their fire and the men shaued both their heads and beards and they clipped their horses and left nothing vndone that belonged to mourning So Alexander the great solemnized the funerall of Hephestion So King Archelaus did at the funerall of Euripides shaue his beard and his head So did Achilles c. Lawes decreed for triumphes are written in the fift Booke of Alexander Cap. 9. called Leges funerales Lawes funerall for the dead written in the sixt Booke Cap. 13. Of the funerall Feasts of the Romane Emperours THe Romanes vsed to haue their commendations recited in the pulpit of which Val. Pub. made the first funerall Oration in Rome at the death of Brutus his fellow Consull The Romanes vsed to carrie before the dead Emperour his statues and Images and after that the Statues and Images of his predecessors to set forth the dignitie of his stocke as Ca Caesar did at the funerall of his Aunt mother vnto Marius whose Statues Caesar caused to be carried with all the ensignes crownes rich spoyles and trophees which Marius had gotten in his victorie In such manner Tiberius Caesar the third Emperour of Rome caused at the Funerall of his Father Drusus that the Statue of Aeneas and all statues of the Kings of Alba vntill Romulus time the 17. King after Aeneas and the statue of Romulus and the whole familie of Gens Iulia from Romulus time vnto Iulius Caesar lineally Of the funerals of the Egiptians THe Kings of Egipt were most sumptuously reserued in this order their bodies were opened and were in such sort vsed as the Egiptians vse with Myrrhe Aloes Honie Salt Waxe and many other sweet odors being seared vp and annoynted with all precious oyles So the Kings of Egipt reserued the bodies
Egipt is couered ouer with the water of Nilus that is the great Iubile in Egipt The great Iubile in Rome is of such fire as they haue in Scythia where wood is scant they take the skin from the flesh of their beasts take the flesh from the bones and with the bones of their beasts they boyle their meat such fire was long vsed in Rome that with bones and flesh they burned as godly and learned men as were in Europe But this quarrell betweene Fire and Water was fully ended by a Persian Priest and an Egiptian Priest about their countrey Gods The Priest of Persia sayd that his God would deuoure and consume all other Gods The Egiptian Priest denied that so Ad certamen veniunt The one came with fire the God of Persia the other came with a vessell of water and hanged it on the fire and boared diuers holes through the Vessell and stopt the holes with waxe the Persian Priest expected when the Fire would burne the Vessell and the Egiptian Priest expected when the waxe would melt and the water would runne out and quench the fire thus both expecting the triall of their Gods the waxe melted and the water flusht out through diuers and sundry holes and so presently quenched the fire so that the iudgement was giuen Vicit Deus Egiptius but if it had been a Romane Fire neither the Riuer Nilus nor the Ocean Sea could quench it Certaine people saith Pomp. Mela quibus ignis ignotus fuit who when they came where fire was they thought it was sweet and pleasant and would often embrace it in their armes vntill the flame scortcht them for that this people knewe not what fire was and therefore one of these or one like them asked Aristotle if Fire in his owne nature were hot I doe not thinke sayth Aristotle that Carneades which doubteth of euerie thing doubteth not of that if you doubt of it saith hee put your finger into the fire and try it Surely some had the feeling of Romane fire in England in Germanie and in other places a long time and of late their fire was so close kept that it was couered ouer with the ashes of Iuniper which as some write keepes fire vnquenched a whole veere They sell these ashes verie deere and to none but to their fellowes in Religion but as Alexander Seueru spake of Thurinus Fumo pereat qui fumum vendit The Monkes say that Saint Dominicks mother the first Frier of that Fraternity dreamed being with childe that shee brought forth a great mastiue Dogge with a great fire brand in his mouth with the which she thought that this Dog burned euerie Citie Towne or place where hee came this dreame prooued too true in England and in Germanie A merrie pleasant fellow was in place where three great learned men were and asked them a merry question where was the best and deerest water sold. The Philosopher first told him his opinion and sayd in Omopolio in the wine tauerne where water is equally mingled with wine and equally sould with wine The Phisition thought that water dearest and best the vrine of the sicke as Lotium vespatiani whose filthy gaine was such that vespasianus was called Mastix Iudeorum The diuine sayd that the water of repentance Lachrimae piorum was the best water Magdelens teares in washing Christs feete vnder the table and Peters teares of repentance if a Iesuite had been present he had sayd holy water the coniured water of Rome aqua benedicta quae tollit omnia delicta ' The like question of the like merry fellow who were the three greatest Conquerours in the world after they were dead Some sayd that it was the great Emperor Ziscaes skinne who being asked at his death how he should be buried after I am dead said Zisca pull my skinne off and make of it a drum that my enemies that feared my sight aliue might feare the sound of my skinne being dead Aen. Syluius lib. 3. de gestis Alphon. Some sayd it was the ensigne of Alexander the Great which was put ouer his Pauillion after Alexanders death to feare the enemie the Images of two Lions sitting in a chaire Some said that it was the statue of the Serpent Sphinx vpon Augustus signet and some sayd that it was Seleucus Anchor for all Anchors belong to all Admirals on the Seas and therefore much feared Thus some said it was one thing some another like Aristotle musing how the Riuer Euripus flowed seuen times and eb'd seuen times in one day and so much in the night and yet neuer flowed nor ebbed in three dayes euerie moneth and because Aristotle could not find out the cause therof threw himselfe headlong into Euripus saying Quia te non capio tu me capies The like is written of Homer for that he could not satisfie himselfe of a ridiculous probleme obiected to him by poore Fisher-men wearied his head and so died and I beleeue this probleme would haue wearied 20. Aristotles and so many Homers before they would finde out these three terrible dead Conquerours to be the skinne of a sheepe the Quill of a Goose and the waxe of a little Bee Haec tria verum potiuntur the penne the parchment and a little waxe Many study such vaine riddles and think themselues well learned when they are furnished with these trifling problemes and seeke with the Iewish Cabalists Ex apice literarum to make an Art as the Iesuites and Romane Seminaries hunt after secret signification of letters as the Bookes of the Romane Sibills were full of mysticall Letters and of secret significations as three F. to signifie that Rome should bee destroyed ferro flamma fame with fire sword and famine Also they had three C. to note the cruell peruersnesse of Cor. Silla Cor. Cinna and Coâ— Lentulus with the which Rome should he plagued We let passe the Bookes of the Sibils and their letters and we will speake some thing of such misterie as they put in seuerall Letters which are more dark and obscure than the riddle of Sphinx to Oedipus First they say that three Letters make all bondmen free and the same three Letters againe make all free men bond men which is Aue and by conuersion of the word Aue is Eua and so by these two women came blessing and cursing Amonge the Greekes two C. were the worst Letters Caca. Amonge the Romanes two P. were the best Papa in the praise of which two P. many Books haue been written and as many against him Y Is a misticall letter Sect a bicorni this is Phytagoras letter to note the strict difficult way vnto vertue and the broad and easie way vnto viâ—e this letter Hercules and all the noble godly and valiant Captaines much imbraced T. Is Tertullians letter comparing it to the Crosse of which Ezechiell speaketh of cap 9. shal be infrontibus nostris apud veraâ— Hierusalem