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A16282	The manners, lauues, and customes of all nations collected out of the best vvriters by Ioannes Boemus ... ; with many other things of the same argument, gathered out of the historie of Nicholas Damascen ; the like also out of the history of America, or Brasill, written by Iohn Lerius ; the faith, religion and manners of the Aethiopians, and the deploration of the people of Lappia, compiled by Damianus a ̀Goes ; with a short discourse of the Aethiopians, taken out of Ioseph Scaliger his seuenth booke de emendatione temporum ; written in Latin, and now newly translated into English, by Ed. Aston.; Omnium gentium mores, leges, et ritus. English. 1611	Boemus, Joannes, ca. 1485-1535.; Góis, Damião de, 1502-1574.; Nicolaus, of Damascus.; Léry, Jean de, 1534-1611. Histoire d'un voyage fait en la terre du Brésil.; Scaliger, Joseph Juste, 1540-1609. De emendatione temporum.; Aston, Edward, b. 1573 or 4.	1611 (1611)	STC 3198.5; ESTC S102777	343,933	572

them and vpon this day in Herbipolis and in diuerse other places besides is much wine giuen to the poore for charity then haue they their publike shewes and pastimes as to haue two or three Boares put into a place together and to behold them fight and teare one another with their tuskes till their guttes traile about their heeles deuiding the flesh when the Boares bee dead some to the common people and some to the Magistrates But vpon Saint Nicholas day all the yong fry and Schollers choose out three amongst them one to represent the person of a Bishop and the other two Deacons he which is elected in the place of a Bishop is solemnly vpon that day conducted into the Church by all his Schoole-fellowes decked and trimmed with a Bishops Miter and all his other ornaments and so sitteth in place of authority as Lord and Protector ouer them all the while Masse is in saying and when the sacrifice is finished hee chooseth out a few of them from amongst the rest and hee and they goe singing vp and downe the towne from house to house collecting and gathering money and alleadging that the money they gotte by this meanes is not taken as an almes or beneuolence but giuen franckly for the maintenance of the Bishop Vpon Saint Nicholas Eeue Parents will aduise their children to fast and the more to incite them there vnto they perswade them that if they set their shooes vnder the table ouer night what so euer they shall finde in them in the morning is sent them from that bountifull Bishop Saint Nicholas which causeth the children to fast so truly and so long as their parents bee faine to compell them to eate for being sick with ouer long fasting and these bee the most vsuall customes of the Franconians these their annuall ceremonies Of Sueuia and how the people of that country liued heretofore and how they now liue CAP. 16. SVEVIA a Prouince of Germany is at this day limitted and bounded vpon the East with Baioaria vpon the West with Alsatia and the riuer of Rhene it hath the Alpes vpon the South and Franconia on the North. Sueuia as Antonius Sabellicus is of opinion was so called of a certaine people called Sueui who departing from that part of Scythia which is now called Liuonia Prussia obtained this country to dwell in which opinion of Sabellicus Lucan seemeth to confirme where he saith He brought the yellow Sueuians from the vtmost Northern coast Before it was named Sueuia it was called Alemannia of the lake Lemannus which is also called Lausanensis Sueuia is the vtmost part of all Germany and is watered with two notable riuers Rheine and Danubius whereof the one running slowly falleth into the sea Westward the other running a contrary course passeth by many regions and falleth at length into the sea called Pontus The country is some part of it plaine and euen and some part cragged and mountanous and all of it fertile and fruitfull sauing lakes mountaines and woods There be great store of woods and therefore very good hunting and especiall good fowling by reason of the multitude of riuers and lakes Of cattell there bee great abondance and plenty of all kinde of graine it is also full of gallant and flourishing valleis watered and manured with brookes riuers and running waters some running one way some an other ouer-flowing and fatting the soyle all which disburthen themselues either into Rhine or Danubius The land is very wholsome and healthfull and well replenished with stately cities townes and castels aspiring towers likewise walled and fortified both by arte and nature and for the aduancement of Christian religion it is sufficiently furnished with beautifull and rich temples parish Churches and Chappels Bishops Pallaces Colledges and monasteries containing sundry orders of religious persons both men and women vpon the hills bee mines of Siluer Yron and diuerse other mettals it is very populus and the people very hardy strong valerous they be tall of stature yellow haird faire and welfauoured and marueilous ingenious so as Plutarch concludeth them in a word for the most famous people of all Germany The glory and fame of this people grew once to that height as they obtained the Empire and gouernment of the world and in that honour and renowne continued for one age but afterwards beeing destitute and depriued of their Princes I know not how it came to passe whether by the ficklenesse and variety of fortune or by their owne folly and sloth but their gouernment ceased and their power and strength in short time became so weake and feeble as they could hardly hold their owne and defend themselues much lesse extend their fame to her former greatnesse in such sort as noe one considering their present estate would thinke that euer they had beene Lords and Gouernors of the world Iulius Caesar in the fourth booke of his commentaries writeth of this people thus The Sueuians sayth hee the worthiest and warlikst people of all Germany are sayd to haue a hundred Citties great Burrowes or townes out of euery of which hundred citties townes yearely is furnished and set forth to the warres a hundred thousand armed men well appoynted These hundred thousand men wage warrs abroad and be maintayned by those which remaine at home and at the yeares end returne home againe to husbandry and send forth as many more of those which were at home so as going to the warres and remayning at home in course they bee all well excercised is husbandry and skilfull in feats of armes and hauing noe grounds nor possessions priuat to them-selues they yeeld reciprocall Maintaynance one to another for it is not lawfull for them to remayne and abyde in one place longer than one yeare Their vsuall foode is bread milke and flesh they bee much giuen to hunting as well for their dayly excercise and liberty of life which they much regard for they bee neuer from their infancy vnder the rule and correction of any or constrayned to doe any thing against their wills the practise of hunting also maketh them more feerce and couragious and their bodies more strong able to indure all extremities as although they dwell in a very cold clymate they will wash and bath them-selues in cold riuers and weare no other garments but skins and those so little as the most part of there bodies bee starke naked if any marchants trafficke thether it is more to buy such things of them as they haue got by the warres than for any great desire the Sueuians haue of their commodities besides they haue great store of laboring beasts more than they haue vse for which the French men much desire and pay deere for them and those beasts which with them bee naturally froward ilfauored and almost good for nothing by much vse and handling bee made fit and able both to draw and carry or to be imployed in the warres for their horses be so well mand and taught

country fertill and fruitfull Egypt of many is accounted amongst the number of Ilands The riuer Nylus so deuiding it that it proportioneth the whole country into a triangular forme insomuch that of many it is called Delta for the resemblance it hath vnto that Greeke letter The Egiptians were the first that fained the names of twelue gods they erected Altars Idols and Temples and figured liuing creatures in stones all which things doe plainely argue that they had their originall from the Aethiopians who were the first Authors of all these things as Diodorus Siculus is of opinion Their women were wonte in times past to doe businesse abroad to keepe tauernes and victualling houses and to take charge of buying and selling and the men to knit within the walles of the citty they bearing burthens vpon their heads and the women vppon their shoulders the women to pisse standing and the men sitting all of them for the most part ryoting and banquetting abroad in open wayes and exonerating and disburdening their bellyes at home No woman there taketh vppon her the order of Priest-hood of any god or goddesse They enter not into religion to any of their gods one by one but in companies of whom one is their Bishoppe or head and hee beeing dead his sonne is elected in his steede The male children ayde and succour theyr parents by the custome of their country freely and willingly and daughters are forced to doe it if they bee vnwilling The fashion of most men in funerall exequies is to rend the hayres off theyr heads and to suffer their beards to growe vncutte but the Aegyptians did let their lockes growe long and shaue their beards short they kneaded theyr Dowe with theyr feete and made morter with their hands Theyr custome was as the Greekes were of opinion to circumcise them-selues and their children they write theyr letters from the right hand to the left and men wore two garments the women but one they had two sorts of letters the one prophane the other holy but both of them deriued from the Aethiopians The Priests shaued their bodyes euery third day least they should hap to bee polluted with any filthe when they did sacrifice they wore paper shooes and linnen vestiments euer new washed and alleagded that they were circumcised for no other cause but for cleanlinesse sake for that it is better to bee cleane then comely The Aegyptians sowed no Beanes nor would eate any that grew in other countries and their Priests were precisely prohibited the sight of them as beeing an vncleane kinde of graine The Priests washed them-selues in colde water thrise in the day time and twise in the night The heads of their oblations they eate not but cursing them with bitter execrations eyther sould them to strange Marchants factors or if none would buy them they would throw them into the riuer of Nylus their sacrifices were with oxen and calues that were very cleane It was not lawfull for the women to doe sacrifice no though they were consecrated to their God Isis They liued of meate made of a certaine corne which they call Wheate and drinke wine made of Barley for grapes there are none growing in that country They eate raw fish dried at the Sunne and some powdred in brine and birds also but altogether rawe but the richer sort feed vpon Quailes and Duckes When many are assembled together at meat and that they be arose from dinner or supper one of them caryeth about vpon a little Beere or Chest the picture of a dead body eyther made of wood or else much resembling a dead corpes in painting and workmanship of a cubite or two cubits long and shewing it vnto euery one of the guests saith vnto them In your drinkings and meriments behold this spectacle for such shall you bee when you are dead Yong people bow and giue place to their elders when they meete them in the way and arise from their seates to such as come to them wherein they agree with the Lacedemonians Those which incounter in the wayes salute one another with congee below the knee They are clothed as I haue said with linnen garments fringed about the legges which they call Cassilirae ouer which they we are a little short white garment like a cloake as it were cast ouer the other for wollen garments are so contemned as they are neither worne in temples nor serue for winding sheetes Now because all those famous men which haue heeretofore excelled in any one kinde of learning or mystery and which haue constituted and left behinde them lawes and ordinances for other nations to liue by went first vnto the Aegyptians to learne their manners lawes and wisdome in which they excelled all nations of the earth as Orpheus and after him Homer Musaeus Melampodes Dedalus Licurgus the Spartane Solon the Athenian Plato the Philosopher Pythagoras of Samos and Zamolzis his disciple Eudoxus also the Mathematitian Democritus of the cittie of Abdera Inopides of Chios Moses the Hebrew and many others as the Aegiptian Priests make bragges are contained in their sacred bookes I thinke it very conuenient to spend some little time further in describing the manner of liuing of the Aegiptians that it may bee knowne what one or more things euery one of those worthy men haue taken from the Aegyptians and transported into other countries for as Phillippus Beroaldus writeth vpon Apuleus Asse there be many things translated from the religion of the Aegiptians into the Christian religion as the linnen vestments the shauing of Priests crownes the turning about in the Altar the sacrificiall pompe the pleasant tuning notes of musick adorations prayers and many other more like ceremonies The Egiptian Kings as Diodorus Siculus writeth in his second booke were not so licencious as other Kings whose will standeth for a law but followed the institutions and lawes of the country both in gathering money and in their life and conuersations There was none of any seruile condition whether hee were bought with money or borne in that country that was admitted to waite and attend vpon the King nor any other but onely the sonnes of the worthiest Priests and those aboue the age of twenty yeares and excelling others in learning to the end that the King beeing mooued at the sight of his seruants both day and night attending vpon his person should commit nothing vnfit to be done by a King for seldome doe the rich and mighty men become euill if they want ministers to foster them in their euill desires There were certaine howers appointed euery day and night wherein by the permission of their lawe the King might confer with others The King at his rising receaueth all the letters and supplications that bee sent or brought vnto him and then pausing and considering a while what is to be don he giueth answer to euery suter in order as they came so as all things bee done in their due

THE MANNERS LAWES AND CVSTOMES OF ALL NATIONS Collected out of the best Writers by IOANNES BOEMVS AVBANVS a Dutch-man With many other things of the same Argument gathered out of the Historie of Nicholas Damascen The like also out of the History of America or Brasill written by Iohn Lerius The faith religion and manners of the Aethiopians and the deploration of the people of Lappia compiled by Damianus à Goes With a short discourse of the Aethiopians taken out of IOSEPH SCALIGER his seuenth booke de Emendatione temporum Written in Latin and now newly translated into English By ED. ASTON AT LONDON Printed by G. Eld and are to bee sold by Francis Burton 1611. TO HIS TRVLY HONORED FRIEND SIR WALTER ASTON OF TIXAL IN the County of Stafford Knight of the honorable order of the Bath HONORED SIR SEeing that it is an vsual and commendable custome amongst all writers to dedicate their workes once brought to perfection to some worthy personage or other to whom they are most deuoted vnder whose patronage and protection they may better passe without controulment And hauing now at last more for the benefit of such as are vnskilful in the Latin tongue then any priuate respect of mine owne other then my recreation translated these seueral writers into our vulgar language by whose trauels indeauours the maners fashions formes of gouernment of forraine and remote nations are plainely discouered to each studious and iudiciall reader to the deserued commendations of the Authors themselues the expelling of barbarous ignorance and the inriching and inlightning of the Christian world with the knowledge of all parts thereof And withall deliberatly weighing with my selfe to whom amongst so many worthies of our daies I might direct and consecrate these my labours of whom I might conceiue some hope of acceptance and a willingnesse to support the burthen of my weake building I could bethinke my selfe of none so fit nor so worthie as your selfe right worthie Sir both in regard that the manifold fauours bestowed vpon the poore house from whence I had my beeing by you and your memorable Auncesters and the taste that my selfe haue had of your good will to all your welwishers and for that also the variety of matter herein contained may happily yeeld some delight if you vouchsafe to peruse it imboldneth me humbly to presume in these rude rugged lines to manifest my ardent deuotion and affectionate zeale I owe of duty ought to owe vnto your honored self And though the meanesse of the gift through the indigested phrase and ill composture can no way merit the least place in your good likeing yet was the poore mans sacrifice made with salt as acceptable to the Romane gods as the rich mans incence and Sineta's cold water proceeding from a willing heart hauing no better meanes to shew his duty and deuotion as highly regarded and as bountifully rewarded by King Artaxerxes as the richest presents the Persians did offer him Accept then I beseech you these my poore presentments by your accustomed fauour so to giue life to them and me that they may passe vnder your protection free from detraction and my selfe be incoraged to proceed to other enterprises for the aduancement of your fame and attayning to my selfe the expected end of al my labours which is to be inrolled in the Catalogue of your welwillers Thus crauing pardon for my presumption I humbly take my leaue And rest euer truly deuoted to your honored name ED. ASTON To the friendly Reader IF the reading of Histories be so necessary benefic al to al sorts of people as they be rightly termed by some the mirrors and maisters of our life shewing and teaching vs by the lawes and gouernments of other nations and common-weales what orders and institutions are fittest to bee ordayned and obserued in our own for the establishment of perfect peace maintainance of diuine worship and excercise of moral vertues I doubt not good courteous Reader but the commendation of this Worke and other Histories of like argument expressed at large by the Author in his preface will passe so currant with thee as thou wilt willingly conclude with him That there is nothing more pleasant more profitable nor more prayse worthy then truly legendo aut peregrinando either by reading or trauelling to know and vnderstand the situation lawes customes religion and forme of gouernement of each seuerall Prouince in the world And seeing also that besides our sloth and home-lou'd idlenesse there be so many rubbes and impediments to hinder and deterre vs from trauell as it is in a maner vtterly neglected and we thereby depriued of the one halfe of our vnderstandings how much more industrious ought we to be for supply of that defect to busie our selues in reading the reports of such Writers both an●ient and moderne as haue spent most part of their times in that kind of exercise and do as it were proffer vs their hands to lead and conduct vs through each seuerall country In which rancke mine Author and those auncient and famous writers out of which this collection is gathered though it cannot bee denied but that there hath beene ●uch alteration of stares since their daies as there is almost no one country in the world that doth wholy retaine the selfe same customes ceremonies by them described are not in the meanest regard nor their sayings in any wise to be contemned in regard of the number of late writers who though some of them haue beene men of that fame and repute and withal so perfect and absolute in their relations as they haue come farre neerer vnto the truth of our present estate yet is there no reason that a multiude of Mandiuels that wander abroad in this pampletting age in the habite of sincere Historioghraphers like Asses in Lyons skins should dazell and dim the glory of the other or cancel and deface their opinions so autenticke and anciently receiued For mine owne part I must confesse my insufficiency truely to discerne betwixt the one and the other yet thus much I may presume to say in the behalfe of mine Author that to my weake vnderstanding in al the course of his bookes he inforceth no vntruths to make them seeme probable nor meere probabilites for true but relateth things doubtful as he found them written by others and so leaueth euery man to his discretion to giue credit as hee sees cause And although hee maketh mention of some ceremonies customes vsed in certaine countries which seeme so absurde monstrous and prodigious as they appeare vtterly voide of credit yet is there no cause that that should distast any one considering that as hee well noteth in the conclusion of his third booke all people are not indued with like ciuility and that there is as great difference in mens liuings as in their collours The pleasure which I tooke by perusal of these seuerall collections and the profit that I conceiued might thereby redound both to

law to bee purged by offering vp a Ramme The flesh of which oblations whether they were publicke or priuate the Priests did eate in the Temple one measure containing a peck of the finest flower was allowed for the oblation of a Lambe for a Ramme two and for a Bull three There was also allowed Oyle which was powred vppon the sacrifice A Lambe was publickly sacrificed euery morning and euening and vppon euery seuenth day which was called their Sabbaoth and which by their law they held most holy there were double sacrifices offred vpon their Altars In the beginning of the month were offered for reconciliation two Oxen seauen yearling Lambes one Ramme and one Kidde to which were added two Kiddes more the one whereof was sent out of the bounds of the Citty and there offered as a satisfaction for the sinnes of the multitude and the other was burned skinne and all in the purest place of the suburbes of the Citty The Priests gaue a Bull sanctified for that purpose and a Ramme for a whole burnt sacrifice There was also other sacrifices mingled with ordinary ceremonies and holy dayes such was the fifteenth day of the month which the Macedons called Hyperueretheus and vppon the returne of Autumne they fixed their Tents or Tabernacles and keeping that day holy offered yearely whole burnt offerings the dooers thereof vppon the moneth Xanthicus which is Aprill carryed in their hands the boughes of Myrrh Willow Palmes and Peach tree where-vppon the yeare tooke his beginning vppon the day of the full Moone the sunne then entring into the signe Aries And because at that time the people of Israel were deliuered out of the land of Egipt they sacrificed the misticall Lambe and celebrated the feasts of vnleuened bread or sweete bread in the full Moone some few dayes after vpon which dayes were euer burned for a whole burnt sacrifice two Bulls one Ramme and seauen Lambes wherevnto was added one Kidde for satisfaction for their sinnes in the second day of Sweete-bread were offered the first parts of their fruites and a measure of Oyle and in the beginning or springing of their fruites a Lambe for a whole burnt sacrifice Their dayes of Penticost also were certaine which time they called Asarthan that is to say Quinquagesima or the fifteeth day and then they offered leauened bread made of drie meale two Ewe lambes two Calues and two Rammes for a whole burnt offering and two Kiddes in recompence of their misdeeds The Heathen writers disagree from the Ecclesiasticall concerning the Iewes and Moses their Captaine for Cornelius Tacitus in the one and twentith Booke of his Diurnalls attributing the departing of that people out of the land of Aegipt not to Gods diuine will and power but to necessity writeth thus of them The scabbe and noysome itch beginning in Aegipt saith hee Boch●ris the Aegiptian King desired a remedy in the Temple of his god Hamon where hee was admonished to purge his kingdome and to banish those people meaning the Iewes which were hatefull to their gods into other countries Wherevpon they beeing expulsed and a great multitude of them which had the scabbe least sitting together in waste and desolate places most of them beeing almost blinde with weeping Moses one of those which were banished among the rest admonished them not to expect any helpe of goddes or men but onely to relye and commit them-selues wholy to him as their guide and Captaine wherevnto they assented and agreed and so beeing vtterly ignorant what would become of them tooke their iourney at aduentures wherein aboue other things they wanted water and that they watching all night in the open fields not farre from destruction saw a flocke of wylde Asses going from feeding and sitting downe vpon a rocke ouer-growne with thick woods these Moses pursued and tooke and therevpon and to the end that he might for euer bee assured of that people he gaue vnto them new lawes and ceremonies contrary to all other nations for those things which wee hold for holy they account as prophane and allow of those things which with vs are poluted They hollowed and worshipped within their houses the picture of a beast the sight whereof expelled both thirst and error and sacrificed a Ramme in despite of the god Hamon they offer also an Oxe in derision of the god Apis which the Aegiptians worship vnder the forme of an Oxe They abstaine from Swines flesh for auoyding the scabbe because that beast is dangerous for that disease They rest vppon the seuenth day because that day brought end to their labours and yeelding to slouthfulnesse the seuenth yeare also is spent in Idlenesse the honor whereof is by others attributed to Saturne by reason of hunger and fasting their bread is altogether vnleauened these lawes how euer they were brought in are there defended and though mercy and firme faith are in great request amongst them yet they carry deadly hatred against all other nations They bee seperated in their banquets and seuered in their beds They are much giuen to lust and yet they abstaine from the company of women of other nations but hold nothing vnlawfull amongst them selues They ordained circumcision of their priuities that by that difference they might bee discerned from others and the first lesson they learne is to contemne the gods The soules of those which were slaine in battell or by punishment they suppose to be eternall They haue the like regard of Hell and perswasion of Heauenly things on the other side the Aegiptians worshippe diuers beasts and wrought Idols but the Iewes in their hearts and minds acknowledge but one onely God accounting those prophane which faine or pourtray the images of their gods in the forme of men These and many other things hath Cornelius Tacitus and Trogus in his seauen and thirty booke written of the Iewes Three sects of the Iewes were seuered and distinguished one from another by their vsuall manner of liuing which were the Pharasies the Sadducees and the Esseians The Pharasies liued very austerely and sparingly instituting new traditions by which they finished and abolished the traditions of Moyses They carried in their forheads and vpon their left arme certaine frontlets and papers wherein was written that decalogue which the Lord sayd thou shalt haue as it were hanging betwixt thine eyes and in thy hand and these they called Philacteries of the Greeke word Philatein which signifieth to fullfill the law These also fastned the edges of their vestures to the rest of their garments with thornes that beeing pricked therewith as they went they might remember Gods commandements They thought all things to bee done by GOD and by destiny and that to doe or neglect things that were lawfull and iust consisted in the will of man but yet that in all things fate was a furtherer whose effects they essteemed to proceed from the motion of the Heauenly bodies They would neuer contradict their elders nor superiours They beleeued the general iudgement that al

and thereof conuicted he dyeth for it yet not with such a death as any one should lay violent hands vpon him but by common consent hee is shut vp in some close place from the sight and company of all men and there famished to death This people bee generally addicted to husbandry and hunting of Tygers and Elephants for other common beasts they little regarde and some delight in fishing for shell fishes the shells weereof bee so bigge as one shell will make a house sufficient to containe a whole family The greater part of this Iland is burned with the heate of the Sunne and is therefore desert vppon the side of the Iland beateth a sea that is very greene They esteeme much of gold whereof and of all sorts of precious stones they garnish and beautifie their pots They haue great store of Marbles and Margarites and very bigge ones And these bee the people countries and nations whose manners customes and institutions are commended vnto vs by Historiographers and which by any meanes I could collect out of them yet I confesse there be many other which I haue eyther wholy omitted or lightly passed ouer because I could not write more of them than I found in other Authors hauing neuer by trauelling into those parts beene eye witnesse of them my selfe nor could otherwise attaine to the perfect knowledge thereof neyther doe I thinke it possible for mee or any man else to know and declare the manners of all nations but God onely to whom nothing is hidden nor nothing vnpossible for hee onely it is that first laide the foundation of the earth it was hee that first founded the depth and bottome of the sea and pointed vnto vs the passages through the deepe hee onely it is that so bountifully hath bestowed vpon vs wealth dignities honor and riches and all other commodities necessary for our beeing and hee it is that hath allotted vnto euery one his profession and course of life wherein to imploy himselfe for some hee hath ordained to bee husbandmen permitting then to growe wealthy by vnripping the bowels of the earth to some others hee hath giuen the sea wishing them to prouide their liuings some by fishing and some by merchandize some others he hath addicted to the study of Sciences and Philosophie that thereby they may attaine to honor and estimation and some others he hath put in places of authority to gouerne and praecede the rest And therefore it is no maruell that all men are not of one condition nor of one nature nor yet indued with like manners seeing wee perceiue such difference and variety in kingdomes and countries as that one country produceth white people an other swaithy an other tawny and some cleane black or like vnto flowers which grow in Assyria and euen so hath God appointed that people should be of variable mindes and dispositions as other things are and that euery one should rest contented with that course of life that God hath appointed for him FINIS The manners of diuerse nations collected out of the workes of NICHOLAS DAMASCEN THE Thyni which bee a people of Thrace receiue such as haue suffered shipwracke or fallen into pouerty by their owne defaults very courteously and friendly and all strangers likewise which come willingly vnto them are highly honored but those which come perforce whether they will or no are as seuerely punished The Aritoni kill no kinde of beast they haue their Oracles written in lots which they keepe in golden couers The Dardani a people of Illyrium bee washed onely three times in all their liues that is to say when they bee borne when they be marryed and when they lye a dying The Galactophagi a people of Scythia liue not in houses as most of the other Scythians doe their sustenance consisteth for the most part of Mares milke which serueth them both for meat and drinke They bee seldome ouer-come in battaile for that their prouision of victuals is in euery place and at all turnes in readinesse This people forced Darius to returne home without conquest they bee maruellous iust one towards an other as hauing both wiues and wealth in common to all they salute old men by calling them their fathers the yong men their children and their equals brethren of this people was Anacharsis one of the seuen wise men who came into Greece to learne the laws ordinances of other nations Homer remembreth this people where he saith the Mysi fight nigh at hand the Agaui milke Mares and the Galactophagi and Abij be most iust men And the reason why he calleth them Abij is either because they would not till the earth or for that they liued without houses or else because they onely vsed bowes in the warres for a bow of the Poets is often called Bios there is not one amongst them all as is reported that is either stirred with enuy swelled with hatred or striken with feare by reason of their exceeding great Iustice and communitie of all things The women there be as warlike as the men and go with them to the warres when need requireth and therefore it may well be true that the Amazons be women of such valerous and generous spirits as that they went forth with an army vnto Athens and Scicily at such time as their abode was about the poole of Maeotis The women of Iberia do once euery yeare being their whole yeares worke into an open and publicke place in presence of all the people where certaine men be elected by voyces as Iudges to censure of their labours and those which by them are adiudged most laborious are most honored and in highest estimation they haue also a girdle of a certaine measure within the compasse wherof if the belly of any will not bee comprehended they be thereby much disgraced The Vmbrici in their battels against their enimies hold it vnfitting for the vanquished to suruiue and that it is necessary eyther to ouer-come the enemy or to bee slaine themselues This people when any controuersie happeneth amongst themselues fight armed as if they made warre against their open enimies and hee which killeth his aduersary in fight is supposed to haue the iustest cause The Celtae a people inhabiting neere the Ocean account it a disgrace for any one to withdraw himselfe or leane his body to a wall or house when any inundation commeth towards them from the sea they arme themselues to meete the floud and make resistance vntill they be drowned neuer retiring back nor shewing the least feare of death any manner of way They weare their swords aswell when they bee occupied in the affaires of their common-wealth as in the warres and a greater punishment is infllicted vpon those which kill strangers then Cittizens for the first is punished with death the other with banishment And those aboue all others bee most honoured which atchiuing any victory haue thereby purchased any ground for their publicke vse the

chiefly to be feared c. And in the conclusion of the same letters is mentioned that his sonne Iohn Paleologus which dyed about two yeares before the King of the Romaean Kings was called to the celebration of the sacred Synode And that Ioseph the Patriarch of Constantinople came with him with a great number of Archbishops and Bishops and Prelates of all sorts among whom were the Proctors or Factors of the Patriarckes of Antioch Alexandria and Ierusalem who when they had ioyned themselues together in loue of holy faith and religion the vnity of the Church being ordained and established all the difficulties and troubles of ancient time which seemed erronious contrary to religion were by Gods diuine assistance vtterly taken away abolished which things being rightly established and set in order the Pope himselfe brought great ioy vnto them all This booke of Pope Eugenius wee haue sent vnto you which wee haue kept vncorrupted and wee would haue sent vnto you the whole order and power of the Popes blessing but that the volume of these things would seeme too great for it would exceed in bignes the whole booke of Paul to all the nations he writ vnto The Legates which brought these things vnto vs from the Pope were Theodorus Peter Didymus and George the seruants of Iesus Christ and you shall do well most holy Father to command your bookes to be looked ouer where I suppose some memory of these things which we write of may be found out Wherefore holy father if you will write any thing vnto vs beleeue it confidently that we will most diligently commit it to our bookes that the eternall memory of those things may remaine to our posterity and surely I account him blessed whose memory is preserued in writing in the sacred citty of Rome and in the seate of the Saints S. Peter and S. Paul for these bee Lords of the kingdome of heauen iudges of the whole world And because that this is my beliefe I therfore send these letters that I may obtaine grace of your holines and your most sacred Senate that from thence may come vnto me a holy benediction increase of all good things And I most earnestly beseech your holines to send vnto me some images pictures of the Saints especially of the virgin Mary that your name may be often in my memory that I may take continuall pleasure in your gifts Furthermore I heartily intreate you to send vnto me men learned in the Scriptures workmen likewise that can make images swords and all maner of weapons for the warre grauers also of gold and siluer and Carpenters Masons especially which can build houses of stone and make couering for them of lead and copper wherby the roofes of the houses may be defended And besides these such as can make glasse instruments of musicke and such as be skilfull in musicke those also that can play vpon Flutes Trumpets and pshalmes shall be most welcome deere vnto vs and these workmen I much desire should bee sent me from your Court but if there be not sufficicient store in your court your holines may command them of other Kings who will obey your command most readily When these shal come to me they shall bee honorably esteemed of according to their deserts from my liberality shall be amply rewarded and if any shall desire to returne home he shall depart with liberall gifts whither hee please for I will not detaine any one against his will though I should haue great fruit and benefite by his industry But I must now speake of other matters demand of you most holy father why you exhort not the Christian kings your children to lay aside thir armes and as becommeth brethren to accord and agree amongst themselues seeing they be thy sheepe and thou their sheepheard for your holines knoweth right well what the Gospell commandeth where it is said That euery kingdome diuided in it selfe shall be desolated and brought to ruine And if the Kings would agree in their hearts conclude an assured league and peace together they might easily vanquish all the Mahometans and by their fortunate entrance and sudden irruption vtterly burst and throw downe the sepulcher of that false Prophet Mahomet For this cause holy father indeuour your selfe that a firme peace and assured league of friendship may bee concluded and established amongst them admonish them to be assistant aiding vnto me seeing in the confines of my kingdomes I am on all sides inclosed and incompassed about with those most wicked men the Mahometane Moores for those Mahometane Moores yeeld mutual aid one to another the kings with kings petty kings with petty kings do sincerely and constantly assemble themselues against vs. There is a Moore very neere neighbour vnto me to whom the other bordering Moores minister weapons horses and munition for the warres These be the kings of India Persis Arabia and Egypt which things grieue and molest mee exceedingly euery day when I behold the enemies of the Christian religion ioyned together in brotherly loue and to enioy peace to see the Christian kings my brothers to be nothing at all moued by these iniuries nor to yeeld mee any helpe as assuredly behoueth Christians to doe seeing the impious brood of Mahomet do aid and assist one another neither am I he that for that purpose should require Souldiers prouision for warres of you seeing I haue Souldiers left of mine owne but onely I desire your praiers and orisons wishing also fauour grace with your holines with all Christian Kings my brethren for I must seeke to obtaine friendship of you that I may bee fully instructed and furnished of those things which I formerly desired to the terror of the Moores that my neigbours the enemies of the Christian faith may vnderstand that the kings do fauor aid me with a singular care affection which surely will redound to the praise of vs in common seeing we agree together in one verity of religion and faith and in this councell wee will conforme which shall be firme and absolute with that which shal fall out to be more profitable God therfore fulfill all your desires about the praises of Iesus Christ and of God our Father to whom all men giue praises for euer and euer And you most holy Lord and father imbrace me I beseech you with all the Saints of Iesus Christ which be at Rome into which embracings let all the boderers of my kingdomes and those which dwell in Ethiopia be receiued giue thanks to our Lord Iesus Christ with your spirit These letters your holinesse shall receiue at the hands of my brother Iohn King of Portugall the sonne of the most mighty King Emanuell by our Embassador Francis Aluarez Other letters from the same Dauid Emperour of Ethiopia written to the Pope of Rome in the yeare of our Lord God 1524. and interpreted by Paulus Iouius HAppy and

no speach but signes and becks which onely hapneth through the barbarousnesse and harshnesse of their language which their neighbours can by no meanes vnderstand for otherwise they bee very wise and cunning in their exchanges The people be very valiant and warlike in steed of horses they vse a kind of beasts which in their language bee called Raingi beeing of the stature and coulor of Asses hauing clouen hoofes they be made horned like Bucks but that they be couered ouer with a kind of downe be not so long nor haue so many branches as Bucks hornes haue as we our selues haue seene these beasts be of such wonderfull swiftnesse that in the space of twelue houres they will draw a chariot thirty Germaine miles and in their going whether they go swift or softly by the stirring of the ioynts of their legges you may heare a noyse like vnto the cracking of nuts The religion of this people is to worship the fire and pillers of stone for gods They presage and iudge the euent of the whole day by euery liuing thing that meeteth them in the morning they obserue matrimony and bee exceeding iealous they bee so famous in inchantments that amongst many other very strange and almost incredible things to bee reported which I omit to speake of they will by their inchantments stay a ship vnder full saile so stone still as no force of windes can remooue her which euill is cured with Virgins excrements beeing layde vppon the hatches of the shippes and vppon the benches where the rowers sit to rowe for these Virgins excrements as I haue heard reported by the inhabitants those spirits doe naturally abhorre Certaine things concerning the Aethiopians collected out of Ioseph Scaliger his seuenth Booke De emendatione temporum THis is not the first time that the name of the Christian Aethiopians hath beene heard amongst vs for their Churches be not onely at Ierusalem and Constantinople but for a space it hath beene lawfull for them to solemnize and celebrate their sacrifices at Rome and Venice and many things may be vnderstood of them and of their customes both by the Portugals nauigations and by the booke of Francis Aluarez trauels who went himself into Aethiopia For as yet wee haue onely heard of the name of Aethiopia but it is strange that the name of the Emperour of Aethiopia in our great grand-fathers dayes was first knowne to vs out of Asia not out of Aethiopia for before these three hundred yeares the Aethiopian Kings had euer large dominions in Asia especially in Drangiana in the confines of Susiana in India and in Sinus vntill the Tartarian Emperours expelled them from their gouernment in Asia for the Abyssini beeing vanquished and expelled from the country of the people of Sinae by Cingis King of Tartary Vncan the great Emperour of Aethiopia being slaine shortly after Cincan the sonne of Cingis and Cincanus sonne Bathin can did vtterly expell and driue out all the Abyssini from Moin and the kingdome of Sinae and compelled them to flye into Affrick Surely wee haue often wondred that a nation at this day altogether ignorant in sea-faring businesse should be so mighty and potent both by sea and land that they haue inlarged their dominions from Aethiopia to the people of Sinae In those dayes the knowledge of that Emperor came vnto vs but by the name of Prestigian which in the Persian tongue now vsed almost throughout all Asia as Latium is in the West signifieth Apostolicke vnder which name is certainly vnderstood a rightfull and Christian King That the gouernment of the Aethiopians was great and large in Asia is signified by the Aethiopian crosses which are in Giapan Syna and other places as also by the Temple that is situated in the Region of Maabar and dedicated to Saint Thomas which hath crosses and many other things in it as are in Aethiopia and is builded after the Aethiopian fashion and that which is more retaineth as yet the Aethiopian name FINIS A Table of the Chapters conteined in the first Booke THe true opinion of Diuines concerning mans originall Chap. 1. The false opinion of the Ethnicks concerning mans originall Chap. 2. Of the situation and perfection of the world Chap. 3 Of Aethiopia and the ancient customes of that country C. 4 Of Aegipt and the ancient customes of that country chap. 5. Of the Carthaginians and other people of Affrick Chap. 6. A Table of the Chapters contained in the 2. Booke OF Asia and the most famous nations thereof chap. 1 Of Panchaia and of the maners of the Panchaians cha 2 Of Assyria and how the Assyrians liue chap. 3 Of Indaea and of the customes and institutions of the Iews c. 4 Of Media and of the manners of the Medes chap. 5 Of Parthia and the maner of liuing of the Parthians chap. 6 Of Persia and of the manners lawes and ordinances of the Persians chap. 7 Of India and of the monstrous and prodigious customes and manner of liuing of the Indians chap. 8 Of Scythia and of the barbarous manners of the Scythians c. 9 Of Tartaria and of the customes and power of that people c. 10 Of Turcia and of all the maners lawes and ordinances of the Turkes chap. 11 Of the Christians and of their originall and customes cha 12 A Table of the Chapters conteined in the 3 Booke OF the most famous countries of Europe chap. 1 Of Greece and of Solons lawes which he made for the Athenians and which were after established by the Princes of Greece chap. 2 Of Laconia and of the customes and ordinance of the Laconians or Lacedemonians ch 3 Of the I le of Creete and of the customes most commō amongst the Cretensians chap. 4 Of Thrace and of the barbarous maners of the people of Thrace chap. 5 Of Russia or Ruthenia and of the the latter maners customes of the Russians chap. 6 Of Lithuani● and of the manner of liuing of those people cha 7 Of Liuonia Prussia and of the Souldiers called Marciam in Spaine chap. 8 Of Polonia and of the later customes of the Polonians cha 9 Of Hungaria and of the Institutions and maners of liuing of the Hungarians chap. 10 Of Boemia and of the maners of the Boemians chap. 11 Of Germany and of the customes of the Germaines chap. 12 Of Saxonie and how the Saxons liued in times past and how they now liue chap. 13 Of Westphalia and of the manner of Iudgments ordained for the Westphalians by Charles the Great chap. 14 Of Franconia and of the nature and customes of that country chap 15 Of ●ueuia and how the people of that country liued heretofore and how they now liue cha 16 Of Bauaria and Carinthya and of the lawes and customes of that people heretofore how they now liue chap. 17 Of Italy and of the manners of the Italians of Romulus also and his ciuill institutions c. 18 Of Lyguria and of the ancient manners of the inhabitants of that country

chap. 19 Of Tuscia and of the ancient maners of the Tuscans ch 20 Of Galalia in Europe and of the old customes of that country chap. 21 Of Gallia and of the ancient customes and later ●●nners of the Frenchmen chap. 22 Of Spaine and of the manners of the Spaniards chap. 28 Of Lusitania and of the manners of the Portugals chap. 24 Of England Scotland and Ireland and of many other Ilands and of the maners customes of the Inhabitants chap. 25 Of the I le of Taprohane and the customes of that people cha 26 FINIS Lib. 3. NIcholas Damascen of the manners and customes of sundry nations fol 472 Certaine things of America or Brasill gathered out of the writings of Iohannes Lerius fol. 483 The faith religion and manners of the Aethiopians and the deploration of the people of Lappia compiled by Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall wherein is contained A letter of Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall to Pope Paul the third fol. 503 A letter of Helena the grandmother of Prestor Iohn Emperor of Aethiopia to Emanuell King of Portugall written in the yeare 1509. fol. 512 The letters of the most renowned Dauid Emperor of Aethiopia to Emanuell King of Portugall written in the yeare 1521. Paulus Iouius beeing Interpretor fol. 517 The letters of the same Dauid Emperor of Aethiopia to Iohn the third of that name King of Portugall in the yeare 1524. fol. 526 The letters of the same Emperor to the Pope of Rome in the same yeare 1524. the same Paulus Iouius beeing Interpretor fol. 533 Other letters from the said Emperor to the Pope the same yeare fol. 540 The faith and religion that the Aethiopians hold and obserue fol. 546 The depl●ration of Lappia f. 581 The si●uation of Lapp a. fol. 585 A short discourse of the Aethiopians taken out of Scaligers seuenth booke De emendatione temporum fol. 588 FINIS The cause why he writ this booke The cause why people inhabited neere together The earth recouered from hir first rudenes and barren nesse and made fertile The earth compared to Paradise The true God forgotten Plurality of gods which god was worshipped in each seueral country Jesus Christ reduced the world from error The large Countries of the Mahometans The diuersitie of worshipinge is the seminarie of distention The Greeke Philosophers first glory The law-giuers first authority The Caldeanes the wisest men in the world VVhy the world is so called The originall and appellation of Adam Paradice The fertilnesse of the earth why i● was restrained Cain the first begotten of Adam The generall deluge and how long it continued Noah sent his children and kindred to inhabite other countries The cause of the variety of toungs and manners The exile of Cham. Men liued like beasts The Sunne and Moone worshipped The Moone called Isis the Sunne Osyris the Ayre Iupiter the Fyre Vulcan the Sky Pallas and the Earth Ceres Arabia the mother of many Colonies The issue of Sem and Japhet VVhy the worship of the true God remained with so few The two-fold opinion of the Philosophers concerning the world Light things tend vpwards and heauie things downewards The naturall creation of liuing creatures The barbarous manner of liuing of the first people The diuersitie of toungs how it came Men made wiser by danger Necessitie the the mistresse of labours The first men were the Aethiopians The earth deuided into three parts Affrick deuided from Asia Europ deuided from Affricke Asia deuided from Europe The scituation and qualitie of Affricke The incommodities of Affrick Affrick inhabited by home-bred people and strangers The people of Affrick made more ciuill by Hercules The qualitie of the soyle of Affrick The fruitfulnesse of the ground The wonders of Affrick VVhat kind of beasts are bred in Affrick Two Aethiopias One Aethiopia is now called India The qualitie of Aethiopia The Aethiopians were the first people The gods first worshipped in in Aethiopia VVhat letters the Aethiopians vsed The election of their Kings The obedience of the Ethiopians The apparell of the Ethiopians Their exercise Meroê was once the Kings seate Gold accounted baser then brasse The Aethiopian armor The religion of the Ethiopians The authority of the Priests Their gods The new customes of the Aethiopians or Indians Prestor Iohn King of that Aethiopia which is in Asia Their Priests marry once and no more Saint Thomas held in great reuerence The power of the Ethiopian Kings VVhat weapons be vsed in their wars The punishment for adultery Husbands assigne dowers for their wiues Mahomet worshipped in Libia The denomination and description of Aegipt The Aegiptians had their beginning from the Aethiopians The Aegiptian women do the offices of men and men the offices of women Their manner of funerals Circumcision vsed by the Egiptians The cleannesse of the Priests Beanes an vncleane graine with the Egiptians The Aegiptians wine The Aegiptians salutations VVollen garments contemned Many ceremonies vsed in Christian religion borrowed from the Egiptians VVhat seruants attended vpon their Kings The Priests prasied the good Kings dispraised the bad The Egyptians simple diet The Kings safety much regarded How the Egyptians be wayle their dead Kings that were good How their Kings be buried The auncient gouernment of the Egiptians Their common-wealth consisteth of three sorts of people husbandmen shepheards and labourers How their iudgments were giuen The chiefe Iudge weareth the signe of Truth about his neck The lawes of the Egiptians against periurd persons Against salse accusers A law against parents that murdered their children A law against Pariacides Offenders in the warres punished with shame A law against adultery and fornication Bocchoris their law maker Mens bodiesnot liable to their debts The law against theeues Their marriaages The small cost bestowed in bringing vpchildren Musick disalowd of the Egiptians How the Egiptians cure the diseased The Aegiptians worship diuers sorts of creatures The strange kind of burials amongst the Egiptians The bodies of dead parents giuen to their creditors The Adrimachidae The Nasamons The Masagetae The Nasomans and their marriages How the prophesy The Garamantes The Macae The Gnidanes The Machlyes and Auses The Atlantes The Pastoritij The Maxes The zabices The zigantes All these people of Libia be Sauadge people The Trogloditae The Rhisophagi The Ilophagi and Sparmatophagi The Cyneci The Acridophagi The Cinnamini The Ichthiophagi Men free from all passions of the minde Patient people The Amazons most warlike women Asia why so called Arabia deuided into three parts The Arabians lye with their owne mothers and daughters No horses in Arabia The Garraei The Nabathaei Panchaia aboundeth with Frankinsence Iupiter was banished into Panchaia The great Temple in Panchaia Hony wine made of dates The Assyrians botes Their apparell Virgins that be mariageable be sold to their husbands A law excluding Phisitions and how they cured the sick The officers amongst the Assyrians The limmits of Palestine Iudaea or Palestine called also Canaan Canaan promised to