are in India also dogs of such courage that two of them can master a Lyon Of the Diamond-stone THe Diamonds be found amongst the mettals of India Aethiope Araby Macedony Cyprus and many other places The Indian Diamond shineth with a more Orientnesse then the others There is one kinde of this stone that is somewhat of an iron colour and differeth not much from a christall colour for commonly it is somewhat white but it is harder then Christall so that if it be layd upon the Smiths Anvile and most vehemently beaten with a hammer rather the anvile the hammer wil breake asunder then that will be divided in parts and it doth not only resist the blowes of iron but also the heate of the fire so that it will not melt nor give place thereto For if we may give credit to Pliny it will never waxe warme and that because it cannot be more purer then it is for it is never contaminate But yet the strange hardnesse of this stone is made so soft with the warme blood of a Lion or of a Goate that it may be broken In scalding Lead it taketh such heate that it may be dissolved But this hardnesse is not in every Diamond for that which is of Cyprus or called Syderites may be broken with a Mallet and pierced through with another Diamond The Diamond doth deprehend and detect poyson and maketh the working thereof frustrate and therefore it is desired of Princes and had in great price and estimation The tenne persecutions under the Roman Emperors THe first beganne in the 13 yeare of the reigne of Nero in such sort that the Christians were faine to hide themselves in caves of the earth The second beganne in the 12 yeare of the Reigne of Domitian who caused St. Iohn the Evangelist to be put in a vessell of burning oyle whereof he received no hurt The third beganne in the tenth yeare of the reigne of Tratan which ceased afterwards by the pitty and meanes of Pliny Second Prefect of the Empire The fourth began under Marcus Antonius and Aurelius Commodus Empire The fifth began at the commandement of the Emperour Severus The sixt began at the indignation of Maximinus who especially persecuted the Clergy The seventh began under the Emperour Docius and continued cruelly The eighth began under the Emperour Valerius who though at the first hee were a Christian yet afterwards being corrupted by certaine Hereticks hee became a most cruell persecutor of Christ his Church The ninth beganne under the Emperour Aurelianus The tenth began by the commandement of the Emperours Dioclesianus and Maximianus Herculeus this persecution was farre more cruell and generall then any of the rest insomuch that Dioclesianus in the orient and Maximianus in the occident destroyed all Churches and tormented the Christians with all strange torments Of the Calechut the famous Mart of India THE compasse of the Citty of Calechut is the space of Sixe Thousand buildings which be not joyned together as our houses be but are separate a good space asunder the length of the Citty is a thousand paces their houses be very low so that they are not above the height of a man on horse-backe from the ground they be covered in the top with boughes and branches of trees commonly Their King is addicted to the worshipping of devils He doth not deny God to be the maker of Heaven and earth and the first cause and Author of things but hee saith that GOD appointed the office of judgement to an ill spirit and to doe right to mortall men and this spirit they call Deumo The King hath the picture of this devill in his Chappell sitting with a Diadem on his head like unto the Bishops of Rome but his Diademe hath foure hornes about and this picture gapeth with a wide mouth shewing foure teeth It hath a deformed nose grimme and terrible eyes a threatning countenance crooked fingers with tallants and feete much like unto a Cocke they that looke upon this horrible monster are suddenly afraid it is so loathsome and terrible a thing to behold About the Church are painted devils and in every corner Sathan is made of brasse sitting with such workmanship that hee seemeth to cast flames of fire for the consuming of soules miserably and in his right hand the picture of the Devill putteth a soule to his mouth and with his left hand it reacheth another Every morning their Priests doe clense this Idoll with Rose-water and other sweete waters and they perfume it with divers sweete things falling downe and worshipping it They put the blood of a Cocke weekely in a Silver Vessell filled with burning coles and a great number of sweet perfumes and taking â— Censar they make it redoleâ—â— with Frankincense and have a little Silver bell ringing all the while And the King eateth no meate before that 4 Priests have offered to the Devill somewhat of the Kings dishes The King at his dinner sitteth on the ground without any cloth under him and the Priests standeth round about him as hee sitteth never comming neerer him then within foure paces marking the Kings words most reverently when he hath done eating the Priests offer the reliques of the Kings meate to yong Crowes and Birds to be eaten which Fowle is an haynous thing to kill and therefore they flye every where in safety When the King marrieth a Wife he useth not to goe to bed unto her before that his new married wife hath been defloured of the most worthy Priest For this Whoredome the KING giveth him as a reward five hundred Crownes The Priests are in the first order of estimation with them then Senators which beare a sword and a buckler a bow and a javelin when they goe abroad Thirdly they esteeme Artificers Fourthly fishers Fiftly Merchants for Wine and Pepper and Acornes Last of all such as sow and gather Rice They have no great respect oâ— Apparrell but to cover their privy parts they goe bare-foot and bare-head When the King is dead if there bee any Males alive either children brethren or brothers children they succeed not in the Kingdome but the sisters sonne by their law must have the Scepter and if there be no such then he succeedeth in the Crowne which is nearest of consanguinity and this is for none other cause but because their Priests have defloured their Queene When the King goeth forth into some strange countrey or to Hunt the Priests kepe the Queene company at home and nothing can be more acceptable to the King then that they should be acquainted with the Queene in venerous acts and therefore the King knoweth for a certainty that those children which he hath by his Wife cannot be accounted his children but he taketh his sisters children as most neere unto him in lawfull consanguinity and taketh them heires to the Crowne The Merchants keep this order such Wives as they have they man change them in the colour of a better conjunction and that one saith to the other
the land but where he is assigned His Seale that he useth hath these words engraved God in Heaven and Chuithuth Cham on the land the strength of God and Emperour of men He hath five great robust armies Five Dukes with whose ayde he invadeth all that withstand him Hee himselfe speaketh not to strange Embassadours nor they come at any time into his sight except that they and their gifts bee purged before hand of certaine women deputed to that purpose Hee giveth his answer by other meane persons to whom when and how long soever hee speaketh they ought to give care upon their knees bowed and so attend that they erre not in any one word It is not lawfull for any man to change the Emperours words nor to goe or doe against his minde and sentence by any meanes The Sibyls prophesie of the destruction of Babell THE place where this Tower was built is at this present day called Babylon by reason of the confusion of tongues and languages that first beganne in that place For Babell in the Originall or Hebrew-tongue signifies Confusion Of this Tower and of the diversity of Languages Sybilla hath made mention in these words At such time as men used one kinde of Language they built a most stately rich Tower of that height that they meant by the same to mount or ascend up to Heaven of their owne pleasure being at that time full of pride and ambition and did not reverence the Divine power but the Gods sent downe fire and windes and overwhelmed this high Tower and made it levell with the ground and gave every one his distinct and severall Language from whence sprung the cause that their Citty was called Babylon their Kings name was Balthazar who was taken prisoner and the whole Citty overthrowne in the yeare of the yeare of the world 3425 and before Christs time 539 by Cyrus King of the Persians whose Army consisted of 100000 fighting men and now remaineth under the command of the Sophy or Shagh of Persia. The 12 Sibyls THe first was of Persia called Samberta or Persica which among other prophesies said the wombe of the Virgin shall bee the salvation of Gentiles The second was of Libya called Libyca One of her prophesies was The day shal come that men shall see the King of all living things and a Virgin Lady of the world shall hold him in her lap The third was Themis surnamed Delphica because she was borne and prophesied at Delphos A Prophet shal be born of a Virgin The fourth was Cumaea born at Cimeria a Citty of Campania in Italy who prophesied that God should bee borne of a Virgin and converse among sinners The fift was the famous Erithrea borne at Babylon who especially Prophesied a great part of our Christian Religion in certaine verses recited by Eusebius the first letters of every which verses being put together make the words Iesus Christ Sonne of God Saviour These verses are translated into Latine by Saint Austine Lib. 18 and 23 de civitate dei the substance whereof followeth The Earth shall sweat signe of judgement from Heaven shall come a King which shall reigne for ever that is to say in humane flesh to the end that by his presence he judge the world so the unfaithfull as well as the faithfull shall see God with their eyes aloft among his Saints and in the end of the world the soules of men with their bodies shall appear whom he shall judge when the roundnesse of the Earth untilled shall bee full of clods of Earth and grasse men shall cast away their Idols and all their precious jewels the world shall bee consumed with fire hee shall pierce the inferiour parts and break the gates of Hell then to the flesh of Saints shal be given free and cleere light and the evill shall bee burned with eternall fire all secrets shall be opened and every one shall know the secret of his negihbour and God shall discover the Consciences and hearts of all men then shall there bee lamentation and gnashing of teeth the Sunne and Stars shall lose their light the Firmament shall bee dissolved and the Moone shall bee darkened the Mountaines shall bee throwne downe and the Valleyes shall be made equall with them there shall be nothing in the world higher or lower then another Mountaines and Valleyes shall bee made plaine all things shall cease the earth shall be dryed unto powder and dust the Fountaines and Rivers shall bee burned likewise then shall a trumpet sound from Heaven in wofull and horrible manner and the opening of the Earth shall discover confused and darke Hell with the torments and paines of the miserable condemned and heere before the Judge shall come every King A River of fire and brimstone shal fal from Heaven Divers other things were prophesied by this Sibyll and because they were obscure and therefore not to be comprehended by the Gentiles before they come to passe shee said of her selfe these words they shall thinke mee a false and blinde Prophetesse but when they shall see these things come to passe they will remember me and cal me no more a false Prophetesse but a Prophetesse of the Almighty God The sixt was called Samia borne in the I le of Samos which said He being rich shall bee borne of a poore Maide the creatures of the Earth shall adore him and praise him for ever The seventh was called Cumana because she prophesied at Cumas a towne of Campania in Italy shee prophesied that hee should come from Heaven and reigne heere in poverty he should rule in silence and bee borne of a Virgin Shee is affirmed to have written Nine bookes of the Sibyls they were all presented by an old woman to Tarquinius Superbus but he not willing to pay so great a summe of money as was damanded denied them whereupon the old woman burnt three of them requiring as much money for the other sixe as for all which being denied shee also burned the other three asking as much for the three remaining as for the rest which Superbus amaz'd gave and the old trotte vanished These bookes contayned manifest prophesies of the Kingdome of Christ his Name his Birth and Death they were burned by the Arch-traytour Stilico so that those Prophesies which are now extant are onely such as are extracted out of others writings The eight was called Hellespontica borne at Marmisea in the Territory of Troy A woman shall descend of the Iewes called Mary and of her shall be borne the Sonne of God named Iesus and that without carnall copulation For shee shall bee a Virgin before and after his Birth he shall be both God and Man he shall fulfill the Lawes of the Iewes and shall adde his owne Law thereunto and his kingdome shal remaine forever The ninth was of Prygia and prophesied in the towne of Ancire one of her sayings were The Highest shall come from Heaven and shall confirme the counsell in Heaven and a Virgin shall be shewed in
studied much for honesty and goodnes and with their honest conversation did allure strangers and good men to come unto them â—nd to learne that which they â—ould not finde in other plaâ—es Their women in times â—ast did use Merchandize and â—ll things which appertained â—o Chapmen the men did weave and spinne within the house and carrie burdens on their heads the which the womeÌ„ did use to bear on their sholders the men did make Urine sitting but the woman did contrary They did discharge their bellies at home but their banquets they kept in high wayes they moulded bread with their feet and stirred their clay with their hands They did use to write after the Hebrewe fashion beginning their letters on the right hand When any of them met together at Dinner or Supper before they departed there came in one that brought a picture of a dead man upon a staffe made oâ— Wood of a Cubit length 〈◊〉 somewhat more and shewetâ— it to every one of the guests saying behold and looke upoâ— this drinke and bee refreshed with pleasure for such a one shalt thou be after thy death Their lawes were such that perjured men lost their lives as though they had beene guilty of two offences the one of violating piety towards God the other of breaking faith and promise amongst men which is the surest knot of humane society If any travailer found any man beaten of theeves and would not helpe him if he could he should bee found culpable of death if hee were not able to helpe him he was bound to detect the theeves and to follow the action against them and he that did neglect to doe this was punished with certaine stripes and kept without meat for three dayes If any Father killed his son there was no punishment of death appointed but for 3 daies and nights continually hee was commanded to bee about the dead body for they thought it no just thing to take away life from him that gave life to his children but rather that hee should bee punished with continuall paine and repentance of his fact that others might fear to do the like Paracides they caused to bee burned upon an heape of thornes and such as uttered any secrets to their enemies they caused their tongues to bee cut out And they that did counterfeit or clip mony had both their hands cut off so that with what part of the body the offence was made with the same hee should tollerate punishment If any had violated a free woman his naturall parts were cut off because in one fault he committed three haynous things that is an injury corruption and confusion of children He that was taken in voluntary Adultery had a thousand stripes with rods and the woman was mangled upon the nose The Priests could have but one Wife but the laity as many as they could keepe The bringing up of their children was with small cost for it came not unto the charge of twenty groats the whole Education of their full age and and this is not to bee marvelled at because Egypt is a hot Countrey and therefore they live naked without any kinde of Garment and they feed upon roots the which they eate sometimes raw and sometimes rosted in Imbers The Priests did teach their children especially Geometry and Arithmeticke They did drive away sicknesse either with fasting or with vomit the which they used every third day Their opinion was that all diseases came of superfluity of meates and therefore that to be the best cure which tooke away the matter and causes The seven Saxon Kingdomes that England was once divided into THe first was the Kingdome of Kent which had his beginning of the Saxon Hengist in the yeare of our Lord 476 and the fift yeare of Vortiger King of Britaine his last reigne for he had beene deposed the Kingdome continued 342 yeares till that Egberâ— King of Westsaxons vanquished Baldred last King thereof and joyned it to his owne Kingdome The second Kingdome was of Sussex or Southsaxons which began by the Saxon Ella in the yeare of our Lord 482 and the second yeare of Aurelius Ambrosius King of Britaine This Kingdome continued not above 112 yeares The third Kingdome was of East-angles or East-Englishmen and contained Northfolke and Suffolke it was first begunne by the Saxon Vffa about the yeare of our Lord 492 and the 11 yeare of Aurelius Ambrosius King of Britaine This Kingdome continued 376 yeares the last King whereof was Saint Edmond martyr'd by the Danes The fourth was the Kingdome of Westsaxons containing the West-countrey of England and had his beginning by the Saxon Cerdicus the yeare of our Lord 522 and the fift yeare of Arthur the great King of Britaine and endured from the first yeare of Cerdicus to the last of Alured the terme of 378 yeares The Kings of this Countrey subdued at length all the other sixe Kingdomes which Egbert beganne and Alured finished making all the South part of this Iland one Monarchy The fift was the Kingdome of Northumberland containing the Countries betwixt the river of Humber and Scotland had his beginning of the Saxon Idâ— King of Brenicia the yeare of our Lord 547 and the second or last yeare of the reigne of Aurelius Canon King of Britaine This Kingdome of Northumberland was at the first divided into two Kingdomes the one was called the Brenicia which bended towards the North and the other Deyra about the Countrey of Durham and this Kingdome continued some-while under one King sometime under two the terme of 409 years first under the Saxons and then under the Danes The sixt Kingdome was of the East Saxons or Essex which beganne by the Saxon Sebert the yeare of our Lord about 614 and continued from the beginning of the reigne of Sebert till the eighth yeare of Edward the elder 293 yeares The seventh Kingdome was of Mercia containing Huntingtonshire Hertfordshire Glostershire and others and was the greatest of all the other taking his beginning of the Saxon Penda in the yeare of our Lord 626 after the comming of Hengist 126 yeares during the reigne of Cadwan King of Britaine and continued from Penda till that Edward the Elder chased out the Danes about 280 yeares These 7 Kingdomes of the Saxons beside that of Wales and Scotland were all contained at once in this Iland of Britaine and continued a long space The foure Monarchies THe first Monarchy was of the Assyrians founded by Ninus about the yeare of the World 2220 augmented by the Queene Semiramis and after it had endured the terme of 1300 yeares it was translated by Arbactus unto the Medes and there having endured 350 years it was lost by Astyages and conquered by Cyrsu The second Monarchy was of the Persians founded by Cyrus the yeare of the World 3425 which after it had endured 191 yeares was lost by Darius and subdued by Alexander the great The third Monarchy was of the Grecians founded by Alexander the great in the yeare of
and a laughing stock to the Gentiles they so thought for that he was borne in Bethlem a little village in Iudea that he lived and was conversant among simple people without pompe and glory and that he died the death of the crosse with reproach and shame supposing him to be a Carpenters son but they were deceived his birth was most glorious the appearing of the Starre prooved it â—he descending of Angels singing Gloria in excelsis did manifest it the comming of Magi from the East did confirme it his life was most Imperiall comanding Water into Wine the blinde to see the lame to go the sick to health and the dead to rise His death was most triumphant with the song of Hosanna he vanquished Devils subdued Hell and conquered the world and said ConsuÌ„matum est Therefore his nativity is to bee solemnized of all Christians his life to be worshipped and death to be glorified with Alâ—elujah Hosanna and Gloria in excelsis songs triumphant and fit for Jesus Christ our Saviour Of the ancient and strange ceremonies at the Election of the Prince of Carinthia CArinthia is a Province where the Sclavonians speach is spoken where manners and customes are most strange and the like Ceremonies not read of When any new elected Prince entreth into his goverment hee is brought into a faire large valley where was wont to bee an ancient Citty where some monuments are left as reliques so that time weare out the name of it In a wide faire medow hard by a marble stone is erected upon the which stone a Rusticall fellow standeth which by succession of blood that place and office by heritage doth possesse There he hath hard by him a deformed leane Mare and an olde leane Oxe and the Rusticall Countrey people in heapes about him On the farther side of the medowe is the new Prince with his Barons and States about him with great pompe very richly attired all in Purple having the Princes Ensignes and his Arms and 12 Banners carried solemnly before him the Prince being apparrelled like a poore simple country man in old broken garments his cap bare and his shoos worne with a countrey staffe in his hand seeming rather more like a shepherd then a Prince who comming nigh to the Clowne that standeth upon the stone hee cryeth out in the Sclavonian tongue and asketh who is this that is comming here so proude the Barons and the States answere he is a Prince of the Country then the Country man from the Marble stone demands againe Is this man a right and just Judge Doth he seek the benefit and wealth of this Countrey Is â—he of honest and vertuous condition Is he a sound Christian in religion Will he defend the true faith And is he worthy of this honour To whom al the States and Barons answere he is and shall be Againe he saith I aske you by what law and right should I bee removed from this seat The County of Goritia answereth for mony this place is bought then this Oxe and this Mare shal be thine and all the Garments which the last Prince did put off thy houâ—e shal be free without any tribute Then the countrey-man descendeth and meeteth the Prince and striketh him a little on the cheeke saying I command thee to be a good just Prince then he taketh his Mare and his Oxe and giveth the place to the Prince who streight standeth upon the Marble-stone taking a naked Sword into his hand first hee doth flourish it one way then he doth flourish it another way promising thereby equall Justice to the people there they bring water in a Countrey-mans cap to drink to signifie unto the Prince that he should abstaine from wine After these ceremonies the Prince coÌ„meth downe from the Marble-stone and is brought to the Temple called Our Ladies Chappel which was the seate sometime of a Bishop then from thence after some sacrifice which was to be used all things done and performed the Prince putteth off the rusticall garments that he put on before to performe the custome and ceremonies of the Countrey and weareth his princely wonted attire and after hee had feasted with his Barons and his Nobility he returned to the medow againe where the Marble-stone was and sitteth there on his Tribunall seat to heare causes pleaded and to give judgement according to Justice this is the manner and strange custome of the election of any Prince in Carinthia So strange were the customes and manners in old time aswell at the election and coronation of Princes as also in their ceremonies and Scepters For the first Kings of the world used for their Scepters long gilded speares The old Kings of Rome used a crooked staffe called Lituus Tarquiniuâ— Priscus the 5 King of Rome had his Scepter of Ivory The Kings of India had their Scepters of Ebony The Lydians carried before their Kings great Axes The Kings of Sicily used a silver staffe for their Scepter The Babylonians used divers kinds of Scepters with sundry figures as of Lyons Eagles c. The manner of the funerall pompe of the Grecians IN other parts of Greece they used more solemne mourneâ—ull ceremonies at the Funerall of their Kings and Princes â—hey tooke downe their Bulâ—arkes and Fortresses of Wars â—hey untile their Temples they â—â—bvert their Altars they reject â—nd depose their Idols they put â—ut their fire and the men shave â—oth their heads and beards and â—hey clip their horses and left â—othing undone that seemed â—ournefull Then al the Priests â—agistrates young Gentlemen â—nd children carryed Trophies â—nd Monuments of the dead â—ing with his Ensignes and â—rmes crowned with Garlands â—â—cording to the custome of â—reece The Noblemen carryed divers great Cups or Bowles some full of Wine others full of Milke and some full of Blood all in white Garments others carried Hony and Cakes which should be sprinkled and cast upon the funerall fire at what time they sung Hymnes Odes and songs called Ialemâ—â— in the praise of the dead Prince and lastly when the King is solemnly thus burned the Princeâ— and great men of his blood should carry his Ashes in Golden pots crowned over with all kinde of sweete flowers which should bee a memory or Trophie of the deaâ— King The Grecians had also these customes at the funerall of theiâ— deare friends as Parents Brethren Sisters both the Men and Woemen should have theiâ— long haire and offer it upon the Hearse of the dead So Achilles solemnized the funerall of his deare friend Patroclus cutting the fore locks of his haire to set it among many other of Patroclus friends upon his Hearse or Tombe Euripides funerall was of Arâ—bâ—laus King of Macedonia so honoured that hee lamented Euripides death with mourning apparrell and with a shaâ—en head and beard according to the use and custome of the Macedonians The great pompe and solemnity at the inauguration of the Pope of Rome THe Pope of Rome at his inauguration excelled all other Princes in solemnity