Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	church_n	day_n	week_n	2,047	5	9.6024	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
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

by certaine women asfigned to that businesse he answereth in the middle of the people and all men to whom he speaketh ought to listen vnto him kneeling vpon their knees when how long soeuer his speech be and so diligently to attend his words as they misconster not his meaning in any point for it is not lawfull for any to alter the Emperours words nor in any sort to contradict or gaine-say the sentence hee pronounceth hee neuer drinketh in any publick assembly nor yet any other Tartarian Prince vnlesse some doe sing and play vnto him vppon a harpe before hee drinke and men of great worth when they ride are shadowed with a certaine fanne or curtaine fastned to a long speare and caried before them which custome is said to be vsed also by the women And these were the customes and maner of liuing of the people of Tartary about two hundred yeares sithence The Georgiani whom the Tartarians ouercame much about that time were worshippers of Christ obseruing the custome of the Greeke Church they dwelt neere vnto the Persians and their dominion extended a length wayes from Palestine to the Caspian hilles they had eighteene Bishopricks and one Catholicke or vniuersall Bishop who was insteed of a Patriarch at the first they were subiect to the Patriarch of Antioch the men be very warlike their Priests heads bee shauen round and the lay-men foure square some of their women were trained vp in the warres and serued on horseback The Georgians hauing disposed their armies and entering into the battell were wonte to carouse a gourd as bigge as ones fist filled full of the best wine and then to set vpon their enimies with greater courage The Cleargie bee much addicted to vsury and symonie there was mutuall and perpetuall enmity betwixt the Armenians and them The Armenians were Christians also vntill the Tartarians after they had subdued the Georgians ouer-came them likewise but they disagreed in many things from the faith and approoued fashion of the true Church they knew not the day of our Lords natiuitie for they obserued no feasts nor no vigils nor yet the foure Ember weekes they feasted not vpon Easter Eue alledging that Christ rose from the dead about the euening of that day they would eate flesh vpon euery Friday betwixt the feasts of Easter and Penticost yet they fasted much beginning their fast so strictly and precisely in Lent as they would neither vse oyle wine nor fish vpon Fridayes and Wednesdayes throughout the whole Lent holding it a greater sinne to drinke wine on those dayes then to lye with a strumpet in a brothell house Vpon Mondayes they abstained wholy from all meates vpon Tuesdayes and Thursdayes they did eate once and receiued no sustenance at all vpon Wednesdayes and Fridayes but vpon Saterdayes and Sundayes they would eate flesh and refresh themselues well They would not celebrate the office of the Masse throughout all Lent but vpon Saterdaies and Sundaies nor vpon Fridayes throughout the whole yeare for thereby as they were of opinion they brake and violated their fasts Infants moreouer of the age of two months and all others whatsoeuer were indifferently admitted to their communion and they put no water into the Sacrifice In the vse of Hares Beares Choughes and such other like creatures they imitated the Iewes as well as the Greekes they celebrated their Masses in glasse and wodden Chalices and some hauing no paraments nor Priest-like vestiments at all some of them also wore Miters belonging to Deacons or Subdeacons both Clergie and Lay-men allowed of vsury and Symony as well as the Georgians the Priests exercised themselues in Diuinations and Negromancie they vsed more drinking then lay men and all of them had or might haue wiues but after the death of one wife as well lay-men as the clergy men were prohibited to marry againe the Bishops gaue liberty to any to put away their wiues that were sound in adultery and to marry an other they beleeued not that there is a purgatory and obstinately denyed that there was two natures in Christ The Georgians report that they erred in thirty articles from the right path and diameter of Christian religion Of Turcia and of all the manners lawes and ordinances of the Turkes CHAP. 11. THat country which is now called Turcia or Turkie hath vpon the East the greater Armenia and extendeth to the Cilicke sea vpon the North it is bounded with the Euxine sea Aitonus calleth it Turquia it consisteth of many Prouinces as Lycaonia wherein Iconium is the chiefe towne Cappadocia where Cesaria is chiefe citty of the Prouince Isauria where Seleucia is head Licia now called Briquia Ionia now called Quiscum wherein standeth the citty of Ephesus Paphlagonia where Germanopolis and Lenech where Trapezus be chiefe cities All this vast country which is now called Turcia is not inhabited by one onely people but by Turkes Greekes Armenians Sarrasins Iacobitans Nestorians Iewes Christians all of them for the most part liuing after the lawes and institutions which that false Prophet Mahomet a Sarrasin ordained for the people of Arabia in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ 631. This Mahomet some say was an Arabian some a Persian but whether he was it is doubtfull but his father was certainly a worshipper of euill spirits his mother an Ismaelite and therfore not ignorant in the true law now whilst his father and mother instructed him in both their lawes they distracted the boy and made him doubtfull and wauering betwixt both so as being trained vp in both religions when hee grew of mans estate he followed neither of them but being a very crasty fellow of a subtill wit and long conuersant with Christians he framed and inuented out of both those lawes a religion most dangerous and pernicious to all mankinde First he affirmed that the Iewes did very ill in denying that Christ should be borne of a Virgin seeing that the Prophets men of wonderfull sanctity and integrity of life indued with the spirit of God did long before prophesie and soreshew that it should be so and that hee was to bee expected on the other side he condemned the Christians folly in beleeuing that Iesus the deerest friend of God borne of a Virgin would suffer reproches punishments of the Iewes Martinus Segonius Nouomontanus hath written thus of the Sepulcher of Christ our King and Lord. The Sarrasins and Turkes saith he by the ancient preaching of Mahomet laugh the Christians to scorne which attribute any honor to that Sepulcher affirming that the great Prophet Christ proceeded from the spirit of God that he was voide of all earthly blot or sinne and that hee he shall come to be iudge of all people but that they may approach vnto his true Sepulcher they vtterly deny because his glorious body conceiued by the diuine spirit was altogether impassible thus much hath Segonius written more to the same purpose which the Mahometans are wont to

twy-light Mattins in the morning and their houres at the first third sixt and ninth houre of the day and that all this if it be possible should be done in the Church humbly kneeling or standing before the Altar with their faces towards the East The Lords prayer and the Apostles Creed were then vsed to be sayd as they are now at this day Saint Hierome at the instance of Pope Damasus distributed and digested the Psalmes by the dayes assigning to euery houre his proper Psalmes and their number as nine at nocturns vpon holy dayes and 12. vpon working daies for the laudes at Mattins fiue fiue at euen-song and at all other houres three and it was chiefly he that disposed and set in order the Gospels Epistles all other things which as yet be read out of the old new Testament sauing only the hymnes Damasus diuiding the Quire of singing men into two parts appointed them to sing in course the Anthemes written by S. Ambrose Bishop of Millaine added Gloria Patri to the end of euery Antheme The Toletan Agathon Councels allowed the lessons hymnes which be read before euery houre The prayers grails tracts alleluias offertories communions in the Masse anthems versicles tropes and other things sung and read to the honor of God in the office of the Masse as well for the day as night were penned by S. Gregory Gelasius Ambros and diuers others of the holy Fathers not all at once but at diuers times The Masse for so is that sacrifice called was celebrated at the first in that simple furniture and plaine manner as it is now vsed vpon Easter Eue. Pope Celestinus added the Priests manner of entrance to the altar the Gloria in excelsis was annexed by Telesphorus the hymne which begins et in terra was composed by Hillarie Bishop of Poictiers and was afterwards by Symachus ordained to be sung The salutations taken out of the booke of Ruth which the priest pronounceth 7. times in the Masse by saying Dominus vobiscum were appointed by Clement Anacletus Gelasius disposed the rest to the offertory in the Order they be now vsed except the Sequentiae which are said after the Masse and these Nicholas added the Apostles Creed which Damasus annexed vnto them out of the Constantinopolitan councell The Sermon which is preached to the people by the priest or deacon standing in a pulpit vppon holy-daies was rather vsed by tradition after the examples of Nehemias or Esdras then instituted by any other in which Sermon the people that be present at Masse bee admonished to communicate as in duty they are bound and that they should imbrace mutual loue that they should be purged from their sins not be polluted with vices when they receiue the Sacrament of the altar and for that cause he concludeth his Sermon with the publike confession of sinners he declareth moreouer vnto them the contents of the old and new Testament and putteth them in mind of the ten Commandements the twelue Articles of our beleefe the seuen Sacraments of the Church the liues and Martyrdomes of Saints the holy-holy-dayes and fasting daies instituted and ordained by the Church the vices and vertues and all other things necessarie for a Christian to know Pope Gregory added the Offertory to the Masse and Leo the Prefaces Gelasius and Sixtus the greater and lesser Canons and Gregory the Lords prayer out of the Gospell of Saint Mathew Martial Saint Peters Disciple instituted that Bishoppes should giue the benediction and Innocentius that inferior Priests should offer the Pax Agnus Dei was adioyned by Sergius the Communion by Gregorie and the Conclusion in these wordes Ite missa est Benedicamus Domino or Deo gratias was inuented by Pope Leo. The twelue Articles of our Faith which the holy Apostles haue commanded euery one not onely to acknowledge but most constantly to beleeue be these following The first that there is one God in Trinitie the Father Almightie Maker of heauen and earth the second That Iesus Christ is his onely begotten Sonne our Lord the third that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary the fourth that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried the fift that he descended into hell and the third day rose againe from the dead the sixt that he ascended into heauen and that there hee sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty the seuenth that he shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead the eight that there is a holy Ghost the ninth that there is a holy Catholike Church the tenth that there is a Communion of Saints and remission of sinnes the eleuenth that there is a resurrection of the flesh and the twelfth that there is an eternall life after death in another world The tenne Commandements which were written with the finger of God and deliuered by the hands of his seruant Moses to the people of Israel and which he willed vs to obserue and keepe be these following The first to beleeue that there is one God the second not to take the name of God in vaine the third to keepe holy the Sabbath day the fourth to honour our fathers and betters the fift to do no murther the sixt not to commit adulterie the seuenth not to steale the eighth not to beare false witnesse the ninth not to couet other mens goods and the tenth not to desire another mans wife nor any thing that is his The seuen Sacraments of the Church which bee included in the last fiue Articles of our faith and which the holy Fathers haue commanded vs to beleeue be these following First Baptisme and this Sacrament heretofore as it was established by a canonicall sanction was not ministred vnto any vnlesse vpon very vrgent necessitie but vnto such as were afore-hand well instructed in the faith and sufficiently catechised and examined thereof seuen sundrie times to wit vpon certaine dayes in Lent and vppon the vigils of Easter and Penticost beeing the vsuall times for consecration in all Parishes But this Sacrament beeing aboue all the rest most necessarie vnto saluation and least any one should depart out of this life without the benefit thereof it was ordained that as soon as an infant was borne he should haue God-fathers procured for him to be his witnesses or sureties and that then the child beeing brought by his God-fathers before the church doore the Priest standing there for the purpose should demand of the child before he dippe him in the holy Font whether he will forsake the Diuell and all his pompes and whether he stedfastly beleeue all the Articles of the Christian faith and the God-fathers affirming on his behalfe the Priest bloweth three times in the Infants face and when he hath exorcized and catechized him he doth these seuen things in order vnto the child first he putteth hallowed salt into his mouth secondly hee annointeth his eyes eares and

shall equally inherit their fathers goods only this is obserued that one sonne shall haue as much as two daughters no one may keepe two or more wiues in one house nor yet in one cittie for auoyding of scolding contention and vnquietnesse that would bee amongst them but in euery city they may keepe one and the husbands háue liberty to be diuorced from their wiues three sundrie times and so oft to take them againe and the woman diuorced may stay with her husband that receiueth her againe if she please The Turkish women be very decent in their apparell vpon their heades they weare myters set vpon the top of their veiles wherwith their heads beeing bound in a comely fashion one side or edge of the veile hangeth downe vpon the right or left side of their heades wherewith if they go from home or come into their husbands presence at home they may foorth-with couer or maske their whole faces but their eyes for the wife of a Turke dare neuer come where a company of men be gathered together neither is it lawfull for them to go to markets to buy and sell Likewise in their great Temple the women haue a place farre remote from men and shut vp so close as no one can come to them nor hardly see them Which closet is not allowed for all women but onely for the wiues of noble men or heade Officers and that onely vpon Friday at their noone-tide prayer which they obserue with great solemnitie as is said and at no times else There is seldome any speech or conference betwixt men and women in any publike place it beeing so out of custome as if you should stay with them a whole yeare you shold hardly see it once but for a man to sit or ride with a woman is accounted monstrous married couples do neuer dally or chide in the presence of others for the husbands do neuer remitte the least iot of their authoritie ouer their wiues neither will the wiues omit their obedience towards their husbands The great Lords that cannot alwaies tarry with their wiues themselues depute and set Eunuchs to be keepers ouer them which obserue and watch them so warily as it is vnpossible for them to talke with any man but their husbands or to play false play with their husbands To conclude the Sarrafins yeeld so much credit to Mahomet and his lawes as they promise assured happines and saluation to the keepers thereof to wit a paradise abounding with all pleasures a garden situated in a pure and temperate Climate watered on all parts with most sweete and delectable waters where they shall enioy all things at pleasure dainties of all sorts to feede them silkes and purple to cloath them beautifull damfels euer readie at a call to attend them with siluer and golden vessels and that Angels shall bee their cuppe-bearers and minister vnto them milke in golden cuppes and red wines in siluer And on the other side they threaten hell and eternall damnation to the transgressors of his lawes And this also they firmely beleeue that though a man haue beene neuer so great a sinner yet if at his death he onely beleeue in God and in Mahomet he shall be saued The manners and customes Of the Christians and of their originall and Customes CAP. 12. CHRIST Iesus the true and euerlasting Sonne of God the Father omnipotent the second Person in the holy indiuidual coequall and eternall Trinitie by his incomprehensible decree and mysterie hidden from the world to the end that hee might raise and reduce vs miserable and vnfortunate wretches lost and forlorne by the disobedience of our fore-fathers Adam and Eue and therefore for many ages exiled and excluded out of the heauenly countrie and in heauen to repaire the auncient ruine of Lucifer and the Angels for pride expelled thence for supply of which vacancie we were chiefly created was one thousand sixe hundred and ten yeares since by the co-operation and working of the holy Ghost conceiued man and borne in Iudaea of the blessed Virgin Mary being of the house and lineage of Dauid from the thirtith yeare of whose age vnto the 34. at which time through the enuie and hatred of the Iewes he was crucified he trauersed ouer all the land of Iudaea exhorting the Iewes from the ancient law of Moses and the Gentils from the prophane worship of Idols vnto his new doctrine and religion those followers which he could get he called his disciples out of which electing twelue and appearing vnto them aliue after his death as hee had fore-told them he would he gaue them commission that as his Legats and Apostles they shold go into all places of the world and preach to all people such things as they had seene and learned of him Simon Peter who long before was by Christ ordained chiefe head ruler of his Church after him when after the receiuing of the holy Ghost the Apostles went some to one people some to another to preach as they were allotted and sent came first to Antioch where consulting and erecting a Church or chief seat or Chaire for the practise of Religion he with many other of the Apostles which often repaired vnto him celebrated a Councel in which amongst other things it was decreed that the professors and imbracers of Christs doctrine and true religion should after him be called Christians This chiefe Chaire of the Church beeing afterwards translated from Antioch to Rome he and his successours were very carefull and vigilant to reduce the Christian religion being as yet indigested vnpolished and little practised and the professors thereof into better order vniformity Out of the law of Moses which Christ came not to abolish but to fulfill out of the ciuill and politick gouernment of Romans Greeks and Aegyptians and out of both sacred and prophane rites lawes ceremonies of other nations but most especially by the wholesome doctrine and direction of Christ Iesus and the inspiration of the holy Spirit when they had vndertaken this busines and saw that not only among the Hebrewes but in al other nations else the people be diuided into religious and laitie and that all of them by an excellent subordination are in dignity and degrees different one from another as that the Emperor of Rome was Monarch of the whole world and that next vnto him were Consuls Patricians Senators by whose direction and aduice the state and common-wealth was well gouerned Again that in euery other country of the world were Kings Dukes Earles Presidents Lieutenants Deputies Tribunes of souldiers Tribunes of the common-people Praetors Captains Centurions Decurions Quaternions Sheriffes Treasurers Ouer-seers Portars Secretaries and Sergeants and many priuate people of both sexe That in the temple of the fained gods the king was chiefe sacrificer and that there were Arch-Flammins Proto-Flammins Flammins and Priests That also amongst the Hebrewes the High Priest was chiefe sacrificer vnder whome were inferiour Priests Leuites Nazareans Extinguishers of lights Exorcists

nostrils with earth moystened with his spittle thirdly giuing him his name after which he shall be called he marketh him with the signe of the crosse vpon his breast and backe with hallowed oyle fourthly inuocating the name of the blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in whose name all other Sacraments are ministred three times he dippeth or ducketh him into the water or else powreth water vpon him three times in forme of a crosse fiftly dipping his thomb into the holy Chrysme he signeth his fore-head with the signe of the crosse sixtly hee couereth him with a white garment and seuenthly and lastly putteth into his hands a burning candle It was ordained by the Agathon Councell that Iewes before they were baptized shold be instructed in the Christian faith nine moneths and fast forty daies and that they should refuse all their substance make free their bond-seruants and put from them their children if they had any such as were circumcized after the lawe of Moses and fo● those causes it is no maruell that the Iewes bee so hardly induced to receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme 2. The second Sacrament is Confirmation which is giuen onely by the Bishop in the Church before the altar to children of fourteene yeares of age or vpwards and if it may be while they be fasting in this manner All the children which come to be confirmed beeing there present with their god-fathers the bishop hauing said a prayer ouer each of them dips his thombe into moist Chrisme signing euery one of their foreheads with the signe of the crosse In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and for their better remembrance and to the end they should not require this Sacrament againe he giueth euery one a blow vpon his right cheeke and then the Godfathers for feare least the moist vnction should runne off or be wiped away through negligence or carelessenesse bind their foreheads with a linnen cloth which they bring with them for that purpose and that cloth they may not put off vntill the seuenth day after And such force haue the holy fathers attributed to this Sacrament as if a man dislike of his name he tooke in his Baptisme in taking of this Sacramēt he may haue it changed into an other name by the Bishop 3. The third Sacrament is the Sacrament of holy orders which in the primitiue Church was likewise ministred by the Eishop and that only in the month of December but now it is ministred at six times in the yeer appointed for that purpose that is to say vpon the Saterdaies of al those 4. feasts called Ember weekes which were ordained for that end vpon the Saterday called Sitientes which is the Saterday before passion Sunday vpon the eue of the blessed Passouer and then to men only and to such whose condition of life bability of body quality of minde is sufficiently knowne and approued There be seuen orders of Priests or according to some nine all of which as the holy fathers haue euer bin of opinion haue imprinted in their hearts by their holy orders such special caracters of grace as they be euer after held holy sanctified which be singing men or organists doorekeepers readers Exorcists Priests Ministers or Acolits Subdecōs Deacons Priests Bishops yet it is held to be but one Sacrament not many by reason of the finall office which is to consecrate the Lords body Euery one of these nine orders of Priests hath his peculiar office in the Church ornaments allowed him by the Toletan councel to distinguish him from the rest for the doore keepers or sextons are to defend and keepe the Churches and to open shut them and therefore a key is giuen vnto them when they be ordained to the readers that haue power to read the old Testament and holy histories is giuen a booke the office of Exorcists is to dispossesse such as bee possessed with euil spirits and haue a booke giuen vnto them wherein be contained those exorcismes for a marke to signifie that office The office of the Acolites is to set the candlesticks vpon the Altar and to light the tapers as also to set in redinesse the vyoles or pots of water to carry them away when masse is done and therefore be they manifested by carrying a candlesticke with a taper in it and an empty vial or cruet The Subdeacons are to take the oblations to handle the chalice and patin and make them ready for the sacrifice and to administer wine and water to the Deacons in the vials and therefore the Bishop giueth them a chalice and a patin and the Archdeacon cruets ful of wine water and a towel The Deacons proper function is to preach the word of God to the people and to be assistant to the priests in the holy misteries of the Church and to them is giuen the booke of the New-Testament a stole cast crosse ouer one shoulder like a yoake The power of the priests is to consecrate the Lords body to pray for sinners and by enioyning them penance to reconcile them againe vnto God and therefore is he honored with a chalice ful of wine a patin with the hoast vpō it a stole hanging on both shoulders and the linnen garment called Castula What is giuen to Bishops at their consecrations you haue heard before and they be euer ordained consecrated about three of the clocke on the Lords day at the celebration of the office of the masse before the reading of the Gospel by three other Bishops whereof the Metrapolitan to be one who doe it by laying there hands and a booke vpon his head In the primitiue Church there was little difference betwixt Bishops and other priests for al of them by common consent did ioyne together in the gouernment of the Church til such dissentions grew among them as euery one would call himselfe not of Christ but rather of him by whom he was baptised as one of Paule an other of Apollo a third of Cephas And therefore for the auoiding of schismes maintayning an vniformity in the Church the holy fathers though it necessary to establish a decree that al which should euer after be baptised shold he called by one general appellation Christians of Christ and that euery Prouince should bee gouerned by one Priest or more according to the quantity bignesse who for their grauity and reuerence should be called Bishops and they should gouerne and instruct both lay people clergy that were vnder their charge not after their owne wils and pleasures as was vsed before but according to the prescript rules canons and ordinances of the Church of Rome and holy Councels and then by the permission furtherance of good and holy Princes all Kingdomes throughout the Christian world were deuided into Diocesses the Diocesse into Shires and Counties and they againe into seueral parrishes which good and godly ordinance both for clergy and laytie is

especially honour and adore is the Fire which they perswade themselues to be most holy and euerlasting because it is fedde with continuall fuell and there was a fire kept euer burning by the Priests vpon the top of a high hill neere vnto the Riuer Meuiasa Vladislaus King of Poland who first reduced that nation to the Christian Religion quenched that fire and ouerthrew the turret wherein it was kept together with all the woods which the people of Sarmatia held to be as holy as the fire and worshipped them with as much deuotion and Religion esteeming and accounting them to bee the dwellings and habitations of the gods according to the saying of the Poet The gods inhabited and kept the woods Nor did they worshippe and reuerence the fire and woods onely but euery other thing likewise which vsually remained and abidde in the woods as birds and wilde beasts and if any one violated and contemned their witchcrafts and Inuocation of diuels their heads and feete would incontinently close and shrinke together by the deceipt and illusion of their euill spirits Within the woods each family had a place or hearth wherein they kept a fire for all that family in which fire their custome was to burne their dead bodies with their horses saddles and best garments firmely beleeuing that in that place those which be dead and burned meet together in the night and therfore they made them settles or benches to sit vppon of Corcke tree and placed them in readines the best meath and a kind of meate made of paste like vnto a cheese for them to eate Euery yeare vppon the first day of October all the people of the whole countrey assembled and mette together in those woods and there vsing all kind of deuotion celebrated a sollemne Feast each family feeding in his owne cottage vppon the daintiest fare and most delicious viands they could get At which feast they sacrificed by the firesides vnto all their goddes and especially vnto one who me they called Percumo which in their language signifieth thunder Their language is all one with the Lithuanians and the Polonians for the Priests preach vnto the people in the Polonian tongue they obserue the Customes of the Romane Church although there be some Ruthens towards the South and Muscouites which dwell farre north which obserue the Ceremonies of the Greeke Church yeelding their obedience to the Bishoppe of Constantinople and not to the Bishop of Rome Vppon the North side of this Countrey lyeth Muscovia it is fiue hundred miles in compasse rich in siluer and vppon all sides so garded enuironed and defended with such strong holds as not only strangers but their owne natiue countrey-men be interdicted and prohibited to passe in and out at their pleasures without the Dukes letters of safe-conduct The countrie is euen and plaine no hils but great store of woods and marish grounds it is watered with many great riuers as Occa Volha Dzuvina Boristhines and Dinaper and therefore affoordeth as many fishes and wild beasts as Lithuania from which it differeth not much neither in customes nor situation sauing that it is somewhat colder because more North-ward and therefore bee their cattell little and small and for the most part halting and lame of their lims The Metrapolitane and chiefe Cittie of the Region is Moscua it is twise as bigge within the compasse of it as Prague in Bohemia the building is of timber as all their other Citties bee it hath many streetes and lanes but they stand straggling with broad fieldes betwixt them the riuer Mosca runneth through the middle of it and diuideth it into two parts and in the middest of the Cittie standeth a castell or tower builded vppon leuell ground wherein be seuenteene turrets and three bul-warkes or Blocke-houses so strong and so stately as there be but few such to bee found within this Castell bee seuenteene Churches whereof those three which be dedicated to our blessed Ladie Saint Michael and Saint Nicholas bee walled about with stone but the rest be made of timber there is also in it three large and spatious Courts for Noblemen and Courtiers to spend their time in a stately and beautifull pallace also for the Duke to dwell in builded after the Italian fashion but not very large The Countrey containeth many famous Dukedoms out of which vppon any occasion in the space of three or foure dayes they will get together in a readinesse two hundred thousand able men Their vsuall drinke is water and meath and a certaine leauened or sowre liquor which they call Quassatz they plow with woodden ploughes and harow their ground with branches of trees or thorns Their corne by reason of continuall cold ripeneth but slowly and therefore they drie it in hote houses and so thresh it Against the extremitie of cold they vse diuers spices and make a kind of water to drinke of oates hony and milke so strong that they will sometimes be drunke with it Wine and oyle they haue none and to auoide drunkennesse the Gouernour of the countrey forbiddeth the drinking of all strong drinkes vppon paine of death except twise or thrice in a yeare and then it is tolerable for them to be drunke They haue siluer coyne of two sortes a bigger and a lesser it is not made round but somewhat long and with foure corners This coyne they call Dzuvingis They speake the Slauonian language and in religion follow the Greeke Church Their Bishops bee vnder the Patriarch of Constantinople and by him bee confirmed They be all Christians sauing the Kosannenses which worship Mahomet like the Sarrasins there dwell some Scythians also towards the North which speake their owne language and worship Idolles and one Idoll aboue the rest which they call Zlota baba that is to say the image of an old woman made of gold this Idoll they do so highly reuerence and adore as euery one that passeth by it falleth downe and worshippeth it offering thereunto a haire from their garments if they haue nothing else to offer And although the Slauonian toung be generally spoken throughout the whole nation yet is there so great difference in their speech it beeing so mixt confounded and corrupted with other languages as they can hardly vnderstand one another In the time of Idolatrie they had one high Priest or Bishop which they called Criue his dwelling was in the cittie Romoue so called of Roma And this custome was generall to all the whole nation not onely to sell their seruants and slaues like beasts but their sonnes and daughters likewise yea sometimes themselues suffering thē to be carried into other countries in hope of better meanes to liue for in their owne their diet was grosse and bad Of Polonia and of the latter customes of the Polonians CAP. 9. POLONIA a vast countrey of Europ is so called of his plainenesse and eeuennesse for Pole in the Slauonian toung which is spoken by the Polanders signifieth plaine leuell or eeuen it is otherwise called

man of that embassage and with him was Francis Aluarez whom for his honesty of life singular religion and iustice I haue held most deere and especially for that being demanded of his faith he answered thereunto very fitly and truely And therefore you ought to exalt him and to call him maister and to imploy him in conuerting the people of Macua and of Dalaca of Zeila and of all the Islands of the red sea because they bee in the bounds of my kingdomes And I haue granted vnto him a Crosse and a staffe in token of his authority and doe you commaunde that these things may be giuen vnto him and that hee may bee made Bishiop of those Countries and Islands because hee well deserueth it and is very fitting to administer that office and God shall doe good unto thee that thou maiest bee alwaies strong against thy enemies and constraine them to prostrate themselues at thy feet I pray God prolong thy life and make thee partake of the kingdome of heauen in the best place euen as I wish for my selfe for with my eares haue I heard much good of you and I see with mine eies that which I thought I should neuer haue seene and God will make all things to goe well with you and your seate shall bee vpon the tree of life which is the seate of the Saints Amen As a young child I haue done what euer you commanded mee and will doe if your Embassadors come hither that we may aid one another by our mutuall forces I shall giue and cause to bee giuen vnto all your Embassadors which shal come hither what euer you will signifie to be done and as you did at Macna at Dalaca and at the ports in the streights of the redde sea that wee may bee prosperously ioyned together both in Councell and action as I doe chiefly desire for when your Forces shall come to those Coastes I will speedily bee with them with my Armie also and because there bee no Christians in the Marches of my Countrie nor any Churches for Christians I will giue vnto your people those lands to dwell in which be neerest vnto the dominion of the Moores for it behoueth that you bring your beginnings to a good end In the meane space send to me learned men and caruers of Images of gold and siluer workers of copper likewise and of Iron of tinne and of lead and Artificers to imprint bookes for the Church in our language and some that can make gold foyle or thin plates or raies of gold and with the same can guild other mettals these shall bee courteously entertained in my house and if they shall desire to depart I will giue vnto them large ample rewards for their labours And I sweare by God Iesus Christ the sonne of God that I will freely suffer them to depart when they please This I most boldly and confidently desire because your vertue is apparant vnto me and your goodnesse well knowne And for that I know you loue me well whereof I am most assured because for my sake you receiued Mathew very honourably and liberally and so sent him backe againe and therfore I couet to desire those things neither be thou ashamed of it for I will truly accomplish and performe all things That which the Father desireth of the Sonne cannot bee denyed and you are my Father and I your Sonne and wee bee coupled and ioyned together and as one bricke is ioyned to another in a wall so we being so to agree together in one heart and in the loue of Iesus Christ who is the head of the world and those which be with him be likened to brickes ioyned together in a wall Letters from the said DAVID Emperour of Aethiopia vnto Iohn the third of that name King of Portugall written in the yeare of our redemption 1524. and interpreted by Paulus Iouius IN the name of God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth and of all things that be made either visible or inuisible in the name of God the sonne Christ who is the sonne and Councell and prophet of the Father in the name of God the holy Ghost the Aduocate of the liuing God equall to the Father and the Sonne who spake by the mouth of the Prophets breathing vpon the Apostles that they might giue thanks and praise vnto the holy Trinity which is euer perfect in heauen and in earth in the sea and in the deepe Amen I surnamed Virgins Frankincense which name was giuen me at my baptisme and now taking vpon me the gouernment of my kingdome I haue also assumed the name of Dauid the deerely beloued of God the pillar of the faith the issue or stocke of Iuda the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Salomon Kings of Israell the sonne of the columne or piller of Sion the sonne of the seed of Iacob the sonne of the hand of Mary and the son of Nav by the flesh send these letters and message vnto Iohn the most high mighty and potent King of Portugall and of the Algarbians the sonne of King Emanuell Peace bee vnto you and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ remaine alwaies with you Amen At that time that the power of the King your father was reported vnto me who made war against the Moores the sons of the abhominable accursed Mahomet I gaue great thankes vnto God for your increase greatnes and for the crown of your conuersation in the house of Christianitie In like manner I tooke pleasure by the comming of your Embassadors which reported vnto me that kings speeches whereby a singular loue knowledge friendship was established betwixt vs vtterly to extirpe driue away those wicked accursed Moores and vnbeleeuing Gentiles which dwell betweene your kingdomes mine But while I was thus ioyfull I heard that your father and mine was departed out of this life before I could dispatch my Embassadors from hence vnto him and therefore my ioy was suddenly turned into sadnes so that in the great sorrow of my heart all the States and Noble men of my Court and Ecclesiasticall Prelates and all which liue in Monasteries and all our subiects wholly made great lamentaion with me so as the pleasure we conceiued of the first message was equalled and extinguished with the sorrow of the last Sir from my first entrance into my kingdomes vnto this present time no message nor messenger hath come vnto me either from the King or kingdome of Portugall but in the life time of the King your Father who sent his Captaines and Gouernours vnto mee with Clearkes and Deacons which brought with them all solemne prouision and apparell for the Masse for which I reioyced greatly and receiued them honourably and shortly after dismissed them that they might returne with honour and peace And after they came to a Hauen of the sea which is within my limits in the redde sea they found not the great Gouernour of the Nauie there whom your father had sent

of Ieson the sonne of Nav in Galgale and of Gedeon in the Coast and of Sampson when hee was a thirst in the land of drought and of Samuell in Rhama of the Prophet and of Dauid in Nacira and of Salomon in the Cittie of Gabeon and of Helias in mount Carmell when hee raised from death the Widdow womans sonne from Rhicha aboue the pit and of Iosaphat in battell and of Manasses when hee sinned and conuerted againe vnto God and of Daniell in the Lyons Denne and of the three brethren Sydrach Mysaach and Abednago on the firy furnace and of Anna before the Altar and of Nehemias which made walles with Zorababell and of Mathathia with his sonnes ouer the fourth part of the world and of Esau vppon his blessing euen so our Lord wil receiue your sacrifices and supplications and will helpe you and stand with you against all persuersnes and ouerth wartnes at all seasons and euery day Peace bee with you and I embrace you with the armes of sanctitie and in like manner I embrace all those which be of your Councell of the kingdome of Portugall Archbishops likewise and Bishops Priests and Deacons and all men and women whatsoeuer The grace of God and blessing of the Virgine Mary the mother of God be with you and with you all Amen Letters from the same most renowned Dauid Emperour of Ethiopia vnto the Pope of Rome written in the yeare of our Lord 1524. and translated into Latine by Paulus Iouius IN the name of God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible in the name of God the Sonne Iesus Christ which is the same with the Father from the beginning of the world and is light of light and true God of true God in the name of the holy spirit of the liuing God who proceeded from God Father These letters I the King doe send whose name the Lyons doe worship and by the grace of God I am called Athani Tinghil that is to say the incense of a virgin the Sonne of King Dauid the sonne of Solomon the sonne of a king by the hand of Mary the son of Nav by the flesh the son of of the holy Apostles S. Peter and S Paul by grace Peace bee vnto you most iust Lord holy mighty pure and sacred Father vnto you which are the head of all Princes and fearest no man seeing no one can speake euill of thee vnto you which are the most vigilant Curate and obseruer of soules and friend of strangers and and peregrines O holy maister and preacher of the faith enemy of all those things which offend the conscience louer of good manners sanctified man whom all men laud and praise O happy and holy Father I yeeld obedience vnto you with great reuerence for you are the peace of all things and deserue all good and therefore it is fitting that all men should shew their obedience vnto you as the holy Apostles command to yeeld obedience to God This truly belongeth vnto you for so also they command vs to worship Bishops Archbishops and Prelats In like manner that we should loue and reuerence you as our father feare you as our King and haue confidence in you as in God Wherefore I humbly confesse and with my bending knees say vnto you O holy father that you are my father and I your son O holy most mighty father why did you neuer send any vnto vs that you might better vnderstand of my life and health seeing you be the sheepheard and I your sheepe For a good sheepeheard will neuer forget his flocke neither ought you to thinke that I dwel so farre remote from your regions that messengers cannot come vnto mee seeing your sonne Emanuell the King of Portugall hath sent Embassadors vnto me very conueniently from his kingdome which is the furthest from vs in the world and if God had spared him life and not incited him so suddenly to heauen without doubt those things which we then had in hand had beene brought to a happy conclusion But now I much desire to bee certified by some trusty messengers of your holinesse health and happinesse for I neuer yet heard any message from your holinesse but something I heard of our owne people who to performe their vows went a pilgrimage into those parts but seeing they went not in my name nor brought with them my letters from you their reports are but an vncertaine beleefe for I questioning with them they said they came from Ierusalem where hauing performed their vowes they went to Rome to visite the Churches of the Apostles vnderstanding that they might easily come to those places which bee inhabited by Christians And surely I take great pleasure in their speeches because in my sweete cogitation I doe behold the similitude of thy holy countenance which seemeth vnto mee like the countenance of an Angell And I confesse that I doe loue and reuerence that image as an Angellicall likenesse but yet were it more acceptable and pleasant vnto mee deuoutely and diligently to consider and view your words and Letters And therefore I most humbly beseech you to send Messengers vnto me with your benediction thereby to cheere and exhilerate my heart for seeing wee agree in faith and religion before all things I desire and intreate that you will set my loue and friendship in the principallest part of your heart as the ring which you weare vpon your finger and the chaine of gold which you put about your neck that so the remembrance of me may neuer be blotted out of your memory for with thankefull words letters frendship is increased it is embraced with sacred peace from whence all humane ioy springeth ariseth for euen as hee that is thirsty greatly desireth cold water as the scripture saith so doth my heart conceiue an incredible ioy from the messengers letters which come to me from the furthest parts of the world neither shall I only reioice to heare from your holines but also I shall be glad to heare certaine newes from all the Kings of Christendome And full as ioyfull as those that in battell doe get the best spoyles And this may bee done with great facility seeing the King of Portugall hath made the whole iourney plaine vnto them who long sithence hath sent his Embassadors vnto vs with strong Armies but neither when my father was liuing nor sithence haue wee receiued any Message or Letters from any other Christian King or from the Pope himselfe although in our treasuries of Monuments and Charters of my great Grand father is preserued the memory of those Letters which Pope Eugenius sent into this Countrie when the King of Kings of all Ethiopia being the seede of Iacob and a King to bee feared had the gouernment of this kingdome The forme of which letters were thus Eugenius the Bishop of Rome to our beloued sonne the King of the seede of Iacob the King of all the kings of Ethiopia and

holy father which art ordained of God to be the consecrator and sanctifier of all nations and the possessor of Saint Peters seate to you bee giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer you either binde or loose vpon earth shall be bound or loosed in heauen as Christ himselfe hath said and as S. Mathew hath written in his Gospell I the King whose name the Lyons doe worship by the grace of God called Athani Tingil that is to say virgins incense which name I receiued in baptisme but now when I first tooke vpon mee the gouernment of the kingdome I assumed vnto me the name of Dauid the beloued of God the piller of faith the kinsman of the stock of Iuda the son of Dauid the son of Salomon the son of the piller of faith the son of the seed of Iacob the son of the hand of Mary the son of Nav by the flesh Emperour of great high Ethiopia and of great kingdomes dominions lands King of Xoa of Caffate of Fatigar of Angote of Baru of Baaligaze of Adea of Vangue of Goiame where is the head of the riuer Nilus of Damaraa Vaguemedri Ambeaa Vague Tigri Mahon of Sabain where Saba was Queene of Bernagaes and Lord vnto Nobia in the end of Egypt All these Prouinces be within my power and many other which now I haue not reckoned nor haue I expressed these kingdomes prouinces in their proper names for pride or vaine-glory but for this cause onely that God may be praised more and more who of his singular benignity hath giuen vnto the kings my predecessors the gouernement of such great and ample kingdomes of the Christian religion and yet surely hee hath made me worthy of a more excellent fauour and grace then other Kings that I might continually deuote my selfe to religion because he hath made me Adell that is the Lord and enemie of the Moores and Gentiles which worship idols I send vnto you to kisse your holines feete after the manner of other Christian Kings my brethren to whom I am nothing inferior neither in religion nor power for I within mine owne kingdomes am the piller of faith neither am I aided with any forreine helpe for I repose my whole trust and confidence in God alone who gouerneth and sustaineth me vp from the time wherein the Angell of God spake vnto Phillip that hee should instruct in the true faith the Eunuch of the mighty Queene Candace the Queene of Ethiopia as shee was going from Ierusalem to Gaza And Phillip did then baptize the Eunuch as the Angell commaunded and the Eunuch baptized the Queene with a great part of her houshold and of her people which hath euer sithence continued Christians remaining for all times after that firme and stable in the faith of Christ And my predecessors hauing no other aid but onely Gods asistance haue planted the faith in very large kingdomes which I my selfe doe likewise daily contend to effect For I remaine in the great bounds of my kingdomes like a Lyon incompassed about with a mightie wood and hedged and inclosed against the Moores that lye in waite for me and other nations which bee enemies to the Christian faith and refuse to heare the word of God or my exhortations But I my selfe being girded with my sword doe persecute and expell them out by little little indeed by Gods diuine helpe which I neuer found wanting which happeneth otherwise to Christian kings for if the limits of their kingdoms be large it may easily be obtained for that one may assist minister helpe vnto another and receiue further helpe by your holines benediction of which I am partaker seeing in my bookes be contained certain letters which long since Pope Eugenius sent with his benediction vnto the king of the seed of Iacob which blessing giuen by his own hands being accepted and taken I do enioy and thereof greatly reioyce And I haue the holy temple which is at Ierusalem in great veneration vnto which I oftentimes send oblations due by our pilgrimes and many more and fatter I would haue sent but that the passages bee hindred by Moores and Infidels for besides the taking away from our messengers our gifts and treasures they will not suffer them to passe freely but if they would suffer vs to trauell I would come into the familiarity fellowship of the Romane Church as other Christian Kings do to whom I am nothing inferior in the christian religion for euen as they belieue I confesse one true faith and one Church and I most sincerely beleeue in the holy Trinity in one God and the virginity of our Lady the virgin Mary and I hold and obserue all the articles of the faith as they were written by the Apostles Now our good God hath by the hand of the most mighty and Christian King Emanuell made the passage open and plaine that we may meete by our Embassadors and that we being Christians ioyned in one faith might serue God with other Christians But while his Embassadors were in my Court it was reported vnto me that K. Emanuel was dead that his son my brother Iohn had the rule of his fathers kingdome wherupon as I was sorrowful for my fathers death euen so I reioyced greatly at the happy entrance of my brother into his kingdome so as I hope that we ioining our power and forces together may make open the passages both by sea and land by the regions of the wicked Moores and greatly terrifying them vtterly expell them from their seates and kingdomes that the way being made fit peaceable christians may freelie come and go to the temple of Ierusalem And then shall I bee pertaker of his diuine loue in the Church of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul And I couet greatly to obtaine the sacred benediction of the Vicar of Christ for without doubt your holinesse is Gods Vicar and when I heare many things of your holines by trauellers pilgrimes that go and come miraculously from our countries to Ierusalem from thence to Rome they breed in me an incredible ioy pleasure but I should bee more glad if my Embassadors could make a shorter cut in their iourneies to bring newes vnto me as my hope is they will once do before I dye by the grace of almighty God who euer keepe you in health and holines Amen And I kisse your holines feet and humbly beseech you to send me your blessing These letters also your holines shall receiue at the hands of my brother Iohn King of Portugall by our said Embassador Francis Aluarez These Epistles translated by Paulus Iouius I haue ioined to this worke for the better knowledge of this historie wherein we haue changed nor altered nothing although in many places they require alteration some few excepted which being badly translated into Spanish out of the Arabian and Abesenicke language did cleane alter the whole order of the Epistles The same Iouius also in his

execute those offices of the court the women likewise by the commandement and decree of the same Maqueda be circumcised shee being induced therevnto by this reason that euen as men haue a fore-skinne that couereth their yards in like manner haue women a certaine kernelly flesh which is called Nympha arysing vp in the middle of their priuy partes which is very fit to take the character of circumcision and this is done both to males and females vpon the eight day and after circumcision the men children be baptised vpon the fortieth day and the women children vpon the eighteeth day vnlesse any sicknesse or infirmity hapneth which may cause it to bee done sooner but if any children be baptised before the time appointed it is not lawfull to giue them sucke of their mothers milke but onely of their nurses vntill their mothers bee purified and the water wherein they bee baptised is consecrated and blessed with exorcismes and that very same day wherein children bee baptised they receiue the blessed bodie of our Lord in a little forme of bread wee receiued baptisme almost before all other Christians from the Eunuch of Candace Queene of Aethiopia whose name was Indich as it is said in the Acts of the Apostles which together with circumcision which wee had at that time as before is sayd wee obserue most holily and Christian like and by Gods assistance euer shall obserue nor doe we obserue or admit of any thing but of those onely which are expressed in the law and the prophets and in the Gospell and in the bookes of the councels of the Apostles and if wee receiue any things besides those they bee onely obserued for the time for that they seeme to appertaine to the gouernment and peace of the Church and that without any bond of sinne Wherefore our circumcision is not vncleane but the law and grace is giuen to our father Abraham which hee receiued of God as a signe not that either he or his children should be saued through circumcision but that the children of Abraham should be known from other nations And that which is inwardly vnderstood by the signe or mistery of circumcision wee doe highly obserue that is that wee may bee circumcised in our hearts neither doe wee boast of circumcision nor therefore thinke our selues more noble then other Christians nor more acceptable vnto God with whom is no acception of persons as Paul saith who also sheweth vs that wee bee not saued through circumcision but by faith because in Christ Iesus neither circumcision nor the cutting off the foreskinne preualeth but the new creature but Paul preached not to destroy the law but to establish it who was also baptised and beeing of the seed of Beniamin hee also circumcised Tymothy who was become a Christian his mother beeing an Hebrew and his father a Gentile knowing that God doth iustifie circumcision by faith and the fore-skinne by faith and as he himselfe was made all to all that hee might saue all To the Iewes hee was as a Iew that thereby hee might winne the Iewes and to those which were vnder the law hee was as one vnder the law although hee was not vnder the law to the end hee might gaine those which were vnder the lawe and to those which were without the law hee was as one without the law although hee was not without the law of GOD but vnder the law of Christ that hee might get those which were without the law and hee became weake that hee might gaine those which were weake which he did to shew that we bee saued not by circumcision but by faith And therefore when he preached to the Hebrewes hee spake vnto them in diuers speeches like an Hebrew saying God heretofore spake many waies and in many manners to our fathers in the prophets shewing vnto them out of the same prophets that Christ was of the seed of Dauid after the flesh Moreouer he preached vnto them that Christ was with our fathers in the tents in the Desert and that he led them into the Land of promise by the hand of Iosua And Paul also testifieth in the same place that Christ was the chiefe of priests and that hee entred into a new tent which is the Sanctum sanctorum The holy of holies and that with the sacrifice of his bodie and bloud hee abolished the bloud of goates and bulles whereby none that killeth them shall bee iustified and so hee spake sundry waies to the Iewes and also suffering himselfe to bee worshipped of his people by many ceremonies in a holy and vncorrupted faith Moreouer those children with vs bee accounted halfe Christians which here I vnderstand in the Romane Church bee called Paganes who because they die without baptisme ought to bee called halfe Christians because they be children of the sanctified bloud of parents baptised and of the holy Ghost and of the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by which three Testimonies all Christians bee so reputed because there bee three things which giue testimony in earth the spirite water and bloud as Saint Iohn witnesseth in his first canonicall Epistle the Gospell also saith a good tree bringeth forth good fruite and an euill tree bringeth forth euill fruite and therefore the children of Christians are not like vnto the children of the Gentiles and of the Iewes and of the Moores which bee withered trees without any fruit but the Christians bee elected in their mothers wombes as holy Ieremias the prophet and Saint Iohn Baptist were Furthermore the children of Christian women are elected and consecrated by the communication and imparting of the body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ for when women great with child do take the most blessed body of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the infant in the wombe receiuing nutriment is thereby sanctified for euen as the child in the mothers wombe conceiueth either sorrow or ioy according as the mother is affected so also is it nourished by the mothers norishment and as our Lord saith in his holy Ghospell if any one eate my body and drinke my bloud hee shall not tast of eternall death and againe if any one eate of my body and drinke my bloud hee shall remaine with mee and Paul the teacher of the Gentiles saith the vnbeleeuing husband is iustified by the beleeuing wife the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the beleeuing husband otherwise your children should be vncleane but now they bee sanctified which if it bee so that the children of an vnbeleeuing mother bee sanctified by the saithfulnesse of the father then be they much more holy that bee borne of faithfull fathers and mothers for which cause it is farre more holy to call children before they bee christned halfe Christians then Pagans and the Apostles also haue said in their bookes of councels that al which beleeue and be not baptised may iustly bee termed halfe Christians who also say in the said bookes if Iew Moore or Gentile will receiue the faith hee is

not forthwith to be admitted but they will that hee first come vnto the gate of the Church and there to heare Sermons and the words of our Sauiour Christ that before he be incited and brought as it were by stelth vnto the faith hee may know the yoke of the law which when hee hath done hee may be called halfe a Christian although he be not baptised as the Ghospel teacheth he that beleeueth and is baptised shal bee saued and hee which beleeueth not shall bee damned And our custome is that women with child before they be deliuered should be confessed and that then they should receiue the Lords body and those which doe not this as also the fathers of those children which compel not their wiues to doe it bee accounted wicked and euill Christians Moreouer you must vnderstand that confirmation and chrisme or extreame vnction of oyle bee not accounted Sacraments nor bee in any vse with vs as I see they bee heare by the custome of the Romane Church Also by Moyses lawes and the ordinance of the Apostles it is not lawfull for vs to eate vncleane meates and this wee doe for the full obseruation of the law and the Scriptures which consist of one and foure score bookes in both Old and New Testament that is to say forty and sixe bookes of the Old Testament and thirty fiue of the New which expresse number of bookes of the Scriptures wee haue by computation from the Apostles themselues from which bookes of the Old and New Testament it is not lawful for vs to ad or diminish any thing no though an Angell from heauen should indeauour to perswade vs therevnto And hee which dare to attempt any such thing ought to be reputed as accursed Wherefore neither the Patriarcke nor our Bishops by themselues nor in their councels doe thinke or suppose that they can make any lawes thereby any one may bee bound to a mortall or deadly sinne for in those bookes of councels it is ordained by the holy Apostles that wee should confesse our sins and what penance wee ought to take according to the heinousnesse of each sinne is there set downe They instruct vs also how we should pray fast and doe deedes of charity and this is very familiar in vse amongst vs that as soone as wee haue committed any sinne we forthwith runne to the feete of the confessor and this is vsed both of men and women of what estate or condition soeuer they bee of And as oft as wee bee confessed we receiue the bodie of our blessed LORD in both kindes in sweete or vnleauened wheaten bread and if wee should bee confessed euery day wee should likewise euery day receiue the most blessed and reuerent Sacrament and this custome is common as well to the Clergie as to Lay people And the Sacrament of the Altar is not kept with vs in Churches as it is heere amongst the people of Europe Neither doe those which be sick receiue the Lords body vntill they begin to waxe strong and recouer there helth and this is done because all men both Lay and Clergy doe vsually receiue it euery weeke twice and all which bee willing so to doe come vnto the Church for it is ministred to none but in the Church not so much as to the Patriarch or to Prestor Iohn himselfe We alwaies vse one consessor and doe neuer take any other vnlesse he bee absent and at his returne wee goe to him againe and the confessors by there power they haue from the Church giue vs absolution of all our sinnes reseruing no case to the Bishops or Patriarcke though it bee neuer so heinous Moreouer the Priests may not heere their confessions to whom they bee confessed themselues Both priests also and Munkes and all Ecclesiasticall Ministers with vs liue by their owne labour for the Church neither hath nor receiueth any tithes Yet it hath reuenewes and lands which both Clerkes and Monkes digge and till either by there owne or other mens labour and other almes haue the none but such as bee freely offered in the Churches for the buriall of the dead and other Godly matters neither is it lawfull for them to begge in the streetes nor to extorte or wrest any almes from the people In our Churches also is euery day onely one Masse celebrated which we account as a sacrifice nor is it lawful by our old ordinances to solemnize more then one in a day for this Masse we take no hire nor reward and in the ministery thereof the Sacrament of the Altar is not shewed as heere I perceiue it is And with vs all Priests Deacons and Sub-deacons and those which come vnto the Church receiue the bodie of our Lord and wee say no Masse for the remission and forgiuenesse of soules departed but the dead bee buried with crosses and Orizons in a certaine place and ouer the dead bodies wee chiefly amongst other praiers recite the beginning of Saint Iohns Ghospel and the day following the buriall of the corpes wee offer almes for him which wee doe vpon certaine daies after vpon al which daies we keepe funerall bankets and thus far I haue spoken of our faith and religion But now for that after our comming into Portingal we had many and often disputations and contentions with diuers Doctors especially with our Maisters Didacus Ortysius Bishop of Saint Thomas Isle and Deane of the Kings Chappel and with Peter Margalhus concerning the choise and difference of meates it shal not be vnfitting to say something of that matter First you must vnderstand that wee obserue a difference of meates out of the Old Testament which difference is appointed by the word of GOD it selfe which word was afterwards borne of the Virgine Mary and walked and was conuersant with his Disciples and that word of God I haue alwaies accounted an euer liuing whole and inuiolated word neither did that mouth which heeretofore forbad to eate of vncleanesse say afterwards in any part of his Gospell that wee should eate And whereas it is said in the Gospell that which entereth in by the mouth defileth not the man but such things as proceed forth of the mouth hee pronounced not this speech for because hee would breake that which before hee had appointed but that hee might refute the superstition of the Iewes which taxed and blamed the Apostles because they did eate meate with vnwashed hands for neither the Apostles at that time that they liued with our Lord Iesus Christ did euer vse any vncleane things or tasted of those things which bee forbidden in the law nor yet did any of the Apostles transgresse the law nor can it bee prooued by any of our writings that the Apostles at those times which followed our Lords passion when they beganne to preach the Gospell did either eate or kill any vncleane things and yet it is true that Paul sayd eate of euery thing that commeth into the shambles making no question for conscience sake and