whatsoevâ—â—â— they would as all kinde 〈◊〉 dainty dishes for satiety silâ— and purple apparrell yong anâ— beautifull maides at their own will and pleasure with Goâ—â— and Silver plate and Angeâ—â— serving and ministring unâ—â— them like Butlers bringiâ—â— milke in goulden plates aâ—â— red wine aboundantly in Silvâ—â— cups Contrary wise to thoâ—â— that breake these Lawes theâ— threaten the danger of 〈◊〉 and everlasting destructioâ—â— This also they beleeve thâ—â— how great offences soever a man hath committed if he will beleeve onely in God aâ—â— Mahomet when he dyeth 〈◊〉 shall be safe and happy Some of their Religion haâ— â—is opinion that the Law proâ—eth nothing but the Grace of â—od whereby a man must be saâ—ed which without merit or â—aw is sufficient to get salvatiâ—n There be some as it were â—ccessours of the Prophets and â—athers alledging and affirming â—â—e traditions of the Elders â—hich teach that men by merit â—ay be saved without the Law â—nd Gods grace so that they â—e earnest in prayers in watchâ—â—g and meditations There be others againe that affirme every â—an to be saved in the Law that â—s given of God because those â—awes are equally good to those â—hat keepe them and one ought â—ot to be preferred before anoâ—her So you may see where Christ is not how inconstant â—indes waver in divers errours â—he which thing also may appeare amongst some Christianâ— as such as seeke for salvation oâ— any other then of the Saviouâ— onely Of the miseries that Hierusalem suffered during the siege thereof by Vespasianus and Titus THe Roman Eagle displayed it selfe before the Towne with all other Engines and war-like instruments Titus himselfe being then in person to take view aswell of his own souldiers valour as of the ground about the Citty to entrench in as also to try the courage of the Enemies Hee set before it with his Army in the yeare of the world 4034 being after the Death of Christ 72 and when upon his first approaches he was repulsed by the Cittizens yet taking â—ourage with the diligence of â—is old Souldiers he had made a firme wall in three dayes space â—ound about the Towne of 39 Furlongs compasse besides 13 Forts every one of them being â—lmost 2 miles in compasse so â—hat in the space of one yeare â—nd lesse this populous City by Fire Sword Sedition and Famine was stripped of 11 hundred thousand people It hath â—eene taken besieged and burnt â—7 times as you may read in the â—escription of Canaan Hierusalem taken and fired THis place so remarkeable for strength and multitudes of people supposed to bee imâ—regnable was by the just hand â—f God and the valour of the Romans taken in the yeare of the World 4034 and after Christ 72 being the eighth of September by Titus after chosen Emperour in which Action many fearefull passages may be viewed as the dayly slaughters rapines and cruelties but especially the burning of the whole Citty the Temple in which alone perished 60 thousand of the Jewes also the burning of the Councell-house in which were consumed all the Rolles and ancient Records of that Nation and not lesse then 30 thousand oâ— men women and children But especially lamentable was the burning of the Temple which in greatnesse beauty workemanship costlinesse and plenty of all delights farre exceeded all workes that ever the World had nay it strucke pitty and remorse even in the heart of the Roman Generall who striv'd to hinder it and desired to have â—eene it in its beauty nay hee admired that part which he beheld before the fire had taken it and confessed he never saw the like And to adde to the miseries of the Iewes the Ray of the fire was not greater nor more terrible to behold then was the cryings of the people of all ages slaughtered there fearefull to heare But most remarkeable is it that upon the just revolution of such a prefixed time upon the same day of the same Moneth that the Chaldaeans spoyled it before I say upon the same day was this latter Temple which Haggaeus rebuilded utterly burnt downe by the Romans so just is God in sending deserved punishments upon a people in his due and determined time to shut up this with this one Observation that though it was not builded without the helpe of thousands of Labourers and great expences both of monies and time yet it was destroyed in a moment of time by one fire-brand cast out by the hand of one Souldier as some have related whose name was Pisolus of the fifth Roman Legion No place nor person though never so great or beautifull can be priviledged from punishment if they be full of sinne and impiety Of the Fasting and meats of the Turkes THe Turkes are wont to fast one moneth and one weeke every yeare but they doe not allwaies keepe one prefixed time for if this yeare they fast in Ianuary the next yeare they will doe it in February the third in March and so orderly of the rest and when they doe fast they taste and eate nothing all the whole day not so much as bread or water but when stars appeare it is lawfull for them to eate all things saving things which are suffocate and Swines flesh They have Vineyards the fruit and commodity whereof they use diversly The Christians make Wine and the Turkes doe so prepare Hony and Raysons that they appeare alwaies fresh both in taste and sight they have three manner of drinkes the first of Sugar or Hony mixt with water The second of raysons sod in water the stones cast away and then Rose-water is added unto them and a little of the best Hony The third is made of Wine well sodden and representeth a kinde of hony both in taste and sight this is tempered with water and given to servants to drinke When they should eate any thing they strew their floores and grounds with mats and other things then they lay Carpets and Tapestry worke or cushens and some sit downe upon the naked earth their table is of some skinne as I said before it is drawne at large and shut together againe as a purse they sit not downe after our manner nor yet as the people of old were wont to doe leaning on their elbows but with their feet folded together in the forms of this letter X. like to the manner of botchers before they take any meat they have their prayers or thanks-giving They eate greedily and hastily with great silence but all their Wives keepe themselves in secret Those which are captive women never goe abroad nor can get licence but with othe Turkish women when they goe to wash in Bathes or in any other place out of the Citty for recreation sake into Gardens or Vineyards but alwaies keepe home at their worke and it is not lawfull for other women to bee conversant with their captives Of the Circumcision of the Turkes THe Turkes use Circumcision not in the eight day after the manner of of the Iewes but as
the one was with child the third woman comming suddenly upon them unlooked for thrust the heads of those two which were talking together so that they dashed and touched each other whereof the woman that had conceived already being made affraide through strong imagination gave and printed the signe of the rushing of their heads in her two children How scrupulous the Iewes be to doe any thing on their Sabbath day IT chanced that at Magdeburg in Germany about the yeare of our Lord 1270 a certaine Iew upon the Saturday fell into a Jakes out of the which hee could by no meanes deliver himselfe hee cryed therefore pittifully for the helpe of his fellows at the length some of his companions came and they with lamentable voyces shewed that it was their Sabbath day and therefore not to bee lawfull for them to use or exercise the labour of the hands Whereupon they exhorted him patiently to beare the thing untill the next day that it might bee lawful for them to travaile in the helping of him out This matter at the last came unto the eares of the Bishop of that place who was nothing favourable to the Iews The Bishop understanding that the stubborn Iews for the scrupulous observation of their Sabbath day would not helpe their brother out of the jakes commanded upon paine of death that they which did so curiously observe their owne Sabbath day should in like manner as religiously observe and keepe with the like solemnity the next day after being the Christians Sabbath day This was an hard case what should they now do upon paine of death they must obey In the meane time the miserable Iew in the jakes was enforced to abide two dayes and two nights in great filth and stinke and danger of his life The like History you shall finde in Fabians Chronicle The Famine of Ierusalem SVch was the Famine that this famous Citty and her people did endure in the 72 yeare after Christs time that an infinite multitude perished within the walls through Famine so many perished for food that they were not to be numbred for in every place where any Corne or other victualls was heard they presently resorted thither and by force of Armes assaulted their deerest kindred and friends and fought with them to take the food even from little infants even like madde Dogs greedy of meate and in that insatiate manner that they gathered together such things to eate as the most filthiest living creatures in the world would have loathed They did eatte he hides of Horses boyled in a little water to make the skinne a little tender their shooe soles they did eate and their Belts and Girdles from their Loynes they tooke and likewise the skinnes that covered their Targets or Shields did they mince and cut to satisfie their greedy stomacks A little bottle of Hay was sold weghing twelve pound at foure pieces of Silver But great and fearfull is it to relate of one Mary dwelling beyond Iordan the daugter o Eleazer of the town or village of Vitezotia and by interpretation the house of Hysop descended of noble and rich stocke flying with her Friends into Ierusalem for feare of the enemy Titus who besieged the City And in length of time shee wanting her naturall food was compelled to do that which nature abhorred and then through extreame want tooke her son whom she loved dearly which lay smiling on the bed with teares in his eyes like Diamonds glittering to see his Mother which he no way could relieve bewayling her hard fâ—â—tune said My deare but oh miserable child in this war famine and sedition for which of these shal I reserve or keepe thee for if the Romans overcome us thou then art a slave yet famine will prevent bondage or else sedition worse then them both She being then resolved tooke a Faulchion and strucke off her sonnes head and said Be thou food for mee which have formerly fed thee in my wombe therefore now thou shalt be meat for me a terrour unto the seditious a tragicall story to bee related of by posterity and that which is onely yet unheard of amongst the calamities of the Iews And after these words she cleav'd his body in twaine and did seeth or boyle the one halfe of him and did eate of it the other part she reserved in obscurity The souldiers smelling the sent of that execrable meate came to her house and threatned her with Death unlesse shee would relieve them as shee had done her selfe or shew them the way or meanes how they might come by some victualls to satisfie their hunger shee presently in a trembling manner told them shee had kept a good portion thereof for them and on a sudden uncovered the other part of her sonnes dead body which she had uneaten at which sight they were strucken with amazement and horrour But the woman said This is truely my son and mine owne act or doing taste of it for I my selfe have eaten sufficiently thereof Be not more effeminate and childish then a woman not more mercifull then a mother and if Religion or your Conscience cause you to refuse this my sacrifice I have with a good appetite eaten of it already and will eate the rest Then the seditious souldiers departed from her and bruted abroad in the Citty this hainous crime and every man having before his eyes this execrable fact â—rembled as though himselfe had done the deed and now all that were vexed with this scarâ—ity and famine hastened their owne deaths and cast lots dayly who should be the next to be sacrificed accounting himselfe most happy that dyed before he felt this famine Of wilde Bulls in Prussia THere be wilde Bulls in the Woods of Prussia like unto the common sort of Bulls saving that they have shorter homes and a long beard under the chinne They be cruell and spare neither man nor beast and when any snares or deceit is prepared to take them or they be wounded with arrows in the Woods they labour most vehemently to revenge their wounds upon them that gave them the which thing if they cannot doe rushing and stumbling on trees they kill themselves They be of such bignes that 2 men may sit betwixt their hornes Of Iseland IN this Countrey from the 10 of June for a moneth space or more they have no night at all and about the tenth of December they have no day at all The people live in Dens and hollow places in hills sides with them Mountaines and Hills are insteed of Townes and spring waters for delicate drinks An happy Nation whose poor estate none doth envy and so much the more that it hath receiued Christianity The Merchants of England and Denmark doe not suffer them to be content with their owne but by â—eason of the great fishing there â—hey repaire thither oftentimes â—nd with their Merchandize â—hey carry thither their vices and enormities They have learned now of â—ate to brew with malt and have â—eft
their censures but respectâ—y love I leave Thine in hearty friendship D. L. The Table of all the Heads that are contained in this BOOKE OF the Temple of Ephesus page 3 A relation of Marcus Curius p. 6 Of the warres and manners of the Turkes 8 How the Turkes doe beleeve and how they worship God 13 The opinion of the Turks upon the world to come 21 Of the miseries that Jerusalem suffered during the siege of Vespasianus and Titus 24 How Jerusalem was taken and fired 25 Of the fasting and meats of the Turkes 29 Of the Circumcision of the Turks 32 What execution of Iustice the Turkes have what kind of marriages what manner of apparrel and living 38 Of the nature of Gold and Silver 46 Of spirits appearing in Mines 49 The signes of the destruction of Jerusalem 50 Of the description of Ireland 56 A briefe description of England and Scotland 57 Of an I le in Spaine named Gades 60 A description of Seneca the Schoolemaster of Nero the Emperour 61 To divers nations in ancient times were obiected divers vices and deformities 63 Sugar groweth in a part of Italy 65 A mountaine alwayes casting forth flames and smoake 66 The properties of the Eagle 69 A description of a Raven 72 Certaine Rites and Lawes of the old Romans 74 The lively quicke wit of Adrianus the Emperour of Sardinia 79 The making of Sugar at Palermâ— in Sicily 80 Of the mountaine called Aetna in Sicily 84 The Election of the King of Gothes 87 Feare and care hindreth mans growth 88 The rare Art and mystery of Printing found out amongst the Maguntines 87 The invention of great Guns 92 A notable History of a thing done at a towne in Germany called Binguam 96 â—f the Bathes called Badenses in Germany 98 â— description of a Herneshaw 100 â— monster born nigh unto Worms in Germany in the yeare 1495. 102 â—ow scrupulous the Jewes be to do any thing on their Sabbath day 104 â—â—e Famine of Jerusalem 106 â— wilde Buls in Prussia 111 â—iscription of Iseland 112 â—f the Countrey called Laponia 118 â—escription of Whales 119 â—ow a marvellous horrible Dragon was destroyed in Polonia 120 â— strange History of a King devowred of Mice 122 â—f the Treasure that was found in the Temple of Jerusalem by the souldiers of Vespasian 134 Lycurgus Lawes 336 The ceremonies of the burialls of of the Kings of Lacedemonia 144 Lawes of cruell Draco 146 Lawes of Solon 147 Of Dame Flora. 151 of the Ieat stone 152 Of the burials of the Turkes and of divers observations and customes 152 How the Christians taken of the Turkes in War be handled and tormented and how they are made free 159 With what burthen and exactions the Christian Princes are charged and oppressed being overcome of the Turkes 269 The besieging of Samaria 176 Of King Tantalus 179 Of Artemisia the wife of Mausolus 181 â—f Sardanapalus K. of Assyria 183 â—eople called Amazons 184 â—f Harts in Cyprus 187 â—f the Date-tree 190 â—f the dead sea 191 â—f a Sand transforming things into Glasse 193 â— Fish called a Purple 193 â—he City of Babylon 195 â—f the Phaenix 197 â—escription of the Ram that Titus brought before the Wals of Jerusalem to destroy it 199 â—f Mahomet the false Prophet of the Saracens of his original and perversity 201 The manner of the Assyrians 217 The manner of the Persians 219 Of the Panther and Tyger 223 Condition and nature of the Parthians 227 People of Carmania 230 Property of sundry Nations 232 Severall waies that the Romans put any offendor to death 233 Of the Tartarians 239 Sibyls prophesie of the destruction of Babell 247 Of the twelve Sibyls 249 Of the Countrey of India 260 Of the Brachmans 268 Of the Elephant 272 Garments used by the High-Priests of the Jewes 277 Of the Dragons in India and Aethiopia 279 Of the Griphin in India 283 The notes and signes of a good Horse 284 Certaine monstrous people in India 287 Of the Ants of India 292 Of Indian Apes 293 Of the Diamond-stone 295 The ten persecutions under the Roman Emperours 297 Of Calechut the famous Mart in India 300 The end of the Jewes answerable to their lives 309 The 7 wonders of the World 311 The sixe Ages of the World 317 Severall bridges that are in Singui 321 Certaine Illusions of Divels about Tangut 322 Of the Cockatrice 324 Of the Crocadile 326 The twelve Apostles with their Martyrdomes 328 The seven Wise-men of Greece 335 Young fowles hatched brought forth without their dams or females 335 Rites and ceremonies of the Aegyptians 337 The Seven Saxon Kingdoms that England was once divided into 342 The foure Monarchies of the world 346 How the Turneyments and Iustâ—â— began first in Saxony 350 The eight Parliaments of France 35â— Of the Estridge 360 Of the Empire of Cathay 36â— The thirteene Cantons of Swisseâ— land 36â— The twelve Peeres or Pairs 〈◊〉 France 36â— The 4 parts of the World 37â— The eight times that Rome hatâ— beene taken 37â— Sixe Orders of Chivalry whicâ— continue at this day amongâ—â— Princes 379 Of the Cannibals 394 Of the Lyon 399 Of the people called the Nigrits and other Nations 399 Of Prefter Johns Land 405 Of the Mice upon the Alpes 409 Description of a Unicorne 414 The three severall Crownes that the Emperours of Rome are crowned with 416 Septem-viri or the seven Electors of the Emperour of Germany 417 The oath that the seven Electors take before the chusing of the Emperor 419 Of the birth of Alexander and of the Macedonian feasts 422 â—everall Trophies of worthy Captaines 424 â—he birth of Mahomet 430 â—f the inauguration and anoynting of the great Duke of Muscovia with the ceremonies at their Coronation 431 The Nativity of Christ. 441 â—trange ceremonies at the election of the Prince of Carinthia 443 The manner of the funerall pompe of the Grecians 349 The great pompe and solemnity at the inauguration of the Pope Rome 4â—â— The funerall pompe of the Româ—â— Emperours 4â—â— Of the inauguration and coronâ—â—â—â—on of the Kings of Persia. 4â—â— Manner and order of the Indiaâ— in celebrating the Nativitie 〈◊〉 their Kings 4â—â— Nativity of K. Cyrus and of 〈◊〉 Persian feasts for ioy therof 4â—â— The birth of Minerva 4â—â— The sacred Anoynting of 〈◊〉 Kings of Israel 4â—â— Funerall pompes of the Aegyâ—â—tians 4â—â— Funerall pompes of the Thraâ—â—â—ans 4â—â— Of the solemnity on the birth 〈◊〉 of Prince Aratus by the Achâ—â—â—jans with their Feastes and Sâ—â—crifices 4â—â— Of the birth of Xerxes and of tâ—â— solemne feast thereof 4â—â— EMBLEMES OF RARITIES OR KQVISITE OBSERâ—ATIONS DELIGHTFVLL TO THE MINDE THE Great Creator hath so done his admirable Workes that they ought to be had 〈◊〉 Remembrance saith that â—rthy Prophet David I therâ—â—â—e did confirme my selfe in 〈◊〉 one Resolution to search 〈◊〉 and revive afresh with 〈◊〉 diligence and faithfulnesse many rare and exquisite acts of Ancient times performed in the severall parts of the World toâ— many
soone as the child is past seven or eight years and can speake the tongue well the which thing is a mystery with them for the words of confession which are required before Circumcision and the child for this is not brought into the Temple but is Circumcised at home in his parents house There bee assembled at this notable feast all their friends and commonly amongst the richer sort they kill an Oxe and therein they include and put in a Sheep exenterate and ready dressed in the which sheep there is a Hen in the which Hen there is an egge which are all rosted together for the solemnity of that day then at supper time in their banquet the childe which must bee Circumcised is brought in whose yeard and privy member the Physitian openeth and apprehendeth the folded skinne with a fine paire of pinsons then to take all feare away from the childe he saith that hee will make the Circumcision the next day and whilst he useth those words he suddenly cutteth the prepuce which is the skin that covereth the head of the yeard laying a little salt on the wound They do not give names to their children in the day of circumcision but in the day of their nativity after 3 daies space he that is circumcised is led with great pompe unto the Bath when hee commeth home againe he is led throughout all the gests which offer unto him their prepared gifts some give silke garments some silver cups ohers present him mony or Horses If any Christian man of his owne accord confessing Mahomet will suffer himselfe to be Circumcised which thing chanceth very often times for the grievous exaction and burthen of tribute such one is led throughout all the Streets and Lanes of the Citty with great honour and triumph of the people for joy playing on the Drums and to him many gifts are presented and afterward hee is made free from their payment and tribute Yet the Turkes compell no man to the deniall of his religion although they bee commanded in â—he booke of Alcoran to exâ—ulse the adversaries and gaineâ—ayers whereof it commeth to passe that so many and divers â—ects of people are found amongst the Turkes all which doe reverence and honour God after their peculiar rites and customes Their Priests doe little differ from the Laity and there is no great Learning to bee required in them it is enough if they can reade the booke of Alcoran but those that can interprete the same Booke according to the text are esteemed as most cunning because Mahomet gave his precepts not in the vulgar Turkish tongue but in the Arabicall tongue and they thinke it a wicked and unlawfull thing to have them interpreted or set forth in the vulgar tongue these Ministers have their stipend and reward oâ— the Prince for their paines they have wives and apparrell eveâ— as secular men if the stipend bâ— not sufficient for the multitude and â—umber of their children then may they practise and use all manner of Arts crafts and Trades that other men doe but yet they are free from exactions and other impositions and are greatly esteemed of the common sort They have divers livings solitary like unto Monkes which under the colour of Religion inhabite the Woods and desert places utterly renouncing mens company and some of them have nothing of their owne but they goe almost naked saving that their privy parts bee covered with Sheepe-skinnes they travaile and wander throughout Countries asking almes as well of the Christians as of the Turkes Some of them goe seldome abroad but continue in Temples having in the corners of Churches little cottages their heads uncovered their feete without shoes their bodies without garments bearing about them nothing but one shirt they fast many dayes and pray that God would reveale unto them things to come and the Prince of the Turkes is wont to aske counsell of them whensoever hee goeth about any Warres What execution of Iustice the Turkes have what kind of marriages what manner of apparrel and living THe Turkes doe execute Justice most exquisitely for he that is guilty of slaughter or blood-shed is alwayes punished with like vexation and torment Hee that is taken with a woman in adultery is stoned to death without mercy or tarrying There is also a punishment appointed for those which are taken in Fornication For whosoever is apprehended for it he must suffer eight hundred lashes with a whip a theefe for the first and second time is so many times scourged also but if hee bee taken the third time hee loseth his hand at the â—ourth time his foote He that â—oth any damage to any body â—s compelled to make satisfaction according to the estimate of the losse They admit no witnesses but very meete and allowable persons and such as may be beleeved without any Oath It is not lawfull for any man that is full of age to live out of matrimony they may be married to 4 lawfull Wives and those whomsoever they will chuse except their Mother and Sisters having no respect at all to the propinquity of blood they may have as many illegitimate and unlawfull Wives as they please and be able to keepe thâ— children both of lawfull and unlawfull wives are equally heires in their Fathers goods so that they observe this order that 2 daughters shall but match and bee eâ—quall with one son They keep not two or more wives in onâ— House or in one City foâ— fear of often contention and unâ—quieting but in every City theâ— keep one the husbands have thiâ— liberty to put them away threâ— times and to take them againâ— thrice those Wives which arâ— put away may if it please them continue and abide with sucâ— men as receive them Thâ— women are very decent and honest in their apparrell they use on their heads a kinde oâ— Linnen like unto yong damsels and they have vailes over the same the folding whereof is so decent that the top of it hangeth over the left or right side wherewith if they goe from home or come into their husbands sight they may quickâ—y cover all their face saving the â—yes the women may never â—e seen in the company of men â—or to goe to market nor to buy â—r sell any thing in the Churâ—hes they have their places seâ—arate from the men so closely â—hat no man may peepe into â—hem nor by any meanes enter â—nto them and yet it is not â—awfull for every woman to enâ—er in thither but for noble â—ens wives and never else but â—n Friday at 12 of the clock â—nely they use their Prayers â—he which is a solemne time with them the talking of man â—nd woman openly is so rare â—nd against common custome â—hat if you should tarry a whole â—eare with them you should â—cantly see it once It is â—hought a monstrous thing that â— man should openly talke with a woman or ride in the compâ—ny of any They that are maâ—â—ried together doe never use anâ— wanton toies in
the sight of oâ—thers they never braule noâ— chide because the men doe neâ—ver omit their gravity toward Women nor Wives their reveâ—rence towards their Husbandâ— great Lords that cannot alwaye be with their wives have Eunâ—â—ches deputed to the custody oâ— them which doe so diligentâ—â— observe marke and watcâ— them that it is unpossible for aâ—ny other then their Husbands 〈◊〉 speake with them or for theâ— to do amisse and otherwise the well They contract marriagâ— without any oath they take 〈◊〉 summes of money with the Wives but are almost ensforâ—ced to buy them contrary 〈◊〉 the Romans fashion where thâ— â—one in Law was wont to bee â—ought and not the sonnes Wife The Wife hath no ornaâ—ent nor decking upon her boâ—y but that shee is driven to get â—f her Father A cause of deâ—orce with them is either barâ—nesse or intolerable manners â—heir Judge is privy to these â—hings The women use most â—â—mple apparrell shewing no â—inde of excesse in the world â—hey never come with open face â—nto the sight of their Husbands â—r other men The Turkes deâ—est our Hose and great Breeâ—hes with their Cod peeces â—ecause they doe too lively exâ—resse and shew the privy parts Their heads bee covered with Linnen having a toppe like unâ—o a turret and commeth neere â—o a Pyramidall forme They â—se bread not of the worst sort both blacke and white bread saving that they cast a certaine kinde of seed upon new bread which bringeth a great pleasantnesse in eating They have divers artificious wayes in preparing meates and variety of sauces a solemne kinde of meate with them is a kinde of pottage made with Rice so thick that it can hardly bee divided with hands From Fish they abstaine marvellously they use all kinde of flesh saving Swines flesh There be no common Taverns nor Innes for guests and Strangers nor common victualing-houses but in the streets divers kinds of meates are to bee sold and other things necessary for life The townesmen cause their â—ields to be tilled by their servants and they pay tith to theiâ— Emperour and Ruler Craftsâ—men maintaine them with their â—ciences they that do love idleâ—esse doe perish with Famine â—hey exercise merchandise most â—iligently they passe and traâ—aile into Asia the lesse Araâ—ia and Aegypt and they have â—heir peregrinations also to the Venetians If they make water â—hey wash their yard after it if â—hey empty their bellies they make all cleane afterward In like manner doe the Women whom their servants and bondmen doe follow bearing vessels full of water the man-servant following the master and the maide the mistresse They have one kinde of Judge as well Christians as Turkes and this Judge is bound to minister equally right to every body Of Gold and Silver GOld through heate and fire is resolved but not consumed or wasted For of all kind of mettalls it loseth nothing of his magnitude and substance but the more often and longer that it burneth with heate or is altered with fire the better and more pure and excellent it is made And therefore hath it alwayes bin accounted the most precious kinde of mettall The weight of it neither is diminished or eaten away by any sharpe things as Salt Vinegar Nitrum and the juyce of unripe Grapes It is not deformed nor made worse by rust nor in handling of it or hands doe gather any filth or â—ncleannesse as in other kindes of mettalls the which things may easily proove Gold far to â—urmount all other mettalls â—t is more flexible and soft â—hen Silver whereby it is lesse â—raile and not so soone broken being beaten with a Mallet it may be driven so thinne and so much dilated that of every denary of it may be made fifty or more thinne leaves or rayes of Gold It may be framed and wrought as small as thred as it appeareth in Gold Wyre and Gold twist And sometimes it is woven and wrought with Silke Wooll and sometimes without Of it many and goodly ornaments bee made and for many uses as Rings Bracelets Chaines Crownes Tablets Jewels and divers kindes and fashions of Plates and such like yea that which is scantly honest to be spoken of Gold some have made vessels to receive the superfluous burden of the Belly the which thing Heliogabalus the Emperour being a Monster and spectacle of all beastlinesse is reported of divers authors to have used Silver will melt and be resolved with fire but if it remaineth any long time therein it loseth some thing of his substance Sharpe things also have power to waste and eat it and therefore it is not so pretious as Gold but yet it is of an harder substance then Gold And that kinde of Silver which is more flexible and soft is the better because it is not so easie to be divided and to bee broken it is lesse ponderous then Gold and cannot so well bee dilated Gold of all other mettals is the most weightie then Silver and the next Quick-silver then Brasse and Copper then Lead and last of all Tinne Of spirits appearing in Mines IT is not unknowne to such as have beene occupied in deep diggings of Mines that a kinde of sprites doth frequent and haunt in many Mines whereof some do no harme nor damage to the labourers in Mines but wander in the dungeons and wherereas they doe nothing indeede yet they seeme to exercise themselves in working somtimes in razing and digging the Mine sometimes in gathering together that which is digged up and many times they seeme to turne the instruments which draw up the mettall from the Mine and divers times a man would thinke they did urge and excite the labourers and drive them to worke And this doe they especially in such Quarries and Mines wherin much Silver is found or else where some good hope is of finding it There be some of these spirits very hurtfull as that which in the Mine at Anneberg was so noysome that it destroyed a dozen Labourers wherefore the said Mine was utterly forsaken and left notwithstanding the wealth of it The Signes of the destruction of Hierusalem SOme men cannot prevent destiny though they fore-see it It happened in the yeare 4034 that Almighty God gave his ancient people the Iewes signes â—okens to beware of the destruction of their Citty but they were a stiffe-necked people The first signe or prodigy was a blazen Comet like unto a Sword which they interpreted to be good for them The second was that a bright â—ight shined at mid-night about â—he Altar and the Temple which they that were ignorant conceived to be convenient because they were in darknesse The third prodigy was a Heiâ—er that was brought for Victime or Sacrifice being at a Festivall or full Moone and being â—t the Altar ready to be kill'd â—rought forth a Lambe in the middest of the Temple before â—he peoples face The fourth was which is worth noting that at midnight when all the whole Citty was at rest the East-end having
or Ants for they say it is as acceptable unto God to give and offer almes to bruit beastes and Fowles needing it as unto men when it is offered for the love of God There bee some that set Birds at liberty to fly which were restrained and shut up giving money according to to the value of the birds Some cast bread to fish in the water for Gods sake saying that they shall get of God a noble reward for such bounty and pitty towards those that need it The Turkes have also three divers manners of washing them the first is a sprinkling of all the whole body with Water and that this should not be in vaine nor frustrate they shave the haires from every part of their body saving onely the beards in men and the haires upon womens heads And yet they wash them very curiously and kembe them often therefore in the more famous Cities there be Bathes which they use continually Where there bee no such they have some secret place prepared to wash them in houses that they may bee well clarified with water before they go out of the house They have another kinde of washing nothing necessary as when they ease nature of superfluities For then in some secret place they wash their secret parts there is none seene standing or upright when hee delivereth nature of superfluous burdens The third kinde of washing is to purifie the instruments of sences wherein they wash both hands and arms even to the elbowes then their mouth their nostrills and all their face Both men and women doe make a scraping of filthy places every moneth twice or thrice but especially when they frequent the Temples otherwise they should be burnt as violaters prophaners of a sacred place They use such severity in warre that no souldier dare take away any thing unjustly for if he doth he shall be punished without mercy as you shall read in this discourse of the 3 severall deaths that the Romans and the Iewes punished their offenders withal They have ordinary keepers and defenders of those things as be in souldiers waies the which are bound to maintaine the Orchards and Gardens with their fruits about high waies so that they dare not take an apple or such like without the licence of the owner For if they did they should suffer death for it Of this writeth one Bartholomew Giurgevitus that was captive thirteene yeares in Turkie after this sort When I was in the Turkes army in his expedition against the Persians I did see a certain Horseman headed with his Horse and Servant also because his Horse being loose entred into the fields of another man None of the Princes or Dukes possesseth any Prouince or Citty as rightfull inheritance nor they they cannot leave any such thing after their death to their children or successors without the coÌ„sent of the king supream governour But if any Duke desireth to have any certaine possessions it is granted to him upon this condition there is a certaine note of the price and of the rents and revenues of those possessions The Turke knoweth also how many souldiers may be kept with that yearely revenue and so many souldiers hee enjoyneth him to keepe the which ought alwayes to be in a readinesse at every commandement other the Lord shall lose his head if he did not answere his duty and office How the Christians taken of the Turkes in warre be handled and tormented and how they are made free THe Emperour of the Turks when he maketh is expedition against the Christians he hath alwayes wayting upon him a company of Butchers and sellers of Boyes to abhominable uses who carry with them a great number of long chaines in hope of bondmen and captives wherein they linke and binde 50 or 60 easily by order The same men do buy also of such as have booties or preys as many as have not perished with sword the which thing is permitted them upon this condition if they give unto the Prince the tenth or tithe of their bondmen prisoners and captives The other it is lawfull for them to keepe to their owne use and merchandize and there is no better nor more plenteous a Mart amongst them then of bond-men The Emperour doth so separate the old men and the youth of both kinds which commeth to him in the name of the tenth or tithes that he selleth them of ripe age for the plough and husbandry Young maides and young men he sendeth away to a certaine place to be instructed in certaine Arts that he might use them afterward more commodiously and first they goe about this to make them deny their Christian Faith and then to have them circumcised and when they are once entred into their Ceremonies according to every mans disposition and wit he is appointed either to study the Lawes of their Nation or else to practise feats of Warre if more strength appeareth in the body than in his wit they are so instructed in the principles of warlike affaires that for the weaknesse of their strength first they use an easie Bow afterward as their strength encreaseth and they have more exquisite knowledge they have a more strong Bow untill they be meete for Warre There is a Master which calleth severely upon dayly exercise as often as they swarve from the marke so oftentimes are they whipped Others are made meet cunning to fight with staves But they in whom there is a greater grace of beautifull forme are so mangled that no manlinesse appeareth in their bodies they have beene so abused with great danger of life and if they do escape they bee meete for nothing else but for ministers of most flagitious voluptuousnesse and when their beauty waxeth old they are deputed into the office of Eunuches to observe and keepe Matrons or else they are addicted to the custody of Horses or Mules or to kitching drudgery Maydens that are very comely and beautifull are chosen to bee their concubines those of the meaner sort are given to Matrons to waite upon them where they have such filthy fervices and functions that they cannot bee named with honesty for they are compelled to follow them with a vessell of water when they goe to discharge the belly and those parts Other be kept at maidens worke as spinning and baking When the Turkes have gotten any yong prisoners they urge them with threatnings promises and flatterings that their new bondmen would bee circumcised and when any hath admitted that he is used with a little more humanity but all hope of returnâ—ng againe into his countrey is utterly taken away and if he once goeth about it he is in danger of burning These because they are thought more stedfast and lesse given to runne away they are preferred of their Lords to warlike affaires their liberty is then due unto them when they being unprofitable for yeares bee rather rejected of their Lords than dismissed or else where their Lord hath given them liberty in war for the danger of
Mistresse being a widdow of the Ismael stock and fifty yeares of age having great wealth and riches who also brought him up This pestilent man being puft up with his Wives riches applyed his minde to all kinde of detestable acts through his corrupt and depraved wit being of himselfe otherwise prompt and given to all kinde of presumptuous boldnes his temerity and malapertnesse was also encreased by the unconstancy and unfaithfulnesse of one Sergius a pestilent Monke so that in a short space hee came to such estimation amongst the Arabians that he was called and beleeved to be the great messenger of God and the great Prophet and this in every mans mouth This Sergius being a Nestorian Arch-heretick banished from Constantinople fled into Araby and associating himselfe unto Mahomets familiarity an ill master and governour with a most filthy and abhominable scholler was soone united together Hee was a prater and full of words bold rash impudent subtil crafty and in all things agreeing with Mahomet who now was waxed mighty and could helpe at a pinch and whose name began to be famous and so at the length the runnagate found a filthy privy and dungeon of all wickednesse Whom his unhappy master taught Nestorians madnesse and perswaded him to expulse and remoue the Christians and their Priests from Damascus Syria and Arabia and so to corrupt the Iudaicall law and to deprave the Christian Faith It cannot well be rehearsed by how many crafty and subtill meanes this most unfaithfull Apostata and runnagate hath deceived and seduced the people Now Mahomet being taught all kinde of ungraciousnesse of his detestable master through intemperate living and continuall drunkennesse fell at the length into the Falling-sicknesse the which his wife could not well suffer for the often comming thereof Wherefore the old dissembling knave to deliver himselfe from that infamy doth hide and cloake his disease saying it to be the marvellous brightnesse of Gabriel the Angell and Messenger of God of whom hee being put in that trance did receive and learne most secret and strange things and that he was not able to abide the presence of him with a manifest lye he affirmed it O my deare and wel-beloved wife he saith marvaile noâ— that this commeth to me when I conceive the spirit of GOD himselfe who suggesteth in mee things to come and to make mee privy of many matters he commeth often to me The â—ame hereof was spread abroad immediately and hee was openly called the Prophet of God the which opinion be encreased with a new art and craft by the instruction of his Master Sergius For hee accustomed and taught a Dove to be fed and fetch meate at his eares the which Dove his most subtill and crafty master called the Holy Ghost Hee preached openly and made his bragges â—ike a most lying villaine that his Dove did shew unto him the most secret counsell of God â—s often as the simple fowle did â—y unto his eares for nourishment His Wife being now â—ead left him her heire and â—ll that shee had so that he enâ—reased in wealth and authority â—ayly and beganne to make 〈◊〉 new Law by the helpe of â—is master Sergius and cerâ—aine Iews that were his compaâ—ions borrowing some things â—f the Hebrews and some things â—f the Christians discipline He â—id write in a certaine volumne â—ll the Lawes of his new sect â—he which bookes name is Alâ—oran that booke not many â—eares agoe hath come into Print And that hee might the more craftily deceive his people and Nation given wholly to the belly and to sleepe hee brought up and fed a certaine Bull which was used onely to take food from the hands of Mahomet he bound a bookâ— betwixt his hornes and the simple people looking about with an high voyce hee called the Bull out of a secret place and when hee with his babling tongue had utred many thingâ— concerning his lawes suddenâ—ly the Bull started forth and oâ—verthrowing many in his comâ—ming he layeth down the Booâ— in the hands of Mahomet as 〈◊〉 had beene a gift sent from Heaâ—ven The which hee receiving with much honour did immediatly interprete many thingâ— out of it to the people and with his forged and subtile device hee named himselfe a Prince and Serius a Prophet For the Dove brought â— paper about her necke written with Golden letters in this manner Whosoever shall put â—he yoake on the Bulls necke â—et him be King Sergius brought â—he yoke and gave it to Maâ—omet who did easily put it on the Bull and by and by â—ee was called King of the simple people thinking these â—hings to be done by Gods providence and that hee tooke the booke no otherwise In this booke they are commanded to be circumcised not for any Religion but for meere superstition or else as some say that no filth should remaine under the skinne of the yard when they did wash and bath them There was also commanded abstinence of wine and flesh that hee might the more easily cloake his disease who felt himselfe oppressed with Wine of late for Wine taken more excessively and intemperately in stopping the passages of the braine that no respiration might be had doth breed and nourish the falling sicknesse and Swiâ—â— flesh maketh grosse humourâ— wherewith obstruction of the braine commeth quickly and many other diseases springeâ—â— thereof The booke of Alcorâ—â— commandeth also the fasting of one moneth wherein a maâ— may eat all the night long so that dayly abstinence is recompensed with night 4urfeiting Mahomet appoynted also because he would have his law disagred from Christians and Hebrewes that the Friday should bee consecrated as Holy-day because hee was made King upon that day and also would not agree with any other â—ect For the same cause doe â—he Turkes also turne them into â—he South at their prayers aâ—ainst the manners of other Nations He hath also granted â—o every man foure wives of his â—wne kinred but concubines â—ond-women bought it is lawâ—ull for every man to have as many as he can keepe so that â—hey may forsake them and make a devorce as often as they â—ist and this was done to draw â—he common sort and rude mulâ—itude unto him more easily He â—aught also that the pleasures of â—he body did not hinder the hapâ—y life to come and he promised to the observers of his law a Paradise and garden of all pleasures wherein they should use their most desired joyes and all kinde of pleasures as Maidens most beautifull adorned and the embracings of Angels and all other kinde of pleasures that any man would desire with the which subtill craftinesse hee led the people flexible of their owne nature whither he would because he promised all kinde of libidinoâ—â— pleasures He reprehended the Iews for that they denied Christ to bee borne of the Virgin seeing that the Prophet through divine inspiration did prophesie the same He reproved the Christians of foolishnesse because they did beleeve JESUS to