eldest sons of the Kings of England for the time being and now lastly and but lately by our dread soueraigne Lord King Iames vnto Henry Fredericke his eldest son the hopefull issue of a happie father borne certes as euidently appeareth in his minority to bee a perfect mirror of chiualry for the aduancement of our country and common wealth and the subuersion of his enemies The Inhabitants of Wales though they bee much improued yet do they not equall the English in ciuility nor their soile in fertility Their whole Country consisteth of twelue shires that is to say Anglesea Brecknocke Cardigan Carmarden Carnaruon Denbigh Flint Glamorgan Merionneth Mongomerry Pembroke and Radnor-shire and foure bishops Seas to wit the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids the Bishoppricke of Landaffe the Bishopprick of Bangor and the Bishoppricke of Saint Asaphe They haue a language peculiar to themselues yet do they liue vnder the self same lawes the Englishmen do but for because that part of the Island is far remote from London the Kings seat and chiefe tribunal of Iudgement where the lawes are executed and pleas heard for all the Realme and by reason of their different language the King by his commission maketh one of his nobles his deputy or lieutenant vnder him to rule in those parts and to see the peace maintained and Iustice ministred indifferently vnto all This gouernor is called the Lord president of Wales who for the ease and good of the country associate with one Iudge and diuers Iustices holdeth there his Tearmes and Sessions for the hearing and determining of causes within VVales and the Marches This Court is called the Court of the councell of the Marches of VVales the proceedings whereof are in a mixt manner betwixt our common law and ciuill law England accounting Cornwall for one though much differing in language is deuided into 41. parts which are called counties or shires the seuerall names whereof are these following viz. Berck-shire Bedford-shire Buckingham-shire Bishoppricke of Durham Cambridge-shire Cornwall Cumberland Cheshire Devon-shire Dorcet-shire Darby-shire Essex Glocester-shire Huntingdon-shire Hertford-shire Hereford-shire Hampt-shire Kent Lincolne-shire Lecester-shire Lancaster-shire Middle-sex Monmoth-shire Northumberland-shire North-folke Northampton-shire Nottingham-shire Oxford-shire Rutland-shire Richmond-shire Sussex Surrey Suffolke Somerset-shire Stafford-shire Shrop-shire Wilt-shire Westmore-land Worcester-shire Warwicke-shire Yorke-shire Euery shire is diuided either into Hundreds Lathes Rapes or Wapentakes and euery of those into sundry parishes and Constable-weekes and ouer euery shire is one principall gouernor called the Lieutenant of the shire and a Sheriffe to collect money due vnto the King and to account for the same in the Exchequer as also to execute his writs and processes and for the more particular peace of each seuerall part of the country there be ordained in euery Countie certaine of the worthiest and wisest sort of Gentlemen who are called Iustices or conseruators of the peace vnder whom high Constables Coroners petty cōstables headboroughs and tything-men haue euery one their seuerall offices England moreouer is diuided into two ecclesiasticall prouinces which are gouerned by two spirituall persons called Archb. to wit the Archb. of Canterbury who is primate and Metrapolitan of all England and the Archb. of Yorke and vnder these two Archb. are 26. Bishops that is to say 22. vnder the Archb. of Canterbury and 4. vnder the Archbishop of Yorke In the Prouince of Canterbury are these Diocesses bounded as followeth 1 2 The Diocesses of Canterbury and Rochester which haue vnder them all the County of Kent 3 The Diocesse of London which hath Essex Middlesex and a part of Hartford shire 4 The Diocesse of Chitchester which hath Sussex 5 The Diocesse of Winchester which hath Hamptshire Surrey and the Iles of Wight Gernsie and Iersey 6 The Diocesse of Salisbury which hath Wiltshire and Barkshire 7 The Diocesse of Excester which hath Deuonshire and Cornwall 8 The Diocesse of Bath and Wels which hath Somerset shire onely 9 The Diocesse of Glocester which hath Glocestershire 10 The Diocesse of Worcester which hath Worcester shire and a part of Warwicke shire 11 The Diocesse of Hereford which hath Herefordshire and a part of Shropshire 12 The Diocesse of Couentrie and Liechfield which hath Staffordshire Derbyshire and the rest of Warwickeshire with some part of Shropshire 13 The Diocesse of Lincolne which hath Lincolneshire Leicestershire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the rest of Hartfordshire 14 The Diocesse of Ely which hath Cambridgeshire and the I le of Ely 15 The Diocesse of Norwich which hath Northfolke and Suffolke 16 The Diocesse of Oxford which hath Oxfordshire 17 The Diocesse of Peterborow which hath Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire 18 The Diocesse of Bristow which hath Dorcetshire And to these are added the foure Bishopprickes of WALES viz. 19 The Bishop of S. Dauids 20 The Bishop of Landaffe 21 The Bishop of Bangor 22 The Bishop of S. Asaph In the Prouince of Yorke are these foure Diocesses comprehended within these limits following viz. 1 The Diocesse of Yorke which hath Yorkeshire and Nottinghamshire 2 The Diocesse of Westchester which hath Chesshire Richmondshire a part of Flintshire and Denbighshire in Wales 3 The Diocesse of Duresme which hath the Bishoppricke of Duresme and Northumberland 4 The Diocesse of Carlile which hath Cumberland and Westmerland And to these are added the Bishoppricke of Sodor in the I le Mona The whole number of Parish Churches and impropriations in all these seueral Diocesses are reckened about 131209. Hauing thus diuided the whole kingdome of England into shires and Bishops seas it resteth to say something of the Citties and Corporations whereof there be so many and that so goodly and so well gouerned by sundry Orders of Officers as I thinke but few countries in Christendome go beyond it of all which London the Metrapolitan citty of the Iland is most famous both for the great concourse of strangers that continually flocke thither from all parts of the world some for merchandize some for manners as also for the conueniencie of the place being situated vpon the famous riuer of Thames beautified with rare sumptuous buildings both of Prince and Peeres who for the most part keepe their resiance in or neare vnto the same as being the only place of Parlament and holding of pleas for the whole Realme And for the great multitude of Students and practitioners in the lawes which there keepe their Termes of pleading foure times in the yeare which set together is about one quarter during which time the Iudges and all other Courts keepe their Courts and Sessions and at other times is vacation and ceasing from execution of the lawes These Iudges Sergeants and other Students and practitioners of all sorts haue their lodgings and dyets in 14. seuerall houses whereof two are only for Iudges and Sergeants and are therefore called the Sergeants Innes the next foure are the foure famous houses of Innes of Court the onely receptacle of Gentlemen students and Councellors the other eight
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
Porters Clerkes and Singers That amongst the Greekes were Captaines of thousands Captaines of hundreds Captaines of fifty Gouernours ouer ten and rulers ouer fiue and that besides these as wel amongst the Greeks as Latines there were diuers sorts of conuents and religious houses both for men and women as the Sadduces Esseyes and Pharisies amongst the Iewes the Salij Diales and Vestales amongst the Romanes All the holy Apostles as Peter and those which succeeded him in the chaire of Rome agreed established that the vniuersal Apostolike most holy and high Bishop of Rome should euer after be called the Pope that is to say the father of his countrie and that he should proceede and gouerne the Catholike Romane Church as the Emperour of Rome was Monarch ouer the whole world and that as the Consuls were next in office and authoritie to the Emperour and were euer two in number so should there bee foure Patriarkes in the Church of God that in degree and dignitie should be next vnto the Pope whereof one was seated at Constantinople another at Antioch the third at Alexandria and the fourth at Ierusalem That the Senators of Rome should be expressed by Cardinals that such Kings or Princes as gouerned three Dukedomes should be equalled with Primates that should gouerne theree Archbishops and that the Archb. or Metrapolitans shold be compared to Dukes that as the Dukes had Earles vnder them so should Bishops be vnder the Archbishops That Bishops likewise should be resembled vnto Eatles their Assistants and Suffragans vnto Praesidents and Provosts vnto Lieutenants Arch-priests should supply the place of Tribunes of the soldiers for Tribunes of the people were ordained Chancelors and Arch deacons were put in the place of Praetors for Centurions were placed Deanes parish Priests for Decurions and other Prelates and Ministers for Aduocates and Atturneys Deacons represented the Aediles sub-deacons the Quaternions Exorcists the Duumuiri hostiarii or dore-keepers the treasurers readers singers and Poets the Porters of the Court and Acolites and Priests Ministers the Secretaries Taper-bearers decreeing that all these sundry Orders of Church-officers should be called by one generall name Clerkes of the Greeke word Cleros a lotte or chance whereby at first they were elected out of the people for Gods part or portion of inheritance This done they ordained that seuen sorts of these Clerkes should be of more speciall name and note then the rest as hauing euery one his peculiar function habit and dignitie in the church and that they should be alreadie to attend vpon the altar when the Bishop of Rome doth sacrifice to wit the Pope himself Bish Priests Deacons Subd Priests and singing men The office of Bishops is to giue orders to veile virgins to consecrate Bishops to confirme children by imposition of hands to dedicate Temples to degrade Priests frō their functions and to put them in againe vpon their reformation to celebrate Councels to make Chrismes vnctiōs to hallow vestiments and Church vessels and to do any other things which meaner Priests may do as well as they as to cathechise and baptize to make and consecrate the Sacrament of the Altar and to communicate it to others to pronounce absolution to the penitent to restraine the stubborn and to preach and declare the Gospel of Christ The crownes of their heades must bee shauen round like the Nazareans and they ought neither to weare lockes nor long beards they are bound to perpetuall chastitie and they haue the command and preheminence ouer other priests their liuings and maintenance ought to be onely of first firuites tythes oblations nor may they meddle or busie themselues in worldly matters their apparell and conuersation should be decent comely honest and they are tyed onely to serue God and the Church and to occupy and employ themselues seriously in reading the holy Scriptures that thereby they may perfectly know al things which belong to Christian Religion wherin they are bound to instruct others There be diuers conuenticles and houses of religious persons both men women as Benedictines Friars preachers Franciscans Augustines Bernardines Antonians Ioannites Carthusians Praemonstratentians Carmelites Cistertians many others euery one of which Orders haue distinct habits and customes different one from another by the rules which they haue priuatly set downe and prescribed for themselues to liue vnder And all of these professe perpetuall chastity obedience and wilfull pouertie liue for the most part a solitary life for which cause they were called Monkes as men liuing a monasticall kind of life Some of these Orders haue for their heads and gouernors of their houses and societies Abbots some Prouosts and some Priors but the Bishops be onely subiect to the Bishop of Rome most of these Orders we are hoodes or cowles though not all of one colour and abstaine wholy from flesh Bishops when they offer vp the sacrifice of the Masse were cōmanded by that sacred Synod to bee attired in holy vestures which for their perfection are borrowed out of the law of Moses of these garments be 15. to wit the Sandals the Amice the long Albe that reacheth down to their anckles the Girdle the Stole the Maniple the purple Coate with wide sleeues the Gloues the Ring the Linnen garment called Castula the Napkin or Sudary the Pall or Cope the Myter the Crozier staffe a chaire standing nere the altar for him to sit in of these 15. church-ornaments six were made common as well to other inferiour Priests as to Bishops that is to say the Amice the long Albe the Girdle the Stole the Manuple the Castula besides these 15. sundry sorts of garments the Pope by the donation of the Emperor Constantine the Great weareth in the celebration of the Masse all the Robes vsed by the Emperors of Rome as the scarlet coate the short purple cloake the scepter and the triple Diadem and with these he is arrayed in the Vestry when he saith Masse vppon any sollemne festiuall dayes and from thence goeth to the Altar attended with a priest on his right side and a Deacon on his left before him goeth a sub-Deacon with a book in his hand shut two taper-bearers one with a censor burning incense when he approcheth nere to the Altar hee puts off his myter and kneeling down with his attendants vpon the lowest step pronounceth the Confitcor or publike confession of sinners and then ascending vp to the altar he openeth the booke and kisseth it and so proceedeth to the celebration of all the ceremonies belonging to that sacrifice the sub-deacon reading the Epistle and the deacon the Gospell Bishopps and all other eminent Priests bee likewise bound to prayse God euery day seuen times and to vse one certaine order and forme of prayer and not onely to do so themselues but to giue commandement to all inferior Priests whatsoeuer vnder their charge and iurisdiction to do the like as to say Euensong in the afternoone Compline in the
receiued his griefe must be so hearty effectual as he must thereby assuredly hope to bee reconciled againe vnto God then must he humbly acknowledge and make verball recitall vnto some reuerent priest his confessor as vnto the vicar and minister of God of al thse sins offences as were causers of the losse of that innocency stirred vp the wrath of God against him then let him firmly beleeue that such power and authority is giuen by Christ vnto his priests ministers on earth that they can cleerely absolue him from al such sins as he confesseth is heartily sory for Lastly for a satisfaction amends for al his sins let him with alacrity cheerefulnes vndergo do whatsoeuer his confessor shall enioyne him beleeuing most stedfastly that he is absolued from al his sins as soone as the priest hath pronounced the words of absolution 7 The seuenth and last Sacrament is the Sacrament of extreame vnction which is ministred with oyle which for that purpose is yeerely consecrated and hallowed in euery Diocesse by the bishop himselfe vpon the thursday before Easterday as the holy Chrisine is cōsecrated by the priest This Sacrament according to the councel of the holy Apostle Saint Iames the institutiō of Pope Felix the 4. is ministred only to such as are at the point of death of ful age and not then neither vnlesse they desire it and by the prescript form repeating of the words of the Sacramēt often inuocation of the Saints those parts of the body being annointed which are the seats of the fiue sences seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching and are the chiefest instrumēts in offending as the mouth eyes eares nose hands and feet the holy fathers haue bin euer of this opinion and firme beleefe that he which is so anointed receiueth it worthily is not only thereby remitted purged frō al his light and venial sins but is either sodenly restored to his former health or else yeeldeth vp his spirit in more tranquility and peace of conscience The festiual daies which were cōmanded to be obserued in The festiuall dayes which were commanded to be obserued in the Church throughout the yeare begin with the Aduent of our Lord Iesus Christ In which by the institution of Saint Peter in the month of December the continuall exercise of fasting and prayer was commanded for full three weekes and a halfe together before the feast of the Natiuity of our Lord with vs called Christmas which with all ioy and solemnity is celebrated all the last eight dayes of December The yeare is deuided into 52. weekes the weekes into twelue months and euery month for the most part into thirty dayes vpon the first day of Ianuary the Church celebrateth the circumcision of our Lord according to the law of Moses Vpon the third day after is represented vnto vs how our Sauiour Christ by the adoration of the three Kings and his beeing Baptised of Iohn in the riuer Iordane laid the foundation of the new law vpon the second of February is shewed how his imaculate mother shewing her selfe obedient to the ceremonies of the Iewes presented her sonne Iesus in the Temple and was purified in memory whereof there is on that day a solemne procession vsed by the Church and all the tapers and wax lights bee then hallowed Vpon the 25. day of March is represented vnto vs the Annuntiation of the birth of Christ to the Virgin Mary by the Angel and how he was conceiued in her wombe by the inspiration of the holy ghost at which time is commended vnto vs also the remembrance of the forty daies which our Sauiour when he liued here on earth amongst vs vouchsafed to fast willing vs likewise to fast that time after his example then to celebrate his passion and death which willingly he offered himselfe to suffer to enfranchise and redeeme vs from the thraldome and slauery of the diuell Vpon the last day of which feast which often falleth out in Aprill is solemnised the greatest of all feasts how Christ hauing conquered death descended into hell where after hee had ouercome the Diuell he returned aliue againe to his Disciples and in a glorified body appeared vnto them In May is solemnized his Ascension into Heauen by his owne vertue in the sight of al his Disciples at which time by the ordinance of Saint Mamertine Bishoppe of Vienna it was instituted that throughout the whole Christian world Pilgrimages and processions should bee vsed vpon that day from one Church to an other In Iune and sometimes in May is the feast of the comming of the Holy Ghost who being before promised was on that day infused vpon all the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ appearing vnto them in the forme of fiery tongs by vertue whereof they spake and vnderstood the languages of all nations The eight day after is the feast of the blessed Trinity and then out of the first decretal of Pope Vrban the sixt the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted and with great solemnity generally celebrated the fifth day after Trinity Sunday as a perpetual memoriall of the most wholesome Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ by him bequeathed vnto vs in his last supper vnder the formes of bread and wine and continually of vs to be seene and eaten after his departure vpon the fifteenth day of Iuly wee are put in minde by a new festiuity of the departure of the blessed Apostles according to their seueral alotment the twelfth yeare after the assention of our Lord into heauen to preach the Gospell vnto all nations of the world The death of the Mother of Christ is celebrated the fifteenth day of August and her natiuity the eight of September How being presented in the Temple she continued in the dayly seruice of God from three yeares of age till shee was maryageable is shewed the one and twentih day of nouember vpon the eight day of December the Church reuerenceth her immaculate conception of her long barren parents And the second of Iuly how passing ouer the Mountaines shee visited her Cosin Elizabeth There are likewise holy-daies dedicated to the memory of the twelue Apostles of whom some were martirs some confessors and some Virgins as namely the twenty foure of February to Saint Mathias the twenty fiue of Aprill to Saint Marke the Euangelist on which day Saint Gregory ordained the litanies called the greater litanies to be said To Saint Philip and Iacob the elder the first of May to Saint Peter and Paul the twenty nine of Iune the twenty foure day of which moneth is dedicated to the natiuity of Saint Iohn Baptist the twenty fiue of Iuly to Saint Iames the younger to Saint Bartholemew the twenty foure of August to S. Mathew the twenty one of September the twenty eight of October to S. Simon and Iude the last of Nouember to Saint Andrew the twenty one of December to Saint Thomas and the twenty seauen
of the same month to the Euangelist Saint Iohn the next day before Saint Iohns day is dedicated to Saint Seeuen the first Martir and the next after to the blessed Innocents the tenth of August to Saint Lawrence the twenty three of Aprill to Saint George To Saint Martin and S. Nicholas onely of all the confessors are dedicated particular feasts to the one the sixt of December to the other the eleuenth of Nouember the twenty fiue of nouember to Saint Katherne the Virgin and to Saint Mary-Magdalen the second of Iuly They haue likewise appoynted one day to be kept Holy and dedicated to all the blessed Angells in the name of Saint Michells feast the Arch-Angell and the first of Nouember as a generall feast and common solemnity to all the Saints and elect of God Furthermore vpon euery seuenth day called by the name of Sunday they haue commanded all Christians as the Iewes did on their Sabboth to abstaine from all seruile labours which day they must onely spend in the seruice of God and hearing of Masse in the Church to heare the Gospell and precepts of faith explained and taught by the Priests in their Sermons and to pray and make satisfaction to God for all such offences whereby wee haue cause to feare that wee haue in the other sixe dayes any way prouooked the wrath of God towards vs. In times past euery fift day was in this manner kept holy but least wee should seeme to leane vnto the custome of Idolaters who on that day did sacrifice to Iupiter it was otherwise determined Moreouer the Priests and people did vse euery Sunday and Thursday before Masse to goe on procession about the Church and then the Priests sprinckled holy water vpon the people and this ceremony did Pope Agapite institute in remembrance of the Ascention of Christ in that glorious day of his resurrection which is celebrated with a perpetuall festiuitie Sunday after Sunday as it were by so many Octaues all the yeare about All the Cleargie and people by the institutions of the Church were wont to watch all those nights which went before the principall solemne feasts but in respect of sundry enormous scandalls and crimes committed in the darke by lewde people vnder pretext of watching that vse was taken away and prohibited and insteed thereof the day immediatly before euery such solemne feast was commanded to bee fasted which fasting dayes doe yet retaine the name of Vigils The ancient Fathers haue determined that the Church shall represent vnto vs foure things in her yearly seruice from Septuagesima sunday so called of the seauenty dayes included between that Easter the Church representeth vnto vs the fast of our Lord Iesus Christ his passion death and buriall and besides these the miserable fall of our forefathers as also those grosse errors of mankinde through which being drawne from the knowledge and worship of the true God they haue fallen to the prophane worship of Idols and malicious diuels together with the slauish and intollerable seruitude which the people of Israel were subiect vnto vnder Pharoa King of Egipt for which cause the bookes of Exodus and Genesis are read in the seruice of the Church which all that time weareth a mourning habite both in her seruice and ceremonies from the Octaues of Easter till the Octaues of Whitsuntide the Church celebrateth the Refurrection and Ascention of Christ and the comming of the Holy Ghost and withall the redemption and reconciliation of mankind to God the Father by his sonne Christ of all which the Reduction of the children of Israell to the land of Promise was a figure wherfore the bookes of the New Testament are then read and all things expresse mirth and reioycing From the Octaues of Whitsunday till Aduent which is twenty weekes and more wee are appointed to celebrate the miracles and conuersation of our Sauiour Christ whilest hee liued amongst vs in the world as likewise that long peregrination of mankinde from generation to generation since the redemption of the world euen to the last day thereof Wherefore in respect of the multitude of vncertainties through which wee are tossed like a ship in the raging sea the Church exceedeth neither in ioy nor sadnesse but to the end that we should walke warily and be able to resist all turbulent stormes she readeth for our instruction and hartning diuerse bookes of the New and Old Testament Moreouer from the time of Aduent to the feast of the Natiuity wee are put in minde of the time betwixt Moses and the comming of the Messias in which interim mankinde beeing assured of their saluation by him out of the law and Prophets did with most ardent desire expect his comming and future raigne ouer them for which cause they haue caused the Prophets to be read and this time to be fasted that the Church being instructed in the one exercised by the other should both worthily and ioyfully as it were with one continuall solemnity celebrate the natiuity of Christ her Sauiour which alwayes falleth the weeke after Aduent till Septuagessima receiuing him into the world with all deuotion and with condigne ioy and exultation accepting the first apparance of their saluātiō The Oratories or Temples which are vsually called Churches they would not suffer to be erected without licence of the Bishop of the Diocesse whose office is after all things necessary for the buildings bee prepared and the place where it shall stand agreed vpon to blesse the first corner stone of the foundation to put on it the signe of the crosse and to lay it Eastward towards the Sunne rising which done it is lawfull for the workemen to lay on lime and to goe on with their building This Church is to bee built after the forme of mans body or of a crosse The Quire in which the high Altar is to bee placed and where the Clergie doe sing whereof it is so called must represent the head and it is to bee built towards the East and to bee made rounder and shorter then the rest of the building and because the eyes are placed in the head it is therefore to be made more lightsome and to be seperated from the body of the Church with barres as it were with a neck adioyning herevnto must stand a steeple or more properly two on eyther side one insteed of eares and in these ought bells to be hanged to call and summon the people by their sound to diuine seruice The lower part of the building must be euery way so disposed as that it may aptly expresse and represent the armes and feete and the rest of the body with a conuenient length and breadth There ought to bee also a priuate roome with partitions which is vsually built vnder one of the Turrets hauing a doore opening into the Quire in which the holy Vessels ornaments and other necessaries belonging to the Church may bee kept This priuate roome is called the Vestery There must bee two rowes of pillars
vppon the toppes whereof the roofe must rest and bee supported and the Altars must leane to the lower parts The Altars are alwayes to bee decently couered with two linnen clothes hauing a crosse set vpon them or a shrine containing the Relicks of Saints two Candlesticks on each end and a booke The walls both within and without must bee fretted and carued with variety of sacred Images In euery parish Church there must be a hollow Font stone in which the hollowed water to baptize withall is preserued and kept Vpon the right side of the Altar must stand a Pix or Custodia which is either set vp against the wall or carued out of it in which the blessed sacrament of Christs body holy oyle to annoint the sick Chrisme for those which are baptised is to be kept fast shut vppe Furthermore in the midest of the Church must be placed a pulpit out of which the Curat on festiuall dayes teacheth the people all things necessary to saluation The Cleargie onely are permitted to sit in the Quire and the laitie in the body of the Church yet so deuided as that the men take place on the right side and the women on the left both of them behauing them-selues modestly and deuoutly and diligently auoyding whatsoeuer is opposite to good manners and Christian religion In the Primitiue Church the manner was both for men and women to suffer their haire to grow long without cutting and to shew their naked brests nor was there much difference in their attire Saint Peter the Apostle did first command that men should cut their hayre and women should couer their heads and both should bee apparelled in distinct habites That there should bee layde out to euery Church a peece of ground in which the bodyes of Christian people deceased should be buried which peece of ground is called the Church-yard and is hallowed by the Bishop and hath all the priuiledges belonging to the Church it selfe The funeralls of the departed are not solemnized in all places alike for some weare mourning apparell seauen dayes together some nine others thirty some forty some fifty some an hundred and some for the space of a whole yeare The Toletan Councell hath decreed that the dead body shall be first washed and wraped in a shrowd or sear-cloth and so carried to the graue with singing by men of the same condition as Priests by Priests and lay folkes by lay folke and that a Priest should goe before the coarse incensing it with Franckincence and sprinckling holy water on it and that it should bee laide in the graue with the face vpwards the feete to the East and the head to the west the Priest vsing certaine imprecations all the while the Sexton is couering the dead body with earth And to shew that a Christian is their buried their must be erected at the gate a crosse of wood with a wreath of Iuy cypresse or bayes about it And these bee the institutions of the Christian religion The end of the second booke THE THIRD BOOKE Of the most famous countries of Europe the third booke CAP. 1. NEXT vnto Asia order induceth mee to speake of Europe the third part of the world which is so called of Europa the daughter of Agenor King of Phaenicia who was rauished by Iupiter brought into Creet It is bounded on the West with the Atlanticke sea with the Brittish Ocean on the North on the East with the riuer Tanais the poole of Maeotis and the sea called Pontus which is the Sea betweene Moeotis and Tenedos and with the Mediterranean Sea on the South The soyle of Europe is of diuerse sorts and qualities very aptly befitting the vertue and disposition of the people of each seuerall Prouince euery one transferring the commodities of their owne countries vnto other nations for Europe is all habitable some little part onely excepted which by reason of the extremity of colde can hardly bee indured which is that part that is neerest vnto the riuer Tanais and the poole of Meotis as also those that dwell vpon the banckes of Borysthenes which liue altogether in Chariots That habitablest part of the Region which is also extreame cold and mountanous is very hardly inhabited and difficult to dwell in and yet all the difficulties and extremity thereof is well mitigated and appeased by honest and good gouernors euen as wee see those Greekes which dwell vppon mountaines and rockes liue indifferently well by reason of their great care and prouidence of Ciuilitie Artes and vnderstanding how to liue The Romaines also receiuing vnto them many people out of those cragged and cold countries or vnfrequented for other causes which naturally were barbarous inhumaine and insociable haue so reclaimed them by mingling them with other people as they haue learned those rude and sauadge people to liue together soberly and ciuilly The Inhabitants of so much of Europe as is plaine and hath a naturall temperature are apt to liue orderly for those which dwell in temperate and fortunate Regions be quiet and peaceable but the rough and difficult places are inhabited by quarrellous and cumbersome people and yet all of them participate their commodities one with an another some helping and furnishing others with weapons some with fruites and some with arts and instructions of manners the inconueniences and hinderances which happen to those that vse not this reciprocal ayd is most apparant for that the other by meanes of this mutuall intercourse of commodities are of sufficient power puissance to carry weapōs wage war and defend themselues so as they bee neuer vanquished vnlesse by a greater number And this commodity also is incident and naturall to all Europe as that it is plaine and euen and distinguished with hils wherby it is in al parts limitted wel ordered ciuill and valiant and that which is more well disposed to liue in peace and tranquillity so as what first by the Grecian forces next by the Macedonians and lastly by the Romaines no maruaile though it hath atchiued great conquests and notable victories by which it plainely appeareth that Europe is sufficient of it selfe both for war and for peace as hauing a competent and sufficient number of able fighting men and husbandmen and Cittizens enough besides Evrope moreouer aboundeth with the best fruites and those which be most profitable for mans life and all manner of mettells whereof is any vse besides odors for sacrifices and stones of great worth by which commodities both poore and rich haue sufficient meanes to liue It yeeldeth also great store of tame Cattell but very few rauenous or wild beastes And this is the nature of Evrope in generall the first Particular part whereof East-ward is Greece Of Greece and of Solons lawes which hee made for the Athenians and which were after established by the Princes of Greece CAP. 2. GReece a country of Europe was so called of one Graecus who had the gouernment of that country It begineth at the straights
round about with the Hyrcanian wood which with his high hilles incloseth and defends it on all sides like a naturall wall and through it runne Sala Thuberus Neccharus and the nauigable Riuer Moganus These Riuers passe by many wide and large Valleys vppon the bankes whereof on both sides be planted great store of vineyards which yeeld wines so rare and of so great worth as they be transported into other countries far remote The land is fertile enough and not sandy and ouergrowne with Fearne as Aeneas Syluius reporteth sauing that part of the countrie which is now called Norica or in some places neere vnto riuers It yeeldeth great increase of barley wheate and all other kind of graine and pulse and no one part of Germanie affoordeth so many and so great Onions Rape rootes and Rape stalkes as this doth besides about Babenburge grow such great store of Lycoras rootes as they be caried away by cart loades It is full of gallant medowes and goodly Orchards very populous and abounding with beasts there is much fishing by reason of the multitude of Riuers and better hunting for the great store and varietie of wild beasts for the Princes preserue them of purpose in woods and forests making them stables and dennes to lye in and to defend them from winters boysterous and cold stormes allowing them meate also if need be and no priuate man may be suffered to take or hunt any of these beasts The whole countrie of Franconia is vnder the dominion of fiue princes whereof two be secular or lay Princes that is to say the Burgraue of Norinburg and the Count Palatine of Rhene and the other three bee ecclesiasticall Gouernors to wit the Bishops of Babenburg Herbipolis and Magnus The Bishop of Herbipolis holdeth his Duke-dome by hauing a naked sword and an ensigne or flag placed before him vppon the altar while he is at Masse And the first day that he entreth into the Metrapolitan or chiefe cittie and taketh vppon him the Episcopall seate he is vsually attended with a great troupe of gallant and excellent hors-men and when he is admitted and entred into the cittie he lighteth off his horse in the very gate of the cittie and there disrobeth himselfe of his vppermost garment and putteth on a poore and base coate and girdeth himselfe about the wast with a cord and in this humble manner bare headed and bare handed he goeth vp into the pallace vnto the Canonicall or Regular Priests who after they haue done their fealtie vnto him exalt and install him in his seate but before his instalment hee is conducted to the picture of some deuout Bishop that is dead where he is seriously and earnestly admonished to follow and imitate his examples who being elected of a poore student did notwithstanding gouerne the State of the Church vprightly as it ought And none of the linage of either Dukes or Earles may possesse this Cathedrall sea but onely such as be of the inferior Order of Nobilitie not for that it is not sufficient to maintaine a Prince for the possessions and reuenues bee very large and great but because none may enioy the Bishoppricke but onely such as be canonicall or regular persons which are for the most part of the meanest degree of Nobilitie To be Bishoppe of Herbipolis is a title of maruellous great dignitie and honour and when a Bishop is new created the custome is that at his first entrance into his Bishoppricke he should progresse ouer all his dominion and visit all the townes and villages which pay him tyth and in euery towne he bringeth out into the streetes whole hogsheads of wine with dishes for euery one to drinke that will The Franconians do nothing differ from the rest of the Germanes either in their apparell or shape of their bodies They be very laborious and none of them giuen to idlenesse but the women as wel as men plant in vineyards and yet by reason of their pouertie they sell their wines and drink water themselues Beere they cannot indure nor will haue any brought vnto them yet in Herbipolis vpon fasting daies those which will drinke no wine may buy it in dockes and roades without the cittie to drinke in steade of water The people be insolent arrogant and proude contemning all others in respect of themselues and so much giuen to cauilling and brawling as no stranger can indure to stay with them vnlesse he can flatter and dissemble and behaue himselfe discreetly and soberly but those which can indure their floutes and taunts and pocket vp their iniuries with patience may safely dwell with them for such they account and esteeme honest and sufficient men and permit them to marry wiues and enter into consanguinitie with them by which meanes many Suevians Bavarians and Hassians do dwell and continue in Franconia They be very deuout and religiously giuen and yet subiect to two horrible and execrable vices which are swearing and filching for they will glorie and vaunt themselues in blasphemie and horrible prophanation and account stealing a thing honest commendable and lawful because long vsed as a custom They obserue many strange ceremonies which I wil here set downe for the more credit and better approbation of such things as be written and reported of them by strangers In the nights of those fiue dayes of Aduent which go immediatly before the day of our Lords Natiuitie all the children of the towne both men-children and women-children go vppe and downe the streetes from one house to another knocking and beating at euery ones doore wishing them a happie and prosperous new yeare and shewing them in a song that the birth-day of our Sauiour Christ is nigh approching and euery houshold giueth them either apples peares nuttes or money or some other thing that they can best spare But with what ioy and exultation the birth-day of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is solemnized in their churches both by Priests and lay-people may be vnderstood by this Ceremonie following for then they place vppon the Altar the image of a young child in representation of the new birth of the babe Iesus which done the young men and maydes daunce and hoppe round about the Altar and those which be married and old folkes sing a song or hymne which kind of ceremonie is not much vnlike to the triumph and exultation which as Poets faine was vsed by the Coribants in a caue in the mountaine Ida about the image of their god Iupiter In the Kalends of Ianuarie which by their computation is the beginning of the yere is a sollemne meeting of friends and kinsfolkes together who ioyning their hands and lifting them vp to heauen with one heart and consent pray for a prosperous and happie new yeare spending all that day in pleasant congratulation meriments and drinking Which done they send new yeares gifts to their friends which bee absent which gifts the Romaines in their Feastes dedicated to Saturne which were solemnized about that time
them and vpon this day in Herbipolis and in diuerse other places besides is much wine giuen to the poore for charity then haue they their publike shewes and pastimes as to haue two or three Boares put into a place together and to behold them fight and teare one another with their tuskes till their guttes traile about their heeles deuiding the flesh when the Boares bee dead some to the common people and some to the Magistrates But vpon Saint Nicholas day all the yong fry and Schollers choose out three amongst them one to represent the person of a Bishop and the other two Deacons he which is elected in the place of a Bishop is solemnly vpon that day conducted into the Church by all his Schoole-fellowes decked and trimmed with a Bishops Miter and all his other ornaments and so sitteth in place of authority as Lord and Protector ouer them all the while Masse is in saying and when the sacrifice is finished hee chooseth out a few of them from amongst the rest and hee and they goe singing vp and downe the towne from house to house collecting and gathering money and alleadging that the money they gotte by this meanes is not taken as an almes or beneuolence but giuen franckly for the maintenance of the Bishop Vpon Saint Nicholas Eeue Parents will aduise their children to fast and the more to incite them there vnto they perswade them that if they set their shooes vnder the table ouer night what so euer they shall finde in them in the morning is sent them from that bountifull Bishop Saint Nicholas which causeth the children to fast so truly and so long as their parents bee faine to compell them to eate for being sick with ouer long fasting and these bee the most vsuall customes of the Franconians these their annuall ceremonies Of Sueuia and how the people of that country liued heretofore and how they now liue CAP. 16. SVEVIA a Prouince of Germany is at this day limitted and bounded vpon the East with Baioaria vpon the West with Alsatia and the riuer of Rhene it hath the Alpes vpon the South and Franconia on the North. Sueuia as Antonius Sabellicus is of opinion was so called of a certaine people called Sueui who departing from that part of Scythia which is now called Liuonia Prussia obtained this country to dwell in which opinion of Sabellicus Lucan seemeth to confirme where he saith He brought the yellow Sueuians from the vtmost Northern coast Before it was named Sueuia it was called Alemannia of the lake Lemannus which is also called Lausanensis Sueuia is the vtmost part of all Germany and is watered with two notable riuers Rheine and Danubius whereof the one running slowly falleth into the sea Westward the other running a contrary course passeth by many regions and falleth at length into the sea called Pontus The country is some part of it plaine and euen and some part cragged and mountanous and all of it fertile and fruitfull sauing lakes mountaines and woods There be great store of woods and therefore very good hunting and especiall good fowling by reason of the multitude of riuers and lakes Of cattell there bee great abondance and plenty of all kinde of graine it is also full of gallant and flourishing valleis watered and manured with brookes riuers and running waters some running one way some an other ouer-flowing and fatting the soyle all which disburthen themselues either into Rhine or Danubius The land is very wholsome and healthfull and well replenished with stately cities townes and castels aspiring towers likewise walled and fortified both by arte and nature and for the aduancement of Christian religion it is sufficiently furnished with beautifull and rich temples parish Churches and Chappels Bishops Pallaces Colledges and monasteries containing sundry orders of religious persons both men and women vpon the hills bee mines of Siluer Yron and diuerse other mettals it is very populus and the people very hardy strong valerous they be tall of stature yellow haird faire and welfauoured and marueilous ingenious so as Plutarch concludeth them in a word for the most famous people of all Germany The glory and fame of this people grew once to that height as they obtained the Empire and gouernment of the world and in that honour and renowne continued for one age but afterwards beeing destitute and depriued of their Princes I know not how it came to passe whether by the ficklenesse and variety of fortune or by their owne folly and sloth but their gouernment ceased and their power and strength in short time became so weake and feeble as they could hardly hold their owne and defend themselues much lesse extend their fame to her former greatnesse in such sort as noe one considering their present estate would thinke that euer they had beene Lords and Gouernors of the world Iulius Caesar in the fourth booke of his commentaries writeth of this people thus The Sueuians sayth hee the worthiest and warlikst people of all Germany are sayd to haue a hundred Citties great Burrowes or townes out of euery of which hundred citties townes yearely is furnished and set forth to the warres a hundred thousand armed men well appoynted These hundred thousand men wage warrs abroad and be maintayned by those which remaine at home and at the yeares end returne home againe to husbandry and send forth as many more of those which were at home so as going to the warres and remayning at home in course they bee all well excercised is husbandry and skilfull in feats of armes and hauing noe grounds nor possessions priuat to them-selues they yeeld reciprocall Maintaynance one to another for it is not lawfull for them to remayne and abyde in one place longer than one yeare Their vsuall foode is bread milke and flesh they bee much giuen to hunting as well for their dayly excercise and liberty of life which they much regard for they bee neuer from their infancy vnder the rule and correction of any or constrayned to doe any thing against their wills the practise of hunting also maketh them more feerce and couragious and their bodies more strong able to indure all extremities as although they dwell in a very cold clymate they will wash and bath them-selues in cold riuers and weare no other garments but skins and those so little as the most part of there bodies bee starke naked if any marchants trafficke thether it is more to buy such things of them as they haue got by the warres than for any great desire the Sueuians haue of their commodities besides they haue great store of laboring beasts more than they haue vse for which the French men much desire and pay deere for them and those beasts which with them bee naturally froward ilfauored and almost good for nothing by much vse and handling bee made fit and able both to draw and carry or to be imployed in the warres for their horses be so well mand and taught
customes of those people heretofore and how they liue at this day CAP. 17. BAVARIA a Prouince of Germany is so named of a people called Auarij by putting therevnto the letter B who being a remnant of the Huns expelled thence the Norici and possessed their country It is also called Boioaria of a people of Cisalpine France called Boij who were once said to inhabite those parts before which time it was called Noricum Vpon the East thereof lyeth Hungaria and Sueuia vpon the West Italy ioyneth vnto it vpon the South and Franconia and Boemia vpon the North. The famous riuer Danubius comming from Sueuia runneth through Bauaria and vnder the name of Bauaria at this day is comprehended Austria Stiria and Cariâ—thiâ— the people whereof bee all a like both in life and language whereas heretofore it contayned noe more than that onely which was called Noricum That good and holy King Lucius King of Britaine was the first that instructed them in the Christian religion and after him Saint Rupertus and lastly they were confirmed in the faith by Boniface Bishoppe of Moguntinum Bauaria is deuided into foure Bishoppes seas that is to say Saltzburga Patauia Phrisinberge and Ratisbon it hath in it more famous Citties than are in any one prouince of Germany besides the Metropolitan wherof is Saltzburge heretofore as is surmised called Iuuania Schiren was once the Dukes seate but now it is translated to Monachium This land before it was reduced into a Prouince was gouerned by Kings of their owne nation vntill the raigne of Arnolphus the Emperor And as all the Kings of Parthia were named Arsaces and the Aegiptian Kings Ptolomies so was euery king of Bauaria called Cacannus but after it was subued by Arnolphus and annexed to the Empire the gouernment was committed to Dukes which manner of gouernment remayneth still and all the Dukes for many successions together haue beene elected out of that most worthy and renowned family of the Agilolphingij The manners and customes of that people may bee vnderstood by the lawes which were giuen them when they first receiued the right faith of Christ wich were these following first that if a freeman borne would bestow any thing towards the maintenance of the Church whether it were lands mony or goods hee should make a deed thereof in writing and seale and subscribe it with his owne hand and seale and put to the names of sixe witnesses to confirme it and then deliuer it as his deede in the presence of the Bishoppe by which act both hee him-selfe and all his posterity were vtterly bard for euer after to inioy or repossesse the same againe but by permission of the Church And whatsoeuer was so giuen to the maintenance of Gods holy Church was committed to the Bishoppes custody and by him defended and protected If any one wronged the Church or any thing there-vnto belonging hee incurred the iudgement of God the displeasure of holy Church and was constrayned ether by the King or Prince for the time being to render restitution and forfeted three ounces of gold besides but if he denied the fact he was brought before the Altar and there in presence of Preest and people swore and deposed what wronge hee had done and of what value He that perswaded another mans seruant to runne away from his Maister were he man-seruant or maid seruant was inforced to fetch him againe and to put an other into his place as a pledge till he came and was fined at fifteene shillings besides If a seruant did priuily burne any Church goods hee had his hand cut off and his eyes puld out that he might neuer after see to commit the like villanie and the maister of such seruant made good the value of that which was burnt But if a Freeman commited such a fault he restored againe the full value of the losse and forfeted for his folly three pound and if hee denyed the fact hee was to purge him-selfe by the othes of twenty foure men who standing by the Altar before the defendor of the Church layed their hands vpon the holy Euangelist and swore whether they thought him faulty or noe If an offendor tooke sanctuary for refuge he was secure nor was it lawfull for a Maister to fetch his seruant thence otherwise to hurt him for if hee did the Iudge would compell him to pay forty shillings to the Church as a recompence for infringing his priuiledges Hee that iniured any one that was in any inferiour order in the Church made satisfaction with twise the value of the iniury done which was paide ouer vnto his parents or neerest friends But if the wrong were to one of an higher order he paide three times the value Hee that killed a Priest forseited and paid forthwith to the Church where he was Minister three hundred peeces of gold and he that killed a Deacon two hundred and if he were not able to pay such a summe of money hee was deliuered both himselfe his wife and children into bondage and seruitude and detained in slauery vntill he could make shift to pay the money No one might offer violence to a Bishop although hee did him wrong but might make his complaint and commence his suite before the King Duke or commons whether it were for homicide fornication or consenting to the enemy and if it was prooued that he would haue brought in enemies to inuade the country or sought the spoyle of those he ought to preserue he was either deposed or banished Hee that contrary to the lawes of the Church married a recluse or Nun out of her Cloyster was compelled to restore her thither againe and to leaue her where hee found her and the Bishop by the Dukes assistants would thrust her into the Nunry againe whether shee would or no and the man if there were no hope of his amendment was banished the country It was not lawfull for either Priest or Deacon to keepe in his house any strange woman lest by often companie and familiaritie with her he might happe to be polluted and so offer an vnworthie sacrifice vnto God and the people be plagued for his offences If any difference or controversie arose betwixt Priests Deacons or other Clergie men the Cannon law committed the deciding thereof to the Bishops farmers husbandmen and seruants payd tribute and tyth to the Church euery one according to his abilitie as euery tenth bushel of graine euery tenth perch of land euery tenth faggot the tenth part of their honey and for euery foure pullets fifteene egs They were bound also to bring stone timber and lyme for the reparations of the Churches but yet with this speciall care that no man shold be taxed more then he was wel able to indure If any one were false vnto his Duke and by treason procured enemies into the Prouince or betrayed any Cittie and was thereof conuicted by three witnesses all his goods were confiscate to the Duke and the Duke had power to vse
be inferior houses to the Innes of Court furnished with Atturneys Solicitors and young Gentlemen and Clerkes that are to liue and study there for a space as probationers before they be thought fit to be admitted to the Innes of Court which eight houses be called the Innes of Chancery This citty and suburbes is diuided into sixe and twenty wards and about an hundred and twenty Parishes The chiefest Magistrate there vnder the King is the Lord Maior vnder whome are diuers inferior Officers ouer euery seuerall company and ward who do all of them attend the Maior when he takes his oath in such seemely maner as he that beholds their stately Pageants and deuises their passage by water to Westminster and backe againe their going to Paules the infinit number of attendants of Aldermen and all sorts of people their rare and costly banquets and all their forme of gouernement surely I suppose he will hold opinion that no citty of the world hath the like This superficiall commendation of this renowned citty of London shall suffice for all and therefore I will passe ouer the rest in silence for that there is no one thing worthy memorie in any cittie or towne of the whole Realme that the like or better is not to bee found in the citty of London the Vniuersities onely excepted which are the nurse-gardens and Seminaries of all good arts and sciences And of these there be two Oxford and Cambridge which consisting of sundry Colledges and Hals erected and founded by godly and deuout founders and benefactors and endowed with large rents and reuenewes for the maintenance of poore schollers who are there maintained and instructed in learning of all sorts and beeing next vnto London the two VVorthies of our kingdome and in truth the most famous Vniuersities in Christendome I thinke it not amisse omitting to speake any thing of the cittizens and towns-men or the diuided gouernement betwixt them the Vniuersities to recite in particular the names of the Colledges and Hals in both Vniuersities their founders benefactors and the times of their seuerall foundations First therfore of Oxford without addition of superiority for that as the Prouerbe is As proud goes behind as before there be contained in that Vniuersitie besides nine hals viz. Glocester hall Broad-gate S. Mary hall Albaine hall VVhite hall New Inne Edmund hall Hart hall and Magdalin hall which differ from the Colledges for that the Colledges haue lands to maintaine their Societies which the hals in Oxford do want and therefore though al scholer-like exercises bee there practised as well as in the Colledges yet in respect of the want of maintainance they do in part resemble the Ins in court sixteene Colledges that is to say 1 Vniuersitie Colledge founded by Alured king of the Saxons in the yeare of our Lord 872. 2 Baylyoll Colledge founded by Iohn Baylyoll king of the Scots in the yeare of our Lord 1263. 3 Martin Colledge founded by Walter Martin bish of Rochester in the yeare of our Lord 1273. 4 Excester Colledge and Hart hall founded by Staphelâ—n bishop of Excester in the yeare of our Lord 1316. which said Colledge was much augmented by Sir VVilliaÌ„ Peeter Secretary to king Henry the eight in the yeare of our Lord 1566. 5 Oriall Colledge founded by Adam Browne brought vp in the Vniuersity of Oxford by king Edward the second in the yeare of our Lord 1323. 6 Queenes Colledge founded by Robert Eglesfield Chaplin to Philippe king Edward the thirds wife in the yeare of our Lord 1349. 7 New Colledge founded by Willyam VVicham bishop of VVinchester in the yeare of our Lord 1375. 8 Lincolne Colledge founded by Richard Flemming Bishop of Lincolne and increased by Thomas Rotheram Bishop of the same Diocesse in the yeare of our Lord 1420. 9 All Soules Colledge founded by Henry Chechelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in the yere of our Lord 1437. 10 Magdalin Colledge and Magdalin Hall founded by VVillyam VVainflet Bishop of Winchester and Chancelor of England in the yeare of our Lord 1456. 11 Brazen-nose Colledge founded by VVillyam Smith Bishop of Lincolne in the yeare of our Lord 1513 and lately increased by Doctor Nowell Deane of Paules 12 Corpus Christi Colledge founded by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester in the yeare of our Lord 1516. 13 Christs Church founded by Cardinall Wolsey in the yeare of our Lord 1526. and indowed with lands by king Henry the eight 14 S. Iohns Colledge founded by Sir Thomas White Maior of London in the yeare of our Lord 1557. 15 Trinity Colledge founded by Sir Thomas Pope Knight in the yeare of our Lord 1566. 16 Iesus Colledge founded by Hugh Price Doctor of the ciuill Law There is another Colledge now in building the foundation wherof is alreadie laid by M. Waddam of Merryfield in Somersetshire CAmbridge was first a common schoole founded by Sigebert king of the East English in the yeare of our Lord God 637. since which time it hath beene so increased and augmented that at this day it is equall to Oxford it consisteth reckoning Michaell house and Kings hall for two which haue beene since added to Trinity Colledge of eighteene Halles Colledges the Halls hauing lands belonging to them as well as the Colledges for there is no difference there betwixt Halles and Colledges but in name onely sauing that the Colledges haue more lands then the Hals and therefore maintaine more Schollers then the hals do the names of the houses and by whome and when they were founded and augmented is as followeth 1 Peter-house founded by Hugh Bishop of Ely in the yeare of our Lord 1280. 2 Michaell house founded by Sir Henry Stanton Knight one of the Iudges of the common Bench in the yeare of our Lord 1324. 3 Trinity hall founded by William Bateman in the yeare of our Lord 1354. 4 Corpus Christi Colledge founded by Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster in the yeare of our Lord God 1344. 5 Clare hall was first called Scholer hall and afterwards the Vniuersitie hall and being burnt with fire was afterwards re-edified by Elizabeth daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Leicester in the yeare of our Lord God 1326. and by her called Clare hall 6 Pembroke hal founded by Mary Countesse of Pembroke in the yeare of our Lord 1343. 7 Kings hall repaired by king Edward the third in the yeare of our Lord 1376. 8 Kings Colledge founded by king Henry the sixt in the yeare of our Lord 1441. 9 Queenes Colledge founded by Margaret wife to king Henry the sixt and finished by Elizabeth wife to K. Edward the fourth in the yeare of our Lord God 1448. 10 Katherine hall founded by Doctor Woodlabe Prouost of Kings Colledge in Cambridge in the yeare of our Lord 1459. 11 Iesus Colledge founded by Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeare of our Lord 1504. 12 Christs Colledge founded by Queene Margaret Grandmother to King Henry the eight 13 Saint Iohns Colledge founded by the sayd
a foote and an halfe long and as thicke as a mans thigh these the women for men bee neuer troubled with the businesse plucke vppe and drye against the fire mingling them with that which they call Boucano some-times also they bruse and breake them in peeces when they bee greene and fresh with sharpe flint stones fastned to a beame as wee are wonte to grate Cheese and Nutmegs and make thereof a very fine white meale or flower so as that new meale beeing steeped in water the whole Iuise which is pressed out of it of which I will speake by and by doth taste and sauour like new and moyste Wafers made of Wheate insomuch as after my returne into France euery place where I came smelled thereof which renewed the memory of that where-with those barbarous and rude peoples houses or roomes bee vsually washed and sprinckled with so great hindrance and losse is that meale made of those kinde of rootes For the preparation of this meale the women of Brasilia deuise great earthen Vessels very fitte for that vse containing euery one a bushell or thereabout which beeing set vpon the fire they put there-vnto the meale and euer as it boyleth the gourd being cut in the middle they take out that which is within and vse the vtmost rinde in steed of dishes to eate pottage and this when it is boyled is like vnto little comfits Of this flower or dowe they make two sorts for one manner is throughly boyled and hard which they call Ouy-entan and this they carry into the warres with them because it will keepe longest the other sort is lesse boyld and softer and that they call Ouy-pov in this respect this is better then the former because it tasteth like the crummes of white bread but that first sauour whereof I spake before becommeth more pleasanter and sweeter by boyling And as this meate especially when it is new is of an excellent sauour and taste so is it very nourishing and easily concocted yet notwithstanding as I haue tryed they cannot by any meanes make bread thereof but they will make it into a lumpe which smelleth like a batch of wheat dowe and is maruellous faire to looke vpon and as white as fine wheate flower yet in boyling it is so dryed and crusted vpon the out-side that it beeing cut or broken the inner part thereof is maruelous drye and like as it was before it was boyled Whereby I am induced to thinke that hee was much deceiued which first reported not well regarding my speeches that those which dwell two or three degrees beyond the Aequinoctiall line which people bee certainly the Tououpinambaltij did eate bread made of rotten wood which is to be vnderstood of these rootes whereof wee spake And both sorts of meate in making a kinde of gruell which they call Myngant especially if it bee mingled with fat broth or liquor is then like vnto Ryce and beeing so seasoned it tasteth very well and delicately But the Tououpinambaltij both men women and children from theyr Cradles vpwards doe eate this kinde of drye meale or dowe insteed of bread wherevnto they are so apt by often vse that with the ends of their fingers they will take it out of their earthen vessels and throw it stedfastly into their mouthes without loosing the least crumme and therein we often-times assaide to imitate them but beeing little exercised wee spilled it vpon our faces and therefore vnlesse wee would bee ridiculous wee must needs vse spoones Moreouer those rootes called Aypi and Manyot be some-times chopped when they bee greene into little gobbets of the meale whereof being moyste the women make round balls which being pressed betwixt their hands they wring out of them a certaine liquid white Iuise like vnto milke and putting it into earthen vessels set it out in the sunne by the heate whereof it doth curde and creame ouer like milke and when they eate it they powre it into dishes made of shels wherein it is boyled as wee are wont to boyle egges Moreouer the roote Aypi is not onely accustomed to bee made into meale but it eateth also very well beeing roasted in the Ashes whereby it will waxe tender and cleaue and bee very like in taste vnto Chesnuts broyld vpon the coales and being so ordered it is very good to eate but the roote called Manyot is farre otherwise for vnlesse it bee made into dowe and boyled it is a very dangerous meate the stalkes of both those rootes be like one vnto an other and of the bignesse of lowe Iuniper and the leaues bee like vnto an herbe called Peony or Pyony But that which is most to bee wondred at in these rootes of Brasile called Aypi and Manyot is the great aboundance of them for the branches of them which be as brittle as hempe stalkes how many so euer of them be broken and put deepe into the earth without any husbandry at all within two or three moneths space will bring forth a great aboundance of rootes The women in like manner doe plant that great Millet whereof we spake before which we commonly call Sarrasins wheat or Arabian wheate and which those barbarous people call Anati and of that also they make a certaine meale which they boyle and eate in the same manner as I said they do the other And thus much sufficeth to say of the manners apparell and diet of the Americans and he which desireth to vnderstand more let him read the Indian history of Iohn Lerius out of whom wee haue gathered that which we haue here set downe FINIS The faith religion and manners of the Aethiopians Liuing within the dominion of Precious Ioan commonly called Prestor Iohn together with a declaration of the league and friendship established betwixt the Emperors of Aethiopia and the Kings of Portugall Damianus a Goes a Portugall Knight being Author and interpretor Herevnto is added certaine Epistles of Helena who was grandmother to Dauid Precious Joan and from the same Dauid to the Bishop of Rome and to Emanuell and Iohn Kings of Portugall very worthy the reading the same Damianus a Goes and Paulus Jouius being interpretors The deploration of the people of Lappia collected by the same Damianus a Goes Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall to Pope Paulus the third health THere is nothing wherein wee ought to be more carefull and vigilant and more diligently to indeuour our selues than that by our labour cost punishment of our bodies yea martirdome it selfe if by other meanes it cannot be effected all people of the world may bee brought and wonne to the faith of Christ and being once wonne may then be reduced to liue in an vniformity and one manner of liuing The care and regard whereof doth more especially belong to you right reuerent Pope Paulus than to all the rest of vs as being high Bishop ouer all the Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church vnder him Wherefore it is your part which with the great hope
of all men you haue already begun to cure the calamities where with the Church is dayly oppressed and with your care and industrie so to effect it that all the whole world may obey and beleeue in one onely Christ and imbracing the true beleefe may be obedient vnto you as vnto Peters successor and to your admonitions in all things which pertaine to the saluation of their soules which when you haue brought to passe wee will say that by your meanes the Prophesie of one sheapheard and one flock is fulfilled the true commendations whereof when you haue obtained which of the Popes may bee deemed so famous as your self either in honor happinesse or merit or to whom with so much right may wee yeeld the triple Crownc as to your selfe For the obtaining whereof although the times be otherwise very vnfortunate yet haue you many occasions ministred vnto you I call the times vnfortunate by reason of those calamities which in Europe are by your selfe to be cured for of none be we more strongly resisted then of the enimie that liueth at our elbow but let vs now omitte to speake of those troublesome cares which wee bee well assured are euer in your minde and come to other matters more calme and temperate which carry great hope that as it were an other new world imbracing the faith of Christ may acknowledge your holinesse Maiestie and Empire Wherefore if you shall so handle these businesses that the Church both in Aethiopia and Europe hauing you her gouernour and protector may escape and auoide all perill and shipwrack and arriue into the hauen of saluation wee shall then sing in your praise that Propheticall Canticle contained in the Booke of Wisdome viz. I will passe through all lower parts of the earth I will behold all those that sleepe and illuminate all those that trust in the Lord behold I haue not laboured for my selfe onely but for all those that seeke the truth Now at length is the time wherein wee trust that this Prophesie will bee fulfilled by you behold here the Aethiopians a large and spacious nation and most desirous of Christ whose Emperor a man of great sanctitie desiring the amity and friendship of the Christian Princes of Europe hath sent his Embassadors vnto you and to the mighty and inuincible Kings of Portugall by whom as by his letters doth appeare hee doth not onely couet Christian friendship and charity betwixt him-selfe and the Princes of Europe but also perceiuing the bitter discords and dissentions that continually raigne amongst them doth most deuoutly and feruently admonish and exhort them to Christian peace and concorde a matter whereof all of vs may bee ashamed for now the Queene of Saba riseth vp and calleth vs into iudgment reprehending our faults Christs Prophesies bee now fulfilled And those which hee elected are by little and little fallen out of his fellowship and his commandements and promises are come vnto those which were teputed Ethnicks and strangers vnto Christ for the Emperour of Aethiopia with all the kingdomes vnder his dominion as by this our declaration shall appeare couet nor desire nothing more then to liue vnder your discipline neither is hee ignorant by the doctrine of the Apostles which hee hath deuided into eight bookes that the gouernment and principallity of all the Bishops of the world belongeth and is due to the Bishop of Rome whom plainly and godlyly hee is willing to obey desiring of him to be well and holily instructed in the institutions and ordinances of the Church of Christ for which purpose he coueteth with great desire to haue learned mē sent vnto him and not contented there-with to the end that the memory of his desires may remaine to all posterity hee intreateth that the truth of this matter may bee recorded and registred in the Popes Annals that so his Epistles and most godly requests may bee inlightned by the Ecclesiasticall history and that those which shall bee borne hereafter may know at what time and vnder what Pope these things were done And I nothing doubt but that your holinesse hath already sent or forthwith will send vnto him learned men and skilfull in the Scriptures and well instructed in other artes by whose learning and industry and also by the preaching and labour of many others already sent thither by the renowned Kings of Portugall Emanuell and Iohn his sonne you will so handle the businesse that all the Christians liuing in Aethiopia and India may by little and little yeeld obedience to the lawes of the Romaine Bishops whom they feare not already to confesse to bee the Vicars of Christ and so they being once by your indeuour ioyned vnto vs by the true religion and gathered together into one fold vnder one shepheard Christ we may perceiue that the mercy of our Lord is confirmed ouer vs that his kingdome indureth for all ages and that his power extendeth vnto all generations and then all flesh shall praise his holy name for euer and euer But least my exhortation may seeme more tedious then is needfull especially vnto him of whose life and doctrine we are and ought all of vs to be imitators I will proceed to my declaration which I will set out more at large that thereby I may more plainly shew vpon what grounds and principles this sacred league and amitie betwixt Prestor Ioan and the Kings of Portugall was established hoping that in declaring those things which bee true and lawfull I may inflame the mindes of the Readers and accite them to those designements whereby the faith of Christ may bee more aboundantly planted preached and reuerenced in all corners of the earth In the yeare from the birth of our Sauiour and redeemer Iesus Christ one thousand foure hundred thirty and three Iohn the first King of Portugal surnamed of famous memory he which freed Portugall from the often incursions and assaults of the Castilians wherewith it was almost made vast desolate departing out of this mortall life of all his other sonnes which hee left behind him his sonne Henry excelled in learning and especially in the study of Mathematickes who for the great desire hee had to know the motion of the heauens liued a single life and for that hee might more deepely and accurately meditate and consider the course of the starres he liued in a holy promontory called Saint Vincents head which place he chose out for that the heauens bee there for the most part calme and temperate least the clowds interposing themselues betwixt the heauens and his instruments his consideration and iudgment of the course of the heauens might be thereby hindred This Henry to the end he might receiue some fruite of his studies determined to seeke out with his owne ships and at his owne charge that which by often watchings he had found out to be so to wit that the Atlantick Ocean floweth into the Indian and the Indian againe into the Atlanticke and therevpon sending ships thither diuerse times they
chiefly to be feared c. And in the conclusion of the same letters is mentioned that his sonne Iohn Paleologus which dyed about two yeares before the King of the Romaean Kings was called to the celebration of the sacred Synode And that Ioseph the Patriarch of Constantinople came with him with a great number of Archbishops and Bishops and Prelates of all sorts among whom were the Proctors or Factors of the Patriarckes of Antioch Alexandria and Ierusalem who when they had ioyned themselues together in loue of holy faith and religion the vnity of the Church being ordained and established all the difficulties and troubles of ancient time which seemed erronious contrary to religion were by Gods diuine assistance vtterly taken away abolished which things being rightly established and set in order the Pope himselfe brought great ioy vnto them all This booke of Pope Eugenius wee haue sent vnto you which wee haue kept vncorrupted and wee would haue sent vnto you the whole order and power of the Popes blessing but that the volume of these things would seeme too great for it would exceed in bignes the whole booke of Paul to all the nations he writ vnto The Legates which brought these things vnto vs from the Pope were Theodorus Peter Didymus and George the seruants of Iesus Christ and you shall do well most holy Father to command your bookes to be looked ouer where I suppose some memory of these things which we write of may be found out Wherefore holy father if you will write any thing vnto vs beleeue it confidently that we will most diligently commit it to our bookes that the eternall memory of those things may remaine to our posterity and surely I account him blessed whose memory is preserued in writing in the sacred citty of Rome and in the seate of the Saints S. Peter and S. Paul for these bee Lords of the kingdome of heauen iudges of the whole world And because that this is my beliefe I therfore send these letters that I may obtaine grace of your holines and your most sacred Senate that from thence may come vnto me a holy benediction increase of all good things And I most earnestly beseech your holines to send vnto me some images pictures of the Saints especially of the virgin Mary that your name may be often in my memory that I may take continuall pleasure in your gifts Furthermore I heartily intreate you to send vnto me men learned in the Scriptures workmen likewise that can make images swords and all maner of weapons for the warre grauers also of gold and siluer and Carpenters Masons especially which can build houses of stone and make couering for them of lead and copper wherby the roofes of the houses may be defended And besides these such as can make glasse instruments of musicke and such as be skilfull in musicke those also that can play vpon Flutes Trumpets and pshalmes shall be most welcome deere vnto vs and these workmen I much desire should bee sent me from your Court but if there be not sufficicient store in your court your holines may command them of other Kings who will obey your command most readily When these shal come to me they shall bee honorably esteemed of according to their deserts from my liberality shall be amply rewarded and if any shall desire to returne home he shall depart with liberall gifts whither hee please for I will not detaine any one against his will though I should haue great fruit and benefite by his industry But I must now speake of other matters demand of you most holy father why you exhort not the Christian kings your children to lay aside thir armes and as becommeth brethren to accord and agree amongst themselues seeing they be thy sheepe and thou their sheepheard for your holines knoweth right well what the Gospell commandeth where it is said That euery kingdome diuided in it selfe shall be desolated and brought to ruine And if the Kings would agree in their hearts conclude an assured league and peace together they might easily vanquish all the Mahometans and by their fortunate entrance and sudden irruption vtterly burst and throw downe the sepulcher of that false Prophet Mahomet For this cause holy father indeuour your selfe that a firme peace and assured league of friendship may bee concluded and established amongst them admonish them to be assistant aiding vnto me seeing in the confines of my kingdomes I am on all sides inclosed and incompassed about with those most wicked men the Mahometane Moores for those Mahometane Moores yeeld mutual aid one to another the kings with kings petty kings with petty kings do sincerely and constantly assemble themselues against vs. There is a Moore very neere neighbour vnto me to whom the other bordering Moores minister weapons horses and munition for the warres These be the kings of India Persis Arabia and Egypt which things grieue and molest mee exceedingly euery day when I behold the enemies of the Christian religion ioyned together in brotherly loue and to enioy peace to see the Christian kings my brothers to be nothing at all moued by these iniuries nor to yeeld mee any helpe as assuredly behoueth Christians to doe seeing the impious brood of Mahomet do aid and assist one another neither am I he that for that purpose should require Souldiers prouision for warres of you seeing I haue Souldiers left of mine owne but onely I desire your praiers and orisons wishing also fauour grace with your holines with all Christian Kings my brethren for I must seeke to obtaine friendship of you that I may bee fully instructed and furnished of those things which I formerly desired to the terror of the Moores that my neigbours the enemies of the Christian faith may vnderstand that the kings do fauor aid me with a singular care affection which surely will redound to the praise of vs in common seeing we agree together in one verity of religion and faith and in this councell wee will conforme which shall be firme and absolute with that which shal fall out to be more profitable God therfore fulfill all your desires about the praises of Iesus Christ and of God our Father to whom all men giue praises for euer and euer And you most holy Lord and father imbrace me I beseech you with all the Saints of Iesus Christ which be at Rome into which embracings let all the boderers of my kingdomes and those which dwell in Ethiopia be receiued giue thanks to our Lord Iesus Christ with your spirit These letters your holinesse shall receiue at the hands of my brother Iohn King of Portugall the sonne of the most mighty King Emanuell by our Embassador Francis Aluarez Other letters from the same Dauid Emperour of Ethiopia written to the Pope of Rome in the yeare of our Lord God 1524. and interpreted by Paulus Iouius HAppy and
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
much as in me lyeth I may defend and protect my country-folkes against the bitter taunts and reprehensions of many who setting aside all reuerence will not stick to defame reuile that most potent Prince precious Iohn and vs his subiects with slanders and reproches calling vs Iewes and Mahometans because we obserue Circumcision and keepe holy the Sabbath day like vnto the Iewes and also for that like the Mahometans wee fast vntill the Sunne going downe which they alledge is vnfit for a Christian man to do and this they obiect against vs most bitterly that we allow and hold it as lawfull for Priests to marry as for lay people this also they omit not to speake against vs and that most nippingly for that we as it were distrusting in our first Baptisme be re-baptized once euery yeare that women be circumcised as well as men which custome was neuer vsed amongst the Iewes Furthermore because we hold that a difference of meats is most religiously to be obserued and last of all because we call those children halfe Christians which before Baptisme be wont to be called Pagans to which slanders and misreports I am inforced to say thus much that I may purge our people from such reproches and calumnies that I may make the Doctors of the holy Romane church more affable vnto vs by whom how holily I know not I haue bin forbidden to receiue the body of our Lord euer since I came into Portugall which is the space of 7. yeares and that which I speake with griefe and teares I am reputed amongst the Christian brethren as an Ethnicke and one accursed which he that quickeneth and refresheth all things may see and discerne to whose Iudgement I commit all these matters And I am not sent from my most mightie Lord the Emperour of Aethiopia vnto the Bishop of Rome and vnto Iohn the most renowned king of Portugall to mooue disputations and contentions But to begin friendship and felowship and not either to increase or diminish humane traditions but that I should inquire and diligently vnderstand touching the Heresies of Arrius Prince of Heretickes whether the Christians of Europe would meete with vs to ouerthrow the opinions of this man for the destroying of whose errors there was a Councell assembled together at Nicea vnder Pope Iulius consisting of three hundred and eighteene Bishops and withall that I might know whether that be obserued among the Christians of Europe which the Apostles teach in their bookes of Synods that is That a Councell should be celebrated in the church of Christ twise euery yeare to dispute of matters of faith the first of which Councels by the Apostles desire should be assembled at the feast of Penticost the other the tenth of October as also to vnderstand how we did agree together touching the errors of Macedonius for which cause there was a Councel of an hundred and fifty bishops assembled together at Constantinople vnder Pope Damasus and likewise of the errors of Nestorius for whome there was a Councell of two hundred Bishops assembled together in Ephesus vnder Pope Celestine Lastly that I might also know of the fourth Chalcedonian councel wherein for the errors of Eutiches were assembled 632. bishops at which time S. Leo was bishop of Rome from which Councell after many disputations and nothing concluded for the peace of the church the matter beeing left as it was they all departed home euery one remaining in his owne opinion The bookes of which Councels and of others which were celebrated afterwards our most mightie Lord the Emperour of Aethiopia hath in his keeping and of this cockle which the enemy of truth the diuel hath sowne amongst Christians my Lord is much grieued and all his subiects which beleeue in Christ Our countri-men euen from the beginning of the primitiue Church haue acknowledged the bishop of Rome to be the chiefe Bishop whome at this day wee obey as the Vicar of Christ In whose court we would often bee but that the iourney is ouer long and many kingdomes of the Mahometanes betwixt vs that may hinder our passage so as though you should enter into all those great dangers yet you can effect nothing although that most wise and inuincible King Emanuel of happie memorie who was the first that by his nauigations not without Gods celestiall assistance made passage into East India gaue great hope that it might afterwards be done more commodiously for he hauing ouercome the Ocean with his nauie brought the red sea into his subiection being no whit deterred with the greatnesse of the coast so as hee might increase the faith of Christ and as it were make a way open to make vse of our friendship And seeing that is now done and that each nation may receiue ayde from the other wee hope that in short time by the Portugals forces and our owne all the Mahometans and other vnbeleeuing Ethnickes shall be driuen and expelled from the whole Erithraean sea and from all Arabia Persis and India In like manner we trust by the power of Iesus Christ that it will come to passe that peace beeing established amongst all the Christians of Europe the enemies of the crosse shall bee expelled also from the mediterranean places Pontus and other Prouinces that according to the words of Christ There may be vpon earth one lawe one fold and one shepheard Of which thing we haue two Oracles or predictions one out of the Prophecy of S. Ficator the other of S. Synoda the Eremit who was borne in the vttermost rock of Egypt neither of which two differeth from other And since the time that my most mighty Lord receiued the ambassadors of the most famous king Emanuel the truth of these oracles doth seeme to hasten to an end for truly our Prince thinks of nothing more than of that meditating also both by his councell forces how he may root out all Mahometans from the face of the earth For these causes and for others which I haue layd open before the most famous King Iohn the sonne of Emanuel was I sent hither by my most mightie Lord as an Ambassadour and not for friuolous and vaine disputations And I pray with an vnfained heart that the great and mighty God may bring the decrees and indeauours of our Prince for which I was sent to a happie end and to his glorie Amen Hauing gone thus far I will now briefly expound somthing by the way of the state of our Patriarke and Emperour And first you must vnderstand that by a sollemne custome our Patriarke is created by the voyces of our Monkes of Hierusalem which remaine there about the sepulcher of our Lord his election creation is in this maner The Patriarke being dead our Emperour Prester Iohn â—endeth foorthwith a speedie messenger vnto Hierusalem vnto the Monkes there as is sayd who receiuing the message and the gifts which our Lord the Emperour sendeth vnto the holy Sepulcher they presenrly and with all possible expedition
the sytuation of our countries should bee publikely knowen which matters I neuer writ vnto any one till this time nor yet declared in words not that I was sparing of my labour but because no Christian after my comming into portugall desired to know such things of me whereof I could not nor cannot but greatly maruell And seeing by many arguments I perceiue that you much desire the knowledge of our affaires I beeseech you by the wounds of our Sauiour Christ and by his crosse to put this my confession of our faith and religion into the latine tongue that by your meanes all the Godly Christians of Europe may vnderstand our customes the integrity of our maners Moreouer if in your trauells you hap to goe to Rome then let mee intreat you to salute in my name the Pope the most reuerent Cardinalls Patriarches Archbishops and Bishops and all other the true worshippers of Christ by Christ Iesus in a kisse of peace and that you will desire of the Pope that hee will send vnto me Francis Aluarez furnished such letters whereby he may answere my Lord the Emperor of Aethiopia that after my long stay I may returne into mine owne country and visit my owne mansion house for I haue bin long here detained that before my death which by reason of my great age is at the dore I may effect that which I am commāded And that hauing furnished this Embassage I might dedicat the residue of my life vnto God only spēd my time in deuotion moreouer I intreate you if you finde any thing in my writings not well penned that you will frame it to the latine phrase but in such manner as in no point you alter the sēce lastly I desire you that in your translatiō you wil search the old new testament that you may know from what place I haue alleaged my authorities that you may be more certain in your translation but if I haue not handled euery thing so happily as may satisfie those which bee curious I am to be pardoned by reasō of my want of Chaldean bookes whereof I haue none for those I had I lost by misfortune in my iourny wherefore being destitute of the vse of all bookes I could speake of nothing but what was fresh in my memory yet haue I deliuered all things most faithfuly Farwel my deare beloued sonne in Christ Vlispone the twenty foure day of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God 1534. When I had finished this busines I remembred my selfe of that place whereas I say that Christ descended into hel for the soule of Adam and for the soule of Christ which the same Christ receiued of his mother S. Mary the virgin Of which thing wee haue an assured testimony in those bookes which wee call the bookes of gouernance which Christ Iesus deliuered vnto his Apostles in which bookes be expressed these words which be called the misteries of doctrines by whose authority and testimony we all of vs continue in this opinion without doubting but after I came into Portugall I found diuines teaching a contrary doctrine against all our opinions which is so certaine as wee doe not onely beleeue this but also affirme that the soules of all men had their beginning from Adam and that as our flesh is of the seed of Adames flesh so like-wise our soule being as a candle kindled by the soule of Adam had her originall and nature from Adam whereby it appeareth that we bee all the seede of Adam both of the flesh and of the soule All the relation aboue sayd was written and subscribed with the Embassadors owne proper hand with the Chaldean caracters The deploration of the people of Lappia by the same Damianus a Goes I Thinke it not vnfitting most worthy Bishop to make some mention in the end of this treatise because this also appertaineth to faith and to the vnion of the Church of Iohn Magnus Gothus Archbishoppe of Vpsalia in the Kingdome of Suetia that by him we may be moued to take compassion of the people of Lappia for this Iohn Magnus Gothus was borne of very good parents and rich maruelous well seene in the Scriptures and of an honest conuersation and so addicted to the Roman Church that for the zeale therevnto he lost the great Archbishoppricke of Vpsalia with all the reuenewes thereunto belonging amounting to forty thousand crownes a yeare and al his patrimony besides and hauing lost both dignity and goods and tossed in the variable streames of fortune he lay close in Prussia liuing poorely a long time at the Citty Daniz in Germany where while I was dispatching my Kings affaires in those parts of Germany I grew into great familiarity and indissoluble friendship with him and with Olaus Magnus Gothus his brother which two I afterwards found vnlooked for at Vecenza in poorer estate then befor they wer vnto which place they went purposly by reason of a councel divulged wherby they conceiued much hope for themselues and redresse of their calamities And when the councell was discontinued adorned those good mē being vtterly depriued of al their goods wherwith while they inioyed them they often in those Northerne parts contended much in defence of the Roman Church and yet would haue contended if matters had prospered remoued to Venice there to get their liuing either vpon others liberality or by their owne industry and labour which was cheefly in teaching and instructing others for other succor could they get none but that they reposed their whole cōfidence in Gods assistance whither when they were come they were very curteously intertained only of Hieronymus Quirinus the Patriarke of Venice in his Patriarchship and ther they remaine to this day expecting the divulging of that councel vnder the Archbishoppricke of Vpsalia is contained a great part of that large and vast prouince of Lappia the people wherof be ignorant of the laws of our Sauiour Christ which as I vnderstand by many good and credible men proceeded from the abhominable extortion and couetuousnesse of the prelates and nobles for if they were Christians they should bee free from those taxations and tributes wherwith they as Ethnickes be punished on the other side the nobility and Bishops wax rich and welthy and therefore they forbid them to be Christians least bearing the sweet and delectable yoke of Christ they might withdraw from there tirany and extortion some part of their gaines and diminish some parte of their taxations wherby that miserable nation is most beastly and insatiably vexed and oppressed by those Monarches bearing the burthen most impatiently for if they were Christians they should pay no more tribute vnto them than other Christians pay vnto their princes And therefore nothing regarding the saluation of so many soules they preferre their horrible sacrilegious gaine before the true Faith and Christian religion so as they may rightly bee said to carry the keies and neither enter them-selues nor suffer others to enter Q insatiable
coueteousnes and intollerable impiety and from Godly brests to be expelled both by weapons writings and all our forces and without doubt it had beene quenched and buried by this time if this good man were restored to his former dignity for he desireth nothing more nor meditateth of any thing more earnestly than that this people may be reduced to the faith of Christ nor doth he lament for any thing more than that by his means as he euer desired in his hart these miserable beasts as yet by reason of their impious religion be not made the flocke of Christ by imbracing the Christian faith nether doth he complaine so much for the losse of his Archbishoppricke nor that he was thrust from his goods left him by his ancestors as for that hee wanteth strength aid and substance where-with to cure this plague of Lappia to bring them vnder the yoke of Christ and to vnite them to the Roman Church And this hee often-times confirmed by his letters sent me wherewith my selfe not fully contented made earnest mention of this businesse in the end of that first Embassage of precious Ioan which I dedicated to the same Iohn Magnus Gothus neither did I then satisfie my selfe in this businesse but by my letters dealt with Erasmus Rothrodamus that hee would commit the cause of this matter to writing Afterwards liuing in his company for I was with him at Friburg Brisgoia the space of 5 months I had speaches with him of that busines by which meanes he was induced and appoynted to frame a iust volume of this matter but being preuented by death the substance of the busines he had vndertakē was vtterly dissolued notwithstanding vpon his death he concealed not the wicked Ecclesiastical impiety which truely he did that he might accuse al Christians to whome God hath graunted power and learning and cry for reuengement against them in the last iudgment before Christ the iust Iudge of all men the Christian Princes Monarches may now see what account and reckoning of so many lost soules they can make at the last day before the Tribunall seate of Christ where is no place for pardon or grace and where no excuse nor faire speaches will be receiued And you most reuerent Bishop are only he that can cure this infirmity you only are hee that can shew vnto this people the waies of the Lord and direct them that they may walke rightly in the same you onely are able to redeeme them from the lowest hell by you little children may come vnto Christ and by the power of thy right hand bee deliuered from the bondage and deceits of the Diuell and inioy the plentifull redemption of Christ both in this world and in an other Behold what reward thou shalt obtaine if by your labour that great haruest may be carried into Christs barne and no doubt you will carry it in if once you begin There be at this day with Gostavus King of Suetia and Gothia some great peeres states that be fallen from the Romaine Church there be some in those Kingdomes also that do altogether dissent and disagree from the right Diameter and true course of religion vnto these by your dignity pastoral function may you direct your letters requiring them by the woundes of our Sauiour Christ whome all men though neuer so farre differring from the Roman Church doe acknowledge to bee Gods sonne and our Sauiour that they will permit and suffer this East and West Lappia with those large prouinces of Finmarchia Scrifinia and Biarmia the greatest part where of knoweth not Christ to come and imbrace the sweet yoke of Christ and that they wil extort no more from them then other Christian Princes are accustomed to take from their subiects either by course of law or by voluntary extorsions And it were good not onely to send letters but learned men also and men of approoued sanctity and holynesse of life that these Prouinces may be annexed to the Romaine Church by the faith of Christ whom together with the people of Aethiopia being reduced to the right law of Christ although the people be offended yet the Lord shall raigne sitting vpon the Cherubins and although the earth be mooued it shall reioyce and all Ilands shall bee ioyfull Farewell right reuerend and high Bishop in Christ Iesus Amen From Louaine in the Calends of September in the yeere of our Lord God 1540. Of the situation of Lappia and of the inhabitants of that country by the same DAMIANVS A GOES THE country of Lappia through which runneth the Botnian sea is deuided into East and West Lappia the vtmost part of which sea is Tornia vpon the East part it ioyneth vnto the white lake towards the North it compasseth diuers Prouinces and so extendeth it selfe to a place vnknowne and inclining Westwards towards Island it ioyneth vnto part of Noruegia vpon the South it is compassed about with the other part of Noruegia with Suetia Finland and both the Botnias East Lappia hath in it a church dedicated to Saint Andrew in the eighty fourth degree of the eleuation of the pole which is adorned and beautified with a magnificent and sumptuous Sepulcher and with men skilfull and learned in the holy Scriptures ' This Church is vnder the Archbishop of Vpsall within whose Diocesse it is and yet notwithstanding the neighbors round about that church whether it be by the carelesnesse negligence or through the couetousnesse of the Prelates and great men do not acknowledge Christ as is reported Lappia in the Latine toung is interpreted a foolish and sottish or hartlesse nation which name as I thinke is imposed vpon them for that the soile by the continuall and binding cold being as it were dull is lesse apt eyther to receiue or bring forth fruites the naturall borne people of Lappia be very strong set and of a middle stature they be mauelous nimble and dexterious in vsing their bowes and darts which practise of throwing the dart they exercise euen from their infancy in such sort that if a boy shoote at a marke and misse it he hath no meate giuen him vntill he haue hit the marke insteed of other garments they weare skins finely sowed together where-with they defend them-selues from the cold which they be so accustomed to indure that if need bee they will ouer-come it without any defence at all of those skinnes their dwellings are in tents for of houses they haue no vse because they often remooue out of one place into another other course of life haue they none then hunting fishing and fowling wherein they bee maruellous expert and skilfull for in that Prouince is great aboundance of those things They vse no tillage and they haue ships made without any Iron nailes or pins which being charged and burdened with fishes dried in the ayre and with pelts or skinnes they transport them to their neighbours and bordering people and get for them in exchange victuals and money in dooing whereof they vse