and ropes to cut downe woode and to bynde them together wherof they make boates or little ships to passe ouer the sea carying nothing but salt with them and in the night time they conuey themselues into the ship in the water If the winde and the sea fauoreth theÌ„ they passe ouer in thre or four howers but if the trouble some sea be against them eyther they perishe in the water or els be cast agayne to the coaste of Asia When they are gotten ouer the Sea they seke vnto the mountayns and beholdinge the Pole they take their iourney towardes the North. In their hunger they refresh theÌ„ selues with salted herbs If manye runne awaye together in the night time they inuade shepeheardes and flea them and take away all such meate drinke as they fynde but yet many times they theim selues be slayne of the sheepeheardes or ells taken of theim and so deliuered to their olde maisters to all kind of seruitute and the greater number is consumed with daungers for few escape free and safe because they perishe eyther by shipwracke or by deuouring of beasts or by their enemies weapons or elles by famme when as it chauncethe that they after their running away make any long abode in the woods Many kindes of punishmentes are prepated deuised and appointed for fugitiues and such as run away for same being hanged by the feete are most cruelly tormented with whips and they that coÌ„mit homicide or murder haue the soles of their feete cutte withe a sharpe knife in many slyces and cuttinges and after they are so cut the woundes bee â—ubbed and sprincled with salt and some haue a great iron coller with a gallows of iron which they must beare for a long â—yme both dayes and nights Of Tantalus TAntalus was a king of Phrygia eâ—ceding couetouse whom the Poets fayne to haue bid the Gods to a baÌ„ket and he being desyrous to make a triall of their deitie when they appeared aâ— his house in mennes likenes did â—â—ea his own sonne Pelops and set him before theÌ„ to be eaten as meate geuing the fleshe an other name vnto theÌ„ who vnderstanding his horrible act did not oâ—ely abstein froÌ„ eating therof but also gathring the partes of the childe together broughte him to lyfe againe For this offence Iupiter caste him into hell and enioyned him this punishment that he shoulde continue in moste cleare water and stand vp in it eueÌ„ to his nether lip and that moste goodlye apple trees bearing most swete and redolent fruit should hang ouer him and touche his mouth almost the which thinges as soone as he should go about to taste of they shuld flye from him and so they did that betwene the apples and the water â—e consumed with famine and thyâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 was tormented with great penury euen in present plentie Where of a prouerbe hath sprong to cal it Tantalus punishement when as they which haue goods ynough cannot vse them Of the Temple of Ephesus IN the countrie called Ionia there is y noble city of Ephesus which was built in the 32 yeare of the raygne of kinge Dauid by Androchus the son of Codrus king of Athens The Amazons did erect in it in the honour of Diana a noble teÌ„ple y like wherof was not then in al the world therfore it was accouÌ„ted amoÌ„ngest the vii woÌ„ders of the world it was CC. and .xxv. yeres in making that of al Asia set in a miry ground for the auoyding of earthquakes there were an hundred and xxvii pillers in it made of their kinges one by one which were in height iii. score foote wherof xxxvi were carued with merueilous workemanship The lengthe of the whole churche was iiii hundred and xxv feete the bredth ii hundreth and xx All that tooke this church for sanctuary 〈◊〉 â—reate immunities and priuiledges 〈◊〉 were also so manye giftes and monuments geuen to this churche from all nacions and Citties that none in all the world might be compared to it in welth S. Paule preached at Ephesus iii. yeares and conuerted many to the fayth Saint Ihon also the Euangelist died in this cytie But this sumptuouse temple was destroyed and set on fyer in the raygne of Galienus the Emperor by one Erostratus whoe doinge manye notable feates in war and otherwise when he perceiued that he got no reward nor renowne there by to leaue a continuall remembrance of his flagitious and horrible act did with greate fiers and monstruous flames coÌ„sume this faire churche and brought it ta ashes thinking there by to be remembred in perpetuitie and yet he was deceiued for there were generall edices and proclamacions made that no man vppon payne of death shuld presume once to put his name in any writing or chronicle to the entenâ— that he might haue ben buried with euer lasting obliuion Of Artemisia the wife of Mausolus IN the cittie called Halicarnassus Artemisia the quene erected a sumptuous tombe in the honoure of her husbande Mauâ—olus which was done with suche a pompe and magnificeÌ„cie that it was nuÌ„bred as one of the seuen wonders of the world This woman merueilously lameÌ„ting the death of her husbande and inflamed with incredible desyre and affection towards him tooke his bones and ashes and mingled them together and beat theÌ„ to powder with sweeâ—e spices and put it in water and drunke it of manye other strange signes of incredible loue are said to haue bene in her after this for the perpetuall remembraunce of her husâ—ande she caused to be made a sepulchre of merueylouse workemanship in stone whiche hath bene famous and much spoken of al men til our days and this was in height xxv cubites and compassed withe xxxvi goodly pillers This vayn comfort could not take away out of the quenes breaste the conceiued griefe and sorrowe of her husband but that shortly after shee her selfe yelded her soule and life as vnmete to tarye after his death Sardanapalus SArdanapalus was king of the Assirians whose epitaph had these words in the Assirian tongue Sardanapalus the sonne of Anecendarassis erected in one daye Anchiala and Tarsus ii goodlye Citties Eate drinke and play These wordes as Cicero saith might haue bene written vpon the sepulchre of an oxe and not of a king He was a most effeminate man geuen to all kinde of luxurye and was not ashamed to spin amongest coÌ„mon harlots in womens vesture and attyre to excell all others in laseiuiousnes Wherfore the Assirians disdayninge to obey and subiect theym selues to such a feminine prince rebelled and made warre agaynst him who being ouercome wente into his palace and there making a greate fier caste himselfe and all his riches into the fier and so ended his lyfe The people called Amazones PEntesilea the quene of the Amazones which were women abhorring men and practisyng all warlyke affayres did noble dedes af manlye prowesse at the destruction of Troye Some saye that they had their beginning of the Scythians after this sort Certayn Scythians
Turkes are wonte to faste one moneth and one weeke euery yere buâ— they do not alwayes keepe one prefixeâ— tyme for if this yeare they faste in â—â—mmary the next yeare they will doo it iâ— Feâ—ruaryeâ— the third in Marche and so orderly of the rest and when they doe faâ—â—â— they taste and eate nothinge all the whole day not so much as bread or water 〈◊〉 when â—â—errs appeare it is lawfull for them to eate al thinges sauinge thinges which are suffocate and swynes fleshe They haue vineyardes the fruite and coÌ„moditie wherof they vse diuerslye The Christians make wine and the Turkes do so prepare honye raysons that they appeare alwayes freshe both in tasâ—e and sight they haue three maner of drinkes the first of Sugar or hony mixte with water The seconde of raysons sod in water the stones castaway and then rose water is added vnto them and a little of the best â—ony The third is made of wine wel sodden and representeth a kynde of honnye both in tast and sighte this is tempered withe water and geeuen to seruaunts to drinke When they should eat any thing they strewe their floores and groundes with matts and other thinges then they lay carpets and tapestrye worke or rushines aâ—d some sit downe vpon the naked earth their table is of some skinne as I sâ—ide beforeâ— it is draweÌ„ at large and shit â—â—gâ—ther agayn as a purse they sitte not downe after oure manner nor yet as the people of olde were wonte to do leaninge on their elbowes but with their feet foldeâ— together in the formes of this letter X. lyke vnto the maner of boâ—â—hers and before they take take any meat they hauâ— their prayers or thankes geuinge Theâ—â—â—te gredelye and hastelye with greate silence but al their wiues â—epeth the in â—elues in secret Those whiche are captiue 〈◊〉 neuer go abrode nor can get lycence but with other Turkishe women when they go to washe them in bathes â—r in any other place ouâ— of the cittie for recreation sake into gardens or vineyarâ—â—â— â—â—t alwayes keepe hoome at their worke and it is not lawfull for other women 〈…〉 sant witâ— their captiues Of th◠〈◊〉 of the Turkes THe 〈…〉 not in 〈…〉 the manner 〈…〉 as the 〈…〉 eyght yeares and can speake the 〈◊〉 â—ell the whiche 〈…〉 them for y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 whiche are 〈◊〉 before 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 for thys 〈…〉 in to the â—â—â—ple but is circumcised at home in his parents house There be assembled at this notable feast al their frendes and commonly amongst the richer sort they kil an Oxe and therin they include and put in a Sheepe exenterate and readye dressed in the whiche Sheepe there is a Hen in the which hen there is an Egge which are all rosted together for the solempnitie of that daye then at supper time in their banquet the child which must be circuÌ„cised is brought in whose yearde and priuie member the phisician openeth and apprehendethe the folded skinn with a fine payre of pinsons then to take al feare from the childe hee â—aith that he will make the circumcision the next day and whileste hee vseth those wordes he sodeynâ—ye cutteth the prepuce whiche is the skin that couereth the head of the yearde layinge a little salt on the wound They do not geue names to their children in the day of circumcision but in the day of their natiuitie after thre days space he that is circumcised is led withe great pompe vnto the hath when he commeth home agayne he is led throughout all the gestes whiche offer vnto him their prepared gifts some geue silke garmeÌ„ts some siluer cups others present him monye or horses If any christian man of his owne accorde confessing Mahumet wyll suffer himselfe to be circumcised whyche thing chaunceth often times for the greuouse exaction and burden of the tribute such one is â—eâ— throughout all the stretes and lanes of the cittie with greate honor and triumphe of the people for ioye playinge on the drummes and to him manye giftes are presented and afterward he is made fre from their payment and tribute Yet the Turkes compel no man to the denial of his religion although they be coÌ„maunded in the booke of Alcoran to expulse the aduersaries and gainsayers wherof it commeth to passe that so many and diuerse sectes of people are found amongest the Turkes al whiche do reuerrence and honour God after their peculier rites and customes Their priestes do little differ from the laitie and ther is no great learning to be required in them it is ynoughe if they can reade the booke of Alcoran but those which can interprete the booke according to the texte are estemed as most cunning because Mahumet gaue his precepts not in the vulgar turkishe tonge but in the Arabicall tonge they thinke it a wicked vnlawful thing to haue them interpreted or set forthe in the vulgar tongue these ministers haue their stipende and rewarde of the prince for their paynes they haue wiues and apparell euen as secular men if the stipend be not sufficient for the multitude number of their children then may they practise and vse al maner of artes crafts and trades that other men doe but yet they are free from exactions and other imposicions and are greatly estemed of the coÌ„mon sorte They haue diuers liuing solitarye like vnto monkes which vnder the colour of religion inhabite the woodes desert places vtterly renounsinge mens company and som of them haue nothing of their owne but they go almoste naked sauing that their priuy partes be couered with Sheepe skinnes they traueyle and wander through oute countries askinge almes as well of the Christians as of the Turkes Some of theym goe seldome abroade but continue in temples hauinge in the corners of churches litle cottages their heades vncouered their feete without shoes their bodies without garmeÌ„ts bearing nothing about theÌ„ but one shirt they fast many dayes and praye that God would reueale vnto them things to com and the prince of the Turkes is wonte to aske counsell of them when soeuer he goeth about any warres VVhat execution of Iustice the Turkâ— haue what kinde of mariages what maner of apparell and liuinge THe Turkes do execute iustice moâ—â— exquisitely for hee that is giltie of slaughter or bloudshed is alwayes punished with like vexacion and torment He that is taken withe a woman in adultrye is stoned to death without mercy or â—arying There is also a punishmente appointed for those whiche are taken in fornication for who so euer is apprehended for it he must suffer eight hundred lashes with a whip a thiefe for the firste and second tyme is so manye times scourged also but if he be taken the third tyme he loseth his hand at the fowerth tyme hys foote Hee that doth any damage to anye bodye â—s compelled to make satisfaction according to the estimate of the losse They admit no witnesses but very mete and allowable persons and such as may be
him of her death this grewe to suche a custome amongestâ— them that when soeuer the husbande returned home he woulde kisse his wyfe his daughters marking by the odoure cent of their breath if they had druncke wyne or not They were verye seuere against women surcharged with wine because they did perceiue that drunkennes was the originall cause of corporall corruption Romulus permitted and gaue to the parentes all power ouer their childreÌ„ that by their own iudgemeÌ„t they might compel theym to any kinde of dutie whether they would restraine beate or keepe them bounde to rusticall worckes or fell them or kill theym Numa made a lawe that prohibited any lamentations or mourninges to be made for a childe if that hee dyed within three yeares of age but yâ— he were past three yeares of age that thâ— he should be lamented as many monethâ— as hee had liued yeares and many other straunge orders they had the whiche be at large set forth in Munster The liuely and quicke witte of Adrianus the Emperour Adrianus was the fiftene Emperour of Rome of whome it is said that he would at one tyme both wrytâ— and declare his minde and heare others and talke with his frendes M. Curius THere was in Rome about three huÌ„dred yeares before Christes tyme a straunge and horrible gapinge of the earth euen about the middest of the market place with so vaste a depthe and infinite holownes that it might well haue bene compared to the gapinge of Hell mouth the spectacle continuing thus for a tyme made great terrour amongest the people at the length the Sothsayers by their interpretations perswaded that thys horrible depthe might bee stopped if the most preciouse thinge in the Cittie were cast therein Wheruppon diuerse of the Matrones of Rome of their owne free will cast in diuers goodly Iewels but al was in vayne Wherfore M. Curius a knighte of Rome comminge of a noble house beinge decked and adorned withe his warlike furniture and ornamentes ryd hâ—adlong into that horrible depthe holownes of the earth and so immediatli it closed together agayne and was stopped Some saye that he demaunded this one thing before he would graunt to ride and lepe into that depth that for a wholl yeares space it might be lawful for hym euery night to lye with what woman hee wolde chuse and that then of his owne mynde he caste him selfe sodenlye downe headlong into that denne so the earthe closed agayne Sardinia IN the country of Sardinia there is a certayne beast which they call Muflâ— the like whereof is not in all Europe besyde It hathe the skynne and heares like vnto a deare or an Hart hornes like vnto a Ram not long but croked bending backward about the eares in bygnes he may be compared to a Bucke yâ— feedeth vpon grasse onelye and herbes kepeth moste aboute mountaynes verye swifte in running and his fleshe is goode to be eaten There be no wolues in thys countrye nor no hurtful kind of vermin fâ—wle or beast besyde the Foxe which of all four footed beasts there is most hurtfull being of lyke bygnes to other foxes of Italye In Sardinia a Foxe will kyll a very strong Weather or Ram a Gote and a Calfe Some wryte that in this countrye there is no serpent nor any venemous thing but pestilent ayre whiche commeth throughe corrupt puddels and waters Also there is found in this countrye a certayne herbe like vnto Baulme gentle wherof if any man shall eat much he shall perish and dye laughing Some say that there is a fountayne and springe in Sardinia whose waters dothe reproue theues and robbers after this sort If a thefe swereth that hee hath not coÌ„mitted the theft and washeth his handes or â—yes with the water of that fountayne by and by he is made blinde and so hee maye bee knowen but if he hath not done the felonie his eyes are made more brighte and clearer then they were before The notice of this spring is growen oute of memorye in this our age The making of Sugar at Palermo in Sicilye IN the fieldes about the cittie of Paleâ—mo groweth greate plentye of sweete reedes of whose iuyce being well boyled Suger is made First they dung wel their fieldes being not much distant from the sea and then do they make forrowes and ranges somwhat high and eminent afterwarde in the moneth of March they take the highest knots of the swete redes made bare and void of leaues and rindes the whiche they do so set and plante thaâ— they pearce through the sydes of the ranges with three or fower hauinge double knots euen at one dynte and so doe they fyll all the ranges of the fielde the earth is watred in Sommer and is kept from rancknes daylye about the Winter solstice only the rotes left for another planâ—tinge for it lasteth two yeares the redeâ— are broken and taken awaye of whosâ— rype and swete ioynts and knots deuideâ— and knit into small parts by the same artiâ—â—ciouse meanes that oyle is made thâ— ioyce that coÌ„meth thereof is purged anâ— putrified in one cawdron of three whychâ— are â—et in a stewe and afterward is straâ—â—ned through a course cloth theÌ„ they takâ— a part of the iuyce so strayned put it in another cawdron for so they vse to make it boyle agayne and out of this straight ways they power it agayn into the third cawdron and they beate it styrre it boyling wherof a kinde of Sugar somwhat blacke is drawen and made thereof the same beinge sodden agayne three tymes moore and after that once agayne boyled wil be most fyne and white Sugar The other harnest which commeth of the rotes oâ— the reedes except the field be dunged in May moneth wil hardly come vp to any profite This kinde of reedâ— is ful of knots in the stalke as our common redes bee but yet not so emptye within as they are for it is full of spungiouse matter like vnto a bulrusheâ— it hath a thynne barke and is full of swete iuyce which is pressed out in this maner They cut the body stocke of it into many small parts and theÌ„ put it in the pre sse and the iuyce that is pressed there out they poure into a very cleane caudron and set it vp in earthen pots and so when it is waxen colde it is congeled into a verye commendable Sugar The mountayne called Aetna in Sicily AEtna is a meruaylous hill for continuall burning with flames of fyer because it is full of Brimstone matter It hath bene often tymes set on fyre with terrible flames as MuÌ„ster maketh mencion the flames of it are in the night tyme horrible to be sene because it â—hineth not as other fyers do In the day tyme it burneth obscurely muche lyke to the flame of brimstone whereof the Hyll hath great store The aunciente wryters haue vttered manye straunge thinges of this and especially Strabo who sayth that he was in the top of
the Hyll and there mâ—rked all thinges diligentlye In the very top they affirme to be merueylouse mutacions and chaunges for some times it casteth foorth greate store of fyer and somtymes great flames obscure smoke And it is to be wondred at the heate of the fyar because it cannot be tempered with any colde nor colde be dissolued throughe that heate The higher part of the mouÌ„tayne is full of ashes which in winter are couered with snowe the verye top of the hyll is playne is in compasse about .xx. furlonges In the night tyme fyer may playnly be seene in the hyll top and in the day time a certayn obscure smoke ryseth vp Many times continuall thundring is hard beinge a terrour to the people and blacke and burnte ashes are dispersed into diuerse places and the ayre is made noysome with a most terrible smoke The philosophers assigne a reason hereof because this Isle is in his inferiour parts full of cauerns and brimstone of Allum fyer and water and such lyke that are able to feede and nourishe fier And fier cannot be without som vent or respiracle but it wil lift vp it selfe and therfore many hote bathes be found in Sicily The ayre also entring into the pores and cauerns of the earth stirreth vp a flame which seeking for issue and eruption vomiteth and casteth forth smoke and fyer and in many places sercheth for ventinge holes and respiracles Sometymes in the inwarde partes of the earthe suche is the violence of the fier that it expelle the and casteth forth with flames burnt stones sand and the heat which is included doth merueilously shake and moue euery sydâ— of the priuy holes and cauerns Thus much out of Munster Election of a King. THere be that writeth the Gothes to haue made this decre and caucion that none should be chosen a kinge â—mongest them except hee were grosse â—at of body Contrary wise the SarraceÌ„s would not chose any to be their kinge except he were of a tall leane body The Carthaginian â—â—lwaies in the election of their king did attend onely his vertue magnanimitie and not his nobilitie nor properues of body Feare and care hindereth the growthe FOr to be voyde of feare and care it is a great help to mayntain the stature it doth corroborate the strength and â—onfirmeth the sine wes for feare vnquietnes of mynde in youth doth much eneruate and weaken the strengthe of the body and a sad and heauy spirit drieth the bones to much so that suche a body cannot take his iust increase Munster in his third boke fol. 283. Printing first found out amongeste the Maguntines FIrst this noble Arte to Prynte with letters of Tynne was inuented and found out almoste in oure age a deuine and heauenly inuention truly and a thing memorable and worthye to bee remembred and no lesse worthye of greate admiracion but truly iâ— would haue ben a great deale more merneilous if it had not chaunced to bee so common It is straunge and scantly credibe to be spoken but yet more truer then truth it self that one Printer may printe so manye letters in one day that the swifteste Scriuener or writer is not able to do so much in two yeares This is an Almayne inuention which was at the beginning in great admyration and of no lesse lucre and profit The inuentor first deuiser of this was one Iohn Gutenbergius a man of worshyp equall with a knight at Magunce The thing was first taken in hande with more boldnes and confidence then hope about xvi yeares before it began to bee common in Italy The fyrste beginninge was at Magunce the Germaines being the authors with small and little principles and foundations but shortly by the industrye of mans wit it grewe to that perfection that now in our tyme it hath Trulye it had gone ill with all good discipline in these later days if it were now to haue his beginning seing that all are geuen to their bellies almoste and to vnsaciable couetoâ—â—nes for nowe they will scantly take vp verye good bookes in the high wayes whiche in tymes paste they could scantly by for great sommes of money And of a truth before the inuencion of this arte when they began to abiect neglect good authors all good discipline might haue perished with the authours therof if this art had not bene found out in conuenient and happy tyme By this all kinde of learning hath encrease the noble actes of all nations are manifest to all the worlde In lyke manner the memory and remembraunce of auncient antiquity is restored hereby and the deuine wisdome of the Philosophers and what soeuer hath lyen hidden in few written copies these many ages in a few places is now by this set forth to all immortalitie The inuentor of great Gunnes THe great Gunnes came fyrst in vse in the yeare of our Lord .354 and the fyrst author and inuentor there of was one Bertholdus Schwartus a Monke Surely this man founde oute a merueylous woorcke and that so manye sharpe wits could not fynde out before in so many hundreth yeares the which diuine and necessary inuention manye haue thoughte and iudged it to bee a deuelishe and moste perniciouse deuise the argumentes on bothe sydes be these It is euident that for couetousnes mallice and want of charitie in the end of the world the euyll people cannot bee kepte downe by lawes nor that a man may safely trauayle without som daunger of iniuriouse people for before the inuencions of guÌ„nes the seditiouse tumultes factions of wicked and mischeuous men did spoyle and destroy the labors of good men in manye places and no man was able to assault batter the fortes and holdes of suche rebells and robbers where they did enclose them selues without the healpe of suche gunnes and greate ordinaunce therfore they do not well that condemne the inueÌ„tor of these Gunnes without the whiche neyther the good could liue in safegarde nor yet cities could be of any force kepe their riches nor marchaunts could exerâ—ise their marchandize and trafficke who are in deede the speciall partes of mightye and greate Citties Wherefore let the enemies of bombardes and greate Gunnes ceasse to contemne the giftes of God except a man will imagine the gaâ—ing mouth of the Dogge and his teeth made for to byte and so to be coÌ„demned and the hornes in a Bull or an Oxe not to be the good worke of the creatour But no wyse man will condemne these parts of nature geuen in the stede of weapons let them reiecte the abuse as in an Oxe and a mad Dog it is better to lack â—oth hornes and teethe For there is no â—inde of creature the which euil men wil â—ot abuse Some detest this as a plain â—euilishe deuise and that nothing coulde â—e more wickedly deuised vnder heauen because all flagitious and wicked â—atioÌ„s as the Turkes and Tartarians being the coÌ„mon plagues scourges of the world do occupieâ—
mony of Iron and then was all occaâ—ion of felonye and stealing taken away The yron where of hee made his mony being as red as fyre hee put out in vineger that it might be mete for nothing afterward through his softenes He cast oute of the cittie all artes as â—â—profitable for that purpose yet most part of artificers when the vse of Golde was taken away departed from thence of their owne accordes seing that yron monye was not in vse amongest other nacioÌ„s Then that he might the better take away all luxury and ryoting out of the citie he appointed common meetings at bankets and feastes that poore and riche indifferently might meete together at their feastes and feede all vpon the same kinde of baÌ„ket Hereby there was inflamed great anger of those that were welthy mightye and they falling vpon Licurgus with great force caused him to lose one of hys eyes with the blow of a staffe Wherefore a law was made that the Lacedemonians should no more enter into their feastes with a staffe Euery one gaue yerly to this feast one bushell of flower viii gallons of wine fiue pound of cheese fiue pounde and a halfe of figs. Children dyd frequent this as a schole or exercyse of all temperancie and ciuill discipline there they did learne to accustome theimselues with ciuill talkes and to vse honest pasttymes and to iest and be merye without knauery Their virgines were exerciseâ— wiâ—h running wrestling barriers comeâ—ly mâ—uing and gesture with quaytingeâ— casting of the bowle hamer or such likeâ— so that idelnes and effeminate delicatnes taken away they waxed the stronger to tolerate and suffer the payne of childbearing Children after they were seuen yeares of age had their exercises with their equalles and of necessitie did learne letâ—ers they were notted and shorne to the very skinne they weâ—te barefoote at xii yeares of age they might put on one cote after the countrye fashion they neyther knew bathes nor komeÌ„tacions they toke their rest in beds made with redes they might go to the feastes of their elders betters and there if that they did steale anye thinge and were taken with the thefte they were corrected with whips not because it was vnlawfull to steale but because they did it not priuely ynough with craft and subtilitie Licurgus remouing al supersticion permitted the deade bodies to be buryed in the Cittie and also to haue their monumentes about the temples It was not lawfull to ingraue or wright the name of the man or woman vpon any Graue but such as dyed manfully in war The time of lamentacioÌ„ for the dead was prescribed aboute xi dayes It was not lawfull for cittizens to make peregrinations for fear they should bring in straÌ„ge manners into the cittie But those whyche came from strange countries thithâ—r except they were profitable and meete for the common wealthe were excluded the cittie leaste that forreyn nations mighte taste of the Lacedemonian discipline Licurgus would not suffer yong men to vse one vesture all the whole yeare nor any to be more decked then an other nor to haue more delicate bankets theÌ„ others Hee coÌ„maunded all thinges to be bought not for mony but for eschaunge and recoÌ„pence of wares He coÌ„maunded also children towarde xviii yeares of Age to bee brought into the field not into the market place or iudgemente haule that they might passe ouer the first yeres not in luxury but in all kinde of labour and payns they must not lay any thing vnder theym for to sleepe the easyer And their liues they were driuen to passe without ease to come into the Cittie befoore they werâ— men in deede Maydes hee woulde haâ—â— to be maryed without anye dower or rewardes geuen by their parentes Thaâ— wiues might not be chosen for mony sake and that the husbandes should kepe their wiues more straitly because they shoulde receiue nothing in mariage with them Hee would haue the greatest honour and reuerence to begeuen to olde aged men not to rich and noble men hee graunted vnto kinges the power of the warres to Magiâ—trates iudgements and yearly succession to the Senate the custodye of the Lawes to the people the election of the Senate or to create what officers they would These lawes and newe institutes because they seemed hard and straight in comparison of their loose customes and lawes before vsed hee fayned Apollo of Delphos to be the author of them that he had them from thence At the laste to geeue eternitie and perpetuitie to hys lawes he bound the whole cittie with an othe that they shoulde chaunge none of those thinges which he had enacted prescribed before that he did retourne again saying that he would go to the oracle at Delphos to aske counsayle what mighte be chaunged or added to his lawes He tooke his iourney to the ysle of Crete and there liued in banishment Hee commaunded also dying that his bones shuld â—e cast into the sea least that the Lacedemonians if they were brought to Sparta should thinke theym selues absolued and discharged of their othe that they made for the not chaunging of his lawes The ceremonies of the burialles of the kinges of Lacedemonia THe Kinges of Sparta when they be dead knights and purseuantes declares the death of the prince throughout all the wholle countrye the women going round about the cittie do beat and ring vpon basons and pottes And when this chaunceth it is mete thaâ— out of euery house two whiche are free the male one the female the other should make a showe of lamentation and mourninge for the not doing therof great punishmeÌ„t is appointed and the lamenting and cryâ—â—g out with miserable outcries say that the last king euer was the best whatsoeuer king perrisheth in warre when they haue set forth his picture and image theiâ— bâ—â—ng it into a bed very faire wel made and they consume ten dayes in the funerralles of himâ— and ther is no meeting nor assemble of magistrates but continuall weeping and lamentation in this they agre with the Persians that when the king is dead he that succedeth dischargeth froÌ„ all dets whosoeuer oweth any thing to the king or to the coÌ„mon wealth Amongest the Persians hee that was created kinge did remit to euery cittie the tribute whyâ—he was due The Lawes of Draco AL the Lawes which Draco made appointed death almost for a punnishment to euery offence Hee made a law that they which were coÌ„uict of idlenes and slothfulnes should lose their liues In like manner that they whiche stole herbes or fruite oute of other mens grouÌ„ds that they should dye for it The same law of paracides Wherupon Demades was wonte to saye that the lawes of Draco were written wythe bloud and not with yucke The lawes of Solon SOlon made a lawe that those whiche were condemned of paracide and of affected tyrannye should neuer be receyued into any office and not only these â—e excluded from all kinde
being driuen frome their countrye withe their wiues remayning in the coasts of Cappadocia vsing to rob and spoyle the borderers were destroyed at the lengthe by conspiracie and disceit The wiues that folowed their husbandes and seinge that they were left alone tooke weapons and defended their borders and also moued war againste their neighbours they had nomynde at al to marye with their neighbours calling it a seruitute and not matrimonye a singuler example of al ages they encreased their common wealthe without husbandes and that one mighte not seme more happy then another they slew such husbandes as remayned at home At the length when they had gotteÌ„ peace by force of armes they vsed the society of men in the countries by them least their whole nacion shoulde perishe for lacke of procreation and if any men children wer borne they destroyed them and their yoÌ„g women and maydes did not vse spinning nor carding but hunting and handlinge their weapons so that euery female childes breast was sered and burnt away lest they might be hindred therby in shoting whereof they toke that name were called Amazones They conquered a great part of Europe and did occupy many citties in Asia thei had .ii. quenes Marthesia and Lampedo which deuidinge their armie into two parts kept their battels with great welth and strength defending their borders stoutly They did build Ephesus and Smyrna in Asia the lesse did inhabite the chiefe citie in Cappadocia Some say that in some places amongest theym they had husbandes and that the women did beare all the rule and did al common busines and that the men did keepe charge at home like women obeying the women in all thinges Of Hartes in Cyprus IN the isle of Cyprus Hartes are commonly sene to swim in flockes ouer the sea in a straight order laying their heades vpon the buttocks of those that go before and this they go by course They se no land but yet they swim in the sauoure of it the males haue hornes and of all kinde of beasts euery yeare at an accustomed time in the spring they lose theÌ„ therfore that day that they lose them they go into desert places and hide themselues as thinges that haue lost their weapons in â—yght monethes the females bring for the yong they exercise their yonge with running and teache them to thinke vpon flyinge away They leade them to harde vnaccessible places and shew them howe to skyppe and leape but yet it is a simple beast and astonied at the meruaylinge at euerye thinge so that when a Horse or a Stere commeth neare they do not mark the man that is hunting at hand or elles if they perceiue a man they wonder at his bowes and arrowes They beare signes of their age in their hornes and for euerye yeare they haue the encrease of a braunche in their hornes vntil they be vi yeares of age and after that time the like doth â—pringe vpp agayne And after this their age can not bee discerned but olde age is knoâ—en by the 〈◊〉 the hornâ— do not fall away from suâ—h 〈◊〉 aâ—e geldâ—â—â—or do not spring agayne if they be gone The hartes haâ—â— a naturall conflict with the serpente they serche their â—â—uerns with the breath of their nosethrils drawe them out against their wills And therefore the sauour of hartes horne burnt is good to driue away serpeÌ„ts and against their bytings a siâ—guler remedy is made of the ruyn of an hyâ—de slaine in the daÌ„ms beâ—ly The harts liue a longe time as an â—undred yeares and more the end of the hartes tayle hath poyson in iâ— and therefore is it throwed away powâ—er â—â—â—aped of the harts houre and drunke killeth the wornies in the stomache it is goode also against the Iaunders Of the Date tree THere is no countrye that bringeth forth more fruitful date trees then the Holy land there be date trees in Italy but they are barren aboute the the sea coaste of Spayne there be fruitful trees but it is an vnpleasant date in Affrica there is a sweete kinde of date but it lasteth not in the East part of the worlde they make wines of theim and some vse theim as bread and some geeue them as meate to their cattel Hereof be the drye dates most plentifull in iuyce and meate and of them wines are made very hurtful for the heade and as there is plentye of them in the East so are they a great deale better in Iurye and especially in Hieâ—ico It growethe in a lighte and sandye grounde it is â—ushy altogether in the top and hath not the fruite as other trees amongest the leaues but amongest his braÌ„ches The diligent searchers of Nature sayâ— that there is both male and female the male hath flowers the female springethe without flowers much like vnto a thorn See Munster for more Of the dead Sea. THe dead Sea whiche is nighe vnto water of Iordane is so called because nothing can liue in it the Lake of itselfe is smookye and the ayre causeth rustines to brasse and siluer and all bryghte thinges This lake receiueth not the bodye of any liuinge thing Bulls and Camels swym in it and men that haue no knowledge of swimming if they go into it vnto the nauell they are lift vp There is no shippe can sayle on it If you put any liue thing into it it leapeth out A candell burninge wil swym aboue the light being put out it will be drowned the water of this Lake is alwaies standinge still and is not stirred with the winde it is merueilous daungerous and hard coÌ„ming to it for straungers both for wylde beastes and serpentse and also for a barbarous nacion that keepeth there about and troubleth the places therby with often robberies See Munster moore at large Of land transforming things into glasse IN Sydon there is a water that hathe Sande of easye alteracion into glasse This Sande what so euer metall it taketh it chaungeth into glasse and that which is made glasse if it be cast into the sand retournes again to sande And this is a strauâ—ge thinge at Sidon Of the Fishe called a purple THere be that writes the Purple to haue her coloure by reason of the propinquitie of the sonne Wherefore in Africa they haue as it were a vyolet colour and at Tyrus a red colour This Purple is a fishe of the kinde of a shell fishe where of a iuyce is gathered most necessary for the dying of garments This fishe hath this iuyce to coloure and dye Garmentes in the middeste of her mouth and iawes it is gotten and gatheâ—ed in the springe time for at other times she is barren and lacketh this iuyce She loseth her lyfe with the losse of this iuyce for she liueth no longer then she hath any of this iuyce and therefore it is goode to take them aliue She is a great deuourer of little shell fishe out of the whiche a lytour is taken wherewith Sylke is dyed purple She hath a
long tong as it were the length of a â—ingar the which she is alwaies mouing by her tonge shee getteth her praye that shee desireth In Italye they discerne true Purple from counterfayte by powring oyle vpon silke for yf it leaueth any spots it is counterfait but if the silke garment hath no faulte after the oyle it is good and allowable purple The Cittie of Babilon SEmyramis a noble womaÌ„ of great prowesse erected and built the pompouse Cittie of Babilon the walles wherof were made of bricke sand pitch and plaster of a merueylous length and grossenes The walles were in compasse thre hundred and thre score furlonges with many and great towers beautified The bredthe of the walles was suche that sixe cartes mighte go to gether there on the height was thirty and two foote the turrets in number were two hundred and fiftie The bredth and length therof was equall with the walles She made a bridge also of fiue furlonges in length with pyllers in the depthe by merueylous arte of â—tone yron and leadde wyned together When Ninus her husband was dead she toke the administration of the kingdome and raygned xxiiii yeares For although shee had a sonne called also Ninus yet she considering his yonge yeares vnmeet for to rule fayned her selfe to be king Ninus sonne the which was easly credited for the great likenes of nature that was in them This woman was of so noble a courage that she had a singuler emulacion to excel her husband in glorye of whome it needeth not now to speake any more because diuerse authours haue so largely renowmed and set forth her noble actes Of the Phenix THe Phenix is a noble byrde and is but one in the worlde whiche is not much seene Cornelius sayth that the Phenix did flye into Egipt when as Plaucius and Paupinius were consuls It is sayd that she is as byg as an Eagle hauing a glittring brightnes like as gold about her necke in other partes purple and Azured â—ayle withe Rose coloures her head with a plume top of feathers Manilius saith that no man hath sene her feeding Shee liueth sixe hundrethe and thre score yeares when she waxeth olde she maketh her neste of Cassia and braunches of frankinsence tree to fill it with odoures and so dyeth vppon it then of her bones and mary thereof there springeth â—irst a little worme which afterwarde is a younge Phenix This birde as Pliny sayth is commonly in Arabia where are found goodly pearls and of great estimacion Cleopatra gaue for one pearle that was brought out of this countrie ii hundred and fiftye thousand crownes The goodnes of pearle is iudged by the whitnes greatnes roundnes playnnes orieÌ„t brightnes and weight Of the Vnicorne SOme saye that Unicorne is like vnto a colte of ii yeares and a halfe olde In his foreheade there growethe an horne which is blacke in the length of .ii. or .iii. cubites his colour is tawnye lyke â— weasell his head like an hart his neck not long his mayne very thin hanginge onely vpon the one syde his shanckes bee small and thin his hoofes of his formar feete is deuided lyke an oxe and almoste representing a goates foote Of his hinder feete his outward part is hearye and roughe The king of Ethiope hath some store of these beastes this beast is not coÌ„monly taken aliue Of Mahumet the false prophet of the Sarracens of his originall and peruersitie MAhometes was the Prince of all impietye and â—upersticion Wherfore it is not to be meruailed if hee hath set the seedes of all euil and such as wil not be rooted out Some sayth that he was a Cyrenaic in nacion some that he was an Arabian others that he was a Persian Hee was borne in the yeare of our Lorde .597 A man of an obscure familye and of no great wealth nor streÌ„gth nor manhoode some saye that his father was a worshipper of deuils that limaelita his mother was not ignorant of the lawes of the Hebrewes wherefore the chilâ—e being distrace and made doubtfull because whyleste that his father teached him one kinde of religion his mother suggested another so that hee folowed none of them throughlye And thus being trayned vp in ii seueral manners he receiued and kept none of them at his full age but he being brought vp amongest the good christians beinge of a subtile and craftye wit inuented and deuised of both lawes a most perniciouse and detestable secte for mankinde After the death of his pareÌ„ts he was taken of the Sarracens which wer accompted notable amongest the Arabians in theft and robberies and was solde to a marchaunt of the Ismael kinde Hee being a craftye felow rapaciouse dishonest subiect to all vyce a notable dissembler deceiuer was at the length madâ—â—he ruler of their marchaundize and wares He did driue camels through out Egipt Syria Palestine and other strange places with the often trauaile in whych places he vsinge the companye aswell of the Iewes as of christians manye tymes â—tudied and went about not to learn but to depraue the olde and newe Testament being taught diuerse sects of his pareÌ„ts to this he added the gaynes that came by theft and dayly imagined how to deceue his maister Wherfore being suspected of his maistar and hated of others of an obscure seruaunte and slaue he became a notorious theife and robber And beinge made more famouse with his continuall theft and robberies he got dayly a great number of companions of his vnthriftye doynges These thinges were also a greate helpe vnto him his straunge and horrible countinance his terrible voyce and his desperate ruffenly boldenes greatlye to be feared Thus comming by litle and little in admyracion of a barbarous nacion hee got vnto him no small authority so that his maister being dead with oute children he maryed and toke to wife hys mystres being a widow of that Ismael stocke and fiftie yeares of age hauing great wealth and riches who also brought him vp This pestilent man being puffed vp with his wiues goodes applyed his mynde to all kinde of detestable acts throughe his corrupt and depraued wit beinge of him selfe otherwise prompt and geeuen to all kinde of presumptuous boldnes his cemetiâ—ie and malapertnes was also increased by the vnconstancie and vnfaithfulnes of one Sergius a pestilent monke so that in a shorte space hee came to suche estimacion amongest the Arabians that he was called and beleeued to bee the great messenger of God and the great Prophet this in euery mans mouth This Sergius being a Nestorian archeheritike banished from Constantinople fled into Araby and asociating him selfe vnto Mahumets familiaritie an ill maister and gouernor with a most filthy and abhominable scholer was sone vnited together hee was a prater and ful of wordes bold rashe impudent subtile craftye and in al thinges agreing with Mahumet who now was waxed mightye aud could helpe at a pinthe and whose name began to be famous and so at the length the
of sixe thousande buildings which be not ioyned together as our houses be but are seperate a good space a sunder the lengthe of the cittie is a thousand paces their houses be very lowe so that they are not aboue the heighte of a man on horse backe from the ground they be couered in the topp with voughes and braunches of trees commoÌ„lye Their king is addict to the worshippinge of deuils Hee doâ—the not deniâ— God to be the maker of heauen and eartâ— and the firste cause and author of things but the saythe that God appointed the office of iudgement to an ill spyrit and to do right to mortâ—l men and this spyrit thei call Deumo The kinge hath the picture of this deuill in his chappel sitting with a diademe an his head like vnto the bishops of a Rome but this diademe hath four horâ—es aboute and this picture gapethe with a wide mouth sheweth four teeth It hath a deformed nose grim and terrible eyes a threatning countenance croâ—ed fingers with tallants and feet much like vnâ—o a cocke they that loke vpon this horrible monster are sodenlye a fraid it is so lothsome and terrible a thinge to beholde About the churche are painted deuils and in euery corner SathaÌ„ is made of brasse sitting with such workmanship that he seemeth to cast flames of fier for the consuming of soâ—les miserablye in his right hand the picture of the deuill putteth a soule to his mouth and with his left hand it recheth another Euery morninge theire priestes do clense this Idoll with rose water and other swete waters and they perfume it with diuers sweete thinges falling downe and worshippinge 〈◊〉 They put the bloud of a cocke weekelye in a siluer vessel filled wiâ—h burninge coles and a great number of swete perfumes and taking a censâ—r they make it redolent with frankincense and haue a little siluer bel ringing all the while And the King eateth no meaâ—e before that iiii priestes haue offred vnto the deuil somewhat of the kinges dishes The king at his dinner â—â—tteth on the ground without any cloth vnder hint and the priestes standeth round aboute hym as he sytteth neueâ— coÌ„ming nerer hym their within four paâ—â—s marking the kynges wordes moste reâ—erâ—â—â—lye when he hath done eatinge y 〈…〉 â—he relicques of the kynges meate to yong crowes and birdes to bee eaten which fowle is an â—eyâ—ous thinge to â—â—ll and therfore they â—lye euery wherin safety When the 〈◊〉 mâ—rieth a wife â—e â—seth not to go to beâ— vnto her before thâ—t this newe maried wife hath bene deâ—â—loureâ— of the most worthye pryeste For this whoâ—edome the kinge geueth him as a rewarde fyue hundred crownes The pryestes are in the first order of estymacion with them then senators whych beare a sword and a buckler a bow and a Iaueline when they goe abroade Thirdlye they esteme artificers Fourthly fyshers Fyftlye marchants for wine peper acornes Last of al such as sowe and gather ryce They haue no great respect of apparel but to couer their priuye partes they go barefoote and barehead When the king is dead if there be any males aline etherchyldren brethren or brothers children they succede not in the kingdome but the sinÌ„ers sonne by theyr lawe muste haue the scepter and if there be no suche then he succedeth in the crowne which is nearest of consangninitie and this is for none other cause but because the priestes haue defloured their quene When the kinge goeth foorthe into some straunge countrye or to hunt the priests kepe the quene company at home and nothing can be more acceptable to the king then that they should be acqueynted with the quene in venereouse acts and therefore the kinge knoweth for a certaintye that those children which he hath by his wyfe cannot be accompted his chyldren but he taketh his sisters children as most neare vnto him in lawful consâ—guinitye and taketh them heires to the crowne The marchants kepe this order such wiues as they haue they may chaunge them in the colour of a better coniunction and the â—â—e sayth to the other seing thaâ— you haue bene my best friende let vs chaunge our wiues vpon that condicion that you may haue myne and I may haue youres Then saith the other saye you so in earnest yea sayth he by Pollux Then â—ayth his fellowe let vs goe home to my house whether wheÌ„ they are come the one claymeth the others wife sayinge come hyther woman and folow this man because from hence forthe he shal be thy husband then the woman sayth doo you speake in earneâ—t to whome her fyrst husband saith I do not mocke then the woman saythe gladly I wil folowe hym And this is the way of chaunging theyr wiues Ther be some women in this countrye that maye mary seuen husbands and lye with them euery night by course and where shee is deliuered of a chylde shee maye choose to whiche of her husbandes shee wil father her chylde so that the man maye not refuse it by anye meanes Manye other straunge thinges is rehearsed of this nacion the rehearsall wherof were very tedyouse here There is much Peper growinge in this countrye of Calechut the stalke of pepper is but weake somewhat lyke to a vyne stalke so that it cannot growe without a prop it is not muche vnlyke to yuie for it wyndeth and creepeth as that doth and with a more deepe claspinge it wyndeth about the tree this hath manye braunches thre handful longe They gather it in October and Nouember being grene as yet and lay it on tiles in the son to be dryed wherin iii. dayes space it waxeth blacke euen as wee haue it Ginger growethe in Calechut but muche is broughte oute of Crauonor thither Cynamon is in the Isle of Zaylon fyftie Germaine myles beyond Calechut Pepper growethe in the fyeldes of Calechut but great store is brought out of Corimucol xii miles beyoÌ„d Calechut Cloues are gathred in a place called Meluza a litle from Calechut Nutmeggs growe in Melaccha whyche is a greate way from Calechut Muske or CastoreuÌ„ commeth from the country of Pego whiche is an hundred myles from Calechut Pearle and preciouse stone are founde about the citie of Ormus and sent to Calechut the general marâ— of al the East partes And manye other spices silkes and straunge thinges are brought from these countries into oures Of the bridges in Singui and Quinsai THere bee numbred in the Citye of Singui about sixe thousaÌ„d bridges of stone hauinge so large arches that great ships may passe throughe withoute bendyng of the maste There is another cittye called Quinsay in Asia whych contayneth in the circuite of it aboue an hundred Italian myles whyche make .xxv. German myles it is thoughte to bee the greatest and most notable citie in the world It hath twelue thousand bridges of stone so highe and large that a shyp maye passe vpright through them Of certaine illusions of Deuills aboute Tangut THere is seene and hearde aboute the deserts of
Tangut in the daye time and more commonly in the nighte diuers illusions of deuils Therfore trauelers that way ought to take good hede that they sauer not their companies and least any comming behind might hinder them for otherwise they shall sone loose the sight of their companions for the hils and mountaines There be heard the voyces of spirits and deuils which goyng solitarilye wil call others by their names fayninge and counterfâ—yting the voyces of their companions the whiche if they can by any meanes do leade men out of the way to destruction There be hard some times in the ayre the consents harmonye of musicke instruments There bee many worshippers of Idols and they attribute much honour to the deuils When their wyues haue a son they commend him to some Idol in the honoure of it that yeare the father keepeth vpp a ram the which a yeare after the natiuitie of the chylde at the next feaste of that ydoll he offrâ—th with his sonne and maâ—ye other ceremoniâ—s When the sacryâ—ice is done they bringe the fleshe whiche was offred to some certayn place and al his kinsfolkes gathered together do eate of that with great deuocion keeping the bones reuerently in some vessel In this countrye is found a Serpent called Salamandra which liueth in the fier without any damage those serpents are vsed for the making of such cloth as may suffer the fier without any corruption or harme or els when any spot commeth to any garment made of the heares of a Salamander yt may be caste for an hower in the fier and all the spots wyll be gone no otherwise then if they had bene very cleane washt Of the Cocatrice THere is in Africke a kinde of SerpeÌ„t called a Cocatrice which hath a white spot in his head hauinge the fashion of a Diademe His head is verye sharpe his mouth red his eyes somwhat black in colour as Pliny saith with hys hyssinge he driueth away all kinde of serpents He destroyeth withe his breathe young trees and plants consumeth herbes breake the stones and infecteth the ayre where hee taryethe so that a byrde can not flye ouer that ayre or throughe it without dauÌ„ger of death Yet it is said that the poysoÌ„ of a Weasel is his destrucâ—ion Achanus sayth that he hath so sharp poyson that excedinge not in lengthe a mans hand yet hee extinguisheth euerye great serpent with his onely breath There is not a more hurtfull or more pestilent beast vppon the earth for this lying in his den may destroy a wholl cittye by infection Of the Crocodile THe Crocodile is found commonly aboute the water of Nilus Ganges in India and waxeth of a litle thiÌ„g to a very greate beast For his eggs are much like vnto goose eggs but the yong whyche commeth of theim taketh increase to sixtene or eyghtene cubites in leÌ„gth he liueth almost as long as a man he lacketh a tong his bodie is meruelouslye defended of nature for al his backe is ful of scales and wonderful harde his tayle is long he hath many teeth on both sides of his mouth wherof two do especially haÌ„g out he doth not onely deuoure man but also other earthly beastes comming nere to the water he dismembreth them with his nayles whiche hee hathe sharper theÌ„ anye weapon His bytinge is cruell and sharpe and he so rendeth with his teeth that it can neuer be healed there is great store of them about Nilus because they are verye fruitful of themselues hauing yonge euerye yeare and also they are seldome taken It is a feareful beast flying from those that persecute him and persecuting those that flye away from him It is said that when hee goeth aboute to deuoure a man that hee beginneth to weepe wher of hath sprong this prouerbe The tears of a Crocodile that is when one doothe weepe with his eyes withoute compassion and not with his harte and mynde Plinye sayth that this beaste onely in his â—yting doth moue his vpper iawe hee lyueth in the daye tyâ—e vpon the lande and in the nighte tyme in the water his eyes be very dul in the water and his sighte is â—erueylous sharpe out of the water â—ome saye that hee groweth and encreaseth as long as he lyueth Younge fowles hatched and brought forthe without the dammes and females FOelix Vlmenâ—is and Britenbachius writethe in their bookes of common peregrinacion and traueyle that in Alexandria and in Egipt there bee Ouens made full of holes wher in are layd thre or four thousand eggs some of geese some of hens some of pygeons some of duckes and that they are hydden and couered in dung and that whotte coles are set a far of about the dunge so the through the temperate heate of these thinges the eggs by litle and litle waâ—e warme in the dung euen as it were vnder the hen And at lengâ—h the yong are hatched brought forthe so that they come by flockes out of the dung and from thence are taken and led a brode to be fed at lybertye The Rites and Manners of the Egiptians THere Egiptians were almost the firste in the worlde wherof other nacions learned and tooke their lawes wisdome manners and liuinge and we reade that for learning sake Homer Dedalus SoloÌ„ Plato and manye other went thither For althoughe they were gentiles not beleeuyng on God yet they studied much for honesty and goodnesse and with their honest conuersâ—cion dyd alluâ—e strauÌ„gers and good men to come vnto them and to learne that whyche they could not fynde in other places Their women in tymes past did vse marchandize and all thinges appertayniâ—ge to chapmen the men dyd weâ—ue and spyn within the house and caâ—ye burdens on their heades the whyche the women did vse to heare on their shouldâ—â—s the mâ—n did make â—ryne sâ—ttyng but the women â—id contrarye They did discâ—arge their bellyes at home bâ—t their bâ—nkets they kepte in highe wayes they moulded brâ—â—d with their feet and stired their claye with their â—andes They dyd vse to wryte after the Hebrew fashion begynniâ—g their letters on the right hand When any of them met together at dynâ—er or supper before they departed ther came in one that broughte a picture of a dead man vpon a staffe made of wood of a cubite length or somewhat more and shewed it to euery one of the gestes sayinge behold and loke vpon this drinke and be refreshed with pleasure for such one shalt thou bee after thy deathe Their lawes were suche that periured men lost their liues as thought they had bene giltye of two offences the one of violating pietye towardes God the other of breakinge faythe and promise amongest men which is the surest knot of humane societie If any traueyler founde anye man beaten of theues and would not help him if he could he shoulde be founde culpable of death if he were not able to helpe him hee was bounde to detect the theues and to folow the action against theim and
â—e that did neglect to do this was punished with certayne strypes and kepte withoute meate for three dayes If anye father killed his sonneâ— there was no punishment of death appointed but for three dayâ—s and nights conctiâ—ually he was commaunded to be about the dead bodye for they thoughte it no iust thinge to take away lyfe from him that gaue lyfe to his chyldren but ratheâ— that he shoulde be punished with continuall payne and repentance of his fact that others might feare to do the lyke Parricides they â—aused to be burned vppon an heape of thornes and such as vttred any secrets to their enemies thei caused their tongues to be cut out And they that dyd counterfayte or clyp mony had both their handes cut of so that with what parte of the body the offence was made with the same he shoulde tolerate punishment If anye had violated a free woman his naturall partes were cutte of because in one fault hee committed three haynous thynges that is an iniurye corruption and confusion of chyldren He that was takeÌ„ in voluntarye adultrye hadd a thousande â—â—ripes with roddes and the woman was maÌ„gled vpon the nose The prieâ—ts could haue but one wyfe but the laytye as many as they could kepe The bringing vppe of their children was with small coste for it came not vnto the charge of twentie grâ—ates the 〈◊〉 education to their full â—ge and this is not to beâ— mâ—rueyled at because Egipte is a hote countrie and therfore they lyue naked without anye kinde of garmente and they feede vpon rotes the which they eat somtimes rawe and somtymes rosted in imbers The priests did teach their children especiallye Geomatrie and Arythmeticke They did driue away sicknes eyther with fasting or with vomit the whiche they vsed euerye thirde daye Theyr opinion was that all diseases came of superfluitie of meates and therfore that to bee the best cure whyche toke awaye the matter and causes Manye other strauÌ„ge thinges are at large sei forth of this nacion by Munster Of the Ostrydge THE Oystridge found especially in Africa his heade is couered withe smal heares his eyes be grosse and blacke his necke is long his byl is shorte and sharpe his feete hath as it were a bypartite â—oofe Plinie fayth that he exceedeth the â—right of a man on â—orsebacke that his winges helpe him little But with his nayles whiche are like hoofes he taketh stones and throwethe againste those whiche persecute him he doothe digeste whatsoeuer hee deuoureth bee it neuer so harde He is of a meruaylous folishnes for if he hath once hidden his head vnder a bushe he thinketh him selfe safe and not to be seene It is sayd to be a simple and forgetful thinge that as sone as it hath brought forte eggs it forgetteth theym vntil the yong commeth forthe whiche is thoughte to bee easlye done because they leaue the eggs in the warme sandes so that the yonge may sone be hatched the whiche the males do feede and cherishe when they are brought forth When hee seeth that hee cannot auoyde takinge he casteth stones against his followers and manye tymes hurteth them His nest is commonlye found in the â—and wel made with bulwarkes and bankes to kepe awaye rayâ—e from the yong Of the Empire of Cathay THe Empyre of Cathay is ruled by the great Cham. With this nacioÌ„ one man may haue many wiues when the husband dyeth euery wyfe pledeth her owne cause before the iudges sheweth her merits so that which of theÌ„ so euer is adiudged to haue bene the most officiouse and dearest wife to her husbaÌ„d shee in her best apparell and with all her iewels as though she had gotten the victorie of the other goeth willynglye and merelye vnto the heape of wood wher her husband shall be burnt and lyinge down by his carcasse and embracinge it the fier is kindled and so shee is burnte with her husbaÌ„d the other of his wiues after this liue in greate shame and obloquye They matche not together for wealth or nobilitye but for excellencye of beauty and procreacioÌ„ sake The people of Cathay haue this opinion that they thinke no other nacion to see with both eyes but theÌ„ selues they are perswaded also that they excell all other in subtilitye of artes and scyences It is a whyte kynde of people withoute beardes of small eyes and lackinge true pietie and due obeysance to God for some of them worshyp the Sonne some the moone others certayne immages of mettalls and other some an oxe so that they be full of monstruous supersticion The Emperour keepeth his court at his citye called Cambalu whiche is the noblest marte in that part of the world for there is almost neuer a day through out the yeare but that a thousand carte lodes of silke almoste are chaunged and broughte there amongest marchants The Emperour kepeth in his court twelue thowsand horsemen to kepe his bodye Their order of watchinge is thus One captain with three thousand gardeth the king within the Palace for thre dayes and so dothe another other three dayes following thus they keepe their courses When the Emperoure sittethe downe to meate hee hath his principall and greatest quene on his left hand and his children whiche be of royall bloud on his right hand in a lower place No man that sitteth downe in this halle drinketh or is serued in anye other vessell but of Golde the princes and noble men that serue the king at his meate couer their mouthes with most fyne silke clothes least they shoulde breath vpon the kinges meate or drinke and when the Emperour taketh the pot to drincke all the musicians beginne to make great melodye and the others ministers bende their knees More of this nacion you shal fynde in the great boke of Munsters Cosmographye Of the Canniballs THE Canniballs are wylde people feeding vpon mans fleshe which is a very swete kinde of flesh If they get or fynd any chyldreÌ„ within the age of fourtene yeares they feede them craÌ„me them as we do Capons but those whych are beyonde fourtene yeares of age they kill them out of hande deuouringe theyr whot guts immediatly and the other partes of their bodies they salt and lay vp as wee do powdred fleshe they eate no women but kepe them only for the bearinge of children as we do hennes for eggs If any for age is past child bearinge shee doth all drudgery like vnto a bond womaÌ„ they haue no houses but they erect many trees together and so combine them in the top that it serueth for lodginge Their beds be made of silke and haye they haue no yron but they vse bones instede of yroÌ„ they dresse their meates in earthen pots mingling the flesh of Parats geese ducks and mans fleshe together They are now come to moore ciuilitye then they had in tymes paste Of the Lyon. LYons liue in many countries in Africa they haue a cruell and terrible looke and thyn heares Pliny thinketh that his especiall valiencye
of dignitie but such also as wolde followe neyther parte when any tumulte or sedition were in the Cittie thinking it to be the part of an yl Cittizen when hee had prouided well for his owne safetye to haue care or respecte of common affayres This also was a straunge decree of his making that such women as had husâ—andes nothing meeâ—e for vene reâ—use acts should take one whoÌ„ they would chose of their husbands kinsâ—olâ—es without dâ—ungeâ—â—â—ee forbad lamentacion mourning in another mans funerâ—llâ— and that the sonne shoulde not geue any help or refreshing to his father if so be y he causedâ— him not to be brought 〈◊〉 in some arte necessary for the vse of life and that there should be no care betwixâ— the parentes and therm that were borne bastardes and in vnlawfull matrimonys For he that doth not kepe himselfe chaste from the company of harlots doth plainlye declare that he hath no care of the procreacioÌ„ of children but of libidiouse pleasures and dooth depriue him selfe of his iust rewarde He would haue a common adulterer taken in adulterye to be slayne scot free and without any daunger Who soeuer did violently misuse any maydes or virgins he would haue them mulâ—ted or amerâ—ed with ten grotes the whyche was a great somme of mony of his coyne Who soeuer had brought a wolfe by him oâ—ercome should haue fiue grotes to beâ— gathered of the comminalty if it werâ— a she wolfe he shuld haue but one grote It was a custome amongest the Athenians to persecute that beast which was as wel hurtefull to their cattell as to their fieldes He commaunded that the childreÌ„ of those which perished in waâ—re shoulde be brought vp and taught of the common charge wherewith many being incouraged did stoutly and manfully fight in battayle He would also that whosoeuer lost his eyes in battayle should be broughte vp and kept of commoÌ„ charges He made a Lawe also that hee should not haue the wardeship of the childe to whome the inheritaunce mighte come after the deathe of the childe And that whosoeuer thrust out another mans eye that he should lose both his owne for it Another law of his was that no man should take away that which he layde not there and if any did the contrary it should be iudged a capital offence If the Prince were taken or found drunken that hee shoulde dye for it Hee permitted hony and waxe to be caryed in to other countries Hee thoughte no man meete to be free of a cittie but the crafts man which came with his wholl familye to Athens or els was banished from his owne countrye Of the warrs and maners of the Turkes THe Turkes haue a meruaylous celeritie in doinge a constancye in daungers and obseruation of the empyre They wil swym ouer very depe and daungerouse waters they passe ouer straunge hilles and being commaunded they go through thicke and thin headloÌ„g hauing no regard of their liues but of the empyre Moste apte and readye to suffer fasting and watching There is no sedition amongest them no tumult They vse horrible sounds and not outcries in war in their tentes in the night tyme there is such diligent silence that they had rather suffer their prisonners to escape then to moue any tumulâ—e The Turkes of all kinde of people are said at these dayes to vse most lawfull fighting so that it is no meruayle why their common wealth coÌ„tinueth so long and encreaseth so muche that their nacion is almost inuincible except they be destroyed by some plague or pestilence or ciuil discord The souldiers haue an honest kinde of apparel In their saddles and bridels there is no curiouse superfluitie No man goeth armed but in the tyme of warre Their weapons are brought after them in burdens they vse no banners nor standerds but in the tops of their Iauelins they haue certayn threades of diuers colours hanging wherby one captayne is knowen from an other They vse the drumme the fluite to call and moue them to fight They praye for their souldiers in euerye congregation solempne meeting but rather for such as haue dyed for their country calling them happye and blessed that they dyed not at home in the lamentacion of their wiues and children but abroade amongest their enimies weapons and terrible noyses They wrighte and describe the victories of their auncestours they sing and extoll them being written for they thinke their souldiers myndes to be muche encouraged by these meanes They do so abhorre pictures and engraued images that vpoÌ„ such causes they call the christians idolaters They haue no bells nor yet do suffer the christians abiding amongest them to haue bells They neuer play for mony or any other thing but such as be founde playing be greuously staundred in euerye mans mouâ—h No man of what state or degre soeuer hee bee desyrethe to sit on a benche but they lye downe and sit on the earthe lyke children with a very comlye folding of their garments vnder them The table wheron they feede for the most part is prepared of an oxe hide or an hartes skinne vndressed and rough with heare still hauing the roundnes of foure or fyue hand bredthes No man entreth in to any house church or other place wher in they muste sit vnlesse his shoes be of because it is accounted an vnhoneste and vndecent pointe for anye man to sit withe his shoes on his feete and therefore they vse a kinde of shoes that may easly be put on and of The place wher they sit eyther at home or in the Churches is strewed couered either with tapestrye clothes or broade clothe or rushes and sometymes for the moysture and vncleanes of the place they haue bourdes and tables The garments bothe of men and women are large and longe ynoughe open in the former parte They haue greate care in emptying the belly and making vryne that they tourne not their faces towardes the South which way they are always woÌ„t to loke prayinge They take also greate hede least any man should see their â—ilthynes in discharging nature They absteyâ— from wine as their lawes doth coÌ„maund them because it is a prouoker of al vncleannesse vyce and yet maye they lawfullye eate grapes Thep absteyne also from swynes bloud and flesh and from al flesh that dyeth of the murrayne All other meates they do eate Howe the Turkes do beleeue and howâ— they worship God. THe Turkes confesse one God whiche hath none lyke or equall to him whose faithfull Prophete they accompte Mahumet Fyue tymes a daye they pray with their faces tourned into the South and before they do this they prouide that they haue a most perfect cleanes of body in euerye parte handes armes mouth eares nosethrils eyes heares washing their feete most decentlye especially after carnall copulation and natural euacuatioÌ„ except they haue bene sick or trauayling abroade If they want water to do this which is seldome seene because in euery cittie they haue bathes coÌ„tinually flowing then
they wype and rub them otherwise Euery yeare they faâ—â—e a whol moneth and a weke most straight lye in the daye tyme neyther eatinge nor drinking any thing nor yet hauinge anye coniunction withe women but after the Sonne set vntill the Sonne rising the next day they fyll them selues with meate drinke and venereouse pleasures in the ende of this solemne feast they celebrate the feast called the Pasch in remeÌ„brance of Abrahams Ramme whiche appeared in steede of his Sonne at the sacrifice of a certayne night wherein they suppose the Alcorane was geuen from heauen Their priestes do not much differ from the laytie nor their churches from common houses It is sufficient to knowe the booke which is called Alcorane and such thinges as appertayne to prayer obseruaÌ„ce of the Lawe They lacke not their readinges and studies of artes and sciences They haue no care of churches nor soules departed They haue no sacraments nor obseruation of reliques holy vessells nor alters but they are attente and diligent in loking to their children their wiues familye to tillage of the ground to marchandize to hunting and like exercises wherwith lyfe is mainteyned They bee free from seruitute and exactions these priestes be honored of euery body as men that knowes the ceremonies of the lawes haue the gouernment of churches can instruct others They haue many scholes and places of exercise wherin such polyticke Lawes are taughte as haue beene made by their princes for the administracion of the common wealthe and defence of the countrye wherin they that proâ—ite some of them are made rulers in eccleâ—iasticall matters and some be seculier magistrates there be also in that sect many and diuers religious sorts wherof some liuing in woods and solitude vtterly refuse the company of men some keepinge hospitalitie in citties do releeue the pore straungers with hospitalitie if they haue not to refreshe them selues with all for they themselues also liues of begginge almes many of them wandringe aboute citties cary good and alwayes freshe water in certayne bottles of the which they geue to euerye one demaundinge for the same frely and gladly for the which duetifull good will and worke of mercie if any thing be geuen they take it they coueâ— nothing but they make so great a shewe and ostentacion of religion both in their deedes and sayings and also in their maners and gesture that they rather seeme aungels then men such is the disceite in mens eyes The Turkes ceasse from all labour on the Fryday and keepe it withe as much religion and deuocion as we do the Sonday But the Iewes do meruaylously obserue the Saturday In euerye Cittie there is one principall Churche wherin they meete together after noone euery body after their prayers solemplye done they haue a sermon They haue large and sumptuouse temples whyche are called in their tongue Meschit wher in they haue no Images at all but it is found written euery where There is no God but one and Mahumet his prophet one creator and the prophets equall And also There is none so strong as God. There be in their churches a great number of burning lampes with oyle All the churche is white the pauement is layde with mats and other thinges and aboue many clothes of tapestrye and Arras be hanged There is a great turret about the churche on the top wherof their minister when seruice tyme is standethe and puttinge his fingers in his Eares withe an highe voyce in his owne tongue he repeteth these wordes thrise One true God. when this crie is harde the nobles and the meaner forte commeth to the temple only intent to deuocion the minister prayeth with them and that he oughte to doe fower tymes betwene daye and nighte by his office they which come to the prayers ought to wash their handes and fete and secret parts They must put of their shoes and leaue them before the churche gate and thus some enter barefote into the churche and some withe very cleane and fayre shoes The women fit together in a secrete place from the men so that the men may neyther see theym nor heare theym albeit they come not so often to the church In their prayers they cruciate and afflict their bodies merueyâ—ously with continual agitation and vociferacions so that often times they sowne and faynt in minde and strength They thinke it an horrible â—hinge and moste wicked that a christian man shuld be present at their ceremonies and Sacrifices hauinge this Opinion that their Temples are contuminate and defyled of vncleane and vnwashed men their minister getteth him into the pulpit and there about two howers hee preacheth when his sermon is don ii children ascend thither which singe their prayers sweetlye after this the minister beginneth with all the people to sing in a low voyce bendinge his bodye on euerye side but his words are nothing but these There is but one God. They kepe thursday also as a festiuall day albeit the Friday is most deuoutly and most religiously â—alowed of them because they haue an opinion amongeste theym that Mahumet was borne vpon the Fryday The opinion of the Turkes vppon the worlde to come THe Turkes attribute so muche to Mahumet and his lawes that thei assuredly promise euerlasting happines to such as kepe their lawes that is 〈◊〉 say a paradise of pleasures a gardeyne hauing most pleasaunt and swete waters set in a pure and temperate ayre wherein they should haue whatsoeuer they wold as all kinde of deintye dishes for satietie silke and purple apparell yong and beautifull maydes at their owne wil and plesure with golden and siluer plate Angels seruing and ministring vnto theym like Butlers bringinge milke in golden plates and red wine abundantly in siluer cups Contrarye wise to those that breake these lawes they threaten the daunger of hell and euerlasting destruction This also they beleue that how great offences soeuer a man hath committed if he wyll beleue onely in God and Mahumet wheÌ„ he dyeth he shall be â—afe and happye Some of their religion haue this opinioÌ„ that the lawe profiteth nothinge but the grace of God wherby a man muste be saued which without merit or law is sufficient to get saluacion There be some as it were â—uccessors of the prophets and fathers aleâ—ging and affirming the tradicions of the elders which teach that men by merit may be saued without the lawe and Gods grace so that they be earneste in prayers in watching and meditacions There be others agayn that affirme euery man to be saued in the law that is geuen of God because those Lawes are equally good to those that keepe them and one ought not to be preferred before another So you may se where Christ is not how inconstant myndes wauer in diuers â—rroes the which thing also may appear amongest some christians as such as seke for saluation of any other then of the Sauiâ—ure oâ—elye Of the Fastinge and Meates of the Turkes THe