subtill in witte of valiant hart and fortunate in exployt of war as he manifested most puisantly by obtayning more honour than any other in the Campe whereby he grew in dayly reputation amongst his owne companions and more fearefull than the Wolfe is to the Shéepe to the hearts of his enemies which hanging the times of these warres caused the Emperour Heraclius to fauoure him aboue all others The warres ended and licence giuen for all the straungers to departe he sent the Saracyns away discontented and not wel payed which moued them and their generall Mahomet to rayse mutine and coniuration in suche wyse that they assayled Palestina whyche before they had subdued and inuaded the countreys of Aegypt Damas the two Syrias Pentapolis and Antioch without resistaunce of any person Here also you must vnderstande that Mahomet was by his father a Gentile and by his mother a Iewe whyche is the cause why he was fostred in Iudea He held one Sergius which was infected with the heresies of Arius and Nestor a very ambitious man for his especiall friende By whome Mahomet vnderstanding well what honour and reuerence the Saracyns yeelded vnto him and accompting him selfe their head and chiefe determined to become their King lawegiuer to the end as King to be reputed and for lawmaker to be worshipped And as thys moÌ„ster Mahomet had a GeÌ„tile to his father a Iew to his mother and a Christian Heretique to his chiefe friend and instructer so each of them vsed their seueral lawes out of whiche thrée he determined to elect one to satisfye or more properly speaking to delude all nations Thus this miscreant nothing regarding the soules health nor due reformation of the common state but thristing after the renoune of a Prince during life and the fame of their lawgiuer after death instituted and published a sect or rather a rabble of abhominable preceptes and detestable counsells thereby to chaunge the vertuous and therewith to delight the vicious and wicked In the yeare 630. Heraclitus inferred and began his warres against the Persians and in the yeare 632. the warres ended In that yeare 632. Mahomet by conquest subdued the greatest part of Asia and in the yeare 636. he gaue his lawes to the Saracyns his countrymen the which he first brought into Arabia Petrosa not by preaching in worde but murdering with sword The gouernment of the East thus resting it chaunced in the yeare 642. that an infinite number of barbarous people passing by the stréetes of the mountaynes Caucasus to inuade that part of Asia Minor that bordereeh on Asia Maior whose comming brought good successe to the Nations adioyning These people by discent were of thrée mighty rude countries that is of the Scithians now called Persia of the PanoniaÌ„s now named Hungaria and of the Escaines nowe called Denmarcia whiche barbarians departed foorth of their natiue soyle as it is iudged constrayned with penurie and want of victualls as also with the Ciuill warres which they had amongst themselues For being without a gouernour they liued by robbing and pilling one from another euermore driuing the weakest to the worst Whereat Mahomet astonied at this their arriuall and séeing the Scithes and Paenonians dayly more and more to endamage Asia and to become so stout as to furnish themselues with places of defence he determined with a mighty power of Saracyns to encounter them This thing dismayed the Barbarians and caused them to assemble togither where they chose one Trangolipique for their general a man in warres much fortunate and in peace most vicious Now the warres of the Scithians and Saracyns grew so hote so long and so cruell that in thrée yeares and a halfe was soughten sixe mightie and bluddy battells wherein Fortune declared hir mutabilitie for to the Saracyns she was vnfriendly and to the Scithians nothing fauorable sometimes gyuing victory to the one side one day and tryumph to the other side on the next day Which the Scithians well noting and perceyuing that their number was muche decreased by meanes of those warres and also the Saracyns beholding the presente spoyle of their countrâ—… â–ª they agréed amongst themselues vppon Articles ensuing to continue friends for euer that is that the Scithes shoulde receyue the lawe of Mahomet and that the Saracyns should giue them that countrey to inhabite Whyche accordingly tooke effect and was concluded in the yeare 647. that the Saracyns and Turks became friends and confederates and from that time forwarde did wholly submit themselues to the obedience of Mahomet taking him for king and vowing fidelitie to his lawes Strabo Plynie Pomponius Mela and Gelaton whiche haue described all countries in the worlde make little accompte of Turkie before suche time as the Scythes beganne to inhabite the same who in the end became so strong and the Great Turk and Turquy so famous as at this day it is reputed one of the most renowmed Empyres in the world How the loue of Mahomet entred Africa VNderstand you that in the yeare 698. a puissant Pirat named Abeuchapeta passed from Asia into Africa leading with him 70. Galleys and 100. other vessels furnished for his exployte with which he pilled pirased such as he met withall by Seas and did also many times much hurt on the firme land This Abeuchapeta was a man valiant hardie and rich and a Saracyne obseruing the law of Mahomet of whome the Arabian Historiographers reporte that he neuer sacked anye Towne that would submit theÌ„selues to him nor raunsomed to libertie any persone that he had taken prisoner This companion for so hencefoorth will I terme him vnderstanding that in the Realme of the Moores otherwise called the countrie of Mauritania and now called the kingdome of Marrucos were extreme cruell and ciuill warres he determined to hasten thither with his fléete and to establish himselfe Lorde of all who passing the straites Giberaltare and being arriued vpon firme lande immediately practised to acquaint himselfe with one of the chéefe bands of the Moores by which policie in short time he obtayned afterward to be chéefe of the Realme and compelled them secretly to accept and obserue the Mahometicall lawes and religion by killing some and banishing others Whereby it came to passe that such as this coÌ„panion brought thither with him and the subdued inhabitantes of Marrucos were the first in Africa that togythers imbraced the lawes of Mahomet who as before time were alwayes called Moores do still at this presente and euer after continue the name of Moores or Morisques so that the inhabitants of Thunies whych be those of Tunis and the Numidians whiche are the people of Fesse and the Maurentines which are the people of Marrucos be al generally tearmed by the name of Moores though the countries do much differ in scituatioÌ„ This then is the resolution of your letter and the aunswere to youre demaunde that the name Saracyns was first found in Arabia where Mahomet was borne the name Turkes inuented in Asia where Mahomet remayned and
the moneth paste I say that after I had opened it I stoode long in doubte whither it shoulde be a letter sent mée from a friende or the laste will and testament of some one departed but then when I better aduised the superscription I founde it a letter come from Don Frances de Villoa a friende nay a singular friende to Fryer Anthonie Gueuara and to saye truely after I had perused and considered it I rather wished twoo dosen of Quailes and a gammon of Bacon whereof you haue plentie than a shéete of paper for they woulde haue delyghted myne eyes and nothing haue troubled my memorie But notwithstanding this my pleasaunt speacke I delyghted muche in the receyte of your letter whereby I perceyue that your hurte legge is cured and that presently you omit all tedious affayres and onely applye your selfe to pleasant pastymes Also I gather by your letter that you muche desire to vnderstande of the destruction of Spayne and the signification of certayne Epitaphes whiche you haue found written in a booke in your coffers and now you sende thē to me to be expounded For which I cannot yéeld cōdigne thāks to your gentle hart which conceyueth of my abilitie suche good opinion that you iudge my knowledge sufficiente to satisfie you in so high matters Wherefore to arme my indeuor to incounter your curtesie I haue most willingly in this my letter sent you the exposition of those Epitaphes and the discourse of the history which you so much desire beginning with the Epitaphes and ending with the rest The first Epitaph MIhi pater Iupiter Belus auus Saturnus Babilonicus proauus Chus Saturnus Aethiops Abanus Saturnus Aegiptius Atauus Caelus Foenix Ogiges Ab Ogige ad meum auum solorbem suum circumlustrauit semel ac tricies centies Ab Auo ad patrem sexties quinquagies A patre ad me bis sexagies Columnam templum statua Ioui Belo Socero matri Rheoe in olimpo Semiramis dicaui Semiramis Quéene of the Assyrians graued this title on a piller and dedicated it vnto Belus hir father in law in the name of hir late husbande Ninus as then it was vsed amongst thē which words englished signifie as followeth My father was Iupiter named Belus my grandfather Saturnus Babylonicus my great grandfather was Chus Saturnus Aethiops The father of my greate grandfather was Saturnus Aegipriacus and the grandfather of my great grandfather was Celus Faenix Ogiges From the time of the fludde vntill Ninus the sunne hadde performed his course .330 times Nemroth raigned .56 yeares Belus my father raigned .62 yeares I Semiramis haue dedicated this piller temple and Image vnto Belus my father in law and Rhea his mother in law in Olympia Now better to make you vnderstand this antiquitie so aūcient and this age so old you must note that these wordes Saturnus Iupiter and Hercules were not proper names as Peter and Iohn be but they were common names or titles attributed to men for their excellencies and dignitie as the names of Emperours Kings and Dukes The most ancient kings that founded any chiefe Towne or Citie within their Realmes or dominiōs were called Saturni and their eldest sonnes Iupiters and their daughters Iuno Their Nephewes and the infants of their children if they were valiant were called Hercules And therefore when any Princes successors of the sayde firste founders did place themselues at any time in other countries to inhabit the same and founded any new Cities or Townes as oftentimes they did when their auncesters and predecessors had sufficiently peopled such as they before had buylded such Princes enioyed a duble title kéeping the name of Iupiter by right of succession and the name of Saturne by reason of their new foundatiō and so likewise the Princes which sprāg of them by succession were also named Iupiters in one respect and Hercules in another whereof procéedeth the greate number of Iupiters Saturnes and Hercules wherewith histories be so replenished Belus was therefore héere intituled by the name of Iupiter for that he was sonne and successor to Nemroth in the Assirian Empire Nemroth also was tearmed Saturne Babylonicus bycause he first founded the Citie and peopled the Realme of Babylon Chus was also tearmed Saturnus Aethiopicus for that he first peopled Aethiopia and there founded townes and Cities C ham for that he first peopled Egypt was called Saturnus Aegiptiacus These Saturnius were called children of the Heauens and of Earth Thus haue you now heard the first Epitaph expounded The second Epitaph C. man C. man F. inferno Plutoni tricorpori charissimae Proserpinae tricipitique Cerbero munus mecum ferens damnatam dedo animam vitamque Hoc me condo monumento ne obrutis domus lapsu filijs sex quos Pûblius Scipio patrijs Camertibus ad Salid ex Libia incolumes restituerat in desolata orbitate supersim Vixi An. 56. M. 1. D. 5. boras scit nemo vale vita The exposition of the same ICaia Manlia daughter to Caius Manlius do carry with me mine owne present for I gyue my condemned soule and life to the infernall three bodied Pluto and to Proserpina hys most deare spouse to the threeheaded Cerberus I haue enclosed my self in this Sepulchre to lyue in care and griefe abandoned and afflicted I haue vj. Children slayne most miserably by the fall of a house after that Publius Scipio had led them into their countrey of Camerin out of Libia trauelling towardes Salia I lyued lvj yeares one moneth and fiue dayes but how many houres no man knoweth Farewell life Nowe if memory deceyue me not and that my bookes bée true this Epitaph was found in our time in Rome which was of a woman of Camerin that was burned liuing bycause in those dayes they were so foolishe and faythlesse that they estéemed it a thing deseruing prayse and muche honorable to be buried quicke or violently to murther themselues with their owne handes and thus they did to please themselues and serue the Deuill But lawe diuine and humane doth manifest nowe vnto vs howe execrable a vice this is and forbiddeth euery man to procure his owne death since we haue our sauioure Christ the author of our life The third Epitaph Belli potens valida natus de gente Gothorum Hic cum sex natis Rex Athaolphe iaces Ausus es Hispanas primus descendere in oras Quem comitabantur milia multa virum Gens tua tunc natos te inuidio sa peremit Quem post amplexa est Barcino magna gemens To vnderstande this Epitaph you must note that when the Gothes which were a barbarous and cruell nation of the North had sacked Italy as by the ruines remayning it appeareth Athaolphus the 24. their King determined to haue ouerrunne Spayne and to haue spoyled it as they had done Italy and other places in their way But when he came and was arriued at Barcelona he with vj. of his children were there by hys owne souldiers trayterously
to be drowned the finall end of youre Realme of Iudea and of the Crowne of Israell What shall we say of your most auncient Temple so magnificent in buildings and so holy in the action of sacrifice surely ye haue no other thing but the lies For ye well know that forty yeares and no more After ye crucifyed the Lorde Iesus Christe the Emperours Titus and Vaspasian the father and sonne did sack destroy and burne the same Of the Monarchy of your kingdome muche lesse haue you not of any thing than the lies for that from the time the great Pompâ—y passed into Asia and subdued Palestine he neuer after committed fayth to any Iewe I say to giue him any speciall charge of gouernmeÌ„t in the Citie or defence of any fortresse but perpetually did shew your selues subiect to the Romaynes not as Vassals but rather as slaues If we should speake of your auncient language of the old carrecters of your wrightings we should likewise finde that you haue not any thing left but lies and for proofe thereof first I pray you tell me whiche is he amongst you that knoweth the language of your ancesters either can reade or else vnderstand any of the auncient Hebruish bookes But nowe to bring you to the knowledge thereof I shall deduce notwithstanding it doth not like you directly and successiuely the beginning of your Hebrewish tong and how by little and little it was lost agayne Wherein you haue to vnderstand that the Patriarke Noe with his children and Nephewes escaping the Floud went and did settle in the countrey of Caldea the situation whereof is vnder the fourth Climate the RegioÌ„ after the Floud first inhabited and populat from whence be issued the Aegiptians Sarmits Greekes Latines and all other Nations In the same Region I meane beyond the riuer Euphrates and neare vnto Mesopotamie the Patriark Abraham was borne and nourished the whiche being called of God came to dwell in the countrie of Canaan afterwardes named Siria the lesse the countrey where the good old Abraham and his generation did most inhabit In those days in that countrey of Canaan they had in vse to speake another language named Sirien very differeÌ„t from the Calde tong But as Abraham and hys posteritie dwelling in that countrey many yeares these two languages by processe of time grewe to be corrupted Abraham hys family and successors being not able to learne the Sirien spéeche neyther the Siriens the Calde tong of these two languages there remayned in vse one which was named the Hebrew Also you haue to vnderstand that this name Hebrew is as much to say as a man that is a straunger or come from beyond the Riuer and for that Abraham was come from the other side of the Riuer Euphrates he was generally called Hebrew in such wise that of this name Hebrew by the which Abraham was called the spéeche tong and language was also named Hebraique and not Caldean notwithstanding that hée was of Caldea Many Doctors Gréekes and Latins haue sayde that the Hebrew tong doth come from Heber the sonne of Sale and that it was the language which was in vse and spoken before the generall Floud notwithstanding Rabialhazer Mosanahadach Aphesrura Zimibi and Sadoc your most anciente and famous Hebrew doctors do sweare and affirme that the first spéeche and language in this world was lost in the construction or to say better the confusion of the towre of Babylon without perfection remayning in any one word of their language And then since the language of Noe was lost the Caldean conuerted into the Sirien and the Sirien into the Hebrew it came to passe that Iacob with his twelue sonnes went to dwel in Egipt where they did soiorne so long Captiues that very neare they forgate the Hebrue tong neyther aptly coulde learne the Egiptian language remayning in their spéech and pronounciation corrupted And as after the destruction of the second Temple as also the totall and finall losse and destruction of the holy lande That your brethren were dispersed throughout the worlde for the most part Captiues and that in you ther remayned nothing but the lies of Iacob the things desolate of Israell God did permitte that they shoulde ioyntly take ende both the forme of your life and the manner of your spéech Behold here honorable Iewes sufficiently proued by your owne doctors that of your countrey language renowne glory and the whole state of your Sinagoge ye haue nothing left but the lies as the Prophet sayth and the dregs and grounds of the tubbe In suche manner that ye haue neither Lawe to obserue King to obey Scepter to estéeme priesthood to aduaunce youre honor Temple to pray in Citie to inhabit neyther language to speake And for that the scope and proofe of your obstination and oure healthe and saluation doth lye and consist in the veritie of the Scripture whiche we haue receyued and the falshoode and corruption of theÌ„ which you confesse it shall be expedient to recite how where and when youre Scriptures were corrupted and lost euen as I haue produced and broughte foorth the losse of your language Ye haue therefore to vnderstande that the fyue bookes of the lawe the which your greate Duke Moyses did write after he came foorth of the Land of Egypt and before he entred the lande of promisse and those whiche were written by the Prophet Samuell and Esdras were all written in the Hebrew tong without any addition of the Egiptian language for youre Moyses being inspired by God in all the things hée did take in hand did wright these bookes in the most auncient Hebrew tong which is to vnderstande in the very same that Abraham did speake at his comming out of Calde God giuing you thereby to vnderstand that you should haue folowed your father Abraham not onely in the forme of your life but also in your spéech During the time that Moyses Aaron Iosue Ezechiell Caleph Gedeon and all the fourtéene Dukes did gouerne your Aliama vntill the decease of the excellent King Dauid the lawe of Moyses was alway well vnderstood and indifferently wel obserued But after the decease of these good personages and the kingdome and gouernment being come into the handes of the successors of Dauid the Sinagoge was neuer more well gouerned neyther the Scriptures well vnderstoode I woulde saye not well vnderstoode generally of the twelue Tribes There were notwithstanding alwayes some particular persones of the house of Israell the whiche were agreable and also acceptable vnto God and to the common wealth very profitable That your law was not from thencefoorth wel vnderstood is most euident for it was prohibited and defended in your Aliama that neyther the visions of Ezechiell the sixt Chapter of Esay the booke of the Canticles of Salomon the booke of Iob neyther the lamentations of Ieremy should be read or commented by any person whiche was done not bycause the bookes
¶ The Familiar Epistles of Sir Anthony of Gueuara Preacher Chronicler and Counceller to the Emperour Charles the fifth Translated out of the Spanish toung by Edward Hellowes Groome of the Leashe and now newly imprinted corrected enlarged with other Epistles of the same Author VVherein are contained very notable letters excellent discourses curious sayings and most naturall reasons VVherein are contained expositions of certaine figures authorities of holy Scripture very good to be preached and better to be followed VVherin are contained declarations of ancient stamps of writings vpon stones Epitaphes of Sepulchers Lawes and customes of Gentiles VVherein are contained Doctrines Examples and counselles for Princes for noble men for Lawyers and Church men very profitable to be followed and pleasant to be readde ¶ Printed at London by Henry Bynneman for Raufe Nevvbery dvvelling in Fleetstreete a little aboue the Conduit To the Right worshipfull Sir Henry Lee Knight Maister of the Leasshe RIGht vvorshipfull being combred vvith doubt too be noted of rash presumption and no lesse afflicted vvith that vncouth detestable vice of dull despaire I vvas constrained vvith tvvo much oddes to endure combat with both these furious sprites and after long conflicte as it vvere by the vvaye of taking breath they began to argue and first despaire being more fierce vvith thinne face and holovve eyes grimmely began to saye Oh beastly Svvine vvithoute prouidence and enraged Beare to performe thy ovvne disposition vvithout all grace or learning and voyd of all consideration of the issue of iudgemente of others vvhich greedily despise hate and beare enuie and at all times ceasse not to persecute the feeble attemptes vvhich thou and others takest in hande euery of vvhiche euills vvith many others might be auoyded if by the nature and manner of my disposition thou couldst keepe thy selfe coy and mute But vvith great impatieÌ„ce presumption did breath foorth these or such like vvords ah miserable Cockatrice and caytife most cruel to mankind vvhich by thy ougly shape declarest the lothsome frute of thy vvretched nature vvhiche in all times and places dost practise the ouerthrovv of al honest lavvdable and noble enterprises vvherin they vvould haue vsed many tedious argumeÌ„ts if I had not cut off by sute for diuine assistance Presently obtayning tvvo such auncient and famous Champions of no common singularitie by vvhose presidents directions and conductions I vvas foorth vvith deliuered of all perplexities namely Lucifer and Iudas but therevvithall not omitting to succour my selfe vvith the vvisedome and policie of the Bee vvhiâ—h gathereth honey out of nettles vvhich both and ioyntly made such discourses of the horrible euills desperate mischiefes and cruell mishaps that hath ensued the hatefull company of both these companions aforesayd in such sensible maner as suche feeling vvitnesses possibly might report Leauing all their particular reasons vvhich vvoulde grovv ouerlong they concluded that euery extremitie engendreth vice and only vertue is that which is equal in ballance so departed Therby giuing to vnderstand that the vertue of a noble mind is neither dauÌ„ted vvith frovvard fortune either exalted or puffed vp vvith gifts or prosperitie And presently being brought to a certaine examination I vvas driuen flatly to confesse that al strength is vveaknesse al knovvledge ignorance actiuitie impotencie vvisdome foolishnesse iustice vvrong temperaÌ„ce rashnesse fortitude covvardnesse and all perfection but corruption of all vvhich no other notable deedes man vvhatsoeuer may presume and boast himselfe but vvhen God alone vnto diligence doth adde his grace And thus presumption vvith his sequele being remoued and despaire vvith his drovvsie troupe being vanished depending only of diuine prouidence I began to cal to mind my God my Prince my countrey also your vvorship of vvhom I had receyued many good things being very loth to shevv my selfe vtterly idle either ingrate receyuing aduertisemeÌ„t of Gueuara vvhich giueth vs to vnderstand that since the beginning of the vvorld there hathe not bin any Prince that hathe excelled or to vvhom Iulius Caesar either Alexander the great ought to giue place obtayning soueraintie in their seuerall vertues namely the one in pardoniÌ„g of iniuries the other in giuing large and bountiful revvards affirming therevvithall that to the ingrate or vnthankfull man neither vvould Alexander giue any revvard either Iulius Caesar pardon iniurie giuing vs therby to vnderstand that they helde it much better to darken their ovvne singular and renovvmed vertues thaÌ„ to yeld benefit vnto so detestable vice Forthvvith being vrged therby to confesse my debt constrayned to shake off all drovvsie forgetfulnesse avvake my dull spirits to yeld my selfe as abandoned to do your worship either seruice or pleasure but my treasure and storehouse being searched and ransackt I find it furnished vvith no other implements but emptie abilitie and barren facultie to performe the same forced in the place of vvorkes to furnish the satisfaction vvith vvords Yet frankly confessing that although oportunitie shall deny to yeeld hir selfe to stretch to the merit of your great goodnesse vsed vvith me notvvithstanding at all times and places vvords of confession and disposition to performe shall neuer ceasse to do their indeuor to escape the vnkind disgrace of ingratitude Adding therby hardines vnto my self once more to atteÌ„pt your patieÌ„ce vvith this present of Gueuara being finished and also out of the French Booke somevvhat augmented vvith matter both horoicall and deuine the prayse and commendation vvhereof I rather remitte vnto the glorious fame of the Auctor himselfe than tediously vvithout skill to paint or polish the same vvith colours of imperfect hevv Right humbly beseeching youre VVorship to accepte the same vvith the mildnesse of your vvonted fauoure as it apperteyneth I shall not ceasse to pray that the protection of the liuing God may conduct and follovve you vvith perfect felicitie in all noblenesse both of body mind as may yeld your worship before god man immortal renowne Your worshippes most humble to command Edwarde Hellowes To the Reader RIght gentle Reader in all nations cuntries and Common wealthes although barbarous yet in respect of the office of Harold Pursiuant Messenger or Interpreter they alwayes beare with patience and take in good parte all actions both of worde and deede appertayning vnto his office And somtimes of theyr owne noblenesse do bountifully rewarde the same although he vtter vnto them matter both opprobrious and spitefull And also Gueuara maketh report that it was a law amoÌ„g the Romanes that no man whatsoeuer shoulde aduenture to approche the Emperours tent in the nyght and tyme of warre vpon payne of death The Emperor Aurelius as then making warre with Zenobia Queene of Palmiris it chaunced that a certaine Greeke souldier was apprehended within the compasse of the same being committed to be executed for his offence the Emperour himselfe from within his Pauilion with a lowde voyce cryed out and sayd If his approche were for himselfe let him dye for it but if it be for another
is not to be learned by lesson but by reason Lex condita are the lawes that kings haue made in their Kingdomes and Emperours in their Empires Some of the which consiste in Reason and other some in opinion Mos antiquus is when a Custome by little and little is brought in amongst the people the force whereof dependeth vpon the well or euill obseruing thereof Of the aboue sayd it is to be gathered wée call Ius naturale the lawe whiche reason doth direct we name Lex Condita whiche is ordayned and written and we terme Mos antiquus the custome of long time vsed and presently obserued this presupposed the letters of this stampe do signifie This is the Consull Quirinus the which in the time of his Consulship did obserue and caused to be obserued that which right requireth lawe commaundeth and custome hath brought in The wordes of the other stampe are these Popil Con. Iu. Mill. fecc for the vnderstanding of these wordes is to be vnderstood that the auncient Lawyers did ordaine seuen manner of Lawes which is to wit Ius gentium Ius ciuile Ius consularis Ius publicum Ius quiritum Ius militare Ius magistratum In the old time they did call Ius Gentium to occupie that which had no owner to defende the Countrey to die for the libertie to endeuer to possesse more than others and to be of more abilitie than the rest This was named ius Gentium bycause in all Kingdomes and Nations Greekes Latines and Barbarians this manner of liuing was vsed and obserued Ius Ciuile was the order and manner in old dayes to forme their plees in lawe that is to wit to cite aunswere accuse proue denie alledge relate to giue sentence and to execute to the end eche one might obtaine by iustice that which was taken by force Ius Consulare was such orders as the Consuls of Rome did vse amongst themselues for themselues which is to say of what number they should bée what garments they should weare what company they should kéepe where they should congregate and how many houres they should assemble of what things they should conferre howe they should liue and to how much goods they should attaine This Ius Consulare did serue but for the Romane Consuls that were resident in Rome for notwithstanding there were Consuls in Capua they would not consent they should liue as those of the Senate of Rome Ius Quiritum was the lawes and priuiledges that the Romane Gentlemen did vse or enioy that did liue within the cōpasse of Rome or had the priuiledge of a Romane Gentleman which is to say that the Gentlemē and knights of Rome had foure names that is to vnderstand Patricios Veteranos Milites Quirites The which foure names according to the varietie of the time was giuen them The priuiledge or law Quiritum that the Knights of Rome enioyed was that they might sit in the tēples thei might not be arested for debt or pay for lodging or prouēder where they went to be maintained by the cōmon treasure if they became poore to make a testament without witnesse not to be accused but in Rome to pay no impost in time of tribut and also that they might be buried in an highe Tombe All these preheminences no gentleman did enioy but only such as were Citizens of Rome Ius Publicum was the ordinances and constitutious that euery people in particular did vse amongst themselues and for themselues that is to saye how they should repaire their walles conserue their waters measure their streates build their houses prouide necessary thinges to haue store houses to gather money to make their fifes to watche their cities They called these ordinances Ius Publicum because they were made by all and obserued by all Ius Militare was the lawes that the anciēt Romains made for the times that kingdoms did breake peace and entred into warres one with the other bicause they estemed muche to be wise in gouernment and to fight as men determined in order The lawes of Ius militare were how to proclaime warres to confirme peace to take truce to leuie their souldiours too pay their Campe to giue order for their watches too make their trenches to giue battaile to retire their host to redéeme prisoners and how the Conquerours should triumphe They called these lawes Ius militare which is to say the order of Knightes because they serued no further but too giue order vnto those that did follow the warres and with armes did defend the common wealth Comming now to the exposition of the stampe it is too be vnderstood that in the daies of the first Romane Dictator Quintus Cincinatus ther was also in Rome a certain Romain Consull named Popilius Vastus a man very well learned and no lesse expert in armes This Consul Popilius made lawes to be obserued in warres and gaue it in stampe in his money that which is conteyned in the stampe before rehersed in the letters hath this signification This is the Consull Popilius which made lawes for the captaines that should goe to the warres for defence of the common wealth Also it may please your Maiestie to vnderstand that if any Prince or Romane Consull did chaunce to make any law either necessary or very profitable for the people they did vse for custome to entitle that lawe by the name of him that did inuent and ordaine the same for that in the worldes to come it might bée knowen who was the author therof and also when it was made After this maner the lawe that they made to eate with dores open was called Caesaria The lawe that Pompey made too giue tutors to Orphans was named Pompeia The lawe that Cornelius made for parting of fields was intituled Cornelia The law that Augustus made to take no tribute but for the profit of the cōmon wealth was writtē Augusta The law that the Cōsul Falcidias made that none might buy the dowry of any other mans wife was nominated Falcidia The law that the Dictator Aquilius made that no Romāe should be put to death within Rome was cleped Aquilia The lawe that the Censor Sempronius made that none might disinherit his son but if he were a traytor to the Empire of Rome was termed Sempronia The wordes do followe of the other stampe Rusti prie tris ple. For the vnderstanding of these wordes it is to be noted that the order whiche the Romanes did vse in creating dignities and offices was as followeth First they had Kyngs afterward Decemuiri then Triumuiri after that Consulles and thē Censores then Dictators afterwardes Tribunes and lastely Emperoures Of their Kinges there were but seuen their Decemuiri endured ten yeares their Triumuri continued fortie yeres their Consulls foure hundreth thirtie and foure yeres their Censor one yere their Dictator halfe a yere their Tribune thrée yeres That which wée call the procurer of the people the auncient Romanes did name the Tribune of the people whose office was euery day to
of his great Librarie but of his good armorie For the weale of the common wealth it is as necessarie that the knight doe arme as the priest reuest himselfe for as prayers do remoue sinnes euen so doth armour defende from enimies Sir I haue sayd all this to the ende you shall vnderstande there that we know here all that you do in your campe and also all that you do say Wherwith you ought not to be grieued sith euery man dothe praise your wisedome and magnifie your Fortune In the register of fame maruellous is the great Iudas Machabeus the whiche when he was counselled by his souldiours by flying to saue their liues euen at the instant to giue battaile sayd God neuer permit that we put our fame in suspitioÌ„ but that this day we die all here to kéepe our lawes to succour our brethren and not to liue de famed Great account doe the Gréeke writers make of their king Agiges the which vpon the point to giue battayle to the Licaonians when his souldiors began to say that the enimies were very many he made answere The Prince that will subdue many of necessitie must fight with many Anaxandridas Captaine of the Spartans béeing demaunded why those of his armie did rather endure themselues to be slaine than taken answered That it was a lawe amongst them much vsed rather to dye frée than lyue captiues The great Prince Bias holding warres with Iphicrates Kyng of the Athenians when hée happened to fall into the stale of his enemies and hys Souldiours beganne to crie what shall we doe he made aunswere That you make reporte to those that are aliue that I dye fyghtyng and I will say there to the dead that you scapte flying Leonidas the sonne of Anaxandridas and brother to Cleomenides fighting in a certayn battaile when his souldiours sayd the enemies dyd shoote arrowes so thick that the Sunne was couered He aunswered Then lette vs fighte in the shade Charrillus the fifte King after Licurgus béeing in warre with the Athenians when one of his Captaynes didde aske an other if hée dydde knowe what number the enemyes were Charrillus answered The valiant and noble mynded Captaynes ought neuer to enquyre of their enimies howe many they are but where they be The one is a signe of flying the other of fyghting Alcibiades a famous Captaine of the Athenians in the warres he held with the Lacedemonians when they of his campe sodenly made alarum with great cries that they were fallen into their enemies handes â—e valiant and feare not quod he we are not fallen into their handes but they into oures I thought good to recounte these fewe antiquities that it may be knowne to all that be presente and also notified to those that are absent that amongst these so glorious personages your noble worthinesse mighte be recounted for that they neyther did excéede you in their wordes they spake neither in their actes they did We haue here vnderstoode in what manner the armye of Toledo did make their salye to take away a great bootie that you were driuing to your Campe and many of your souldiours did not onely begin to flée but also gaue you counsell to saue your selfe by running away but you of your part as a man of muche courage and a Captaine of no lesse experience gaue onset amongst the enimies crying Here Gentlemen here shame shame victorie victorie if this daye wée ouercome we obtain that we desire and if we die we perform our duetie Oh woordes worthy to bée noted and right worthie vppon your tombe to be engrauen Since it is certain that you slew that day more thaÌ„ .vij. with your sword with your noblenes of mind ouercame more than seuen thousand Trogus Pompeius doth saye many tymes and in many places that the innumerable victories whiche the Romaines did obtain were not so much for that their armies were of such power but bicause their Captains were of experience And this may we verie well beléeue for we euery day sée that the happie successe of a battell is not so much attributed to the armie that fighteth as to the captain that ouercoÌ„meth The Assyrians doe muche glorie themselues of their captaine Belus The Persians of Syrus The Thebans of Hercules The Iewes of Machabeus The Grekes of Alcibyades The Troyans of Hector The Aegyptians of Osiges The Epirothians of Pyrhus The Romains of Scipio The Carthagians of Hanniball The Spaniardes of Viriato This noble man Viriato was naturall of the prouince of Lusitania the which is now called Portingale In his youth he was first a shepeherd afterwarde a ploughman and then a robber and in fine made Emperour and of his countrey only defendour The writers of Rome themselues doe recount of this valiant Captaine Viriato that in fiftéene yeares that the Romaines helde warre with hym they coulde neuer kill take eyther foyle hym When they founde him inuincible and not to be ouercome in battaile they ordeyned treason to kill him with poyson Sir I thought good to bring this Historie in remembraÌ„ce to the ende that in this ciuill warre that we the Gentlemen hold with the Communers that you shew your self an other new Machabeus amongst the Hebrues and an other newe Viriato amongst the Spaniards To the end that our enimies may haue what to say and your friends what to prayse But to let the conclusion bée that you ceasse not to trauell as you haue a noble mynde to giue aduenture vpon your enimies that you may also resist al vices for men of valiantnesse as your worship is fewe vices are sufficient to darken many victories As concerning the reste that M. Hernando of Vega did commend vnto mée of your part wich is to wit that since you haue doone notably in the warres it maye bée remembred in the Chronicles Sir holde your selfe for happie that if your launce shall be such as was Achilles my pen shall be suche as that of Homere From Medina of Ruisseca the .18 of Februarie 1522. A Letter to the Earle of Myranda wherin is expounded that text of Christ whych sayth My yoke is sweete c. MOste famous and right noble Lorde and Master of the house to Caesar your honoure requireth by youre Letter that I should send vnto you the exposition of that text of Christe whiche sayeth My yoke is sweete and my burden is lyght the whiche you heard me preache the other day before his maiestie in the sermon of all saincts and that you delighted not a little to heare it and no lesse desire to haue the same in writing Also you write it shall not be muche for me to take the payne to send the exposition thereof for that you came to visite me when I was Warden of Soria in suche wise that if I would not performe your request of courtesie you would demaund it by iustice I will not denie but that visitation was to me no smal pleasure and consolatioÌ„ for that the
lickt his handes fauned with his tayle helde downe hys head and couched downe vpon the ground shewing signes of old acquaintāce and that he was in his det and beholding vnto him The slaue séeing the fawnings and the curtesies that the Lion vsed with him cast himselfe downe vpon the groūd and créeping to the Lion and the Lion comming to the slaue they began one to imbrace the other and to faune as mē that had bin of old acquaintāce that had not séene in many yéeres To sée a thing so monstrous and strange at the sodain which the eyes of man had neuer séene neither in old Bookes had euer bin read the good Emperour Titus was amased and all the Romane people grewe astonied and did not presently imagine that the man and the Lion had bin of olde acquaintance and there knew ech other but that the slaue shoulde be a nigromantike and had inchaunted the Lion. And after the Lion and the slaue had played together renued their olde acquaintance and the people of Rome beholding a greate space the Emperour Titus commaunded the slaue to be cald before him the which comming to accomplish his commaundemēt the cruell Lion came after him so quiet and so gentle as if it had bin a house lamb brought vp by hand The Emperour Titus said vnto him these words tell me man what art thou of whence art thou what is thy name to whome didst thou belong what hast thou done what offence hast thou committed wherefore wast thou brought hither and cast vntoo the beastes may it happen that thou hast bred this most cruell Lion or hast thou known him by chaunce in times past wa st thou present when he was taken or hast thou deliuered him from any mortall perill perchaunce thou art a Nigromantike and hast enchaunted him I commaund thée that thou say vnto vs the truth what hath passed and deliuer vs of thys dout for I sweare vnto thée by the immortall gods this matter is so mōstrous so strange that it séemeth rather that we dreame it than behold it With a good courage with a hygh cleare voyce the slaue made aunswer to the Emperour Titus as followeth the Lion being layd at his foote and all the people in admiration Andronico recompteth by discourse all his life IT may please thée to vnderstande most victorious Caesar that I am of the countrey of Slauonia of a certayne place that is called Mantuca the which when they dyd rise and rebell against the seruice of Rome we were there al taken condemned to seruitude bondage My name is Andronico and my father was named Andronicus and also my grandfather This linage of Andronicos wer in our Countrey so noble and generous as Quintus Fabius and Marcus Marcellus be nowe in Rome But what shall I wretche do vnto fortune which do sée the sonnes of seruants there to be knightes and my selfe that was there a Gentleman in Rome become a slaue It is twentie six yeares since I was taken in my Countrey and so long agoe since I was brought vnto this Citie and also other twētie six since I was sold in the field of Mars and bought of a sawyer which when he perceyued that my armes were better giuen to handle a launce than to pull at a sawe he sold me to the Consull Dacus father to the Censor Rufus that is now aliue This Consull Dacus was sent by thy father Vespasian to a certain prouince in Affrica whiche is called Numidia as Proconsull to minister Iustice and as Captayne of the horsemen to vnderstande in causes of warre for that in verie trouth in the warres he had great experience and in gouernment muche wisedom Also great Caesar it may please thée to vnderstād that my maister the Consull Dacus ioyntely with the experience and wisedom that he had was on the other side proude in commaundemente and couetous in gathering together And these two things be brought to passe that he was yll serued in his house and abhorred in the common wealth and his principall entente was to gather money to make hym selfe riche so that although he had many offices and muche businesse he had no more in his house but my selfe and an other to do all the same in so muche I gathered and caste abroade did grynde fift and bake the breade And besides all this I dressed the meate I washed the clothes I swepte the house I dressed the cattel and also made beddes What wilt thou that I shal say more O most victorious Caesar but that his couetousnesse was so great and his pitie so little that he gaue me neither coate shoes or shirt and moreouer beside al this euery nighte he made mée to weaue two baskettes of Palmes which he made me to sell for eight Sextertios towardes his dispences And that night that I had not performed the same he gaue me nether to eate either left me vnwhipt But in the end séeing my master so continually to chide me so oft to whippe me to kéepe me so naked so to ouer worke me and so cruelly to deale with me I will confesse the troth vnto thée oh inuincible Caesar whiche is that séeing my selfe in so desperat a state and in a life so miserable I desired hym oftentimes that it mighte please him to sell me or else to giue order to kill me Eleuen yéeres continually I passed this wretched life with him without receyuing at his handes any rewarde or at his mouth any milde word And farther séeing in the Proconsul my master that euery day his anger increased and vnto me there was no trauell diminished and ioyntly with this féeling age cōming vpon me and my head to be hore mine eyes blinde my strength weake my health wanting and my hart desperat I determined with my selfs to runne away vnto the cruell deserts of Aegipt to the intent that some rauenous beast mighte eate me or that by pure hunger I might die And for that my master did not eate but what I drest him or drinke but what I broughte him wyth great suertie I might haue killed him and reuenged my selfe but that hauing more respect to the noblenesse of bloud from whence I was descended than to the seruitude that I suffered I thought it better to put my life in perill than to do treason to my noblenesse In the end my master the proconsull going to visite a certaine Countrey named Tamatha which is in the confines of Aegipt and Affrica when on a night he had supped and I saw him a bed I departed without knowing any high way but that I tooke care that the nighte might be very darke and did beholde the daye before whiche mountayne was most sharpe where I myght be most hidden and least sought for I caried with me but a payre of sandalles to weare a canuas shirt to put on a bottell of water to drinke and a little bunch of grapes to eate with whiche prouision I might haue bin
with you for the departure of your troublesome feuer and the bitter anger whiche hathe chaced it from you though I remember not that euer I red and much lesse heard the Lady Sorrowe at any time caused any good thing to happē vnto vs I certify you Sir Chanon if al the diseases might be cured like yours with heauinesse and sadnesse pensiuenesse and cares would then be more déere in our hearts than Rubarb is now in the Apoticaries shops and if we shoulde buy sighes sobbes and teares in the market for money I assure you very many both men and women woulde thereby grow excéeding riche and happie whiche nowe are poore and vnfortunate bycause sorow with euery body is so common that there is neyther corner nor place so secret wherein she is not found Touching my selfe I tell you if the sighes I haue breathed and the sorow I haue endured might serue for medicines to cure the quartaine I would be bound to set vp such a Shoppe of those merchandizes that it should serue both Spayne and Fraunce I haue séene many in this world whereof some wanted their eyes some their eares and some their hands othersome lacke houses others goodes and some other apparrell But I neuer knew nor heard of person were he neuer so poore that had not sorrow and griefe so is there no house in the world so rich that sometimes wanteth not money and of enuies and sorrowes is neuer destitute Sadnesse saith Salomon drieth the sinowes and cōsumeth the bones which by you cannot be proued since it is apparant that melancholy sullennesse hathe not wasted your bones but purged youre body of all euill humors and restored your health Now from hencefoorth if any one come to visit you whē you are sicke he cannot as I thinke more pleasure you thā to giue or minister occasiō to moue you to choler But sir I curse your complexion and hate your cōditiōs since anger enuie and sorrowe muste bée your Phisitions to cure your maladies for men that be reasonable doo vsually gyue money to inioy myrth and solace and to escape som sorrowes and troubles Now if you will beléeue mée and hereafter folowe myne aduice bée gladde for the losse of your quartayne but say not that you dryue him from you with anger gréefe For I sweare to you by the law of a fréende if you do that all men wyll therefore diffame you and saye that you are compounded and furnished with cholericke aduste and euill complexion but for this matter let this suffise There bée many things héere in the Courte to be talked of in secrete and fewe to be written openly For murmurings bée matters of counsell and my letters ofte passe through many mens fingers which when they cannot rightly vnderstand perceyue their effect then euerye one iudgeth and gloseth thereof after theyr owne deuise and opinion I praye God be your guyde gyue vs grace euermore to feare him A letter to Count Masaoth Marques of Cenolte wherin is expressed why amongst the sectes of Mahomet some be termed Turkes Sarracenes and others Moores HOnorable Lord and singular frende it is now ten dayes paste since you requested mée in the Emperours chāber to resolue you one doubt the which to doo I haue searched with payne and vsed what diligence I possibly myghte holding it but iustice to submit my trauell to your cōmaundement that neuer denyed mée any thing which I requested of you desiring you withall to respect that if I séeme long in satisfying your demaunde it is not want of diligence to searche but of good happe quickly to finde that which I séeke and you desire to haue bycause a man of youre state and calling muste bée serued with truthes and reason and not with fabling vncerteynties Your Lordships desire is to know why the greate Turke is termed the Greate Turke and wherefore the followers of Mahomets feete be called Sarracens some Mores and some Turkes being all of the lawe and religion of their only god and Lord Mahomet For the discussing of the which doubte and for that you may the better vnderstande my resolution of the same I am forced to recite the historie to you as it were from the firste or beginning Vnderstande my Lorde that Asia the lesse is a region whiche with many other Regions is inclosed all which generally are called greate Turquie it boundeth towardes the Easte on the confynes of Arabia minor on the west it is enclosed with the great lake Cynia and on the north side with the floude Euponius and on the southe coste it is walled with the mounte Pithmiaus In this Turquie néere to Armenia by the greate hill Paton was an auncient Citie named Truconia whereof the inhabitantes were named Truconians after the name of the Citie Within this Citie Gothes did come to inhabite who bycause they coulde not call it Traconia pronounced and called it Turquie and Cityzens Turkes so that the worde Turquy is a name corruptly come from the worde Traconie Within the countrey of Turquie is sundry prouinces as the Prouince of Licaonia whereof the chéefe citie is Icaonia Likewyse Cappadocia the chéefe whereof is Cosaria the Prouince Isanca whose heade citie is Solenna which now is called Briquemust the countrie called Icaonia whose chéefe citie is Fer in olde tyme named Quisguaince also Paflagonia whose capitall or Metropolicke towne is Gernapolis in which moste properly ended the whole Asia And as within this cuntry of Turquy is conteyned many seuerall countryes and prouinces so hath it euer bene peopled with men of seuerall cuntries and nations as with Asians Gréekes Armenians Sarracenes Iacobines Iewes and Christians The whiche albeit they acknowledge the Greate Turke for chéefe Lorde yet notwithstāding they were not all in obedience to one kind of lawe and religion In like manner you must note that in the kingdome of Palestina which bordereth vpon Damas there were thrée Arabies as Arabia Silapide that nowe is Siria maior Arabia deserta ioyning vpon Egypt and Arabia Petrosa which is compassed with Iudea In Arabia Petrosa by the floud Iordanus néere the mount Libanus ther dwelt an ancient kinde of people called Saracyns which were so called after the name of Sartato their chiefe and Metropolitan Citie which at this present be still so named Saracyns This kind of people in times past were much estéemed for their strength and valiantnesse in warres and were then had in reputation therefore as the Swissers are accompted of at this day in Europa in such wise that no Prince durst enterprise against any other to battell except he were ayded with the strength of Saracyns It chaunced that Heraclius a Romane Emperour passing through Asia to inuade the Persians requested ayde of the Saracyns in the same voyage and iorney to whome he promised good vsage and true pay the Saracyns agréeing to Heraclius request came throughly furnished with 40000 footemen souldiars whose Captaine generall was a gentleman of their own countrey called Mahomet a man
the name of Moores establed in Africa when the lawe of Mahomet was there first receyued Now resteth it to discouer vnto your Lordship wherefore this name Greate is attributed to the Turke seeing it is a title which none but he vseth other Princes being onely and simply called by the names of Kings or Emperours For better vnderstanding whereof knowe you that in the yeare 1308. when Michael Palealogos was Emperour of Constantinople and Bonifacius the 8. chiefe Byshop of Rome There sprang amōgst the Turkes a family of Othomans much fortunate famous ouer all Asia in such sort that those Turkes surnamed Othomans enlarged the limits of their rule and reuenewes of their crowne more in 200. yeares than any of their predecessors had in 800. These Othomans discended of base linage and were naturally of Prusea thrée dayes iorneys from Trapezoncia The first Prince of this nation called Othoman tooke this name vppon him at his erecting of a Castle in the cuntrey of Gallana which he did to perpetuate the memorie of the Othomans name This Othoman the first subdued many prouinces of the Kings his adioyning neighbours he wan all that which stretched from Bithynia vnto the Sea Cocsin He brought to his obedience many fortresses towardes the Sea Pontick and all the Cities standing on the Sea costs named Teutonica with the Towne of Sina aunciently named Sebastia Leauing to succeede him his only sonne named Orchanees second Emperour of the Turkes of the race of Othomans whiche conquered many prouinces from the Empyre of Palialogos but especially he obtained the countries of Lycaonia Phrygia Missina and Carye he tooke by force Prusia now called Bursia which was the abiding seate of the Kyngs of Bythynie in whiche he receyued his mortall wound in the firste yeare of the raigne of Iohn King of Fraunce To whome succeeded Amurathes his sonne who imitating the steppes of hys Father and Grandfather in passing an arme of the Sea Hellispont in Abidie to inuade the Greekes tooke Galiapolys with diuers other Townes and afterwardes suddaynely with a mightie power sette vpon the Emperor of Constantinople that nothing mistrusted him and wanne Seruia and Bulgaria but in the ende he was killed by a seruitor After Amurathes succéeded by succession two infants Solyman and Baiazeth which by treason murdred his brother Solyman whereby he alone enioyed the Empire of Turkie and to reuenge the murdering of his father hée attempted sharpe warres agaynst Marke the Lorde of Bulgaria whome he vanquished and flewe and subdued a greate parte more of his country Shortly after he ouercame the prouinces of Hungaria Albania and Valachia and there committing many spoyles and dammages he tooke diuers christian prisoners which he ledde in miserable captiuitie into Thracia to whiche Baiazeth succéeded in right of inheritance two infants one named Mahomet and the other Orchanees which by his vnnatural brother Mahomet was depriued of lyfe so as the gouernment of the Empire was wholly in Mahomet who by might conquered the Valachians and layde vpon them a gréeuous tribute after hée inuaded the Satrapes of Asia and recouered all the countries whiche the greate Tamberlens souldiers before had taken hée chased his owne kynred and aliaunce from Galacie Pontus Capadocia not sparing nor once pitying any noble personages or princes of his own bloud He alwaies kept himselfe in Drinople the Metropolike Citie of Thracia there placing his imperiall seate from thence exiling such Christians as were remayning and inhabiting there in the seuentéenth yeare of his Empire To this Mahomet succéeded his sonne called Amurathes hée ordayned first the Ianissayres runnagate christians to defend his person by whose valiancie hée togither with his successors haue subdued the East With force he inuaded Hungaria Bosina Albania Vallachia and Grecia he toke Thessalonia from the Venetians he obtayned victorie against Laodislaus king of Polonia against the Cardinall Iulian and against Huniades When Amurathes was deade his sonne named Mahomet succéeded in his place whiche with homicide entred his gouernement for bycause his father shoulde not be buryed alone hée slewe his yoonger broother to kéepe companie with his deade father This wicked Prince beleeued in no God hée affirmed Mahomet a false Prophete like vnto himselfe Hée also scorned all Saintes Patriarches and Prophetes This Mahomet was of hearte lyke Alexander the greate in good fortune a Cesar in trauell a Haniball in Iustice a Traian in vyces a Lucullus and in cruelties a seconde Nero. Hée was of greate courage well fauoured euyll coloured friend to Iustice and hyghly delyghted in martiall affayres Hée was in féeding a glutton and in the actes of Venus much impacient To hunting an enimie and to Musicke no friend Hée delyghted to exercyse him selfe sometymes with feates of armes and sometymes in reading histories This Mahomet conquered from the Christians the Empire of Constantinople and Trapezonda Hée wanne twoo hundred townes and twelue Realmes that is to saye Pontus Bythinia Capadocia Pamphilia Licia Sicilia Papblagonia Acbaria Lydia Phrygia Hellespont and Morea Hée also wanne the Segniories of Achaia Carcania and Epyrus and all the Fortes and Cities néere the ryuer Randabelo Hée likewyse obtayned a greate parte of Macedonia and of the Prouince of Bulgaria togyther with the lande of Roscia and the mountaynes Serbye euen to the lake Nicomante Moreouer bée conquered all the Cities Prouinces and Fortresses that were betwéene Andrinopolis and the famous ryuer Danubia and Balaquian also the Isle Mitilene and the foresayde Bosina These and muche more did this miscreaunt Mahomet vanquishe and subdue And yet notwithstanding as Historiographers reporte hée woulde amongest his wayghtie affayres consume muche tyme in abhominable vyces This was hée whiche firste acquyred to himselfe the glorious tytle and name of Greate Turke and Emperour of all the house and race of Othomans whose predecessoures before his tyme were alwayes intytuled Kings or Turkes He raygned thirtie twoo yeares and dyed of the Collicke foure dayes after hée syckened in the yeare of our sauiour Christ 1492. In whiche yeare of this Tirantes deathe was the Citie of Granado taken by the King Don Ferdinando To this Mahomet succéeded in Empyre and name of Greate Turke a seconde Baiazeth who in his Fathers lyfe by procurement of the Ianissayres and in the hope of theyr ayde purposed to vsurpe the state and Empyre to himselfe And as the father béeyng nowe verie olde coulde yéelde no remedie nor reuenge to his disloyall sonne dyed for thought so was his life whiche by enimies coulde not bée taken awaye loste by the enuyes of his children Now if your Lordshippe desire more amplie to reade the wryters of this historie I will when it please you bring them vnto you From Tolledo the .7 of Ianuarie 1533. A letter to Don Frances of Villoa expounding certayne straunge and auncient Epitaphes MAgnificent and curious Knyght for answere to the letter whiche Peter de Heredia maister of youre house deliuered mée at Carsares the 15. of
murdred and buried vpon whose Tomb was placed this Epitaph with his armes whiche englished importeth as followeth Here lyeth the valiant Athaolphus with sixe of his children issued of Gothick bloud this was the first that aduentured to enter Spayne with an Army slayne with his owne men and buried with great teares in the great Citie of Barcelone Sée here the exposition of your Epitaph and the cause of the fame It resteth now to reueale the occasion of the destruction of Spayne and how the Christians lost the same to the Paynims concerning which you muste vnderstande that in the tyme of the raigne of king Roderic whiche was of the line of the Gothes there was in Spayne a Prince called Iulian Earle of Cepta and Lord of Consuegra whiche had a daughter of excellent beautie and incomparable wisedome named Caba Thys Damesell beyng sent to the Courte to attende vppon the Quéene to serue hir according to the manner of the Countrey was cause of the destruction of Spaine For the king being surprised with hir loue when shée woulde not agrée to accomplishe his inordinate desires determined by force if not by loue to inioy hir béeyng thus drowned in extreme passions hée defloured hir within his royall Palace The which when Count Iulian vnderstoode hée was hyghly offended therewith and féeling himselfe muche iniured thereby determined reuenge vpon the kings owne person to the ende he myght make a perpetuall remembrance of the wrong done by the Prince to him and his defloured daughter This Counte Iulian kepte secretely in his stomacke the mortall hatred hée bare vnto King Roderic and when hée sawe conuenient tyme hée made semblance to passe into Africa with an armie whiche the King had committed vnto him where with to repulse the Moores whiche then inuaded the borders of Spaine And hauing conferred of his determinations with Muzza Liuetenaunt generall of that Prouince to the greate Miramamolyn Vlit hée secretely practyzed with him in this sorte that if hée woulde yéelde him sufficient supplye of souldiers hée woulde put all Spaine vnder his obedience The whiche when Muzza vnderstoode hée gaue intelligence thereof to King Miramamolyn who did not onely in curteous wise accepte the offer of the Count but also sent him a sufficient army to bring his deuysed practize to effect The countrie béeyng néere the straites of Giberaltare was well furnished with men of great courage He then folowing fortune béeyng stirred forwarde by his wife and the iniury whiche he had receyued reiecting all loue of his cuntry renouncing obedience to his Prince Sodenly as hée had imbarked his army of Moores in foure ships and strongly fortified himselfe he reuealed to his friends and kinred the iniury which the king had done him by deflouring his daughter and requested their friendly succour in his enterprise so waighty Wherevnto they assenting sent him aide both of men monie Sée here the exposition of your Epitaph and the cause of the fame It resteth now to reueale the occasion of the destruction of Spaine and how the Christians lost the same to the Paynims concerning which you muste vnderstande that in the tyme of the raigne of king Roderic which was of the line of the Gothes there was in Spaine a Prince called Iulian Earle of Cepta and Lorde of Consuegra whiche had a daughter of excellent beautie and incomparable in wisedome named Caba This damsell beyng sent to the Courte to attende vppon the Quéene to serue hir according to the manner of the cuntrie was cause of the destruction of Spaine For the King being surprised with louing hir when shée woulde not agrée to accomplishe his inordinate desires determined by force if not by loue to inioy hir so as béeyng thus drowned in extreme passions hée defloured hir within his royall Palace The whiche when Counte Iulian vnderstoode he was highly offended therewith and féeling himselfe muche iniured thereby determined reuenge vpon the kings owne person to the end he might make a perpetuall remembrance of the wrong done by the Prince to him and his defloured daughter This Counte Iulian kepte secretely in his stomacke the mortall hatred hée bare vnto king Roderic and when hée sawe conuenient tyme hée made semblance to passe into Africa with an armie which the king had committed vnto him where with to repulse the Moores which then inuaded the borders of Spaine And hauing conferred of that which he woulde do with Muzza Auuenokair Liuetenaunt generall of that prouince to the greate Miramamolyn Vlit hée secretely practyzed with him in this sorte that is if hée woulde yéelde him sufficient supply of souldiers hee woulde put all Spaine vnder his obedience The whiche when Muzza vnderstoode hee gaue intelligence thereof to King Miramamolyn who did not onely in curteous wise accepte the offer of the Counte but also sent him a sufficient army to bryng his deuised practize to effect The Ilandes of this country beyng néere the straites of Giberaltare were wel furnished with meÌ„ of great courage He theÌ„ folowing fortune being stirred forwarde by his wife and the iniury which he had receyued reiecting all loue to his cuntry renouncing obedience to his Prince Sodenly as he had imbarked his army of Moores in foure shippes strongly fortified himselfe he reuealed to his friends and kinred the iniurie which the king had done him by deflouring his daughter and requested their friendly succour in his enterprise so waightie Whervnto they assenting sent him aide both of men and monie so as he tooke all the coastes of Spaine and much of the cuntry for the Moores whiche was the firste entrie of the Moores into Spaine and was in the yeare of grace 712. When the miserable king Roderic had vnderstaÌ„ding hereof that if with speede he ordered not his affaires he shoulde be in daunger to loose his realme and state with all the hasâ—â— possible he assembled an armie to encounter the Moores and made a nephew of his Captaine generall But the Moores giuing them the ouerthrow mangled him his men in péeces About which time another armie of Moores which the fornamed Muzza had placed in garison in places before subdued entred and tooke another countrye or prouince Whiche King Roderic vnderstanding and perceyuing the Moores daylye to aduaunce their force committing to fire and swoorde all the countrie that they subdued he gathered togither another army in whiche himselfe in person togither with all the Nobilitie of Spaine woulde go to searche out the Moores which then remayned at Seres and did so in déede where hée made greate slaughter both of the straunge Moores of his owne Christians But in fine the Christian army was vtterly destroyed the king loste in suche wise that afterwards he could neuer be founde quicke or deade From this tyme Spaine fell into the subiection of the Moores This battell was ended on a sunday the fourth of September in the yeare of our Sauiour 714. so as the Moores beeyng then victors might
shall performe with right good wyll what your honor doeth commaunde as touching the exposition of the passage in Exodus which I preached last in the presence of Caesar In Exodus the .25 chapter it is written that our Lord God sayde vnto Moyses Emunctoria quoque facies vbi ea quae emuncta sunt extingantur fiant de auro purissimo As if he would haue said About the lampes of the Temple thou shalt haue snuffers of most fine golde to snuffe withall and also thou shalt make a basen of gold wherein to laye the same But now to vnderstande this text very well it is conuenient and necessary to take holde of the Scripture farder of and more déeper bicause in the profound and delicate passages of the holy scripture it doth muche importe to declare the texte from the bottome and very roote Wherein it is to be noted that immediatly after our Lord God had deliuered the children of Israell out of the country of Aegipt he gaue them a lawe to obserue Priestes to informe them magistrates to gouerne them a land to inhabite Manna to susteyne them and a tabernacle to praye in The curious reader shall find in the Psalmes and Prophets many times these names repeated that is to saye Tabernacle Sanctuarie Aultar Propiciatorie Sancta Sanctorum Which names although they were verified in the synagoge of the Hebrewes there was notwithstanding a difference of the one and other Tabernacles among the Iewes was as muche as among the Christians at this present wée call Churche The order wherof although it be difficile to write neuerthelesse it is very mysticall and worthie the vnderstanding In the middes of the hoste where the Hebrues did aduance their pauilions they left a certayne space of an hundreth cubites in length and fiftie of breadth where on both sides they erected twoo stately pillers which did serue for distinctions or separations of the roume for the Priests from the people All which place as well in length as breadth the Israelites did name Tabernacle whiche is as muche to saye as a place dedicate onely to god In the middes of this tabernacle was placed a solemne and a magnificent altar where vpon the sacrifice was done there was also the greate bason of water where the Priestes did washe and for that vnto that place and no further the Israelites might not enter it was named Sanctuarium which is to say a place sanctifyed Within the Sanctuarie there was another separation of the space of thirtie cubites in length and ten of breadth made of Sittim woodde and alofte hauing the fashion or forme of heauen it was couered with a triple couerture whereof the one was made of red shepes woolle the other of goates heare and the other of Taxus skinnes whiche was for defence of the rayne and Sunne Vnder this sayde heauen and in the mids of this sayde place there was the holy table vpon which was sette the holie breade called the loues of proposition and the holie incense and other swéete odors This place héere named was called the holie Tabernacle bycause the Priestes onely myght enter vnto the whiche place no other person would aduenture to approche In the middes of this tabernacle ther was a great curtaine strained betwixt the pillers within the which was the tabernacle of witnesse wherein also was placed the tables of the law the Manna of heauen Aarons rod. This place was intituled the holy of holiest wherin the high Priest might enter once a yeare Within the sayd Arke there was a table of fine gold somwhat more long thā broad wheron were placed two Cherubins of golde at euery corner their wings alofte stretched abroade beholding eche other In the middes betwixt the cherubins there was a darke clowde within the whiche was the Angell that gaue answeres as God commanded And also answered what the good olde Moyses determined In this place where these cherubins are was the moste secrete and sacred of all the tabernacle This place was called the Propitiatorie bycause in that place the Lorde God did manifest himselfe more propice and neare as well to pardon as to answere them Besides the propitiatory and neare the aultar of the tabernacle night and daye was fire wherein also they did burne the holocaustes sacrifices and oblations Within the tabernacle and propiciatory ten paces or there aboutes off the mercie seate or Sancta Sanctorum was placed a magnificent candelsticke of fine golde whereon were fyxed sixe lampes full of oyle Olyue which did burne day nyght to giue light to the tabernacle Héere it is to be noted that neither in the auncient Tabernacle of Moyses either in that famouse Temple of Salomon it was not commaunded either permitted to burne tallowe candels eyther tapers of waxe but lampes of oyle for the mysterie of the waxe the onely woorkmanshippe of the hony Bée was left to lighten the Catholicke Churche And bycause the Tabernacle the Sanctuarie the Aulter the mercy Seate and Sancta Sonctorum were holie places and edifyed onely vnto God The law commanded they shooulde be decked nete cleare and gladsome and not fowle or fylthie Wherefore the Priestes had alwayes neare vnto the candelsticke snuffers of golde to snuffe the lampes and a basen of golde incontinently to place and put out that whiche was snuffed Beholde the litterall sense and that whiche was permitted in the Synagogue nowe ryght reuerende it is greate reason that wée declare what wée vnderstande as touching these snuffers and the snuffing of the lampes The signification of this discourse touching the mysterie of the snuffers of Golde SVrely a thing woorthie the noting also to be maruelled at that fire or flame being a thing that doth purifie mundifie and giue light notwithstanding it throweth from it selfe and produceth fume and smoke bothe tedious and stinking and therefore I would gladly demaund of him that shal heare or reade the same what hée woulde answere whereof it is That the aultar beyng holy the Tabernacle holy the Propipitiatorie holy the Arcke holie the candelsticke holy and all that there is holy and blessed notwithstanding there remaineth alwayes in the Temple to clippe to nete to purge to snuffe and whervpon to set the foote We haue hereby to vnderstande and to inferre That there hath not bene neyther is there any nation congregation common wealth estate or person so holy so perfect or so reformed that there is not in the same to be amended or else purged wiped also snuffed For to say the troth we sée no person lyue so well that might not and ought not to liue better than he doth And howe commeth it to passe that any dare canonize for Saint the most holy man in this worlde séeing the scripture sayeth The childe new borne to be in sinne God finding causes to chasten the Angels doth he not finde wherfore to purge and snuffe men Hée that heareth the royall Prophete Dauid speake after this manner Ecce