memorie a greate deale for that it imported more weight And that was this Thei had frō their beginnyng no Phisicens emong theim but it was enacted by the consente of the Realme that who so was diseased of any malady should comon with other that had bene healed of the like afore And acordyng to their counsaille practise vpon himself But he that vsed or attempted any other waie to be punished for it Other write that the sicke ware brought out into the Marquet place where suche as had bene deliuered of the like grief afore ware bounde by the lawe to go fro persone to persone and shewe theim by what meanes thei had bene remedied Thei bewrie their dead in Honie and obserue the same maner of mournyng that the Egiptians do If any man haue medled with his wife in the nighte neither of theim bothe toucheth any thyng the next mornyng before thei be washed There was in Babilon a Temple dedicate to Venus it hath bene the maner in tyme paste that when their came any straunger to visite this Temple all the women of Babilon should come vnto hym or them with greate solempnitie and freshely appareile◠euery one hauing a garlande on her heade with some seueralle knowledge of distinction one frō another and offre their seruice to the straungter And looke whom he liked he must laie doune in her lappe suche sōme of money as pleased him That done thef bothe withdrew themselues fro the temple a greate distaunce and laie together That money was conserrate to Venus There ware cerrein kindredes emong theim that liued with none other thyng but fisshe dried against the Sonne and brused in a Mortare and so laied vp till niede ware And then did thei mingle it and kneade it with water into a maner of paashe and so baked it eate it There ware thre sortes of menne that bare rule and office emong them The king the nobles with the Seniours and those that had serueo in the warres and ware now exempte Thei had also menne skilfull in the secretes of nature whiche thei calle Magj and Chaldej suche as ware the priestes of Egipte institute to attende vpon the seruice of their Goddes These men all their life daies liued in the loue of wisedome ware connyng in the cours of the Sterres And sometyme by foretokenyng of birdes Right and somtyme by power of holy verses and nombres tourned awaise the euilles fro menny and benefited thē with thinges that ware good Thei could expounde Dreames and diclare the significations of vncouth wondres So that men ware certein of suche successe as thei had foreshewed Thei wente not into straūge scholes to learne their knowledge as the Grecians doe but learned the science of these thynges at their fathers hādes as heiritage from one generacion to another euen from their childhode at home in their houses Whereby it came to passe that beyng sokingly learned it was bothe the more groundedly learned and also without tediousnes Thei had one vniforme and constaunt waie of teaching and one constantnes of doctrine not waueryng and almoste contrary to it self as the doctrine of the Grekes where eche Philosopher almoste had his waie and iudgemente of the principles and causes of thynges But these menne agre al in one that the worlde is eternall and euerlastyng with out beginnyng and without ende And that the ordre of the whole was disposed by the prouidence of the highest The bodies aboue to haue their course not at all aduentures and without rule but by an inuiolable lawe of God acordyng to his ordenaunce and will moste certein Thei haue learned by long markyng and notyng of thynges tyme out of mynde one aftre another how by the course of the Starres to prognostique that is to foreshe we vnto men many thynges to come Thei holde that of all other Sterres the planetes are strongest of Influence namely Saturnus To the sonne thei attribute brightnes and vertue of life Mars Iupiter Mercurie and Venus thei obserue moste for that thei haue a course propre by them selues as interpretours of the mindes of the goddes to foresignifie thinges vnto men Which opinion is so grounded in them that they haue called all those foure planetes by the one name of Mercurius as ye woulde saye commune currours or messengers Thei also do warne menne of many thinges bothe hurtefull and availeable by the marking and knowledge of winde and weather of raine and droughte of blasing sterres of the eclipses of the Sonne and Mone of earthquakes and manye suche like Furthermore thei ymagine in the firmament other sterres subiecte in influence vnto these former wherof some are in the haulfe heauen continually in our sighte and some in the other haulfe continually oute of our sight And as the Egiptiens haue feigned them selues xii goddes so likewyse haue thei To euerie of the whiche they referre one moneth and one signe of the Zodiaque Thei haue prophecied vnto kinges many aduentures As vnto Alexandre victory when he made his exploicte towarde Dartus Likewise to Hirchanour and Seleucus and other the successours of Alexandre prophecied thei many thinges As also to the Romaines which had most sure successe Thei make compte also of xxiiij other starres without and beside the waie of the zodiaque xii towarde the northe and the residew towarde the southe Of the whiche so many as appiere in sight they iudge to apperteigne to the quicke and the other to the dead These troublesome mases haue thei broughte into the worlde more then enoughe beside the accompte that thei make of their obseruacions and deuinaciōs from their beginninge to Alexandres time nombringe them thre thousande and fourty yeres a shamefull lie excepte thei wil entreprete their yeres by the Mone as the Egiptians doe comptinge euery monethe for a yere ¶ The. iiii Chapiter ¶ Of Iewry and of the life maners and Lawes of the Iewes PAlestina whiche also is named Iudea beinge a seueralle prouince of Siria lieth betwirte Arabia Petrea and the countrie Coelosiria So bordering vpon the Egiptian sea on the west and vpon the floude Iordan on the Easte that the one with his waues wassheth his clieues and the other sometime with his streame ouerfloweth his banckes The Bible and Iosephus by ensample therof calleth this londe Cananea a countrie renoumed for manifolde substaunce Fertile of soyle well watered with riuers and springes and rich with precious balme Tienge in the nauelle of the world that it neither might be broyled with heate ne frosen with colde By the reason of the which mildenes of aier it was iudged by the Israelites or Hebrues and rightlye so iudged to be the country that God promised vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob flowinge in aboundaunce of milke and honie Vpon the hope of enioyenge of this londe folowed they Moses oute of Egipte fortye yeres wandering in Lampe And before thei ware broughte into Cananea by Iosua his substitute ouercame with strong hande one and thirty kinges This is
Armenia and Assâ—ria on the Southe Persie and on the aft Hircama and Parthia Sauing that betwixte Parthia and it there ronneth a mounteigne that seperateth their frontiers The feactes that thei mooste exerciâ—e are shootyng and ridyng Wherein thei be righte experte almoste for those quartres without matche or felowe It hathe bene there a longe continued and aunciente custome to honour their kynges like goddes The rounde cappe whithe thei cal Tiara and their long sliued garmentes passed from them to the Persians together with the Empire It was a peculier maner vsed of the Kynges of the Medes to haue many wiues Which thyng was aftrewarde also taken vp of the communes so that at lengthe it was thought vnmiete to haue feawer wiues then seuen It was also a goodlie thyng for a woman to haue many husbandes and to be without fiue at ones was compted amiserable state The Medes entre leagues and conenauntes both aftre the maner of the Grekes and also with drawing bloud vpoÌ„ some parte of the arme aboute the shouldre one of another whiche thei vse to licke eche of of others body All that parte of the couÌ„trey that lieth towarde the Northe is barrein and vnfruictefulle Wherefore thei vse to make store of their fruicte and to drie them and so to woorke them into a masse or lumpe for their foode Of rosted Almondes thei make their breade and their wine of the rootes of certein herbes Thei eate great plentie of the fleshe of wilde beastes ¶ The. vj. Chapitre ¶ Of Parthia and the maner of the Parthians ACerteine nombre of Outlawes and Banisshed menne called Parthie gaue name to this Countrie Aftre suche tyme as by train and stealth thei had gotten it On the Southe it hath Carmania on the North Hircanum on the Weast the Meades and on the easte the country of Arabia The countrie is hilly and full of woddes and of a barreine soyle And a people which in the time of the Assiriens and Medes ware scante knowen and litle estiemed In so moche that when the highe gouernaunce of the whole whiche the Grekes call the Monarchie was yelded into the haÌ„des of the persians thei ware made a butin as a nombre of raskalles without name Laste of all thei ware slaues to the Macedonies But afterward in processe of time suche was the valeauÌ„tenes of this people and such successe had thei that thei became lordes not ouer their neighbours onely rounde aboute theim but also helde the Romaines the conquerours of the worlde suche tacke that in sondrie warres they gaue them great ouerthrowes and notablye endamaged their power Plinie reherseth xiiii kingdomes of the parthians Trogus calleth them Emperours of the east part of the worlde Althoughe they and the Romaines holding the weste had deuided the whole betwixte them Aftre the decaye of the Monarchie of the Macedonians this people was ruled by kinges Whome generally by the name of the first king thei termed Arsaces Nexte vnto the kinges maiestie the communaltie bare the swaye Dute of whome they chase bothe their Capteignes for the warres their gouernours for the peace time Their language is a speache mixte of the Scithians Medes Their appareil at the firste was aftre their facion vnlike to all other But when thei grewe vnto power louse and large so thinne that a man mighte see thoroughe it aftre the facion of the Medes Their maner of weapon armour was the same that the Scithians vsed But their armies ware altogether almoste of slaues and bondemen contrary to the maner of other peoples And for that no manne hath aucthoritie amonge them to giue fredome vnto anye of this bonde ofspring The nombre of them by continuauce came vnto a greate multitude These do thei bringe vp and make of as deerly as thei do of their owne children teachinge them to ride to shote to throwe the darte and suche like feates with great diligence and handsomenes Eche communerther acording to his substaunce findeth a greate nombre of these to serue the kinge on horsebacke in all warres So that at what time Anthonie the Romaine made warre vpon the parthians wher thei mette him with fyftie thousande horsemen there ware of the whole nombre but eyghte hundred fre borne They are not skylfull to fighte it oute at hande stripes ne yeat in the maner of besieging or assaulting but all together aftre the maner of skirmisshe as thei spie their aduauntage Thei vse no trompet for their warninges or onsettes but a dromme neither are thei able to endure longe in their fighte For yf they ware so good in continuaunce as thei be violente at a brunte ther ware no multitude able to susteine their force For the moste parte thei breake of when the skirmiche is euen at the whottest And within a while aftre thei feigne a flight wher with thei beginne againe a newe onsette So when thou thinckest thy selfe mooste sure of the honour of the fielde theÌ„ arte thou at the poinct of the hardest hasarde Their horsemen vse armour of mayle entrelaced with fethers bothe for their owne defence the defence also of their horses In times passed thei occupied no golde ne siluer but only in their armour Vpon regarde of chaunge in their luste thei mary echeone many wiues and yet punishe thei none offeÌ„ce so greuously as adultery For the auoyding wherof thei doe not onely forbidde their women by generall restrainte from all feastes and banckettinges of men but also from the sighte of them Some neuerthelesse do wrighte amonge the whiche Strabo is one that thei vse to giue their wiues sometime to their friendes as in the waye of mariage that thei maye so haue issue Thei eate none other fleshe but suche as thei kylle at the chace Thei be euer on horsebacke whether thei go to the fielde or the banket to bye to selle to coÌ„mune of aughte with their friende or to do any thing that is to be done Yea thei dispatche al commune and priuate affaires sittinge on horsebacke And this is to be vnderstonden of the fre borne for the slaues are alwaies on foote Their buriall for all menne sauinge the kinge is the dogges bealy and the kytes But when thei or suche like haue eaten of the fleshe theÌ„ couer thei the bare bones with earth Thei haue great regarde vnto their goddes the worship due vnto them Thei are men of a proude nature busie medlers and sedicious craftie deceiptfull malaparte and vnshamefaced for thei holde opinion that it becometh the man aswell to be sterne as the woman to be mylde Thei be euer in some stirre either with their neighbours or elles amonge them selues Men of fewe wordes and readier to doe then to saye And therfore whether it go with them or against theÌ„t thei lappe it vp in scilence Thei obey not their superiours for any reuerence bu for feare Altogether giuen to lechery and yet skante in fiedinge No farther trewe of worde or promesse then semeth
stondeth in an Isse of the same name facioned like a shielde stretching it selfe thre thousand furlong alongest by Nilus Aboute that Islande do the cattle masters dwelle and are muche giuen to hunting and those that be occupied with tilthe of the grouÌ„de haue also mines of gold Herodotus writeth that thethiopians named Macrobij do more effieme lacton then thei do golde whiche thei put to nothyng that thei coÌ„pt of any price In so muche that the Ambassadours of Cambises when thei came thether found the prisoners in the gaole fettred and tied with Chaines of golde Some of theim sowe a kinde of graine called Sesamus and other the delicate LothoÌ„ Thei haue greate pleaty of Hebenum a woode muche like Guaiacum and of Siliquastrum Thei hunte Elephantes and kyll them to eate There be Lions Rhinocerotes Basiliskes Pardales and Dragones whiche I said enwrappe the lephauntes and sucke them to death for their bloude There be found the precious stones called the Iacinthe and the Prasne There is also cinamome gathered Thei occupie bowes of woode seasoned in the fire of foure cubites loÌ„g Women be also trayned to the warres and haue for the moste parte a ring of lation hanging throughe their lippe Certeine of theim worshippe the Sonne at his vprijste and curse him moste bittrely at his doune gate Diuers of theÌ„ throwe their dead into Riuers other cofer them vp in earthen cofres some enclose them in glasse and kepe them in their houses a yeare and in the meane season worship them deuoutly and offre vnto them the first of all their encreace In the naming of a newe king they giue ther voice chiefly to him that is moste goodly of stature moste conning in brieding of cattle and of strengthe and substaunce passing the reast The lawe hath bene that the priestes of Memphis shoulde haue the aucthoritie to sende the Kinge the token of deathe to set vp another in the place of the deade whome they thoughte good They haue an opinion that ther are two Goddes one immortall by whome all thinges haue their beginning and continuaunce vnder his gouernement and another mortall and he is vncerteine Their king and him that best deserueth of the city next vnto him they honour as Goddes This was the state of Ethiope from the beginning and many yeares sence BVT at this daye as myne Authour Sabellicus saieth the he learned of those that are enhabitantes in the contrey The king of Ethiope whome we commonly calle Pretoianes or Presbiter Ihon is a man of suche power that he is reported to haue vndre him thre skore and two other kinges If the heade Bysshoppes of the Realme desire to do or to haue aughte done al is referred vnto him Of him be giuen al benefites and spiritual promocions which prerogatiue the Pope hath giuen to the maiestie of kinges Yet is he him selfe no priest ne hath any maner of ordres There is of Archebisshoppes that is to say of superiour and head bisshoppes a great nombre whiche haue euery one vndre them at the least twenty other The Princes Dukes Earles and head Bisshoppes and suche other of like dignitie when they come abrode haue a crosse a basine of golde filled ful of earthe caried before them that th one maye put them in remembraunce that earth into earth must again be resolued and the other renewe the memory of Christes suffering Their priestes to haue yssue mary one wyfe but she ones beyng dead it is vnlawfull to mary another The temples churches ther are muche larger much richer and more gorgeous then ours for the moste part voulted froÌ„ the floore to the toppe They haue many ordres of deuout men moche like to our ordres of Religious as the ordre of S Anthony Dominique Calaguricant Augustines and Machareanes whiche are bound to no colour but we are some suche one as Tharchebysshoppe shall allowe Next vnto the supreame and souereigne GOD and Mary the virgin his mother they haue moste in honour Thomas sirnamed Didimus This King of all other the worthiest whome they call Gias a name giuen him of his mightinesse and power is of the bloud of Dauid continued from one generation to another as they are perswaded by so many yeres of successioÌ„ And he is not as the moste of the Ethiopians are blacke but white Garama the chiefe citie and as we terme it the chaÌ„bre of the king stondeth not by building of masonrie carpentrie as ours but strieted with tentes and pauilions placed in good ordre of deluet and saten embrauded with silkes and purples of many diuers sortes By an auncient ordre of the realme the king liueth euer in presence and sighte of his people and neuer soiourneth within the walles aboue two daies Either for that they iudge it an vncomely thing and a token of delicate slouthfulnes or elles for that some lawe doth forbid it His army in the warres is ten hundred thousande men fiue hundred Elephantes and horses and Cameles a wonderfull nomber and this is but a meane preparacion Ther are througheout the whole nacion certeine houses and stockes that are peÌ„cionaries at armes whose issue is as it ware branded with the marcke of the crosse the skinne beyng pretely sâ—itâ—e Thei vse in the warres Bowe Pique Habregeon and helmette Their highest dâ—gnitie is priest hode the next thordre of the Sages whiche thei cal Balsamates and TaÌ„quates They attribute moche also to the giltelesse and vprighte dealing man whiche vertue they estâ—eme as the firste staier toclimbe to the dignitie of the sages The nobilitie hath the thirde place of dignitie and the peÌ„cionaries aforesaid the fourthe WheÌ„ the iudges haue giuen sentence of life or of deathe the sencence is brought to the headborough of the Citie whom we call the Mayour and they Licomegia he supplieth the place of the King Lawes written thei occupy none but iudge accordyng to reason and coÌ„stience If any man be conâ—ict of adulterie he forfeicteth the fourtieth parte of his goodes but thadulteresse is punished at home according to the discretion of the partie offended The men giue dowrie to those whom thei mary withal but not to those the thei purchase besides Their womens attire is of Golde whereof that country hathe plentie of pearle and of Sarsenette Bothe men and women are apparelled in long garmentes downe to the foote slieued and close rounde about of al maner of colours sauig only blacke for that in that contry is proper for morning They bewaile their dead xl daies space In bancquettes of honour in the place of our fruicte which the larine calleth the seconde boorde they serue in rawe flesshe very finely minced and spiced whervpoÌ„ the gestes fiede very licouricely They haue no maner of wollen webbe but are eyther cladde in sarsenettes or in linnen One maner of speache serueth not througheout the whole contry bâ—t sondry diuerse aswel in phrase as in namig of thinges Thei haue twise in the yere haruest and twise in the yere somer
the Ilophagi siekynge to the plaines with their wiues and their children climbe trees and gather eate and cary home the tendre croppes and buddes of the boughes And thei haue by continualle practise suche a nimblenes in climbyng that a wondrefull thynge to be spoken thei wille leape from boughe to boughe and tree to tree like Cattes or Squirelles and by reason of their slendrenes and lightenes wille mounte vp on braunches and twigges without daunger or hurte For thoughe their fiete slippe yet hang thei fast by the handes and if thei bothe faile theim yet falle thei so light that thei be harmelesse These folkes go naked and hold their wiues and childreÌ„ in commune Emong them selues they fighte for their places without weapon but against foreiners with staues And wheare thei ouercome there chalenge thei Lordeshippe Thei communely dye for hongre when their sight faileth them whiche was their onely instrumente to finde their foode The residewe of the countrie there aboute do those Aethiopians holde whiche are named Cynecy not vety many in nombre but muche differing in life from the rest For their Countrie beyng wooddie and wilde fulle of thicquetres and skanâ—e of watre thei are forced by night for feare of wilde beastes to slepe in trees and toward the mornyng all weaponed together to drawe doune to the waters wher thei shroude them selues into couert and so abide close till the heate of the daie At the whiche tyme the Bugles Par dales and other greate beastes what for the heate and what for thriste fiocke toguether to the watres Assone as thei haue druncken and haue well laden their bealies with watre the Ethiopes startynge out vpoÌ„ them with stakes sharpened and hardened in the fire and with stones and with arrowes and suche like weapon at this aduauntage stra them vpon heapes and deuide the carkesses by compaignies to be eaten And sometyme it happeneth that thei them selues are slaine by some beast of force howbeit very seldome For thei euer by their pollicies and traines doe more damage to the beastes then the beastes can do vnto them If at any time thei lacke the bodies of the beastes then take thei the rawe hides of suche as thei lateliest before had slaine and clensyng them cleane fro the heare thei sokynglie laie them to a softe fire and when thei be throughly hette deuide them emong the compaignie whiche very griedely fille them selues of them They exercise their children whilest thei be boies to throw the darte at a sette marke and he that hitteth not the marke receiueth no meate By the whiche maner of trainyng hoÌ„gre so worketh in the boies that thei become excellent darters The Acridophagie a people borderyng vpon the deaserte are somwhat lower of stature then the residâ— we leane exceding blacke In the Spring time the Weste and Southwest winde bringeth vnto them out of the Deaserte an houge nombre of Locustes whiche are of verie greate bodie and of wynge very filthily coloured The Ethiopians well accustomed with their maner of flighte trade gather together into a loÌ„g slade betwixte two hilles a great deale of rubbeshe and mullocke from places nighe hande apte for firyng and all the grasse and wiedes there aboute And laieng it ready in heapes aforehande along the slade wheÌ„ thef seethe Locustes come with the winde like cloudes in the atre thei set al on fice and so swelte theim in the passyng ouer that thei bee skante full out of the slade but thei fall to the grounde in suche plentie that thei be to all the Acridophagi a sufficient victuallyng For thei poudre them with salte wherof the countrie hath pleÌ„tie and so continually from yere to yere liue by none other foode For thei neither haue any kinde of catteille â—e fifthe can haue beyng so farre fro the sea And this maner of meate siemeth to theim verie pleasaunce and fine Of bodie thei are very lighte swifte of foote and shorte liued as not passyng xl yeres he that liueth loÌ„gest Their ende is not more incredible then it is miserable For wheÌ„ thei drawe into age their briedeth a kinde of winghed lice in their bodies of diuers colours and very horrible and filthie to beholde whiche firste eate our their be alies and theÌ„ their brest and so the whole body in a litle spare He that hath this disease first as thoughe he had on hym some tickelyng yeche all to beskratcheth his bodie with suche pleasure as is also mingled with some smart And within a litle while afire when the lyce beginne to craule and the bodieâ—â—â— ginneth to mattre enraged with the 〈◊〉 trenes and grief of the disease he teareth and mangleth his whole bodie with his nailes putting furth in the meane while many a greuous grone Then gussheth there out of hym suche aboundaunce of lice that a manne would thinke they had bene barelled in his body that the barel now broken the swarme plomped out And by this meanes whether throught the enfectious airs or the corruption of their fieding thei make a miserable ende Vpon the Southe border of Affrike dwell there menne called of the Grekes Cynnamie of their neighbours Sauluages Bearded and that with aboundaunce of heare Thei kiepe for the saufegarde of their liues greate compaignies of wilde Mastiues for that from midde Iune till midde Winter there entreth into their countrie an innumerable sorte of Kine of Inde Whether thei flie thether to saue them selues from other beastes or come to sieke pasture or by some instincte of nature vnknowen to manne it is vncertaine Against these when the men of their owne force are not able to resist thei defende theÌ„ selues by the helpe of their dogges and take many of them Wherof thei eate parte whilest thei are freshe and parte reserue thei in pouldre for their aftre niede Thei eate also many other kindes of beastes whiche thei hunt with their dogges The laste of all the Affriens Southewarde are the Ichthiophagi A people borderyng vpon the Troglodites in the Goulfe called Sinus Arabicus whiche vnder the shape of man liue the life of beastes Thei goe naked all their life tyme and make coÌ„pte of their wiues and their children in commune Thei knowe none other kindes of pleasure or displeasure but like vnto beastes suche as thei fiele neither haue thei any respecte to vertue or vice or any discernyng betwirte good or badde Thei haue litle Cabanes not farre from the Sea vpon the clieues sides where nature hath made great carfes diepe into the grounde and hollowe Guttres and Criekes into the maigne lande bowtyng and compassyng in and out to fro many sondrie waies Whose entringes thenhabitauntes vse to stoppe vp with great heapes of calion and stones wherby the criekes serue them now in the steade of nettes For when the sea floweth which happeneth there twise in the daye aboute the houres of thre and of nyne the water swelleth so highe that it ouerfloweth into the maygne shore and filleth those crieques
smalle catteile whose milke and flesshe they eate They haue no maner of graine ne knowe what to doe therwith ¶ The first Chapitre ¶ Of Asie and the peoples moste famous therin ASie the seconde part of the thre wherin to we haue said that the whole erth is diuided tooke name as some hold opinion of the doughter of Oceanus and Tethis named Asia the wife of laphetus and the mother of Prometheus Or as other affirme of Asius the sonne of Maneye the Lidian And it stretcheth it self from the South bowtyng by the Easte into the Northe hauyng on the West parte the two flouddes Nilus and Tanais and the whole Sea Euxinum and parte of the middle earth sea Vpon the other thre quarters it is lysted in with the Occean whiche where he cometh by Easte Asie is called Eous as ye would saie toward the dawnyng by the South Indicus of the countrie named India and aftre the name of the stoure Scithiane vpon the Northe Scythicus The greate mounteine Taurus ronnyng East and West and in a maner equally partyng the lande in twaine leaueth one parte on the Northe side called by the Grekes the outer Asie and another on the South named the inner Asie This mountein in many places is fouÌ„de thre hundred .lxxv. miles broade and of length equalle with the whole countrie About a fiue hundred thre skore and thre miles From the coast of the Rhodes vnto the farthest part of Inde and Scithia Eastwarde And it is deuided into many sondrie partes in sondrie wise named wherof some are larger some lesse This Asie is of suche a sise as aucthours holde opinion that Affrike and Europe ioyned together are scante able to matche it in greatnes It is of a temperate heate and a fertile soile and therfore full of all kindes of beaste foule and worme it hath in it many countries and Seignouries On the other side of the redde Sea oâ—ter against Egipte in Affrike lieth the tripartite region named Arabia whose partes are Petrea boundyng West and Northe vpon Siria and right at fronte before hym Eastwarde Deserta and Arabia Felix by Southe Certein writers also adioyne to Arabia Pancheia and Sabea It is iudged to haue the name of Arabus the sonne of Appollo Babilone The Arabiens beyng a greate people and dwellyng very wide and brode are in their liuyng very diuers and as sondrie in religion Thei vse to go with long heare vnrounded forked cappes somewhat mitre like all aftre one sorte and their beardes partie shaueÌ„ Thei vse not as we doe to learne faculties and sciences one of another by appreÌ„tice hode but looke what trade the father occupied the same doeth the sonne generally applie hymself to and continue in The mooste aunciente and eldest father that can be founde in the whole Countrie is made their Lorde and Kyng Looke what possessions any one kindrede hath the same be commune to all those of that bloude Yea one wife serueth theim all Wherefore he that cometh firste into the house laieth doune his faulchoÌ„ before the dore as a token that the place is occupied The seniour of the stocke ensoieth her alnight Thus be thei al brethren and sistren one to another throughout the whole people Thei absteine fro the embrasinges neither of sister ne mother but all begrees are in that poynct as indifferent to them as to beastes of the fieldes Yei is adulterie death emong them And this is adulterie there to abandon the body to one of another kindred And who so is by suche an ouerthwarte begotten is iudged a ba stard and otherwise not Thei banrquet not lightly together vndre the nombre of thirtie persones Alwaie foresene that two of the same no â—hre at the leaste be Musicens waiters haue thei none but one kinsman to minister to another and one to helpe another Their tounes and cities are wallesse for thei liue quietly in peace one with another Thei haue no kinde of oyle but that whiche is made of Sesama but for all other thynges thei are most blessed with plentie Thei haue Shiepe greater then Rien and verie white of woulle Horses haue thei none ue none desire for that their Chamelles in all niedes serue theÌ„ aswell Thei haue siluer and golde plentie and diuerse kindes of spices whiche other couÌ„tries haue not Laton Brasse Iron Purple Safron the precious rote costus and all coruen woorkes are brought into theim by other Thei bewrie their kyng in a donghâ—lâ—e for other thei wille skante take so muche laboure There is no people that better kiepeth their promise and couenaant then thei do thus thei behight it When thei wille make any solempne promise couenaunte or league the two parties commyng together bryng with them a thirde who standyng in the middes betwirte theim bothe draweth bloud of echâ— of them in the palme of the hand along vnder the rote of the fingres with a sharpe stone and then pluckyng from eche of their garmentes a litle saggue he enoyncteth with that bloude seuen other stones lieng ready betwirte them for that purpose And whilest he so doeth he ralleth vpon the name of Dionisius and Urania whom thei accompt emong the nombre of goddes reuengers of faithelesse faithes This done he that was the sequestrer of the couenaunte becometh suretie for the parties And this maner of contracte he that standeth moffe at libertie thinketh miete to be kepte Thei haue no firynge but broken endes chippes of Myrche whose smoke is so vnholsonie that exrepte thei withstode the malice therof with the perfume of Styrar it would briede in them vncurable difeases The Tinamome whiche groweth emong theim none gather but the priestes And not thei neither before thei haue sacrificed vnto the goddes And yet further thei obserue that the gatheryng neither beginne before the Sonne risyng ne coÌ„tinue aftre the goyng doune He that is lorde and gourrnour emong them when the whole gather is brought together deuideth out vnto euery man his heape with a Iauelines ende whiche thei haue ordinarily consecrate for that purpose And emongest other the Sonne also hath a heape deuided out for hym whiche if the deuâ—sion be iuste he kindeleth immediatly with his owne beames and brenneth into ashes Some of the A rabiens that are pinched with penurie without all regard of body life or helth doe eate Snakes and Addres and suche like vermine and therefore are called of the Grekes Ophyophagj The Arabiens named Nomades occupie much Chamelles bothe in warre and burden and all maner cariage farre and nighe The floude that ronneth alonge their bordes hathe in it as it ware limall of golde in great plentie Whiche they neuertheles for lacke of knowledge do neuer fine into masse Another people of Arabia named Deboe are for the great part she pemasters and brieders Parte of theÌ„ notwithstanding occupie husbandrie tilthe These haue suche pleÌ„tie of gold that ofterimes emoÌ„g the cloddes in the fieldes thei finde litle peables of gold as bigge
as akecornes whiche thei vse to set finely with stones and weare for owches aboute their necke armes with a very good grace They sell their golde vnto their borderers for the thirde parte of Laton or for the halfe parte of siluer Partly for that they nothing estieme it and specially for the desire of the thinges that foreiners haue Nexte vnto them lie the Sabeis whose riches chiefely consisteth in encence Myrche and Linamome how be it some holde opinion also that Baulme groweth in some places of their borders Thei haue also many date trees very redolente of smelle and the roote called Calamus There is in that contry a kinde of serpentes lurking in the rootes of trees of haulfe a foote lengthe whose bitinge is for the moste parte death The plenty of swiete odours and sauours in those quarters doeth verely stuffe the smelling And to avoyde that incommoditie they often times vse the fume of a stincking gome and gotes heare chopped together Ther is no man that hath to do to giue senteÌ„ce vpon any case but the king The mooste parte of the Sabeis apply husbandrye The residewe gatheringe of spices and drugges They sayle into Ethiope for trade of marchaundise in barkes couered with leather The refuse of their cinamome and Cassian they occupy for firing Their chiefe citie is called Saba and stondeth vpon a hyll Their kynges succede by discent of bloude not any one of the kindred certeine but suâ—he as the people haue in moste honour be he good be he badde The king neuer dare be sene oute of his Palace for that there goeth an olde prophecie emong them of a king that shoulde be stoned to deathe of the people And euery one feareth it shoulde lighte on him selfe They that are about the king of the Sabeis haue plate bothe of siluer and golde of all sortes curiously wrought and entallied Tables fourmes trestles of siluer and all furniture of household sumptuous aboue measure They haue also Galeries buylte vppon great pillours whose coronettes are of golde and of siluer Cielinges voultinges dores and gates couered with siluer and golde and set with precious stones garnisshinges of yuorye and other rare thinges whiche emong men are of price And in this bounteous magnificeÌ„ce haue thei continued many yeres For why the gredy compasse how to atteyne honoure with the vniuste rapine of other mennes goodes that hath tombled downe headeling so many commune wealthes neuer had place emong them In richesse equal vnto them are the Garrei whose implementes of household are all of golde and siluer and of those and yuorie together are their portalles their cielinges and rophes made The Nabatheens of all other Arabiens are the beste husbandes and thriftiest sparers Their caste is wittye in winning of substaunce but greater in kepinge it He that appaireth the substaunce that was lefte him is by a commune lawe punished and contrariwise he that encreaseth it muche praysed and honoured The Arabiens vse in their warres swerde bowe launce slinge and battle axe The rable of helhoundes whom we calle Sarasines that pestilent murreine of mankinde came of this people And as it is to be thoughte at this daye the great parte of Arabia is degenerate into that name But thei that dwell towarde Egipte kepe yet their olde name lyue by butin like prickers of the bordre wherin the swiftenes of their camelles doeth them good seruice ¶ The seconde Chapitre ¶ Of Panchaia and the maners of the Panqueis PAnchaia a countrie of Arabia is iudged of Diodore the Sicilian to be an islonde of xxv miles brode It hath in it thre noble cities Dalida Hyracida Oceanida The whole contrie excepte a litle vaine of sandie grauelle is fertile and plenteous thiefely of wine and encence Whiche groweth ther in suche aboundaunce that it sufficeth the whole worlde for the francke fume offeringe There groweth also good store of Myrrhe and diuers other redolente thinges whiche the Panqueis gather and selle to the merchauntes of Arabia At whose hande other buienge them againe transporte them into Egipte and Sirie And fro thence they are spred abrode to al other peoples The PaÌ„queis in their warres vse wagons aftre the maner of menne in olde time Their commune wealth is deuided into thre sondry degrees The firste place haue the priestes to whome are ioyned the artificers The seconde the housebaÌ„d men And the thirde the menne of warre with whom the catteile maisters or brieders be coupled The priestes are the heades and chiefe of all the residewe and haue aucthoritie aswell in sentence of lawe as to put ordre in al ciuile affaires the sentence of deathe onely excepted The housebandemen tille the grounde and attende vpon the fruictes and bring all into the commune store And thei that shal be founde moste diligente in that laboure and occupation are chosen by the priestes but not aboue the nombre of ten at one time to be iudges ouer the distributioÌ„ of the fruictes vpon consideracion that other by their aduauncement might be stirred to like diligence The catteile maisters yf ther be any thing either apperteining to the sacrifices or commune affaires touching nombre or weight do it with all diligence No man amonge the Panchais hath any thinge that he can call proprely his owne his house and his gardein excepted For bothe the customes reuenewes and all other profectes are deliuered into the priestes handes Who acordinge as they finde necessarie and expediente iustely distribute them But they them selues are graunted double share Their garmentes by the reason of the finesse of the wolle of their shiepe specially aboue other are verye softe and gentle clothe Bothe menne and women vse ther to sette oute them selues with Iuelles of golde as cheines braselettes eareringes tablettes owches ringes Annuletes buttons broches and shoes embraudred and spangled with golde of diuers colours The menne of warre serue onely for the defence of their country The priestes aboue all other giue them selues vnto plesaunte life fine nette and sumptuous Their garmeÌ„tes are rochettes of fine linnen and sometime of the deintiest wollen Vpon their heades thei weare mitres embraudred and garnisshed with golde They vse a kinde of voided shoes whiche aftrewarde the Grieques toke vp and called sandalium very finely made and of sondry colours And as the women weare so do they all maner of Iuelles sauing earinges Their chiefe occupacioÌ„ is to attende vpon goddes seruice settinge forthe the worthie diedes of the goddes with himpnes and many kindes of commendacion Yf thei be founde without the halowed grounde it is lawfull for any manne to slea them They saye that they came of the bloude of Iupiter Manasses at suche time as he came firste into Panchaia hauinge the whole worlde vndre his dominion This countrie is full of golde siluer latton tinne and yron of the whiche it is not laweful to carie any one out of the realme The giftes both of siluer golde whiche in greate nombre of
longe time haue bene offred to their goddes are kepte in the temple whose dores are by excellent workemanship garnished with golde siluer and yuorie The couche of their God is vi cubites longe and foure cubites brode all of golde gorgeous of worcke and goodly to beholde And by that is there sette a table of like sorte in euerie poincte for sise stuffe and gorgeousnes They haue but one temple all of white stone builte vpon pilours grauen and embossed thre hundred and. xxxviii taylours yardes square that is to saye euen of lengthe and bredthe euery waye so muche And somewhat acordinge to the syse of the temple it is sette full of highe ymages very precious coruen and grauen Rounde about the temple haue the priestes their habitacion And all the grounde aboute them xxv myle compasse is halowed to their goddes The yerely rente of that grounde is bestowed vpon sacrifice ¶ The. iij. Chapitre ¶ Of Assiria and Babilonia and the maners of those peoples AS saieth sainct Augustine the countrie called Assiria was so named of Assur the sōne of Sem. And at this dase to the ende that time might be founde an appairer of al thinges with the losse of a sillabe is becomen Siria Hauyng for his bounde on the East the countrie called Inde and part of Media On the West the floude Tygris on the Southe Susiana and on the Northe the maigne mounteigne Laucasus It is a deintie to haue in Assiria a showre of raine and therefore are thei constreined for the due moistyng of their lande to tolle in the riuers by pollicie of trenching and damming wherwith thei so plentisie their grounde that thei communely receiue two hundred busshelles for a busshell and in some speciall veine three hundred for one Their blades of their Wheate and Barlie are fowre fingers brode Their Sesamum and Milium Somer cornes are in groweth like vnto trees All the whiche thinges Herodotus the historien thoughe he knoweth thē as he writeth be to vndoubtedly true yet would he that men toke aduisemente in the reportyng of theim for that thei mighte steme vnto suche as neuer sawe the like incredible Thei haue a tree called Palma that beareth a kinde of small Dates This fruicte thei fiede muche vppon and out of the bodie of the tree thei draw at one time of the yere a liquour or sappe wherof thei make bothe wine and hon̄y In their fresh waters thei vse boates facioned round like a buckler which the Armenians that dwelle aboue them do make of salowe wikers wrought one within an other and couered with rawe leather The appareile of the Assyrians is a shirte downe to the foote and ouer that a short garment of wollen and last of al a faire white pleicted cassaque doun to the foote agayne Their shoes are not fastened on with lachettes but lyke a poumpe close about the foote Which also the The bans dydde vse and but they twayne no moe They suffre theyr heares to growe and couer them with prety forked cappes somwhat my trelyke And when they goe abroade they besprinkle them selues with fragraunt cyles to be swete at the smelle They haue euery man a rynge with a signet and also a sceptre finely wrought vppon whose toppe thei vse to sticke either an apple or a rose or a lillye or some lyke thynge For it is a dishonour to beare it bare Emongest all the lawes of that people I note this chiefly as worthie memorie Whē their maidens came to be mariage able thei ware frō yere to yere brought foorthe into the Marquette for suche as would buye them to be their wiues And because there ware some so hard fauoured that menne would not onely be loth to giue money for them but some menne also for a litle money to take theim the fairest ware first solde and with the prices of theim brought into the commune Treasourie ware the fowler bestowed Herodote writeth thet he heard by reaporte that the Heneti a people on the bordre of Italie towarde Illiria ware wonte to vse this maner Whervpon Sabellicus takyng an occasion writeth in this maner Whether there ware suche a maner vsed emong that people saieth he or not I haue litle more certaintie to laie for my self then Herodote had But thus muche am I able to saie that in Venice a citie of famous worthines and whose power is well knowen at this daie to be greate bothe by Sea and by lande suche maner as I shall saie was sometyme vsed There was in the Litie of Venice a place dedicate as ye would saie to our Ladie of Pietie Before whose doores it happened a child or twaine begotten by a skape whiche either for shame or necessitie could finde no mother or for the nombre of parteners no one propre father to bee laide And when by the good Litezeins suche tendrenes had been shewed to two or thre as the mothers loked for and manhode to saie the truthe doth require the dore of pitie became so fruict full a mother that she had not now one or twoo in a yere but three or fower in a quarter Whiche thyng when the gouernours of the citie perceiued their toke ordre by commune consente that frō thens foorthe suche women children onely as should fortune so to bee offred to Pietie should bee nourisshed at the commune charge of the citie none other And for those acordyngly thei ordeined a place wher thei ware brought vp hardly kepte in and diuersly enstructed acordyng to their giftes of witte and capacitie vntill thei ware mariage able At the whiche tyme she that had beautie and good qualities bothe found those a sufficient dowrie to purchase her choyse of husbandes And she that hadde but beautie alone thoughe her qualities ware not so excellēte yet for her honestie that beside forth was singuler in theim all founde that beautie and honestie could not be vnmaried These therfore ware not permitted to euery mannes choise but graunted to suche as ware thoughte menne worthir of suche women If there ware any that lacked the grace of beautie yet if she ware wittie and endewed with qualities together with her honestie a small dowrie purchased her a husbād in good time But if there ware any in whō there happened neither commendacion of beautie nor wit but onely bare honestie for her bestowyng was there a meane found by waie of deuotiō as we terme it whē we signifie a respecte of holines in the diede Menne vnmaried beyng in daungier vpon Sea or on Lande or bryng sore distressed with sickenes makyng a vowe for the recouerie of healthe where vnto thei holde them selues bounden in conscience if it fortuned theim at that tyme to be deliuered for satisfactiō of their vowe in that case not vprightly perfourmed vsed to take for their wiues suche of the simplest as other had left So that in processe thei alwaie fonnde husbandes and the commune wealthe a diminishyng of charge Another Lawe of the Babilonians there was more worthie of
booke There ware amonge the Iewes thre seueralle sectes differyng in life from the reast of the people The Phariseâ—s the Sadduceis and the Esse is The Phariseis vsed a certeine rough solempnesse of appareille and a very skante fare determinyng the Tradicions of Moyses by certein ordâ—naunces and decrees whiche thei them selues sette vp Thei caried vppon their foreheades and on their lefte armes pretie billettes of Paper facioned for the place wherein ware written the tenne preceptes of the two Tables And this did thei for that the lorde saieth And these shall thou haue meanyng the commaundementes as a remembraunce haÌ„ging before thine eyes and alwaie ready at thine hande These ware called their Philacteries of these two woordes Phylexi and Thorat wherof the former signifieth to Kiepe and the other the Lawe These menne also hauyng vppon their skirtes muche broder gardes then other stacke them full of Thornes whiche beatyng and prickyng them on the hieles as thei wente might putte them in remembraunce of the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God Thei attributed all thynges vnto God and destenie whiche thei call Emarmeni Neuertheles thei graunted that it laie muche in the free choise of manne either to doe or not to doe the thinges that are iust and godlie but yet destenie to helpe in al cases Whiche destenie thei thought to depende of the influence of the bodies aboue Looke what their superiours and Elders had saied or answered to any demaunde thei neuer woulde contrarie it Thei belieued that GOD should come to Iudge the worlde and that all soules ware euerlastyng And as for the soules of the good thei helde opinion that thei passed from one bodie to another vntill the daie of the generall resurrection But the soules of the wicked to be plonged in to euerlasting prison doÌ„ geoÌ„ The name of Pharisei was giueÌ„ vnto them for that thei ware disguised fro the coÌ„mune maner of other as ye would saie Sequestred The Saddeiects denied that there was any destenie but that God was the beholder of all and that it laie in the choise of manne to doe well or euill And as for ioye or sorowe that the soule should suffre aftre this life thei denied Neither belieued thei any resurrection because thei thoughte the soule died with the bodie Thei would not belieue that there ware any spirites good or bad Neither would thei receiue more of the Bible then the fiue bookes of Moses Thei ware sterne men and vncompaignable not so muche as ones kepyng felowshippe one with another For the whiche sternesse thei named theim selues Sadduceis that is to saie â—uste menne The Esse is ware in all poinctes verie like vnto our cloisterers abhorryng mariage and the companie of women Not for that thei condempned Mariage or the procreacion of issue but for that thei iudged a manne ought to be ware of the intemperauncie of women And that no woman kept her self true to her husbaÌ„de Oh shameful opinion and muche better to be reported by the dead then to be credited of the quicke bee it neuer so true Thei possesed all thinges in commune As for checkes or reuilinges was to theÌ„ muske and Honie and slouenly vndaftinesse a greate comelinesse So that thei ware alwaie in a white surcote all was well Thei had no certein abiding in any one citie but Celles ouer all where so euer thei became Before the risyng of the Sonne thei spake nothyng that touched any worldly affaire but prated the sonne to rise Aftre whose vprijste thei laboured vntill eleuen of the clocke And then washyng firste their whole bodie in water thei satte doune together to meate in solempne silence euery manne Swearing thei compted for swearyng Thei admitted no manne to their secte vndre a yere of probacion And aftre what time thei had receiued him yet had thei two yeres more to proue his maners and condicions Suche as thei tooke with a faulte thei draue fro their coÌ„paignie Enioyned by the waie of penaunce to go a grasing like a beast vntill his dieng daie When tenne ware sette in a companie together no one of them spake without the conseÌ„te of the other nyne Thei would not spitte within the precincte of the compaignie emong theim ne yeat on their righte side Thei kept the Sabboth with suche a precisenesse that thei would not that daie ease nature of the belie burden And wheÌ„ vpon other daies nature forced theim to that easemente thei caried with theim a litle spade of woodde wherwith in place moste secreate thei vsed to digge a litle pit to laie their bealie in And in the time of doyng thei also vsed a very greate circumspection that their clothes laie close to the grounde rounde aboute theim for offendyng saied thei of the Maiestie of God Vpon whiche respecte thei also conered and bewrted it assone as thei had bone that nature required Thei ware of verie long life by the reason of the vnifourme diete that thei vsed alwaie aftre one rate of fare whiche was onely the fruicte of their countrie Palme Thei occupied no money If any manne suffered for wel doyng or as wroÌ„gfully condempned that thoughte thei the beste kinde of death Thei helde opinion that all soules ware made in the beginnyng and put in to bodies from tyme to tyme as bodies did niede theim And for the good soules beyng ridde of their bodies againe thei saied there was a place appoincted beyond the weast Occean where thei take repose But for the euill thei appoincted places toward the East as more stormie colde vnpleasante Ther ware amoÌ„ge them that prophecied thinges Some of them gaue themselues to wedlocke least if thei should be of the oppinion that men oughte to absteine vttrely from women mankinde should fade and in processe be extincte â–ª yeat vsed thei the compaignie of their wiues nothing at rioce The lande of Siria whereof we haue named Iewrie a parte is at this daie enhabited of the Grekes called Griphones of the Iacobites Nestorians Sarracenes and of two christian nacions the Sirians and Marouines The SiriaÌ„s vse to saie Masse aftre the maner of the Grekes and for a space ware subiecte to the churche of Rome The Marouines agre in opinion with the Iacobites Their lettres and congue are al one with the Arabique These christianes dwelle at the Mounte Libanus The Sarracenes whiche dwelle aboute IerusaleÌ„ a people valeauÌ„t in warre delighte muche in housbandrie and tilthe But contrary wise thei that enhabite Siria in that poincte are nothing worth The Marouines are feawe in nombre but of all other thei are the hardieste ¶ The. v. Chapitre ¶ Of Media and the maners of the Medes MEdia a countrie of Asia as Solinus writeth toke the name of one Medus the sonne of Medea Egeus kyng of Athenes Of whoÌ„ the people ware also called Medes But Iosephus affirmeth that it was so named of Medius the soÌ„ne of Iapheth This countrie as it is sene in Ptolomie hath on the Northe the sea named Hircanum on the West
them expediente for their owne behoue ¶ The. vii Chapiter ¶ Of Persia and the maners and ordinaunces of the Persians PErsia a countrie of the easte was so called of Perstus the Sonne of Iupiter and Danae Of whome the chiefe citie of the kingedome also was named Persepolis whiche in Englishe soūdeth Persehoroughe or as we corruptly terme it Perseburie and the whole naciō Persiens This countrie as Ptolomie writeth in his fiueth booke hath on the northe Media on the West Susiana on the easte the two Carmaniaes and on the southe an inshot of the Sea called the Bosome of Parthia The famous cities therof ware Axiama Persepolis and Diospolis By the name of Iupiter thei vnderstode the whole heauen Thei chiefely honour the Sonne whom thei calle Mitra Thei worship also the Mone the planet Venus the fyre the earthe the water and the windes Thei neither haue anltare nor temple nor ymage but celebrate their deuine seruice vndre the open heauen vpon some highe place for that purpose appoincted In doinge sacrifice thei haue no farther respecte but to take awaye the life from the beaste As hauing opinion that forasmuche as the goddes be spirites thei delighte in nothinge but the spiritual parte the soule Before they slea it thei set it aparte by them with a corone vpon the heade and heape vppon it many bittre banninges and curses Some of the nacion notwithstandinge when thei haue slaine the beaste vse to laye parte of the offalle in the fire When thei sacrifie vnto the fire they timbre vp drie stickes together cleane withoute pille or barcke And after what time thei haue powred on neates tallowe and oyle thei kindle it Not blowing with blaste of blowesse or mouthe but makinge winde as it ware with a ventile or trenchour or suche like thinge For yf any manne either blowe into it or caste in any deade thing or any durte or puddle it is deathe to the doer The Persians beare suche reuerence to their floudes that thei neither wasshe pysse nor throwe deade carcasse into them No not so muche as spitte into thē But very reuerentlye honour their water after this maner Comminge to lake mere floude ponde or springe thei trenche out a litle diche and ther cut thei the throte of the sacryfice Being well ware that no droppe of blode sprinckle into the water by As thoughe all water ware polluted and vnhalowed ouer all yf that should happen That done their Magi that is to say men skylfull in the secretes of nature layeng the flesh vppon a heape of Myrtus or Laurelle and tymbryng smalle wandes about sette fyre theron brenne yt And pronouncyng certein curses they myngle oyle mylke and hony together and sprinkle into the fyre But these cursinges make they not against the fyre ne water But against the earthe a greate whyle toguether holding in their hande a boūdle of smalle myrte wandes Their kinges reigne by successiō of one kindred or stocke To whom who so obeyeth not hath his heade armes striken of and so wythout buriall is throwē out for karreine Policritus sheweth that euery king of the Persians buyldeth his howse vpō a greate hille and ther hourdeth vp all the threasure tribute taxe that he receyueth of the people to be a recorde after his deathe how good a husbonde he hath bene for the cōmune wealthe Suche of the subiectes as dwelle vpon the sea coast are taxed to paie money But those that enhabite toward the mydde londe suche cōmodities as the quartre beateth or hath wher they dwelle As apothecary druggues woolle coulours suche like and cateille accordingly He is not permitted any one cause to putte any man to death Neither is it lawfull for any other of the Persians to execute any thyng against any of his house or stock that maie sieme in any wyse cruelle Euery one of them marie many wiues holde many cōcubines also beside for the encrease of issue The king Proclaimeth rewarde vnto him that within one yere begetteth most children Fiue yere aftre thei are begotten thei come not in the fathers sight by a certein ordenaunce vsed emong theim but are broughte vp continually emong the women To the ende that if the childe fortune to dye in the time of his infancie their fathers grief maie be the lesse Thei vse not to marie but in one tyme of the yere toward midde Marche The bridegrome eateth to his supper an apple of that countrey or a litle of the maribone of a Chamel and so without any farther banquettyng goeth to bedde From fiue yeres olde to twentie and fowre thei learne to ride to throwe the Dart◠to shoote and chiefly to haue atongue voide of all vntruthe For their nourituryng and trainyng in good maners thei haue appoincted theim Masters of greate sobrenes and vertue that teache them dieties and pretie songes conteinyng either the praises of their Goddes or of some worthy Princes Whiche sometime thei sing and sometyme recite without note that so thei mighte learne to confourme their liues vnto theirs whose praises thei sieme them selues to allowe To this lesson assemble thei alwaie together at the calle of a Trompette And as thei growe into yeres an accompt is required of thē how well thei haue borne awaie the lessons of their childhode Thei vse to ronne the race to course bothe on horsebacke and on foote at the leadyng of some noble mannes sonne chosen for the nones The field for the race is at least thre mile and thre quarters longe And to the ende that heate or colde should the lesse trouble them thei vse to wade ouer brookes and swimme ouer riuers so to rowme and to hunte the fieldes and to eate drinke in their armour and wette clothes The fruyes that thei eate are akecornes wild Peares and the fruicte of the Terebinthine tree But their daiely foode aftre their ronnyng and other exercises of the bodie is hard Bisquette or a like crustie bread Hortechocques Gromelle sede a litle roste flesshe or sodden whether thei lust and faire water their drincke Their maner of Huntyng is with the bowe or the Darte on horsebacke Thei are good also in the slynge In the forenoone thei plante and graffe digge vp settes stubbe vp rootes make their owne armour or fisshe and foule with the Angle or nette Their children are decked with garnishynges of golde And their chief iuelle is the precious stone Piropus whiche thei haue in suche price that it maie come vppon no deade corps And that honour giue thei also to the fire for the reuerence thei beare there vnto From twentie till fiuetie thei folowe the warres As for byeng and sellyng or any kinde of Lawe prattle thei vse not Thei cary in their warres a kinde of shieldes facioned like a losenge a quiure with shaftes a curtilace On their heades a copintancke enibatled aboute like a turrette and a brest-plate emboussed of skaled woorke The princes and menne of honour did weare a treble
ordre wherin his callyng lieth ne chaunge his trade For neither maie the souldiour occupie housebandrie thought he woulde ne the artificers entremedle with the doctrine of the Sages There are also amonge the Yndians persons of honour appointed to be as it ware Tutours of straungiers to see that no wronge be done them to put ordre for their kepyng and Phisicke if any falle sicke As also if it fortune any of theÌ„ to die for the bewrieng of theim and to deliuer their goodes and money to their nexte friendes All causes are broughte afore the iudges who heare the parties and punysshe the offenders diligently Ther is no slanery amonge them Yea thei haue a certaine ordinaunce that none shal be slaue or bonde amonge them but all fre and of equalle aucthoritie and honour For thei holde opinion that who so accustometh his selfe neither to be Lorde ouer other ne to wroÌ„ge any bodie the man hath prepared him selfe sauftie and ease what so euer shall happen hym by any aduenture And a fonde thing ware it to make the lawes indifferente for all and not to make the states of the men indifferente But because ther are in Indemanye sondrie contries diuerse bothe in people and tongue as in so large a thing muste nedes happen ye shall vnderstonde that thei do not all alike vse suche trade as I haue described but in some plares somewhat worse Of those that lie towarde the Easte some occupie brieding and some do not Other dwellinge in the mershe and fennes vpon the riuers side occupie fisshing and liue by the same all rawe And the bettre to worcke their feate thei make them selues boates â–ª of suche canes as growe ther of a wonderfull biggenes So that so muche of the cane as is betwixte ioyncte and ioyncte is a iuste proporcion of timbre for one of their boates These of all the other Indians are appareilled in matte made of a certaynâ— softe kinde of mere rushes Which when thei haue gathered out of the fioude and sliced oute in maner of lace they braude together muche like oure figge frailâ—e or suche like kinde of mattinge make them selues ierkins therof Those that be yet by Easte of them are brieders of cataille and liue altogether with rawe fleshe and haue to name Padians Whose condicions are sayde to be suche As often as it fortuneth any of their citezeins to be sicke yf it be manne his nierest friendes and those that are moste aboute him kylle him by and by leaste saye thei his fleshe should waxe worse Yea thoughe he woulde dissemble the matier and denie him self to be sicke it boteth not For withoute pardon they kille him and make a feaste with him If it be a woman looke how the menne did by the manne so do the women by a woman Like wise do thei with bothe sortes when thei waxe croked for age or become impotente where throughe what by the one meanes and the other none of them die for age Ther is another sorte of the Indians that kille no liuinge thing ne plante nor sowe nor builde house but liue with herbes and a certeine sede whiche groweth there of the owne accorde muche like vnto gromelle whiche thei gather with the cuppe or shelle that it groweth in and so seeth it and eate it If any of these falle sicke he wandereth forthe into some deserte place and ther laieth him downe no manne taking hede either to his lieng or to his dienge All these Yndians that I nowe haue spoken of in quenching of natures heate vse their women as secretly as beastes do their females These Yndians haue a kinde of sages that the Griekes calle Gimnosophistae whiche as the worde Sophista soundeth now might merily be interpreted briechelesse bablers But as Sophista did signefie then naked Sages or to giue one Grieke worde for a nother naked Philosophres These as Petrarche writeth haunte the outemoste borders and shadowie partes of that countrie wadering naked acordinge to their name vp and downe heather and theather studienge and searching the natures of thinges the course of the heauens and the secretes of knowledge Thei continued sometime al the whole daye from the sonne rising till his downe goinge beholdinge the same with stedfaste eye neuer tourning away the heade althoughe it be ther moste feruently hote searching and spienge aftre certaine secretes in the body thereof At another time thei passe the day likewyse standing one while on one legge another while on another in the brotlinge sande of that contrie Froste nor snowe nor firie heate greued not them Amonge these is ther a people called Brachmanes whiche as Didimus their king wrate vnto Alerandre when he weÌ„t aboute to subdue them liue a pure and simple life led with no likerous lustes of other mennes vanities This people loÌ„geth for no more then nature requyreth naturallye Thei are content with suche foode as commeth to hande desiryng no suche as other menne tourne the worlde almost vpside downe to haue leauing no elemeÌ„t vnransaked to gette a gowbin for their glotenous gorge but suche as the earth vnploughed or vndolueÌ„ yeldeth of her self And because thei acqueinte not their table with surfet in dede thei know not so many kindes of sickenesses ne so many names of diseases as we doe but thei bettre knowe what sounde healthe meaneth and staied continaunce of the same then euer we are like Thei haue no niede to craue one anothers helpe and reliefe wher no manne maketh clayme by thine and by myne but euery manne taketh what he lusteth and lusteth no more then he niedeth Enuie cannot dwell ther ne none of her impes wher all be equalle and none aboue other and all alike poore maketh all alike riche Thei hane no officers of Iustice among them because thei do nothing that ought to be punisshed Ther ran no lawe appiere because none offeÌ„ce appeareth The whole people hath one onely lawe to do nothinge against lawe that nature prescribeth To cherishe labour to barre out ydlenes and banishe colle couetyse That lechery licke not away the vigour of their spirites and strength nor lacke throwe menne into desperate doompes That euery manne hath enoughe wher no manne couettes more That neuer coÌ„tent is of all other the moste cruell restles plague For whome she catcheth she throweth a foote beneth beggery whilest thei canne finde none ende of their scrattinge but the more thei haue the fellier gnaweth their longing Thei warme by the Sonne the deawe is their moisture the riuer is their drinke the faire grouÌ„de their bedde Lare breaketh not their sleape Compassing of vanities wearieth not their minde Pride hath no stroke ouer them among whom ther is no diuersite Neither is their any kinde of bonde knowen amonge them but the bondage of the body to the minde whiche thei onely allowe to be iuste For the building of their houses they sende not ouer sea for stone thei burne no Calion to make lime to tempre their mortre thei bake no
that in Clesia certein women haue but ones childe in all their life time and the children assone as thei are borne immediatly to become horeheded Againe that there is another nacion much lōger liued then we are whiche in their youth are horeheared and in their age their heare waxeth blacke They affirme also that ther is another sorte of women that conceiue at fyue yeres olde and liue not aboue the age of viii yeres Ther are also that lacke neckes haue their eyes in their shoulders Ther are also beside these certeine saluages with dogges heades shacke heared on their bodies that make a very terrible charringe with their mouthes But in these and suche like tales of the Indians and their countrie for that a manne had nede of a redie beliefe that should take theim for truthes one had not niede to bee to large considerynge specially that menne nowe a daies will skante beleue the reporte of other mens writinges in the thinges that almost lye vndre their noses Ther is a place betwixt Gedrosia and the floude Yndus which is called Cathainus of the Cathaiens that enhabyte it This people ware an offpring of the Scithiās muche altered from their naturall condicions and wonted maners if that that Altone the Arminiane writeth of them in his storie be true Thei passe saieth he all other men in quicke smelling And thei saye of them selues that though all other menne haue two instrumentes of sight yet do none se with both two in dede but thei all other men in cōparison either to haue no sight or elles as it ware but with one eye Their wittinesse is greate but their boastinge greater The whole nacion of thē is perswaded that thei muche passe all other men in knowledge and the subtilties of sciences Thei are all of colour shining white smalle eyed beardelesse by nature Their lettres are aftre the faciō of the Romaine all in squares Thei are diuerselyledde with fonde supersticions some aftre one sorte and some aftre another But thei are all voyde of the true knowledge which is in Iesus Christe Some worship the sonne some the moone Other ymages of yoten metalle manie of them an ore And thus to sondry suche other monsters hath this people in sondry wyse deuided it selfe in supersticion Thei haue no maner of written lawes nor knowe not what we meane whē we speake of faithfulnesse or trustinesse And wher as I said afore thei haue in al hādi worckes a passing subtiltie of witte yet in the knowledge of heauenly thinges thei are altogether to learne that is to saie thei are vtterly ignoraūt A cowardly people and very feareful of death Yet exercise thei a maner of warre but that thei handle rather by witte and pollicie then by strength and hardinesse In their fighte thei vse a kinde of shaftes and certaine other weapons of flight vnknowen to other countries Their money is a piece of square paper with their Kynges Image vpon it And because it cannot be durable ordre is taken that when it is soiled or dusked muche with passyng from man to man thei shall bring it to the coignyng house and make exchaunge for newe All their vtensiles and necessaries of house are of golde siluer and other metalles Oile is so deintie emong theim that the kyng onely vseth it as it ware for a precious ointement Thus haue we treated of the Yndians and now to their borderers the Scithians ¶ The .ix. Chapitre ¶ Of Scithia and their sterne maners SCithia a countrie lieng by North is said of Herodotus to take the name of Scitha Hercules sonne Or as Berosus Iudgeth of an other Scitha borne ofoure greate graundame Araxe Noahes wife that dwelt first in that countrie This people in the beginnyng pente within narowe boundes so in processe by litle and litle through their valeauntnes and force enlarged their limites that thei became lordes of many coūtries aboute and grewe into a great gouernaunce and renoume Thei nestled first vpon the floude Araxis so fewe in nombre and so base that no manne thought theim worthie the troublyng or talkyng of But gettyng vnto them a certein king hardie of great courage and notable experience in the warres thei enlarged their land so that thei made it stretche on the one parte whiche is altogether Hille and Mounteigne vnto Caucasus and ouer al the plain vnto the Occean vnto the greate marshe of Meotis and Tanais the floude From whēce the countrie of Scithia now stretcheth all along toward the East And because the mounteigne Imaus ronnyng along as the countrie coasteth deuides it in the middes into two haulues the one haulfe is called Scithia within Imaus and the other without as ye would saie on this side the Mounte and beyonde There neuer medled any power with theim that was able to conquere theim or muche to endamage theim Thei forced Darius the Kyng of the Persians with greate dishonour to flie their countrie Theissue Cirus with all his armie Thei made an ende of Alexandre with al his power The Romaines sente theim threates thei would warre with theim but thei proued in fine but wordes Thei are a people not tameable with any toile bittre warriours and of greate strength of bodie At the first very rawe and with out any ordinarie trade of life neither knowyng what tillage meant ne yet hauyng any houses or cotages to dwell in But wandryng vp and boune the wilde fieldes and driuyng their catteille afore theim their wiues and their children ridyng in wagons by them Thei obserned iustice without constraint of lawe Thei compted none offēce more heinous then thefce As folke that had nothyng vndre locke nor keye barre nor bolte but altogether in the open fielde Thei nether occupied golde ne siluer Their chief foode was milke and Hony Against colde and other stormes thei wrapped their bodies in felles and hides of beastes and Mice skinnes Thei knewe not what Wollen meante ne ▪ any facion of garmente This maner of life was in many of the Scithians but not in all A greate nombre of theim as thei muche differed in distaunce of place frō other so differed thei also from other in maners and vsed a certeine trade of liuyng emong them selues wherof we aftreward will entreate when we haue saied somewhat more of their facions in generall Many of the Scithians delight in mā slaughter And the firste man that he taketh in fight his bloud drincketh he and offreth vnto his Kynge the heades of all those that he ther sleaeth For when he hath so done he is admitted to be partaker of the butine what so euer it be whereof he should be otherwise partles He cutteth of the heade aftre this sorte Firste with his knife he maketh in it a gashe roūde aboute like a circle vndre the eares then taketh he it by the heare of the croune striketh it of That done he fleaeth it and taweth the skinne betwixte his handes vntill it become very souple and soft and
neither sowe nor mowe but liue by flesshe of suche beastes as thei haue and suche fishe as Araxe the floude doeth plēteously minister vnto them and with drinckynge of Milke wherof thei make no spare Thei knowe no goddes but the Sonne In whose honour thei offre vp Horses in Sacrifice as beyng in swiftenesse moste like vnto the Sonne The Seretines are a debonaire people and suche louers of quiernesse that thei shōne to entremedle with any other people Merchaūtes passe their outmost floude toward them but thei maie come no nigher Along the banques there thei sette out suche thynges as thei are disposed to selle Not the Merchauntes but the indwellers of the Countrie For thei selle to other and buie of none And thei sette them in ordre as thei iudge them in price The buyer cometh and as he iudgeth theim by his eye to be worthe without further trade or feloweshippe betwixte theim so laieth he doune And if thei receiue it he departeth with the ware Emong them is there neither whore nor thiefe nor adulteresse broughte to iudgemente Neither was it euer hearde that there was a manne slaine emong theim For the feare of their Lawes woorketh more strongly with theim then the influences of the Starres Thei dwelle as it ware in the beginnyng or entryng of the worlde And for that thei liue aftre a chast sort thei are neither skourged with Blastynges ne Haile ne Pestilence ne suche other euilles No manne toucheth a woman there aftre she hath conceiued ne yet in the tyme of her flowres Thei eate none vncleane beastes ne knowe what Sacrifisyng meaneth Euery man there is his owne Iudge acordyng to Iustice Therefore are thei not chastised with suche corrections as happen vnto other for synne but bothe continue long in life and die wighout grief The Tauroschithiās so called for that thei dwell aboute the mounteigne Taurus offre as many as fortune to make Shipwracke vpon their shore to the virgine whose name ye shall aftre heare And if it fortune any Greke or Grekes to be driuen thether him doe thei Sacrifice after this maner Afire what tyme thei haue made prayer after their maner thei strike of his heade with an hachet And as some saie tomble doune the carkesse into the Sea for this Virgine hath a Chapelle vpon the toppe of a high clieue hangyng ouer the Sea where this feate is doone and naile vp the heade vpon a Giber In this poincte of nailyng vp the heade all the writers agre but in tomblyng doune the body not so ▪ for some affirme that the body is bewried The Virgine Deuille to whom thei Sacrifice is laied to be Iphigenia Agamēnons doughter Their ennemies as many as thei take thus thei handle Euery manne cutteth of his prisoners head and carieth it home and fasteneth it vpon the ende of a long pole setteth it vp some vpon their house toppe some vpō their chimneis as high as thei can And no merueile though thei set thē so that thei might well see rounde about theim for thei saie thei are the wardens and kepers of al their whole house Thei liue by spoile and by warre The Agathirsians are menne verie neare fine greate wearers of golde in their appareill Thei occupie their women in commune so that thei seme all of one kindred and one householde neuer striuyng nor grudgyng one with another muche like in body vnto the Thracians The Neuriens vse the maners of the Sithians This people the somer before that Darius set furthe ware constrained for the greate multitude of Serpentes that ware bredde in their quartres to chaunge their dwellyng place Thei verily doe belieue and wille sweare it that euery yere ones for a certaine daies thei become Woulues and retourne againe into their former shape and state The Antropophagites so called for that thei liue by mannes fleshe of all menne are the worste cōdicioned without lawe or officer appareilled like the Scithiens but in language like vnto no bodye but them selues The Melanchleni do all weare blacke as their name dothe signifie And of these also are eaters of mannes fleshe so manie as folowe the trade of the Scithians The Budines are a great nacion and a populous graye eyed redde headed al. Their heade citie is Gelone wherof thei are also called Gelonites Thei kepe euery thirde yere a reuelle in the honour of Bacchus whereat thei make reuelle in dede yea reuell route Thei ware sometime Griekes whiche put of fro their countrie seatled them selues there And by processe losing the proprietie of their owne tongue became in lāguage haulfe Grekes and haulfe Scithians Yet are the Gelonites bothe in language and liuinge different from the Budines For the Budines being natiue of the place are brieders of Catteile The Gelonites occupienge tilthe liue by corne and haue their frute yardes Neyther lyke in colour ne countenaunce to the other All their quartres are verye full and thicke of trees It hathe also many meres and greate In and about the whiche thei take Ottres and Beauers many other beastes of whose skinnes they make them pilches and Ierkins The Lirceis liue by woodmanshippe and huntinge and aftre this maner Their countrie beinge also very thicke of trees thei vse to climbe suche as siemeth them beste and there awaite their game At the foote of euery mannes tree lieth a dogge and a horse well taughte to couche flatte on the bealy as lowe as can bee When the beaste cometh within daungier he shoteth And yf he hitte he streighte commeth downe taketh his horse backe foloweth with his hoūde The Argippians dwell vndre the foote of the highe mountaines Men whiche fro their birthe are balde bothe the males and the females Their noses tourne vp like a shoinge horne and their chinnes be great out of measure The sounde of their voice vnlike to all other ther apparell aftre the sorte of the Scithians Thei haue small regarde to brieding by the reason wherof thei haue smalle store of cattaile Thei lie vndre trees which in the wintre thei couer ouer with a white kinde of felte and in the somer take the same awaye and lie vndre the open tree Ther is no manne that wil harme them for that thei are compted holy halowed neither haue thei anye kinde of armour or weapō of warxe These men haue the arbitrement of their neigbours controuersies rounde aboute And as thei determine so are thei ended Who so flieth vnto them is saufe as in sanctuary The Issedonnes haue this propretie When so euer any mannes father ther dieth all his kinsfolke bringe euery man one beast or other to the house of the sonne that kepeth the funeral Which whē thei haue killed and minsed they minse also the body of the deade And bothe the flesshes beinge mingled together thei fall to the banket Then take thei the dead mannes heade pike the braine oute cleane and all other moistures and ragges and when thei haue guilte it thei vse it for
christians aftre the fourme of the Greke Churche Thei ware neighbours to the Persians Their dominiōs stretched out a great length from Palestine in Iewrie to the mounteignes called Caspij Thei had eightene Bishopries and one Catholicque that is to saie one generall bishoppe whiche was to them as our Metropolitane to vs. At the firste thei ware subiecte to the Patriarche of Antioche ▪ Menne of greate courage and hardinesse Thei all shaued their crounes the Laietie square the Clercques rounde Their women certeine of theim had the ordre of Knighthode and ware trained to the warres The Georgianes when thei ware sette ordered and raunged in the fielde and ware at poinct to ioyne the batteill vsed to drincke of a gourdfull of strong wine aboute the bigguenes of a mannes fiste And to sette vpon their ennemies muche amended in courage Their Clercques whiche we calle the Spiritualtie mighte vse bothe Simonie and vsurie at their wille There was continuall hatred betwixte Tharmenians and them For the Armenians ware also christians before the Tartarres had subdued the Georgianes and thē But thei differed in many thinges from the belief and facions of the true Churche Thei knewe no Christemas daie no vigilles nor the fowre quartre fastes whiche we call Embryng daies Thei fasted not on Easter euē because saie thei that Christ rose that daie aboute euen tide Vpon euery Saturdaie betwixte Easter and Whitsontide thei did eate flesshe Thei ware greate fasters and beganne their Lēte thre wekes afore vs and so streightly fasted it that vpon the Wedensdaie and Fridaie thei neither eate any kinde of fisshe ne aughte wherin was wine or oile Belieuing that he that drancke wine on these twoo daies synned more then if he had bene at the stewes with a whore On the Monedaie thei absteined from all maner of meate On Tewsdaie and Thursdaie thei did eate but one meale Wedensdaie and Fridaie nothyng at al. Saturdaie and Sondaie thei eate fleshe and made lustie chiere Throughe their whole Lente no manne said Masse but on Saturdaies and Sondaies Nor yet on the Fridaies throughout the whole yere for thei thought then that thei brake their fast Thei admitted to the houseale aswell children of two monethes olde as all other indifferently When thei went to Masse thei vsed to put no watre in the wine Thei absteined from Hares fleshe Beaws fleshe Crowes and suche other as the Grekes did and Iewes do Their Chalices ware of Glasse and of Tree Some said Masse without either albe or vestement or any maner suche ornamēt Some onely with thornamētes of Deacon or Subdeacon Thei ware all busie vsurers and Simonites bothe spirituall and Tēporall as the Georgianes ware Their priestes studied Sothesaieng and Nigromancie Their Spiritualtie vsed Iunckettyng oftener then the Laietie Thei maried but aftre the death of the wife it was not lawefull for the housebande to marie againe nor for the wife aftre the death of the housebande If the wife ware a whore the Bisshoppe gaue hym leaue to put her awaie and marie another As for the fire of Purgatorie thei knewe nothing of it Thei denied also verie stifly that there ware two natures in Christe The Georgianes saied that thei swarued from the truthe of Christes Religion in thirtie poinctes or articles ¶ The .xi. Chapitre ¶ Of Turcquie and of the maners ▪ Lawes and Ordenaunces of the Turcques THE lande whiche now is called Turcquie hath on Theaste Armenia the more ronneth endelong to the Sea of the Cilicians hauyng on the Northe the Sea named Euxinus There are in it many coūtries conteined As Lichaonia whose heade citie is Iconium Cappadocia with her heade citie named Cesarea Isauria whiche hath for the chief citie Seleucia Licia whiche now is called Briquia Ionia now called Quisquoun in the whiche standeth Ephesus Paphlagonia and in it Germanopolis And Leuech that hath for the heade Citie Trapezus All this countrie that now is called Turcquie is not enhabited by one seuerall nacion but there be in it Turcques Grekes Armenians Saracenes Iacobites Nestorians Iewes and christians Whiche liue for the moste parte acording to the Tradicions and Ordenaunces that Mahomet the countrefeict Prophete gaue vnto the Saracenes a people of Arabie the yere of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe .vi. hundred and .xxix. A manne whome I can not telle whether I maye calle an Arabiane or a Persiā For ther be aucthorities of writers on either behaulfe His father was an idolastre after the maner of the heathen His mother an Ismalite leaning to the lawe of the Iewes And whilest in his childehode his mother taught him aftre one sorte his father aftre another thei printed in hym suche a doubtfull belief that when he came to age he cleaued to neither But as a manne of subtyle and guilefull witte aftre what time he had bene longe conuersaunte amongest menne of the Christian religion he draue a drifte deuised out of both lawes the olde and the newe how he mighte notably enfecte the worlde He said the Iewes did wickedly to denie Christe to be borne of the virgine Mary seinge the prophetes mē of great holinesse enspired with the holy ghost had foreshewed the same warned mē of many yeres passed to looke for him Contrariwyse he said to the Christians thei ware very fonde to beleue that Iesus so dierly beloued of God and borne of a virgine would suffre those vilanies and tormentes of the Iewes Martinus Segonius nouomōtanus in his booke of the Sepulchre of Christe our king writeth that the Turkes and Saracenes by an auncient opinion receiued from Machomet do laughe Christian menne to skorne that seke thether with so greate reuerence Sayeng that Christ the prophet of all prophetes endewed with the spirite of God and voyde of all earthly corruption had ther no sepulchre in very diede for that he being a spirituall body cōceiued by the breathe of the holy ghost coulde not suffre but should come againe to be iudge of the Gentiles This saieth Segonius and many other thinges sounding to like effecte whiche the Mahometeines are wōte to throwe out against the christians bothe foolisshely and wickedly When this countrefeicte prophet had saused his secte with these wicked opinions he gaue them his lawe and sorte of religion Against the whiche lesse any man of righte iudgemente should aftrewarde write or dispute as against a pestilent and filthie perswasion he wrote a lawe in his Alcorane that it shoulde be deathe to as many as should reason or dispute vppon it Wherby he euidentlie declared that ther was nothing godly or goodly therin For why should he elles haue so raked it vp in the asshes and for bidden it to be examined so that the people coulde neuer come to knowledge what maner of thinge it is that thei beleue in In the giuing of his lawe he vsed muche the counselle helpe of the mōche Sergius of the wicked secte of the Nestorianes And to the ende it might please the more vniuersally he