in sacrifices Of Assyria and how the Assyrians liue CAP. 3. ASsyria a countrey in Asia is so called of Assur the son of Sem as Saint Augustine is of opinion It is now called Syria and hath vpon the East India and part of Media vpon the West the riuer Tygris Susiana vppon the South and the hill Caucasus on the North. They haue seldome any raine in Assyria but what graine soeuer the countrey affordeth is obtained by the waterings and ouerflowings of the riuers which they do not naturally of their owne accords as in Aegypt but by the labour and industrie of the inhabitants and yet by this ouerflowing the ground there is so exceeding fruitfull as it yeeldeth two hundred and in the most fertill soyle three hundred-fold increase the eares of their wheate and barley beeing foure fingers in breadth and their pulse and millet in height like trees These things though they bee certainely knowne vnto them to be true yet Herodotus would haue them sparingly reported and with good deliberation as beeing scarce credible especially if the relation bee made to those which neuer saw them They haue great store of Dates of which they make hony and wine they vse boates in their riuers made in fashion of a round shield not seuered with fore-decke and sterne as other boates be but made beyond the Assyrians in Armenia of willow or sallow tree couered ouer with raw lether The Assyrians weare two linnen garments one hanging downe to the foote and the other short ouer which they weare a white stole Their shooes be such as the Thebans were wont to weare they suffer their haires to grow long and trimme them with head-tyres when they go into publike places they annoynt themselues with oyntments euery one weareth a signet-ring on his finger and a scepter in his hand in which is set an apple a rose or lilly or some such like thing for they hold it base and vndecent to carry it without such a signe or cognisance in it Of all their lawes which were in force in that countrey this seemeth most worthie to be remembred That the maides assoon as they were mariageable were once euery yeare brought into a publike place and there offered to be sold to such men as had any disposition to marry and first the fairest and most beautiful virgins were set to sale and after them those which through defect of their beauties or their bodies were not onely not vendible and marketable but which no man would marrie gratis were married away with that money the faire ones were sold for Herodotus saith that this custome was heretofore obserued in Venice in the confines of Illiria as hee heard it credibly reported by others And Antonius Sabellicus in like manner affirmeth that whether this custome bee yet obserued in that countrey he is not very certaine But sure I am saith he that in Venice which at this day for riches is the most flourishing state of the world amongst other good orders of their cittie it was ordained that bastard virgins that were gotten out of wedlocke and fondlings that were exposed and laid abroad to the aduentures of the world should be brought vp in some close place at the common charge of the cittie and there instructed in some hard discipline vntill they were mariageable and that then those which were most beautifull and well brought vp should be married without dowrie either vnto such as had escaped some great perill or some dangerous disease or broken their vowes and that some Freemen also regarding their modestie and beautie would marie them without dower and euer those which were most beautifull were married with lesse portion then the foule ones although they were as well brought vp as the other An other law of the Babylonians being very profitable and worthy to be remembred was this seeing they excluded all Phisitions from amongst them it was ordained that he which began to bee sicke should aske councel of those concerning his disease that had suffred the like infirmity themselues and that had tried some medicine for the recouery of their healthes some others write that their custome was to bring the sicke persons into a publicke place where the law commanded them and that those which once had been sicke themselues and were recouered should goe and visit the diseased persons and teach them by what meanes they were cured The Assyrians bewaile the dead as the Aegiptians doe and when one hath laine with his wife all night neither of them toucheth any thing before they haue washed themselues The custome heretofore amongst the Babylonians was that the women wold once in their life times lie with strangers besides their husbands the maner wherof was thus They would come a great company of them togither very reuerently and solemnly vnto the temple of Venus each one hauing her head bound and wreathed about with garlands and then the stranger with whom shee desired to lie laied vnder his knee as he kneeled in the Tēple such a sum of money as he thought fitting which being consecrated to Venus he leaueth behind him rysing vp taketh the woman into a place a little distant from the Church and there lieth with her There were some families among the Assyrians which liued only vpon fish dried at the sun and bruised in a morter which being moulded and laid togither sprinckled with water they made into lumps like loaues and drying them at the fire vsed to eate them in steed of bread They had three head officers amongst them one of such as had beene souldiours and were put to their pension an other of the nobility and elders and the King which was head ouer them all They had their south-saiers likewise which were called Chaldei which were like vnto the Priests of Aegipt and sacrificed to their gods These Chaldei spent their whole liues in the studie of Philosophy they were great starre-mungers and sometimes by their diuinations sometimes by their holy rimes they would defend men from misfortunes They could truly and faithfully interprete Augurations Dreames and Prodigies not learning their instructions in such things of maisters and tutors as the Greekes did but receiuing thē from their parents as their inheritance The children were taught and excercised in learning at home that by the continuall care of their parents they might better profit themselues They Chaldei were not variable and doubtful in their opinions of naturall causes as the Greekes were where euery man was of a seueral minde and euery writer yeelded reasons repugning one an other but they all by one general and vniforme assent supposed the world to be eternal and that it neither had beginning nor shal haue end and that the order and ornament of al things is established by a diuine prouidence That the Celestiall bodies be not moued of their owne accord or by some accidentary motion but by a certaine law and immutable decreee of some god-head They marke by
time liued very moderately and sparingly their children frequented those meetings and assemblies which they called Greges And their young men when they came to mans estate haunted and celebrated publike feastes practising feates of armes for the good and generall commoditie of the Common-wealth and exercising and inuring their bodies in their youth to all kind of labour and extremitie whatsoeuer as heate and cold stormes and tempests both by sea and by land to runne through thicke woods and vn-euen pathes to prouoke and stirre vppe brawles and contentions in places appoynted for their exercises To bee skilfull and experienced in shooting and darting and vsually to practise and frequent a certaine forme of dancing in armour and weapons inuented by Pyrrhus and therefore called the Pyrrichan dancing or vaulting in which dancing they vsed to bow and bend their bodies the better to shunne and auoide weapons and wounds Their garments were short Clokes or Cassockes and soldiers shooes and they esteemed of weapons and armour as most rare and pretious gifts Moreouer they were so skilfull and expert in sea-faring matters as that it was an vsuall Prouerbe if one dissembled that hee knew not that which hee knew right well to say No more is a man of Creete acquainted with the Sea All Marriages were made and solemnized betwixt equals and it was lawfull and tolerable for Virgins to chuse and elect them husbands out of that troupe of young men But the custome was that their husbands should not take them from their fathers houses before they were fit to gouerne an house and play the good hous-wiues at home And their dower was if they had any brother the one halfe of the patrimonie Children by their law were instructed in learning singing and musicke and brought to the Feastes called Syssitia where men were assembled and there made to sitte downe vppon the ground apparelled in base attire and to fall out and brawle amongst themselues and the boy of the best courage was made captaine ouer the whole companie And euery one as hee was of power got the most companions vppon his side Then would they go a hunting and practise running And vppon certaine dayes the whole companie of children were put together and taught to sing to the pipe and harpe as is vsed in warres Some report that the custome of this countrey-people was to note their luckie and fortunate dayes with a white stone and their dismall and vnhappie dayes with a blacke though other-some ascribe this custome to the Thracians Of Thrace and of the barbarous manners of the people of Thrace CAP. 5. THRACIA which is now called Romania is a Region of Europe and accounted as part of Scythia It lyeth next vnto Macedonia on the one side hauing vppon the North the riuer Ister the seas called Pontus and Propontis vpon the East and the sea Aegaeum on the South It was once called Scython and after that Thracia of Thrax the sonne of Mars or else of the peoples rudenesse and barbarous manners for the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth rudenesse and inciuilitie This Countrey as Pomponius writeth hath neither fruitfull soyle nor temperate ayre vnlesse in some places nearest vnto the sea side for it is maruellous cold and hardly bringeth foorth any fruite that is planted or sowed for there be few trees which yeeld any increase at all and though they haue many vines yet the grapes neuer ripen and come to perfection vnlesse they be couered with leaues to keepe the ayre and cold from them The Citties of Thrace which heretofore were of greatest fame and renowne were Apollonia Aenos Nicopolis and Bizantium which was afterwards called Constantinopole of the Emperour Constantine who reedified and inlarged it making it the chiefest seate of his most glorious Empire and the head Cittie of all the East Perinthos also Lysimachia and Calliopolis The chiefest riuers are Hebrus Nessus and Strymon and the greatest and highest hilles Haemus Rhodope and Orbelus The countrey is very populous and the people very fierce and barbarous in such manner as if they were all subiect vnto the gouernement of one man or that they were all of one mind they were then as Herodotus the father of Histories is of opinion a people inuincible and the most valiant of al Nations but because this is too hard a matter to bee hoped for and too vnpossible to be expected therefore be they weake and of little force In Thrace be many and diuers Regions distinguished by seuerall names but all of them indued with like manners and opinions the Getae and Transi onely excepted and the people that dwell aboue Crestonae of which three sorts of people the Getae are of opinion that they shall neuer die but that after their departure out of this lyfe they goe instantly vnto Zamolxis their god This Zamolxis was once the Disciple of Pythagoras who vppon his returne into Thrace perceiuing how rudely vnciuilly and sottishly the Thracians liued hee himselfe beeing formerly instructed of the manner of gouernement in Ionia taught and furnished them with manners lawes and ciuill institutions and after perswaded them that those which kept and obserued his lawes and ordinances iustly and as they ought should after their deaths come vnto him into a place where he would stay for them and that there they should euer liue and enioy his presence all other things that good were by which meanes hauing setled in them a conceit of his god-head he withdrew himselfe from their sight and vanishing away they knew not whether left thē in a great desire and longing after him And vnto this Zamolxis their god do the people as yet send messengers the manner of which superstition is thus first they elect by lot one to vndergoe that businesse and putting him into a ship furnished with fiue watermen or owers they instruct him in those things which they cheefly want and which he shall desire of their God so send him away Then doe they giue charge vnto the mariners that some of them shal hold three darts or iauelins vpright and the rest to take the messenger that is sent to Zamolxis by the legges and armes and to hoise and tosse him vp vpon their pikes or iauelin points then if he die sodenly they imagine that their god is appeased and well pleased with them but if he die not instantly but languish and linger long then they accuse the messenger as a wicked and lewde fellow Whom after they haue accused and blamed they forthwith send an other giuing vnto him the like charge vnto the first These Thracian Getae when it lightens and thunders shoot arrowes and fling dartes vp towards heauen menacing and threatning as it were reuenging themselues of God and for that they beleeue that there is no other God in deed but theirs The Trausi agree with the Thracians in all other things sauing onelie concerning their birthes and deathes wherein this is their order As soone as a child is borne into
vnto them who rescuing them and recouering the land againe from the enemy tooke seisure thereof for himself the chiefe excercise of the Valachians is husbandry and keeping of cattaile which argueth and declareth the originall of that people They pay tribute to the Kings of Thrace and but once to euery King and then by the Kings declaration each family giueth him an oxe in the name of a tribute and the number of families in Valachia is said to be aboue sixtie thousand Those which be commanded to goe to the warres and refuse to goe are punished with death Valachia vpon the West bordereth vpon Transiluania and runneth East-ward into the Euxine sea vpon the North-east and North it ioyneth to Russia and vpon the South it is washed with the riuer of Ister about which whatsoeuer those wandring people be that therein inhabite the ayre is very intemperate and cold and their winter in a maner continuall the soile in Valachia was heretofore very barren yeelding them but slender sustainance and their chiefe defence against raine and ill wether was either reedes or leaues they would goe ouer great pooles and waters vpon the Ise and their victuals was such wild beasts as they could catch mansion houses or set places of abode they had none but rested where euer they were weary Their diet was very vile and base by reason of the horrible intemperatnesse of the aire and they went alwaies bare-headed Of Russia or Ruthenia and of the latter manners and customes of the Russians CAP. 6. RVSSIA which is also called by two other names Ruthenia and Podolia is deuided into three parts viz Russia Alba Russia superior and Russia inferior That part which extendeth in lengthwise towards Sarmatia or Poland is bounded North with the riuer Peucis towards the East lieth the riuer Moscus and West-ward are Liuonia and Prussia the furthest partes of Germany The bounds and limits of the Ruthenians or Roxallanians for by that name they bee also called at this day is the space of eight daies iourney ouer from the riuer Tanais to the North Ocean and from the Germaine Ocean which they call the Balthean sea to the Caspian sea is the space of aboue ninty daies iourney The country is so fertill and fruitfull as though the soile bee but rudely and vnhusbandlike tilled and corne throwne vpon it will yeeld increase three yeeres together and that without plowing the two latter yeeres for the corne which shedeth at reaping will be seed sufficient to yeeld an other haruest and the second a third likewise and the graine which it produceth groweth vp a ful perch in height There is such great store of Bees in Russia that for want of hiues and hollow trees they build in rockes and holes of the earth there is great store of the bast Meth and waxe which is carried thence into diuers other countries in great aboundance The Russians store not their ponds and pooles with fish because as they say fishes doe their naturally breede and multiply by the influence of the heauens In a certaine lake there called Katzibe when the wether is drie is salt gotten for which there is much warre betwixt the Russians and the Tartarians and it is very strang which is reported that in the Country of the Chelmenses if the armes and braunches of pine trees be cut off from the trees and lie vpon the ground for the space of two or three yeeres they will bee hardned and turned into stones there is also good plenty of chalke And towardes the riuer Tanais and Maeotis poole groweth great store of sweete cane or reed called Callamus Aromaticus or Callamus Reuponticus and many other herbes and rootes which bee not found in other places There chiefe Citty and Kings seat is called Moscouia it is seitutated vpon the riuer Moscus and is foureteene miles in circuit coine or stamped siluer they haue none in that City and in the middle of the market place standeth a foure-square stone vpon the toppe whereof hee that can clime vp and ascend and in performance thereof bee not violently thrust downe by others obtaineth the principality and gouernment of all the City wherevpon oftentimes arise great contentions and debate amongst the people each one indeauouring to supplant his corriuall that himselfe may ascend The Country is so populous and strong that not long since in a certaine warlike assembly in the Kings campe were numbred and reckoned a hundred and twenty thousand horsemen euery one whereof were able to leade an armie In their warres they vse bowes which weapon by longe vsage is most familiar and proper to that nation and launces of twelue foote long their horsemen which serue in compleat armour weare iron brest-plates vpon their brigandines or cotes of maile with the belly or middle standing out In steed of helmets they haue hattes made sharpe vpon the crowne and this kinde of horsemen bee more seruiceable and in greater request in the warres then footemen Some foote-men fight with a certaine weapon called Scorpio because it is like a scorpion wherewith they shoote small arrowes or quarrels it is the same which the Italians call Balista and with vs a Crosse-bow Stocke-bow or Tiller some others doe vse for to shoote leaden bullets out of brazen peeces after the manner of the Almaines The Russians cannot indure for to haue their Gouernors called Kings but Dukes as beeing a name more popular and hee that is Duke hath the dominion and gouernment ouer the whole nation betwixt whom and the Nobles there is no difference in their apparell sauing that the Duke weareth a cappe some-what higher then the rest Their garments bee of all collours sauing blacke and both men and women are apparelled in fine linnen cassockes or shirtes hanging downe to their knees This garment they trimme and garnish rounde about the necke with gold and redde silke it is wide and loose and but little differente from those which the Grecians weare the like also is worne by the Turkes and all the Northerne people but that the Ruthens garments haue wider sheeues and bee hemmed or garded with gold about the breasts and shoulders edged or welted round about the skirtes with Otters skinne None but onely the wife lamenteth and bewaileth the death of her husband and then is her head couered with a white linnen cloath hanging downe to her elbowes the richer sort of people haue a banket made them vpon the forteeth daie after the funeralls in remembrance of him that is dead but the poorer sorte bee feasted fiue times within the fortie daies the daies of their deathes be likewise obserued wherein they celebrate yeerly feastes And those which suruiue keepe a register of all their friends which bee dead to the end they may know vpon what daies the obites and Annuall feasts are to bee celebrated for euery one that is departed the dead bodies bee buried and interred with weeping and lamentation The women vsually hange at their eares
Sarmatia Vppon the West it bordereth vpon Slesia vpon Prussia and Massouia vpon the North vppon the East lyeth Ruthenia and Hungaria on the South The hill Carpathus which is there called Crapack diuideth the Countrey into two parts whereof that part which is next vnto Saxonie and Prussia is called the greater Polonia and the other the lesser lying ouer against Russia and Hungaria The whole kingdome is diuided as it were into foure seuerall and distinct Prouinces all which the king visiteth euery yeare in course one after another and each of them maintaineth the king and his whole court for three moneths together but if he stay longer then three months in any one part of the kingdome it is at their choice whether they wil yeeld him any further maintenance or no. The kings seate is the great and famous cittie Cracouia where is preserued and kept all the wealth of the kingdome and all the other citties are meane and simple in comparison of it most of their houses be made of rough stone rudely compacted and heaped together without mortar or clay and dawbed with mudde the countrey is full of woods and thickets the people bee prudent and wise courteous towards strangers and exceeding great drinkers as most of your Northerne people bee yet is there small store of Wine as hauing no Vines in all the whole country insteed whereof they drinke a kinde of counterfet Ale made of Wheat and other graine for the soyle is very fertile and affoordeth great store of wheat it is also very commodious and fitte for feeding yeelding large grounds for beasts to pasture in There is very good hunting as namely of wilde horses which haue hornes like Harts and the wilde Bull which the Romaines call Vrus mettall mines there bee none but onely of Ledde but Salt is there digged out of the ground in such aboundance as no one thing yeeldeth more custome to the King then that doth and there is so-great store of honey both in Poland and Russia that they haue not spare places sufficient wherein to keepe it for all their trees and woods bee couered blacke ouer with Bees The forme of their letters is much like vnto the Greeke Character their ceremonies of religion are indifferent betwixt the Romaine and the Greeke Church and both men and women in their apparrell doe much resemble the Greekes Of Hungaria and of the institutions and manner of liuing of the Hungarians CAP. 10. HVNGARIA is the same which was once called Pannonia although it was not so large and spacious a countrye when it was so called as now it is all betwixt the the riuer Laytha and the riuer Savus is knowne by the name of the inferiour or lower Pannonia Hungary beyond Danubius reacheth vnto Poland and comprehendeth all the country which was inhabited by the Gepidae and Daci so as the limits of the Empire is now farre larger then the name of the nation This land as auncient writers report is deuided into nine parts or diuisions which in the Germaine tongue bee called Hagas euery one whereof is compassed and inclosed with walls made of blockes or piles of oakes beech or fyr tree fixed fast in the ground twenty foote high and twenty foote broade The soyle is full either of hard stones or stiffe clay and all the vallies bee couered ouer with turfes vpon the borders or marches of the land bee many trees or shrubes planted and set which beeing cut vp and cast away will not-with-standing beare leaues and florish Euery one of these nine circles or diuisions of ground bee twenty Germaine miles distant one from another although they bee not all of one length but some one shorter than other some and in euery part of them bee Citties Castells and Villages builded in such good order and vniformity as a man may bee heard speake from one Castell Towne or village to another Their buildings be compassed and inclosed with strong walls but their gates bee ouer narrow for them to goe in and out at their pleasure to steale and filch from others Euery one of those Circles or inclosed portions of ground called hagges were wont to giue signes vnto others of euery accident by the sound of a trumpet The Pannones long since called Paeones were first that inhabited that land after whome it was possessed by the Huns a people of Scythia and after them by the Gothes which came out of the Ilands of the Germaine ocean when the Gothes were gone it was possessed by the Longabards which came from Scandinauia an iland of the Ocean also And lastly by the Hungarians who came from out the other Hungaria in Scythia which is not farre from the head of the riuer of Tanais and is now called Iuhra This Scithian Hungary is a miserable could country as being scituate wholy vnder the Frigid zone it is trybutary to the Duke of Muscouy the tribute which the inhabitants pay is neither gold nor siluer for thereof they haue none but rich Skins and furres of sundry wild beast as of Sabells and such like They neither plow nor sow nor haue any kind of bread but liue only vpon flesh of wild beasts and fish and drinke water and their lodgings bee cabbins made of twigs and bowes in groues and thicke woods wherevpon it insueth that men liuing in woods with wilde beasts weare neither linnen nor wollen garments but skins only either of harts beares or wolues Some of them addore the Sunne some the Moone and other Starrs or what euer first commeth to their vew they haue a proper and pecular language to themselues They fish for coralls that grow in the sea and fishes called Balenae of whose skins they make coaches and purses They haue exceeding fat Bacon whereof they sell much to other nations Vpon that side of this Hungary in Scythia which is neerest vnto the Ocean bee sundry little hills or cliffes vpon which certaine fishes called Mors or death fishes making offer by meanes of their teeth to clime to the toppe of the rockes when they bee almost at the highest their hold fayleth them and they fall downe and kill themselues with the fall These fishes doe the Inhabitants gather vp and eate reseruing their teeth which bee very white and broad which they exchange with strange Merchants for other commodities of these fish teeth bee made very good kniues hafts But Hungaria in Europe hath vpon the west Austria and Boemia vpon the South that part of Illyria which is next to the Adriatticke sea vpon the East lyeth Seruia once inhabited by the Triballii and Misii and now of many called Sagaria and vppon the North and Northeast Poland and Muscouie The chiefe Citty and Kings seate is Buda so called of Bada the brother of Attila the soyle of the country so much thereof as is errable is very fertile and there bee many veines of gold and siluer It is strange that is reported by the Inhabitants that there is a riuer in Pannonia whereinto if Iron
them and vpon this day in Herbipolis and in diuerse other places besides is much wine giuen to the poore for charity then haue they their publike shewes and pastimes as to haue two or three Boares put into a place together and to behold them fight and teare one another with their tuskes till their guttes traile about their heeles deuiding the flesh when the Boares bee dead some to the common people and some to the Magistrates But vpon Saint Nicholas day all the yong fry and Schollers choose out three amongst them one to represent the person of a Bishop and the other two Deacons he which is elected in the place of a Bishop is solemnly vpon that day conducted into the Church by all his Schoole-fellowes decked and trimmed with a Bishops Miter and all his other ornaments and so sitteth in place of authority as Lord and Protector ouer them all the while Masse is in saying and when the sacrifice is finished hee chooseth out a few of them from amongst the rest and hee and they goe singing vp and downe the towne from house to house collecting and gathering money and alleadging that the money they gotte by this meanes is not taken as an almes or beneuolence but giuen franckly for the maintenance of the Bishop Vpon Saint Nicholas Eeue Parents will aduise their children to fast and the more to incite them there vnto they perswade them that if they set their shooes vnder the table ouer night what so euer they shall finde in them in the morning is sent them from that bountifull Bishop Saint Nicholas which causeth the children to fast so truly and so long as their parents bee faine to compell them to eate for being sick with ouer long fasting and these bee the most vsuall customes of the Franconians these their annuall ceremonies Of Sueuia and how the people of that country liued heretofore and how they now liue CAP. 16. SVEVIA a Prouince of Germany is at this day limitted and bounded vpon the East with Baioaria vpon the West with Alsatia and the riuer of Rhene it hath the Alpes vpon the South and Franconia on the North. Sueuia as Antonius Sabellicus is of opinion was so called of a certaine people called Sueui who departing from that part of Scythia which is now called Liuonia Prussia obtained this country to dwell in which opinion of Sabellicus Lucan seemeth to confirme where he saith He brought the yellow Sueuians from the vtmost Northern coast Before it was named Sueuia it was called Alemannia of the lake Lemannus which is also called Lausanensis Sueuia is the vtmost part of all Germany and is watered with two notable riuers Rheine and Danubius whereof the one running slowly falleth into the sea Westward the other running a contrary course passeth by many regions and falleth at length into the sea called Pontus The country is some part of it plaine and euen and some part cragged and mountanous and all of it fertile and fruitfull sauing lakes mountaines and woods There be great store of woods and therefore very good hunting and especiall good fowling by reason of the multitude of riuers and lakes Of cattell there bee great abondance and plenty of all kinde of graine it is also full of gallant and flourishing valleis watered and manured with brookes riuers and running waters some running one way some an other ouer-flowing and fatting the soyle all which disburthen themselues either into Rhine or Danubius The land is very wholsome and healthfull and well replenished with stately cities townes and castels aspiring towers likewise walled and fortified both by arte and nature and for the aduancement of Christian religion it is sufficiently furnished with beautifull and rich temples parish Churches and Chappels Bishops Pallaces Colledges and monasteries containing sundry orders of religious persons both men and women vpon the hills bee mines of Siluer Yron and diuerse other mettals it is very populus and the people very hardy strong valerous they be tall of stature yellow haird faire and welfauoured and marueilous ingenious so as Plutarch concludeth them in a word for the most famous people of all Germany The glory and fame of this people grew once to that height as they obtained the Empire and gouernment of the world and in that honour and renowne continued for one age but afterwards beeing destitute and depriued of their Princes I know not how it came to passe whether by the ficklenesse and variety of fortune or by their owne folly and sloth but their gouernment ceased and their power and strength in short time became so weake and feeble as they could hardly hold their owne and defend themselues much lesse extend their fame to her former greatnesse in such sort as noe one considering their present estate would thinke that euer they had beene Lords and Gouernors of the world Iulius Caesar in the fourth booke of his commentaries writeth of this people thus The Sueuians sayth hee the worthiest and warlikst people of all Germany are sayd to haue a hundred Citties great Burrowes or townes out of euery of which hundred citties townes yearely is furnished and set forth to the warres a hundred thousand armed men well appoynted These hundred thousand men wage warrs abroad and be maintayned by those which remaine at home and at the yeares end returne home againe to husbandry and send forth as many more of those which were at home so as going to the warres and remayning at home in course they bee all well excercised is husbandry and skilfull in feats of armes and hauing noe grounds nor possessions priuat to them-selues they yeeld reciprocall Maintaynance one to another for it is not lawfull for them to remayne and abyde in one place longer than one yeare Their vsuall foode is bread milke and flesh they bee much giuen to hunting as well for their dayly excercise and liberty of life which they much regard for they bee neuer from their infancy vnder the rule and correction of any or constrayned to doe any thing against their wills the practise of hunting also maketh them more feerce and couragious and their bodies more strong able to indure all extremities as although they dwell in a very cold clymate they will wash and bath them-selues in cold riuers and weare no other garments but skins and those so little as the most part of there bodies bee starke naked if any marchants trafficke thether it is more to buy such things of them as they haue got by the warres than for any great desire the Sueuians haue of their commodities besides they haue great store of laboring beasts more than they haue vse for which the French men much desire and pay deere for them and those beasts which with them bee naturally froward ilfauored and almost good for nothing by much vse and handling bee made fit and able both to draw and carry or to be imployed in the warres for their horses be so well mand and taught
vessels or glasse vessels and kept them in their houses for the space of a yeare during which time they reuerenced them very religiously offering vnto them the first fruits of their increase Some say that thee that did most excell others in comlinesse of body skill in breeding cattell strength and riches him they elected for their King And that they had an ancient lawe that the Priests of Memphis might when they pleased depriue the King of his life by sending vnto him the messenger that caryed the signe of death and ordaine an other to raigne in his steed They beleeued that there was one immortall God and that hee was maker of the world and gouernor of all things any other God they esteemed mortall who was their vncertaine King as is said And hee that best deserued of their citty him next vnto their King they reuerenced as God And such was the state of Aethiopia at the beginning and for a long continuance these their customes and manners of their nation But at this day as Marcus Antonius Sabellicus out of whose history wee haue taken most matters which wee treate of both in this and the bookes following saith that hee had intelligence from some that were borne in those countries that the King of Aethiopia whome wee call Pretoian or Presbiter Ioan or Ioan and they Gyam which in their language signifieth mighty is so potent a Prince that hee is sayd to haue vnder him as his vassalls three-score and two Kings And that all their great Bishops and states of all those kingdomes are wholy guided by him at whose hands the order of Priesthood is obtained which authority was by the Pope of Rome giuen and annexed to the Maiesty of their Kings and yet hee himselfe is no Priest nor neuer entred into any holy orders There be a great number of Archbishops and euery one of them who euer hath the least hath twenty Bishops vnder his iurisdiction The Princes and other Bishops of great dignity when they goe abroad haue carried before them a crosse and a golden vessell filled with earth that the sight of the one may put them in minde of their mortality and the other of our Sauiours passion Their Priests are suffered to mary for procreations sake but if they bury one wife it is vtterly vnlawfull for them to mary an other Their Temples are very large and farre richer then ours and for the most part builded vp to the topp arch-wise They haue many religious houses and families of holy orders as Antonians Dominicks Calaguritans Augustines and Macarians who be all arrayed by permission of their Archbishops with apparell of one coulour Next vnto Almighty God and his Mother the blessed Virgin Mary Saint Thomas surnamed Didimus is chiefly honoured in that country They hold an opinion that their great King whom they call Gyam was ingendred of King Dauid and that the race of that one family hath continued euer since hee is not black as most of the Aethiopians are but rather white The citty Garama is now the Kings seate which consisteth not of Bulwarkes and houses with strong wals but of tents or tabernacles made of fine flaxe or silke imbrodered with purple and placed in decent and seemely order The King according to his custome liueth for the most part abroade not contayning himselfe within the circuite of the Citty aboue two daies together ether because they account it absurde and effeminate or that they are prohibited by some lawe They haue in redinesse vpon any little occasion tenne hundred thousand men well instructed in feates of armes fiue hundred Elephants besides an infinit number of Horses and Camels There be also throughout the whole kingdome certaine stipendary families the issue whereof haue a gentle incision made in their skinne and bee marked with a hot iron with the signe of the Crosse In warres they vse bowes speares cotes of male and helmets the order of Priesthood is in greatest dignity next vnto whome are the sages or wizards whom they call Balsamati and Tenquati They esteeme much also of innocency and honesty accounting them the first step to wisdome the Nobility are the third in honor and dignity and the stipendary the last the Iudges discerne of causes of life and death but referre the decree to the Praefect of the citty who is called Licomagia who alwaies representes the person of the King written lawes they haue none but iudge according to equity and right If any man bee convicted of adultery hee shall pay for his punishment the fortith part of his goods but the adulteresse shal receiue a domesticall reuenge by her husband for he shall punish her whome it doth most concerne The husbands assigne dowers for their wiues requiring noe portion with them There women are attired with gold wherof that country doth much abound pearles also and silke both men and women weare garments downe to the feete with sleeues and not open in any place all colours are alike vnto them except blacke which is there vsed onely for mourning garments They bewaile the dead for the space of forty dayes The second courses in their greatest banquets consist of raw flesh which beeing finely minced into small peeces and strawed ouer with sweete spices they feed vpon most hungerly wollen cloath they haue none insteed wherof they are clothed either with silke or flax they vse not all one language but diuers and distinguished by diuers names They exercise them-selues eyther in husbandry or about cattle they haue euery yeare two haruests two summers All the people of Lybia from this Aethiopia or India to the vtmost part of the west honour the impiety of Mahomet and liue in the same kinde of religion that those Barbarians practise which are now in Aegipt and bee called Moores as it is thought of their wandring or straying abroad for that country of Libia also was no lesse hatefull than the Sarasins in those accursed times wherein was the greatest alteration in humaine matters the manners of people loue of deuotion and names of all Nations being for the most part changed Of Aegipt and the ancient customes of that country CAP. 5. EGipt a region in Affricke or as some will haue it next adioyning to Affricke was so called of Aegiptus the brother of Danaus King of Argyues before which time it was called Aeria This country as Plinie in his first booke witnesseth ioyneth Eastward to the red sea and to Palaestyne vpon the West it hath Cyrene and the residue of Affricke and extendeth from the South to Aethiopia and from the North to the Aegyptian sea The most famous citties of that country were Thebes Abydos Alexandria Babilon and Memphis now called Damiata and the great citty Cayrus or Alcir which is the Soldans seate In Egypt as Plato reporteth it doth neuer raine but the riuer of Nylus ouer-flowing the whole land once euery yeare after the summer Solstice maketh the whole
country fertill and fruitfull Egypt of many is accounted amongst the number of Ilands The riuer Nylus so deuiding it that it proportioneth the whole country into a triangular forme insomuch that of many it is called Delta for the resemblance it hath vnto that Greeke letter The Egiptians were the first that fained the names of twelue gods they erected Altars Idols and Temples and figured liuing creatures in stones all which things doe plainely argue that they had their originall from the Aethiopians who were the first Authors of all these things as Diodorus Siculus is of opinion Their women were wonte in times past to doe businesse abroad to keepe tauernes and victualling houses and to take charge of buying and selling and the men to knit within the walles of the citty they bearing burthens vpon their heads and the women vppon their shoulders the women to pisse standing and the men sitting all of them for the most part ryoting and banquetting abroad in open wayes and exonerating and disburdening their bellyes at home No woman there taketh vppon her the order of Priest-hood of any god or goddesse They enter not into religion to any of their gods one by one but in companies of whom one is their Bishoppe or head and hee beeing dead his sonne is elected in his steede The male children ayde and succour theyr parents by the custome of their country freely and willingly and daughters are forced to doe it if they bee vnwilling The fashion of most men in funerall exequies is to rend the hayres off theyr heads and to suffer their beards to growe vncutte but the Aegyptians did let their lockes growe long and shaue their beards short they kneaded theyr Dowe with theyr feete and made morter with their hands Theyr custome was as the Greekes were of opinion to circumcise them-selues and their children they write theyr letters from the right hand to the left and men wore two garments the women but one they had two sorts of letters the one prophane the other holy but both of them deriued from the Aethiopians The Priests shaued their bodyes euery third day least they should hap to bee polluted with any filthe when they did sacrifice they wore paper shooes and linnen vestiments euer new washed and alleagded that they were circumcised for no other cause but for cleanlinesse sake for that it is better to bee cleane then comely The Aegyptians sowed no Beanes nor would eate any that grew in other countries and their Priests were precisely prohibited the sight of them as beeing an vncleane kinde of graine The Priests washed them-selues in colde water thrise in the day time and twise in the night The heads of their oblations they eate not but cursing them with bitter execrations eyther sould them to strange Marchants factors or if none would buy them they would throw them into the riuer of Nylus their sacrifices were with oxen and calues that were very cleane It was not lawfull for the women to doe sacrifice no though they were consecrated to their God Isis They liued of meate made of a certaine corne which they call Wheate and drinke wine made of Barley for grapes there are none growing in that country They eate raw fish dried at the Sunne and some powdred in brine and birds also but altogether rawe but the richer sort feed vpon Quailes and Duckes When many are assembled together at meat and that they be arose from dinner or supper one of them caryeth about vpon a little Beere or Chest the picture of a dead body eyther made of wood or else much resembling a dead corpes in painting and workmanship of a cubite or two cubits long and shewing it vnto euery one of the guests saith vnto them In your drinkings and meriments behold this spectacle for such shall you bee when you are dead Yong people bow and giue place to their elders when they meete them in the way and arise from their seates to such as come to them wherein they agree with the Lacedemonians Those which incounter in the wayes salute one another with congee below the knee They are clothed as I haue said with linnen garments fringed about the legges which they call Cassilirae ouer which they we are a little short white garment like a cloake as it were cast ouer the other for wollen garments are so contemned as they are neither worne in temples nor serue for winding sheetes Now because all those famous men which haue heeretofore excelled in any one kinde of learning or mystery and which haue constituted and left behinde them lawes and ordinances for other nations to liue by went first vnto the Aegyptians to learne their manners lawes and wisdome in which they excelled all nations of the earth as Orpheus and after him Homer Musaeus Melampodes Dedalus Licurgus the Spartane Solon the Athenian Plato the Philosopher Pythagoras of Samos and Zamolzis his disciple Eudoxus also the Mathematitian Democritus of the cittie of Abdera Inopides of Chios Moses the Hebrew and many others as the Aegiptian Priests make bragges are contained in their sacred bookes I thinke it very conuenient to spend some little time further in describing the manner of liuing of the Aegiptians that it may bee knowne what one or more things euery one of those worthy men haue taken from the Aegyptians and transported into other countries for as Phillippus Beroaldus writeth vpon Apuleus Asse there be many things translated from the religion of the Aegiptians into the Christian religion as the linnen vestments the shauing of Priests crownes the turning about in the Altar the sacrificiall pompe the pleasant tuning notes of musick adorations prayers and many other more like ceremonies The Egiptian Kings as Diodorus Siculus writeth in his second booke were not so licencious as other Kings whose will standeth for a law but followed the institutions and lawes of the country both in gathering money and in their life and conuersations There was none of any seruile condition whether hee were bought with money or borne in that country that was admitted to waite and attend vpon the King nor any other but onely the sonnes of the worthiest Priests and those aboue the age of twenty yeares and excelling others in learning to the end that the King beeing mooued at the sight of his seruants both day and night attending vpon his person should commit nothing vnfit to be done by a King for seldome doe the rich and mighty men become euill if they want ministers to foster them in their euill desires There were certaine howers appointed euery day and night wherein by the permission of their lawe the King might confer with others The King at his rising receaueth all the letters and supplications that bee sent or brought vnto him and then pausing and considering a while what is to be don he giueth answer to euery suter in order as they came so as all things bee done in their due
hollow stone and mingling there-with the seede of holly tree bake it therein and make them a most pleasant meate for the meate beeing so mingled they fashion it into Cakes like long Tyles and drying them a little against the Sunne sitte downe and eate them with great pleasure and not a proportioned quantity thereof but euery one as much as they can eate This meate they haue alwayes in a readinesse as it were out of a store-house the sea affoording it in aboundance in steed of bread whereof the land is barren But when by the raging of the sea those places which bee neere vnto the shore bee drowned for diuerse dayes together so as they fayle in theyr faculty of fishing at which time they suffer great penury of victualls then they gather certaine great shell-fishes and bruising their shells in peeces with stones feede vppon the meate which is within beeing very like vnto Oysters And when this raging of the sea by force of the windes is of so long continuance as that they can finde none of those shel-fishes then they betake them-selues to fishe bones and sharpe finnes which are reserued for a time of neede the tenderer and newest sorte whereof they knaw with their teeth and bruise the harder with stones and so eate them like vnto brute beasts they eate commonly a great company together as I haue sayd and cheere one another with an vntuneable song and after that the men accompany with women each one with her hee first lighteth vppon and beeing voyde of all care by reason of the aboundance of meate which they haue in readinesse bestowe themselues in this manner foure dayes together and vppon the fift day they flocke together in troupes to the riuers to drinke making a disordered and confused noyce as they goe This their gooing to drinke is not much vnlike the going of neate to water when their bellyes are so full of water as they are scarse able to returne backe they eate no more that day but euery one beeing full of water and strouting out as though hee would burst lyeth downe like a drunken man to sleepe Vpon the last day they returne againe to their fishing and so passing ouer their whole liues with such simple and slender dyet they sildome fall into any disease yet they bee shorter liued then wee for their vncorrupted nature accounteth it their chiefest felicity and summum bonum to appease hunger expecting pleasure from no other thing and this is the manner of liuing of those people which dwell within the gulph But those which dwell without the gulph liue farre more strangely for they neuer drinke and are naturally voyde of all passions of the minde And beeing as it were reiected by fortune from all places fitte for habitation and cast into deserte and desolate countries indeuour themselues wholy to fishing They desire nothing that is moyst and eate their fishes halfe rawe not that they would thereby auoyde thirst but in a sauage manner contented with such foode as fortune affoordes them supposing their greatest happinesse to consist in wanting nothing they desire or is fitte for them They bee sayde also to bee indued with such extraordinary patience as if one should drawe his sworde and strike them they would not seeke to auoyde the stroke but willingly suffering themselues to bee iniured and beaten they doe nothing but onely looke backe vppon him that strooke them without shewing the least signe of anger or compassion of their owne misery Speach they haue none but in liew thereof make signes with their fingers and by nodding their heads what things they want and what they would haue These people doe generally loue peace not dooing any thing to annoy others which kinde of life though it bee strange and admirable yet hath that nation for a long time retained it beeing eyther therevnto accustomed by continuance of time or else compeld by necessity Their places of abode be not like the Ichthiophagi which dwell within the gulph but in diuerse fashions for some haue theyr lodgings in hoales situate to the North pole wherein they bee defended from the heate of the Sunne both by the shade and the soft winde and coole murmuring ayre for those places which lye opposite to the South are for heate like vnto fornaces therefore vnpossible to be dwelt in Those which dwell against the North pole make them houses to auoyde the heate of Whales crooked ribbes whereof there bee many in that sea set hollow one against an other and couered ouer with rett or sea-weed necessity compelling Nature to finde out Arte for her owne defence and this is reported to bee the life of the Ichthiophagi which dwell without the gulphe It remaineth to say somewhat of the Amazons which in former time were sayd to dwell in Libia their women were hardy strong and valiant and liued not after the manner of other women for their custome was for a certaine space to exercise them-selues in feates of armes for preseruation of theyr Virginity and the time of warre-fare once ended then to couple themselues with men in mariage for cause of procreation the women onely did gouerne and exercise all publicke offices and the men tooke charge of things within doores like our women making themselues vassals and slaues vnto women as being very expert in the warres in gouernment and in all publicke businesses whereof the men themselues were ignorant When an infint is borne he is giuen to the father to bee nourished and brought vp with milke and other things answerable to his age and if it be a man child they eyther banish him or kill him forthwith or else breake his right arme so soone as he is borne thereby to make him vnfit for the warres But if it be a woman childe they singe off her brests in her infancie alledging that great brests would hinder them in the warres and therefore of the Greekes they be called Amazons because they want their brests they bee said to inhabite the Isle Hesper which is so called as being scituated towards the West this Isle is in the Moore called Triton which ioyning to the sea is also called Tritonia of a riuer that floweth into it It bordereth vpon Aethiopia and the hill Atlas the greatest mountaine of all that country It is very large and produceth diuerse sorts of trees vpon the fruit whereof the Inhabitants liue There bee many Goates also and other cattell whose Milke and flesh they feed vpon They bee altogether destitute of Corne nor doe they know the vse thereof if they had it FINIS Lib. 1. THE SECOND BOOKE Of Asia and the most famous Nations thereof CAP. 1. ASIA an other part of the tripartite world is so called of Asia the daughter of Oceanus and Tethis wife of Iapetus and mother to Prometheus or according to the opinion of others of Asius the sonne of Manaeus Lidus It is situated in the East part of the world and is bounded vpon the West with
land such other commodities as the country affoordeth as colour medicines wooll or such like and somtimes cattel also It is not lawfull for the King to put any man to death for one onely cause nor for one Persian to commit any heynous offence against another of his owne family or kindered The Persians haue many wiues a peece and keepe diuerse concubines besides for increase of issue and the Kings reward those most liberally that haue begot most children in a yeare nor bee their children once brought into their fathers sight before they bee fiue yeares of age but all that while are brought vp with their mothers chiefly for this cause that if any of them in those yeares of education should miscarry and dye their losse should be no greefe or molestation to the father They celebrate their mariages all at one time of the yeare that is in the vernall Aequinoctium and the Brides-groome eateth nothing the first night he lieth with his wife but an Apple or the marrow of a Cammell The Persian children from the first yeare of their age to the foure and twentith practise nothing but riding shooting throwing the dart and chiefly to learne to speake the truth Their schoole-maisters are men of great continencie and seuerity and such as sometimes in rime some-times in prose rehearse vnto them for their instructions tales and histories containing the commendations of their gods and the deeds of worthy men They haue a place appointed them to practise in whether they are summoned by the sound of some winde instrument at vsuall houres and their teachers are often demanded and examined by others how their children do profit They practise running also choosing one of the Princes sonnes to be their Captaine and guide the field wherein they run their races is at the least thirty stadia in length and that they may the better indure both heate and cold they often exercise themselues in swimming and wading ouer great waters insomuch as they will eate their meate and go about their husbandry and other businesse with weapons in their hands and wet garments on their backs their meate is the gumme or turpentine that issueth out of Firre trees Acornes and wilde Peares but that which they vsually eat after their runing other exercises of their bodies is a kinde of heard bread and salt herbes called garden Cresses and flesh either broyled or boyled and their vsual drinke is water They hunt alwaies on horsbacke with darts bowes and slings In the fore-noone they either plant trees dig vp rootes make weapons or practise fishing their children be addorned with gold and many other dainties The stone Pyropus which is a kind of Carbuncle stone of a firy rednesse is with them in great estimation therefore they apply it not to any dead bodie nor yet the fire for the great honor reuerence they yeeld vnto it from the twentith yeere vnto the fiftith they be souldiours and follow the warres they haue no vse of pleading neither doe they buy or sell any thing They bee armed in the warres with a kinde of target in form of a wheele and besides their quiuer of arrowes they haue weapons called sangars and short swords caps with high crowns and on their breasts rough brest-plates ful of skales The Princes weare a kind of garment that is three double about their shoulders and cotes with sleeues hanging downe to their knees the out-side whereof is of diuers collours and the lyning white In the Sommer time the Persians be clothed in purple and in winter in changeable collours The head attires for their Priests or Magi be like vnto Bishops miters The common people bee clothed with two coates hanging downe to the middle of their legs and a great bundel of linnen cloath bound about their heads Their beds and pots be trimmed with gold siluer They consult of no serious matter but when they be halfe drunke esteeming that consultation to be more firme thē that which is with sobriety deliberatiō kinsmen equals salute one an other with a kisse the baser sort of people reuerence their betters by bowing their bodies vnto them They bury their dead bodies in the earth annoynting them first with wax but their Priests or wise-men they cast out without burial to be deuoured of birds their custome was also for sonnes to lie with their owne mothers and these in times past were the manners and customes of the Persians Herodotus also reciteth more of their maners very worthy of remembrance as that it was held a horrible and heynous offence to laugh or spit before the King That they scoffed at the Greekes who were of opinion that the gods tooke their original from men That whatsoeuer was vnlawful to be done was by them thought vnfitting to be spoken That it was a vile thing to bee in debt but to lie was most abhominable That they did not bury their dead bodies before they were pulled in peeces by dogges and which in the opinion of other nations was thought most absurde that parents being brought to pouertie might get money by being Pandars to their owne daughters which custome was alowed amongst the Babylonians also The Persians at this day being ouercome by the Sarrasins and infected with the madnesse of Mahomet liue altogether in darkenesse It was once a warlike nation and had for a long space the gouernment of the East but now for want of excercise in armes it fayleth much of his ancient glory Of India and of the monstrous and prodigious customes and manner of liuing of the people of India CAP. 8. INDIA a Country in the East and the vtmost bound of all Asia is so vast and large a country as it is thoght to be the third part of the whole world Pomponius writeth that it is as much in compasse by the sea shore as a ship will saile in forty daies and forty nights with a full winde It is called India of the riuer Inde where it finisheth his course vpon the West part and beginning at the meridionall sea stretcheth out vnto the vttermost part of the East extending Northward to the hill Caucasus It containeth sundry sorts of people and hath such great aboundance of Cities and walled townes therein as some are of opinion that there is no fewer then fiue thousand nor may it seeme strange that it hath so great numbers of people and Cities considering that the Indians of all other people neuer departed from their natiue soile The most famous riuers in that Country are Ganges Indus and Hypanis but the greatest of them is the riuer Ganges The Country by reason of the Westerne windes is most holsome they haue two haruests in the yeere and the wind bloweth Easterly all winter wine they haue none although there be that affirme that the Musican soile yeeldeth some wine in the South part of India is great store of Narde Cynamon Pepper and Sugar-cane as in Arabia and Aethiopia It produceth Ebon-trees
custome when any man had his father deceased all his kinsfolke presented him with beasts which when they had killed and cut in small peeces they chopped his dead father that inuited them to the banket in peeces also and mingling all the flesh together made thereof a solemne feast then would they take the dead mans head and flea it and put out all the braines within the skull and couering it with gold vse it as an Idoll doing vnto him yeerely ceremonies and sacrifices these things did the sonne to the father and the father would doe to his sonne as the Greekes celebrate the daies of their natiuitie These people also bee accounted iust and that the wiues bee of equall strength with their husbands And such heretofore were the manners of the Scythians but afterwards being subdued by the Tartarians they followed their fashions and liue now like vnto them and bee all called by one name Tartarians Of Tartaria and of the customes and power of that people CAP. 10. TARTARIA which according to Vincentius is also called Mongal is scituated in the North-east part of the world and hath vpon the East the land of the Cathaians and Solangans vpon the South the Sarrasins the Naymans vpon the West and is compassed on the North with the Ocean sea it is called Tartaria of the Riuer Tartar which runeth through it and the Country for the most part is verie mountanous and full of hilles as much of it as is Champion is so mingled with sand and grauell as it is very barren but onelie where it is watered with running waters which bee very rare and geason And for this cause it is much of it desert and vn-inhabited with people There be no Cities or great townes in the whole country but onely one called Cracuris and wood is so scarce in most places there as the inhabitants be constrained to burne and boile their meate with horsdung beasts dung The weather there is very intemperate and most strange for in the Summer-time they haue such horrible and terrible thunders and lightnings as many men die for very feare it is euen now maruellous hot and by and by there will be extreame cold and snowes and the stormes and winds oftentimes bee so boysterous as people bee not able to ride against them but that they blow men downe from their horses pull trees vp by the rootes and doe the people many and great dammages It neuer raineth there in Winter and but seldome times in Sommer and then so small a raine as it scarce moystneth the earth The Country otherwise aboundeth with all kinds of beasts as Camels Oxen and such like and laboring beasts and Horses in such aboundance as it is thought that all the residue of the world hath scarce so many besides Tartaria was first inhabited of foure sundry sorts of people one sort whereof were called Iecchamongall that is to say great Mongals the second Sumongall which is watry Mongals and those called themselues also Tartars of the riuer Tartar neere which they dwelled the third were called Merchat and the fouth Metrit they had all like forme and lineaments of body and spake all one language The ancient Tartarians were of a rude behauiour and liued without manners lawes or other ornamentes of life and beeing of an obscure name and very basely esteemed of amongst all the Scythians followed their cattaile and paide tribute vnto them for their dwellings Shortly after this people being deuided as it were into certaine tribes or kindreds were first ruled by captaines who had the sole gouernment ouer them they paying tribute notwithstanding to their next bordering neighbours the Naymans But when by a certaine Oracle they had elected and created Canguista their first King hee taking vpon him the Empire did first abolish the worship of all euill spirits and false gods and made an Edict that all the Nation should worship the true God by whose prouidence hee would haue all men thinke that hee receiued his Kingdome Hee commanded likewise that all that by their age were able to beare armes should bee ready to attend the King at a certaine daie where when they were assembled the army was distributed in this manner First that the Decurions which were captaines ouer tenne souldiours should obey the centurions which were captaines ouer an hundred foote-men the centurions should be obedient to those which were Captaines and Coronels of a thousand men and those againe should be at the command of those which were gouernors of tenne thousand and then to trie the strength of his Empire and to haue experience of his subiects hearts hee commaunded that seuen of those Princes or Gouernours sonnes which ruled the people before hee was ordained King should bee slaine by the hands of their owne fathers This command of the King the father 's fulfilled although it seemed very bitter and cruel both for feare of the multitude and also for religions sake for they verily beleeued that the God of Heauen was first author and instituor of their Kingdome and that if they should not performe his command they should not onely transgresse and violate the law of a King but the law of God also Canguista being thus fortified and putting confidence in his power first subdued by battaile the Scythians which were next vnto him and made them tributary and with them all those to whom the Tartarians themselues before that time paide tribute from thence going forward to people more remote he had such prosperous and happy successe in the warres as hee subdued with his forces all Kingdomes Countries and Nations from Scythia to the Sunne rysing and from thence to the mediterranean sea and beyond so as now he may iustly be said to bee Lord and Emperour of all the East The Tartarians of all men be most deformed in body they bee for the most part little men hauing great eyes standing farre out of their heads and so much couered with eye-lids as the sight or opening of the eye is maruellous little their faces be broad and without beards except that they haue some few stragling haires vpon their vpper lips and chinnes they be all of them commonly slender in the waste and shaue all the hinder partes of their heades from one eare to the other and vppe to the crowne they weare the rest of their haires long like vnto our women of which long haire they make two strings or cords bynding or winding them ouer both their eares and in this manner be all Tartarians shaued and all those people also which liue amongst them Moreouer they be very nimble and actiue of bodie good horse-men but bad footemen and they neuer goe afoote but the poorest of them whither euer he hath occasion to goe rydeth either on horse or oxe-backe their women ride also vpon geldings and such as will not strike or kicke their bridles bee richly decked with gold siluer and precious stones They hold it a glorious thing to
others of his acts and decrees these are likewise to be found that whosoeuer was victor in the games of Istmos was rewarded with an hundred Drachmas and he that got the best in the games of Olimpus had fiue hundred He that killed a Dogge-wolfe had fiue Drachmas out of the common treasury but hee that killed a Bitch-wolfe had but one for the rewarde due for slaying the Dogge-wolfe was the worth of an Oxe and the price of a sheepe for killing the shee-Wolfe and their ancient manner was to persecute these kinde of beasts as enimies to their cattell and grounds He ordained that the children of such as were slaine in the warres should be brought vp at the common charge that men by that meanes beeing assured that their children should bee cared for though themselues miscarry might bee more throughly incouraged to fight and behaue themselues valiantly and venterously commanding also that those which lost their eyes in the warres should euer after be sustained by the common purse and withall he very worthily prouided that the ouersee-ers or they that had the ward of Orphanes should not keepe together in the same house with the childrens mothers and that none should be gardians that might by possibility inherite the Orphanes goods if they should hap to die during their nonage and wardship Furthermore he forbad all Iewellers to reserue in their custody the stampe or seale of any ring after they had sold it And that hee which putteth out an others eye should loose both his owne eyes adiudging it also a capitall offence for any one to take vp that which is none of his owne and keepe it to himselfe Furthermore hee established that Princes or rulers being found drunke should be punished with present death aduising the Athenians likewise to reckon and account their daies according to the course of the Moone Of all fruites and commodities he only permitted wax and honey to bee transported out of Attica into other countries and he esteemed no man meete or worthy to be made free of the Cittie vnlesse he were an artificer and would with his whole familie come dwell at Athens or such as were doomed from their natiue soile to perpetuall exile and banishment These lawes being ingrauen and recorded in woodden tables were by Solon established to continue for a hundred yeeres presuming that if the City were so long inured with them they would euer after remaine without alteration but Herodotus is of opinion that these lawes which Solon made for the Athenians were enacted but for ten yeeres continuance Now that these lawes might be esteemed more sacred and bee more carefully obserued and kept Solon after the manner of other law-giuers which fathered their statutes and decrees vpon some one god or other as Draco had done before him auouched that Minerua was the author and inuentor of his lawes and so caused both the Senatours and people to sweare themselues to the performance therof at a stone which stood in the Senate-house The Athenians were not strangers at the beginning nor was their City first inhabited by any rabble of wandring people but in the same soile they now inhabite their were they borne and the selfe same place which is now their seat and habitation was also their original and foundation The Athenians were the first that taught the vse of clothing and of oyle and of wine instructing those which formerly fed vpon acornes how to plow plant sow and gather fruites In a word Athens may iustly bee termed the temple and sanctuary of learning eloquence and ciuil conuersation The three lawes which Secrops enacted against women for the appeasing of god Neptunes wrath for that by womens suffrages Neptune was scorned and Minerua preferred before him were then in force and obserued which were these First that no woman should enter into the Senate-house Secondly that no child should be called after his mothers name and the third that no one should call women Athenians or women of Athens but women of Africa Those which were slaine in the warres according to Thucydides were buried in this manner following First they pitched vp a tent or pauillion three daies before the funerals wherein were put the bones of those which were slaine euery one laying some thing what he thinketh fittest vpon his dead friends relikes thereby to know him againe then were the bones of al those which were slaine of each seuerall tribe inclosed in chestes or coffins made of cypres tree and euery coffin carried by a seueral coach or carre belonging to the tribe whereof the dead parties were after this there was an empty bed or herse brought with them purposely for such as were missing and could not be found amongst the slaine bodies which done all those which were present as well Citizens as strangers indifferently conueied them forth and interred them in a publike monument or sepulcher neere vnto Calistus tombe in the suburbes of the City the women all the while weeping and lamenting the losse of their friends which is the vsuall place for buriall of all such as perish in battaile vnlesse they were of the Citie of Marathron who for their singular and extraordinary valor and prowesse were intombed in their owne City When they were thus interred some one choyse Cittizen esteemed for his wisdome and by reason of his dignity and worth fit for such an imployment was elected and assigned to pronounce a funerall oration or sermon in the due commendation of those which were slaine which being ended euery one departed to his seuerall home And this was there vsuall forme of buriall of such as were slaine in the warres Of Laconia and of the customes and ordinances of the Laconians or Lacedemonians CAP. 3. LACONIA a Prouince in Peloponesus is also called Ocbalia and Lacedemonia of Lacedemon the sonne of Iupiter and Taygete by whom a famous and mighty City was builded in that country and called after his name Lacedemon This Citty was likewise called Sparta of Spartus the sonne of Phoroneus and was the Palace or Court of Agamemnon When Lycurgus that famous Philosopher brother vnto King Polydictes gouerned in Laconia as tutor or protector vnto his brother Polydictes sonne hee altered the state of that City and Country and adorned them with wholesome lawes and good ordinances the people wherof before his time were the worst mannered and had the least gouernment both in their owne cariages towards strangers almost of al the people of Greece as vsing no commerce custome nor conuersation with other people Lycurgus therefore couragiously taking the matter vpon him abrogated and disanulled all their auncient lawes ordinances and customes and in their steed instituted lawes more ciuill and much more lawdable And first he elected certain of the most ancientest wisest sagest men of al the common-wealth to consult and aduise with the Kings whereof there were euer two created of all matters of state and gouernment which
Citie of the Region is called Vilna it is a Bishops seate and as bigge as all Cracouia with the suburbes the houses whereof ioyne not together but stand one a good distance from an other as they doe in the Countrie hauing orchardes and gardens betwixt them There bee in it two very stronge castles or holdes one scituated vpon a hill and the other lower vpon the plaine or champion ground This cittie of Vilna is distant from Cracouia the chiefe citie of Poland one hundred and twenty miles About the Citie there are certaine Tartarians haue places assigned them for to dwell in who tilling and manuring the ground after our manner doe labour and carry commodities from one place to an other They doe speake the Tartarian tongue and worship the Religion of Mahomet Of Liuonia Prussia and of the souldiors called Mariani in Spaine CAP. 8. LIVONIA now professing the true and sincere religion ioyneth Northward vnto Ruthenia and the borders of Sarmatia or Poland The Tartarians a people of Scythia haue made often incursions into that Country The people of Liuonia were first made pertakers of the Christian religion by souldiors of Spaine called Mariani of Marianus whereas before they acknowledged and adored no other god but euill spirits There hath beene very much controuersie and wars about the possession of that countrie sometimes one sometimes an other getting the vpper hand and gouernment It is inuironed vpon the West part thereof with the Sarmatian sea and with a gulph of an vnknowne bignesse the mouth whereof Westward is not very farre from Cimbrica Chersonesus the which is now called Dacia or Denmarke about this gulphe Northward there doth dwell or inhabite a sauadge and wilde kinde of people which beeing voide of any language vsed in other lands doe exchange there Merchandise by signes and beckes Prussia the inhabitantes whereof bee called Pruteni pertaketh now with Germania and Sarmatia which countries it incountreth vpon the West This land if Ptolomeus report a truth is washed with the famous Riuer Vistula from the Cittie Tornum to Gedanum where it falleth into the Baltean sea it lyeth beyond Germany and reacheth from the riuer Vistula to the Sarmaticke Ocean Vpon the East and South is the Prouince of the Massouitae the inhabitants whereof be Polanders and the Saxons vppon the West Prussia is an exceeding fruitefull countrey well watered and very populous It is pleasant withall and abounding with cattell there is very good fishing and much hunting Iornandes writeth that this land was inhabited by a people called Vlmerigi at such time as the Gothes remooued from the Iland of Scandinavia into the continent and maine land And Ptolomeus reporteth that the Amaxobij the Aulani the Venedes and the Gythones dwelt neere the riuer Vistula or Wixell The people of this Countrey were worshippers of euill Spirits vntill the time of the Emperour Fredericke the second and than our Ladies souldiers which bee also called Deiparini or Mariani after they had lost the towne of Ptolomais in Siria returned into Germanie and beeing men of haughtie and noble spirits and very expert in feats of armes and to the end their courages should not be danted and they out of vse by ouer-much idlenesse they came vnto the Emperor declaring vnto him that the people of Prussia which border vpon Germanie were vtterly ignorant of the Christian Religion and that they made often incursions vppon the Saxons and other their bordering neighbours stealing from them whole heards of cattell shewing him moreouer that they had a desire to suppresse that barbarous nation wherunto the Emperor consented and gaue the kingdom to his two brethren as their lawfull inheritance if they could conquer it by armes the Dukes Gouernors of Massouia which before had proclaimed themselues Lords of that land surrendred their estates and titles foorthwith to the Emperours brothers which gift was thankefully taken by the Emperour himselfe who commending his brothers intent gaue vnto them what letters and commission they desired signed with the golden seale These breethren prouiding themselues for the warres in a short time brought vnder their subiection all the Countries which were vnder the Prussian gouernement on each side the riuer Vistula who beeing conquered by battell willingly submitted themselues to their subiection and imbraced the true faith and Christian Religion therewithall exchanging their speech for the Almaine toung Nere vnto the riuer Vistula grew an Oke where the victors atchieued the conquest and there they first erected a Castell which shortly after as many things in time grow great of small beginnings grew vppe into a great towne and was called Maryburge it is now the chiefe cittie of the Countrey and his seate which hath the gouernement of that whole order of souldiers which holy order of warfare had his beginning from the Almaines and there is none but Almaines which enter into that order or bond and those too must be nobly or worshipfully descended at their entrance into that order they are enioyned to be alwayes in readines to fight against the enemies of the holy Crosse of Christ they be cloathed in white cassockes with blacke crosses sowed on them all of them suffering their beards grow long but onely such as be Priests and are employed in their seruices The souldiers in steade of the Canonicall houres repeate the Lords prayer for they bee altogether vnlearned yet bee they very rich and their power as great as if they were Kings They haue many conflicts with the Polonians for incroaching vppon the Confines of their countrey in which sometimes they haue the better and sometimes the worse and they will neuer refuse to submit all their forces to the hazard of the warres what euer the euent or successe be There is a little Region bordering vppon Prussia and Lithuania called Samogithia it is closed and enuironed round about with woods and waters and is fiftie myles in length the people thereof be very tall and of a comely stature and yet very vnciuill and of rude behauiour they marry as oft as they will and without respect of kindred or blooud for the father beeing dead the sonne may marry his step-mother and one brother deceased his other brother may marry his wife Money they haue none their buildings be base and low and their houses for the most part made of hempe stalkes and reedes and fashioned like boates or helmets vppon the ridge or toppes whereof is made a window to giue light to the whole house and in euery house is but one fire which is euer burning both to dresse their meate and drinke and other necessaries belonging to their bodies as also to expell the violence of cold which is there very vehement and extreame a binding frost continuing for the most part of the yeare These houses haue no chimneys in them for all the smoke goeth out at the window The people bee much inclined to diuination and witchcraft the god in whome they repose most confidence and trust and which they
bee often-times dipped it will bee turned into Copper The men weare garments that bee made hollow about the shoulders and linnen coates or shirts vnder them the collers whereof appeare about their necks higher then their vppermost garments and bee wrought with silke and gold They bee indifferent what manner of stockings they weare for that they euer haue buskins ouer them They be very curious in annointing and trimming of their haire and they euer go in linnen hatts which they sildome put of or once remooue from their heads vnlesse when they sit still and bee idle but womens peticotes bee made more straiter to their bodyes then mens coates bee and reach higher towards their chinnes to couer their neckes and breasts ouer which they weare gownes and their faces bee masked with linnen Veales richly wrought and imbrodered so as you can see no part of them but their noses and eyes Their heads be couered with linnen kerchers or coyfes set with pearls and precious stones and they as well as men weare buskins that come vp to the calues of their legges Their time of mourning in Hungary is for some a yeare and for some two and they shaue of their beards all but the vpper lippe They iudge of matters concerning the true religion according to their law but in disciding of other matters their course is if the matter in question be difficult or doubtfull and cannot other wise be determined that the plaintife or defendant shall fight it out by combat in the presence of the King or his deputy who is to iudge of the victory for of his tryall by batell death doth not alwaies follow for it is conquest sufficient for one if his enimy ether faint or fight vnwillingly or fly out of the lists appointed for the combat The horsemens fight in Hungary is first with lances and then with swords and foote soldiars fight naked on all parts but their priuities They haue a proper speach but not much differing from the Boemian language and though they haue a forme of letters of their owne yet vse they altogether the Roman character They be a cruell kind of people very hardy valiant in war much more fit to fight on foote than on horsebacke They be vnder the gouernment of a King or rather a Duke that hath Kingly authority They vse barbed horses in the wars but weare light armor themselues and they fight one after another and not all together And surely there is no one Christian country in the world that hath held warres so long against the Turke as the Hungarians haue don the other Hungary in Scithia which is the mother of this Hungary is almost like vnto this in language and manners sauing that the people bee more barbarous and liue still in Idolatry Of Boemia and of the manners of the Boemians CAP. 11. BOHEMIA is a country on the North side of Germanie and included in the limits of Germany it hath vpon the East Hungaria Bauaria on the South Noricum on the west and Poland on the North It is in a manner as broad as it is long too and about three dayes iourney either way beeing on all sides compassed and inuironed with the Hircanian wood as with a naturall wall Through the middle thereof runneth the riuer Albis and an other riuer called Multauia vpon the banckes whereof standeth that goodly Citty Praga the chiefe and Metropolitan City of the whole nation The country affoordeth great store of Wheate and Barley and aboundeth with all kinde of victualls both flesh and fish Oyle there is none neither there nor in any other part of Germany nor doth it yeeld much Wine but great store of Beere and that of the best of any other country which for the goodnesse is carryed thence as farre as Vienna in Austria The Boemians notwithstanding they bee hemmed and compassed round about with Germaines yet doe they not speake the Germaine language it beeing expelled thence by the comming of the Dalmatae for their Chronicles report as Volateranus affirmeth that two brethren borne in Croatia departing thence and seating themselues one in Boemia the other in Poland altered the countries both in their names and languages and yet there bee many in Boemia at this day that obserue and retaine both the language and ancient customes of the Germaines for in their Sermons the Germaine tongue is spoken and the Boemian in their funerals And Friars Mendicant of all others onely had power heretofore when there was any Friars there to preach instruct the people in what language they listed The people be very licencious as hauing no strict lawes nor statutes to restraine them but euery one doth what best pleaseth himselfe without controulement for they haue reiected the authority and rites of the Romaine Church and receiued the Waldensian doctrine which they defend tooth and naile This doctrine not many yeares since was first preached by one Hus and by him generally receiued whereby the traditions of the Romaine Church are at this day there vtterly neclected and derided for this is now their practise of religion First they esteeme of the Bishop of Rome no otherwise then of other Bishops denying him to be of any more reuerence and authoritie than other Bishoppes are holding also that there is no difference among Priests and that it is not the dignity of Priesthood that maketh one better but his deserts and well liuing That soules as soone as they bee departed out of the bodyes goe instantly eyther to perpetuall paines or eternall pleasures And that there is no Purgatory at all to purge and purifie them of their sinnes after this life To pray for the dead they account foolish and absurde and a thing inuented onely for the profit of Priests The Images of our Sauiour Christ and of his Saints they vtterly abandon and contemne and deride and scoffe at the Benedictions and hollowings of Water Palmes or any other things whatsoeuer They hold that the religion and practise of Fryers mendicant was inuented by the Diuell and that the Priests ought to bee poore and not to possesse mony nor substance but to liue onely of the almes of the people that euery one hath free power and liberty to preach and expound the word of God That no mortall sinne is in any sort to bee tollerated although by the committing of that sinne a greater inconuenience may bee avoyded and that hee that is conuinced of deadly sinne is not worthy to possesse and inioy any secular office nor Church dignity nor is fit to be obeied confirmation and extreame vnction they exclude from the number of the Sacraments and esteeme of auricular consession as friuolous and vayne and that it is sufficient to acknowledge their sinnes vnto GOD secretly in their chambers That Baptisme is to be ministred with water onely without any commixtion of holy oyle That Church-yards are vayne and superfluous inuented onely for coueteousnesse and that no one place is fitter for buryall than
it is almost incredible to report how much of that liquor those immodest and druken people will deuoure and swallow vppe at one sitting vtging and inforcing one an other to drinke till they bee worse then bruitish swine not thinking they haue enough when they are so drunke as they lie wallowing in their owne vomit but euen then they will sticke close to it night and day vntill they be sober againe and he which drinketh most and out sitteth them all is not onely highly extolled and commended of the rest for that notable exploite but also in signe of victory and triumph hath giuen him a garland or nosegay made of roses and sweete flowers or else some other reward for which they contended This their wicked and beastly custome of drinking is now the more pity disperced ouer all Germany so as all of them in generall doe now drinke stronge wines as liberally as the Saxons doe their ale to their inspeakeable hindrance and hazard of their healthes in such sorte as not content to doe ill themselues if any stranger or other come into the roome where they bee drinking they will rise vp and reach him their cuppes perswading him very earnestly for to sit downe and to beare them company accounting him their enemy if hee looke for much bidding or inuiting or refuse to drinke without shewing iust cause which hatefull disorder is oftentimes the cause of bloud-shed and murther These quaffing Saxons fare very hardly and sluttishlie for their vsuall meate is small guttes or chitterlings dried rawe onyons fat bacon and salte butter and they seeth their meate vpon sunday to serue them all the weeke after They feed not their young children as we do with pap or pottadge made of milke and flowre but with more solide and stronger meates which is first champed or chawed in the nurses mouth and so giuen the children to swallow downe which kinde of diet when they be young maketh them more stronge and lusty and better able to indure extremities The Saxons haue a peculiar language to themselues but in their apparel and other things there is no difference betwixt them and the Germaines Of Westphalia and of the manner of Iudgement ordained for the Westphalians by Charles the Great CAP. 14. WESTPHALIA is comprehended and included within the bounds and limits of Saxony hauing vpon the East the riuer of Rhene Visurgus or Visera vpon the West Frizland and Holland vpon the North and vpon the South the hils of Hassia which Ptolomeus calleth Obnobij out of which hils springeth the riuer Amasis which running by the two renowned cities Padeburne Monasterium diuideth the Prouince as it were into two parts and so passing by Frizland is carried into the sea There is also the riuer Sala which is famous for the notable ouerthrow of Drusus sonne in law to Augustus This country as Strabo writeth was first inhabited by a people called Dructerij and as others write by the Sicambry This people beeing subdued by Charles the French King surnamed Charls the Great was by him induced or rather inforced to imbrace the Christian religion whereto they were hardly drawne and being a mutinous and rebellious people euer when they rebelled they would returne againe to the worshipping of Idols nothing regarding the true faith nor their othes whereby they were obliged to obserue and keepe it which when Charles perceiued to the end that he might bridle and restraine their temerity and rashnesse with feare of corporall punishment he ordained secreat Iudges and gaue them full power and authority to execute Iudgement at their pleasures without tryall or purgation vpon all such as had either violated their oths abrogated their faith or otherwise committed any notable villany In choosing of which Iudges he had a speciall care and regard to elect iust and vpright men that the guiltlesse and innocent might not be punished without cause This law and manner of execution thereof strooke a great terror into the Westphalians and at length inforced them to continue in the faith seeing before their eyes both noble men and meane men hanged and trust vp in trees without any accusation or trial at all and vnderstanding that they were executed either for breach of their faith or some such other heinous offence This kinde of Iustice or martiall law is yet in force and is called Iudicium vetitum or Iudicium occultum a hidden or secret sentence and the Iudges or executioners of that law be called Scabini who be now growne so presumptuous and insolent as they would challeng and vsurpe the like liberty and iurisdiction ouer all Germany They haue secret customes and hidden lawes knowne to few more then themselues whereby they doome men to death and it is very hard to finde out their manner of proceedings for neither feare nor reward can allure any one of them to reueale their secrets The maior part of those Scabini be not discouered what they are but goe vp and down the country like Promooters noting mens faults and accusing them for their offences in places of Iudgement and arraiging them as their custome is which done the malefactors be condemned their names inroled in a catalogue and so deliuered to the Iunior Scabini to whom the execution belongeth by which meanes many euil doers loose their liues that neuer knew of their condemnations But this their manner of Iudgement is now much altered and degenerated from his first perfection for sometimes very base and meane persons be admitted into that office and those whose power and function was onely to find out offenders and punish misdeameanors doe now busie and occupy themselues in al other ordinary businesses The country of Westphalia is cold and very bare of wine and al kind of graine their bread is brown course and their drinke or beere made of barley for the wine which is brought vnto them by the riuer of Rhene is maruelous deere and therefore little vsed vnlesse of the wealthier sort of people The natural inhabitants be both warlike and witty whereof insueth this prouerbe That Westphalia breedeth more flatterrers then fooles it is vnder the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Colen Of Franconia and of the nature and customes of that Country CAP. 15. FRANCONIA or East France is a part of Germany scituated in the very heart middle of the country it was so called of the Sycambrians who expelling thence the Alani in the raigne of the Emperor Valentinian were after called Franci It is inuironed on the south with Sueuia Boioaria with the riuer Rhene on the west vpō the east lieth Bohemia and Hassia and Thuringia two Prouinces of Saxonie vppon the North. This countrie is on all sides so inclosed with huge thick woods and cragged mountains as the passage into it is both dangerous and difficult yet within it is very euen ground garnished and adorned with an innumerable sort of Citties walled townes and fortified Castels and Villages It is inuironed
that giue sucke will cast their throates behinde their backes like a wallet to the end they should not hinder their children in their sucking the cause of this strume or great throates they attribute to the water and ayre whereof they drinke and bee nourished The Stirians resemble the Germaines both in speach habit and behauiour excepting those that dwell about the riuer Dravus that speake the Slauonian tongue There is much Salt made which they carry into other countries and exchange it for other commodities There bee also mines of Iron and Siluer though but little gotten which happeneth through the negligence and carelesnesse of the Princes and gouernors This country was once called Valeria it is very mountanous and craggie excepting the East part thereof next vnto Pannonia and there it is very plaine and euen Of Italy and of the manners of the Italians of Romulus also and his ciuill institutions CAP. 18. ITALY a Region of Europe was first called Hesperia of Hesperus the brother of Atlas who beeing expelled by his brother left his name both vnto Spaine and Italy But Macrobius is of opinion that it was called Hesperia of the starre Hesperus which is their euening starre It was also called Oenotria either for the goodnesse of the wine which is made in Italy for Ocnum in Greeke signifieth wine or else of Oenotrius King of the Sabines And lastly it was named Italy of Italus King of Scicily who taught them the Arte of husbandry and gaue them lawes to liue vnder for he comming into that part wherein Turnus afterwards raigned called it after his name as is prooued by Virgil in these verses thus translated by maister Phaer There is a place the Greekes by name Hesperia do call An ancient lâ—nd and fierce in warre and fruitfull soyle withall Out from Oenotria they came that first did till the same Now Italy men say 't is cald so of the Captaines name But Timaeus and Varro hold opinion that it was called Italia of the great store of goodly Buls which bee there bred aboue other places for Bulls in the ancient Greeke tongue were called Itali That part of Italy which is next vnto the mouth of Tyber is called Latium euen as that part is called Ausonia according to Aristotle which is next vnto the Tyrrhen fea Italy is in forme like a crosse and situated betwixt the Adriattick and the Tuscan sea and extending from the Alpes and the hill Appenine reacheth vnto the citty Rhegium and the Brutian shores Towards the end it deuideth it selfe into two parts whereof the one looketh into the Ionian sea and the other into the Scicilian in the vtmost part whereof standeth the citty Rhegium The length of Italy from Augusta Praetoria passing by Rome and Capua to the citty Rhegium according to Solynus is a thousand and twenty miles and the bredth where it is broadest foure hundred and ten miles and a hundred thirty and six where it is narrowest hauing as it were a belly ietting further out then the rest in Agro Rhâ—â—ith which now is confined with the riuer Rubicon sliding by the side of the Adriaticke sea Italy is deuided into many Regions for from the riuer Varus to the riuer Macra is Liguria where Genoua is the chiefest citty from Macra then to Tyber is Hetruria the Metropolitan citty whereof is Pisa from Tyber vnto Lyris is that part of Italy called Latium wherein standeth Rome and the citty Antium which wee call Netnut is situated within the prouince vpon the shore side from Lyris vnto the riuer Sarnus is Campania where Naples is chiefe citty from Sarnus to Silarus is the country called Picentum the two greatest townes whereof bee Surrentum and Salernum betwixt Silarus and Laius is Lucania of which prouince the most notorious townes bee Pestum and Buxentum with vs called Beluedere from the riuer Laius to the promontory of Leucopetra is the country called Brutium wherein standeth the citty of Rhegium Iulium from the promontary of Leucopetra to the promontory of Iapigium otherwise called Salentinum is the borders or frontires of great Greece wherein are situated the two famous citties Croton and Tarentum from Iapigium to Brundusium is Calabria wherein is Hydruntum from the citty Brundusium to the hill Garganus now called Saint Angelus hill is Apulia wherein stand the citties Barium or Barry Salapia from the hill Garganus to the mouth of the riuer Sarnis is the country of the Frentani in which Prouince Isconium is chiefe citty froÌ„ the riuer Sarus to the riuer Apernus is the coast of the Marrucini and therein is the citty Orton from Apernus to the riuer Aesius whilom the vtmost bounds of Italy dwell the Piceni whose citty is Ancona from Aesius or Asius as others write it to Rubicon the latter confines of Italy bee the Senones whose chiefest townes are Phanum fortunae Pisaurum and Ariminum from Rubicon to the mouth of the riuer Padus liue the people called Boij amongst whome is the citty Rauenna betwixt Padus and Tilta vemptum is the Venetians country wherein standeth the famous and renowned citty of Venice from Tilia vemptum to Natison are the people called Carni or Foroilienses and in that prouince is Aquileia from Natison to Arsia are the Iapyges and Istri and therein is the citty of Tergestum and the riuer Formio which is now the vtmost limits of all Italy The hill Appenyne deuydeth all Italy as it were into two clymates or regions leauing the one part towards the west and South and the other towards the North and East This hill taketh his beginning from the Alpes and from thence runneth into Liguria and after that it parteth Cisalpine France and Picenum from Hetruria and Sabinia and so passeth to the Citty Ancona from whence it auerteth his course and extendeth into Apulia and the hill Garganus seperating the countries of the Marucini the Peligni and the Frentini from Latium and Campania and so finisheth his race from the hill Garganus when it commeth to the promontory of Leucopetra hauing vpon the one hand Apulia Calabria the confines of great Greece and Picenum and the Lucani and Brutij vpon the other Italy of all other countries is most wholsome and healthsome both for sweenesle of the ayre and temperature of the heauens it aboundeth with all sorts of mettall Ceres adorneth her feelds and Phoebus dallyeth vpon her hills the forrests parkes and chases bee safe and secure for passengers and replenished with goodly trees of sundry kinds which yeeld great variety of fruites and commodities to the inhabitants of wynes and oyles there is plenty and exceeding great store of all sorts of grayne their sheepe cary very fine fleeces and their oxen and bulls of all other places bee most beautifull their riuers lakes and pooles be cleere and full of fish and delightsome of hauens and port townes there bee great abundance the land her selfe in sundry places making as it were Roades and breaches into
times past was preferred before al trades The Romans of all the Italians be most giuen to breeding cattell and yet they busie not themselues therewithall but haue them looked to and kept by strangers and hirelings Their fashions in apparell are not euery where alike for the Venetians go sumptuously in long loose garments and the cittizens of Venice more rich then other citties of that state The Florentines and Hetrurians bee very neate and ciuill in their attire but not so costly as the Venetians but about Millain and in Aemilia and Liguria they go very gallant but their garments be shorter then in Venice And the Courtiers of Rome excell them all in length of their garments and variety of colours but the cittizens of Rome be more sparing and frugall yet fine enough and especially the women and in the Realme of Naples they go neate but not so gorgeous and strange fashions bee there in more request then their owne In all other partes of Italy their apparell is more simple and plaine but of sundry fashions and altering euery day In Aemilia and al Cisalpine France the better sort of women imitate the Spaniards in their apparel and the Noblemen the French The women of Rome of late do much affect the Tuscane fashion and the Venetian Ladies were wont to lay open their brests armes and shoulders but now degenerating from their owne customes and following the Spaniards they couer all with loose sleeues The auncient Romane coyne and images of mettall do argue that the Italians were wont to go euer bare headed and bare legged al but souldiers and that in time of wars only but now they vse both hats and stockings the custome of couering their heads may seeme to be deriued from some other country In times past they vsed no placards nor stomachers as as by the proportions of their old statutes and pictures may be gathered but now that attire is much taken vppe by the Romaine youth The language now vsed in Italy is not the same it was heretofore nor altogether differing from it but growne more barbarous and composed of diuers languages according to the sundry sorts of people that haue possessed the Prouinces for they which dwell about the shore of Histria speak the Venetian toung which is very eloquent and graue but compounded of sundrie tongs and so is euery seuerall speech in Italy yet heretofore it was more simple and not so pleasant to the eare as now it is In Corinth they haue a mixt language and somwhat different from the Italian toung but it is not so harsh in sound as the speech vsed in Taruisium Patauium Verona Vicentia Mantua and Ferrara and in all of them the citizens vse finer termes than the country-men but in Cisalpine France they be almost meere strangers to the Italian tong though otherwise there is no gallanter a country in all Italy Their speech in Rauenna Ariminum Pisaurum Fauentia Bononia Flaminia and throughout all Aemilia is very Rhetoricall and the Tuscans speech is very concise like as it is in Laconia and soundeth better in strangers mouths then their owne moreouer at Rome by reason of the great concourie of people that flock thither daily from all parts their language is well improued The Piceni the Sabines and Marsi speak thick short in Vmbria Apulia and Lucania together with the Brutii and Samnites and the rest of Italy their speech is more barbarous and but little borrowing of strange languages sauing that in the Realm of Naples they much affect the Spanish tong And to conclude with the opinion of Antonius Sabellicus herein in his 11. Aenead and first booke Search saith he throughout all Italy and you shal find no one people citty nor Prouince but they somewhat differ in language one from another Of Liguria and of the ancient manners of the Inhabitants of that country CAP. 19. LIGVRIA a mountenous Prouince of Italy is situated betwixt the riuers Varus and Macra hauing on the one side the hill Appennine and the riuer Po on the other and so adioyneth vnto Tuscia The chiefe citty of this Prouince is Genoua this contry was called Liguria of Lygistus the sonne of Phaeton by turning Y into V as Fabius Pictor is of opinion The first inhabitants of this countrie as Thucydides supposeth were people called Siculi who once inhabited a great part of Italy and beeing thence expelled by those people of Italy called the Oenotrians they seated themselues in the I le of Sicily The people of this Country liue very painefully and hardly for their grounds be ouer-grown with thicke woods the trees whereof be maruellous good timber for shippes and of such a thicknesse as they be eight foote square at the least for which cause many be employed in felling of woods and breaking of timber and many others in ridding their grounds from stones whereof they haue such store as they can hardly plough or dig for them by which meanes although they take great paines yet receiue they but smal profit of their great labour whereof it proceedeth and from their sparing diet that their bodies be generally very leane but strong withall and the women as well able and as much accustomed to vndergo any labour as the man They be much giuen to hunting of wild beasts the flesh whereof supplieth their wants of fruites and graine by reason of their continuall snowes and often hunting and running ouer craggie and steepe mountaines they be both nimble and strong their chiefe diet is either the flesh of wild beasts or home-bred cattell and their drinke is for the most part water many of them also liue vppon such herbes and rootes as their country affords being in a maner destitute both of bread and wine the most necessarie nourishments profitablest prouision for mankind their beds for the most part is the bare ground without couerture of either house or coate vnles they repose themselues in such hollow caues as nature hath prouided for them this is their maner of life which they haue euer vsed Their women moreouer be as strong as other countrie men the strength of their men is almost equall vnto beasts And the report is that the gallant and lusty French-men haue bin often foiled in single conflicts by these leane and macilent Ligurians their armor is more light then the Romanes their fouldiers coates be short and their sheelds long Some of them also weare Beares skins and Lyons skins and arming swords some haue altered their weapons and armor to the fashion of the Romaines whome they haue imitated in that point They be a cruell stoute people and exceeding ingenious not onely in warlike affaires but in all other businesses at this day they be much giuen to merchandize and trauelling by sea wherein they be so expert and hardie as they will saile by the maine sea of Lybia and Sardinia in hulkes or cockboates so badly rigged and furnished as in any mans iudgement they are not
able to brooke the sea willingly opposing thēselues to all dangers of the sea which be so many as they bee oftentimes in extreame hazard in stormes and tempestuous wether to be cast away This people as Sabellicus writeth in his first booke and 7. Aenead is yet so proud rebellious and reuengefull as they haue much exercised the Romanes in warres to their no little preiudice Their chiefe victuals at this day is flesh milke and drinke made of barley Of Tuscia and of the ancient manners of the Tuscans CAP. 20. TVSCIA a famous country in Italy was so called of their sacrifices as some suppose for the Greeke word Thuein doth signifie to sacrifice or else of the latine word Thus which signifieth Frankincense by reason that Frankincense is much vsed in sacrifices Other ancient Writers are of opinion that it was called Tuscia of Tusculus the sonne of Hercules It was once called Tyrrhenia but whether it was so called of Tyrrhenus the sonne of Atis or of the sonne of Hercules and Omphales or as some others affirme of the sonne of Telephus who conducted Colonies into that country it resteth doubtfull and vncertaine Dionysius will needes haue it to be called Tuscia of those circles made without the walles of citties for men to solace themselues in called Tyrses which is a manner of building the Tuscanes much vse The Romanes call the people of this nation sometimes Tuscans and sometimes Hetruscanes but the Greekes call them Tyrrheni The ancient wealth of this people is well declared by the name of their sea stretching all along by the side of Italie and also by the confines of their country extending from the Tuuscane to the Adriaticke sea and in a manner to the top of the Alpes so that it is manifest that all that compasse of ground that lyeth betwixt the Alpes and Appennine was once inhabited by the Vmbri who were thence eiected by the Tyrrheni and the Tyrrheni by the French the French were likewise displaced by the Romans and the Romaines by the Longobards who lastly left their name vnto that nation so as for as much as concerneth their name all those which were called Latini Vmbri and Ausones were once called by the Greekes by this generall name Tyrrheni There be some hold opinion that the citty Tyrrhena is that which is now called Rome These people of Tyrrhenia were of an exceeding strength of large dominions and erected many stately and rich citties they were also very strong by sea insomuch as they were lords thereof so long till the Italian sea had lost his name and was by them called the Tyrrhen sea They be able likewise to make an infinit army of footmen fit for the warres and they were the first that inuented the trumpet which is so necessarie an instrument for the wars and by them is called Tyrrhenum They giue and ascribe many honors and titles of dignity vnto their Captains conductors of their armies as Lictors or Sergeants to go before them to do execution vpon offendors litle drayes or carts made like chariots with chaires of estate which they called Praetextae and Officers called Fasces that carry bundels of rods before them an Iuorie scepter and many other things besides they may haue porches or galleries annexed to their horses for their seruants and attendants to sit and repose themselues in which kind of building was afterwards imitated by the Romanes and by them bettered translated into they Common-wealth The Tuscans be great schollers and much giuen to diuinity but more to the studie of naturall Philosophie wherein and in the interpretation of the thunder and lightning and in the art of Southsaying they excell all others so farre as at this day they be admired throughout all the world and their wise-men much sought vnto Moreouer they be very expert in their sacrifices insomuch as the Romaines which haue euer beene very studious and carefull not onely to maintaine and vphold but to increase and augment the true and sincere Religion did send yearely by the decree of the Senate vnto the Tuscanes ten of their chiefe Princes and Magistrates sons there to be instructed in their manner of sacrificing From thence came vnto the Romanes that vaine and idle talke of euill spirits And from thence likewise came the celebration of the Feasts of Bacchus which by the consent of all good men due punishmēt inflicted vpon the first authors and inuentors is now vtterly rooted out of Italy as a thing most pernitious and hurtfull The ground in this countrie is sufficient fruitfull yet by their studie or industrie it is much amended They eate vsually twise a day and then they fare very daintily and feed liberally vsing to couer their tables with curious carpets and fine table cloths distinguished and set with flowers cups of gold of sundrie fashions to drinke in and great store of ministers and seruants to attend vppon them which are not all slaues but many of them free-men and cittizens This people is generally more superstitious then warlike Of Galatia in Europe and of the old customes of that country CAP. 21. GALATIA a spatious countrie in Europe lyeth as Diodorus Siculus writeth beyond that part of France called Celtica and extendeth South-ward to the Ocean and the shore adioyning and to the hil of Hircinia in Germany and from the bounds of Ister or Danubius vp vnto Scythia It was so called of Galatis the sonne of Hercules and of a certaine woman of Celtica it is inhabited of many sorts of people and lyeth very farre Northward and therefore so cold in the winter as all their waters be frozen ouer and the ice so exceeding thicke as whole armies with horses chariots and munition may safely passe ouer the riuers without perill Galatia hath many great riuers running through it some taking their beginning from deepe standing pooles and some from springs issuing out of rockes and mountaines whereof some disburthen themselues into the Ocean as the Rhene and some into the sea called Pontus as Danubius and some others into the Adriaticke sea as Eridanus which is also called Padus or Po and all these riuers be so congealed and frozen ouer all winter as all passengers may securely go ouer them especially if chaffe or straw be throwne vpon the ice for slipping By reason of this violent coldnesse the countrey is vtterly and altogether destitute both of oyle and wine in stead whereof they make a certaine drinke of barley which they call Zitum they vse also to drinke a certaine water or meath wherein they wash or steepe their honey combes They take great delight in drinking wines buying it of merchants and drinking it without putting any water to it and they be so weake brainde that a little of it will ouercome them and make them drunke and then they be either lion drunke and fall a raging or swine drunke and goe to sleeping This their inordinate desire of wine maketh many Italians in hope of gaine to
to hang downe about their shoulders dangling like women and they fight with Myters vpon their heades in stead of helmets Their daintiest meate is bucke goates which they also sacrifice to Mars as they do captiues and horses They haue also in imitation of the Greekes their Hecatombes which are sacrifices made with an hundred beasts of all sorts and as Pindarus is of opinion they sacrifice and offer euery hundreth thing likewise They haue their Gymnick playes which are so called for that they be done by naked men and these playes are exercised with weapons horses plummets of Leade called the Whirle-about running and disordered fighting and sometimes they diuide themselues into parts and fight one side against another These mountainous Lusitanians feede two parts of the yeare vppon Acornes which when they haue dried and ground into meale they make bread thereof and so eat it In stead of wine wherof those parts are barren they haue drinke made of barley and that they euer drinke new assoone as it is brewed When kinsfolke and friends are assembled together to banquet in stead of oyle they vse butter and haue seates made in the walles for them to sit in where euery one taketh his seate according to his worth or grauitie and euer in their drinking they vse to sing and dance after musicke leaping and capering for ioy as the women in Boetica do when they ioyne all their hands together and so fall a dauncing Their apparell for the most part is black cassockes which they will wrap about them and so lye themselues downe to sleepe vppon straw or litter They eate their meate in earthen platters as the French men do and women weare for the most part red garments In steade of money they vse thinne plates of siluer or else exchange and barter one commoditie for another Those which are condemned to dye are stoned to death and Parricides are carried from out the confines of their hilles or beyond some riuer and there couered and ouer-whelmed with stones They contract matrimonie after the manner of the Greekes and according to the custome of the Aegyptians bring those which are sick into the streets to the end that those which haue beene troubled with the like griefes themselues may shew them how they were cured And these be the customs vsed in those mountainous and northerne countries of Spaine It is reported that those Spaniards which inhabite the vtmost parts of Portingall when they be taken prisoners by their enemies and readie to bee hanged they will sing for ioy That the men there giue dowers to their wiues and make their sisters their heires who do also marrv their own brothers And that they be so barbarous and bloudy-minded that mothers will murther their owne children and children their parents rather then that they should fall into the hands of their enemies They do sacrifice to a god whose name is vnknowne when the Moone is in the full they will watch all night euery one at his owne dore dancing and skipping all the night long The women haue as good part of all profits and increase as men haue for they practise husbandry and be obedient and seruiceable to men when they themselues are with child The Spaniards make poyson of a kind of herbe much like vnto Persley which offendeth not vppon a sodaine but by litle and litle and this they alwaies haue in readinesse for any one that wrongs them in so much as it is sayd to be proper to the Spaniards to be great poysoners and that their custome is also to offer themselues to bee slaine and sacrificed for those to whome they are newly reconciled Of England Scotland and Ireland and of many other Ilands and of the manners and customes of the Inhabitants CAP. 25. ENGLAND otherwise called great Brittaine is the greatest Iland contained within the bosome of the Ocean It is in the forme of a triangle much like vnto the I le of Sicily and is wholly imbraced and infolded within the armes of the Ocean in no part touching but altogether diuided frō the continent It was first called Albion of the white cliffes or rockes that shew the country a far off vnto passengers Some are of opinion that after the destruction of Troy by the Greekes the Troianes guided by the Oracle of Pallas rigged a nauie betooke them to the seas and arriuing in this Island fought many battels with the Gyants which then inhabited the country destroyed some expelled the rest and possessed the soyle themselues These also continuing their possession many yeares together were afterwards driuen thence by the Saxons a warlike people of Germany vnder the conduct of Angla their Queene The Inhabitants wholly vanquished and expelled and their soyle and substance shared amongst souldiers vtterly to extinguish and roote out all memorie of the former name and nation they called the country Anglia after the name of Angla their guide and gouernesse Some others are of opinion that it was called Anglia as beeing an angle or corner of the world Vpon the North it lieth opposite to France and Spaine and the circuit or vtmost bounds of the whole Island is about 1836. English miles Their longest day consisteth of seuenteene houres their nights are light in the Sommer season the eyes of the Inhabitants are gray their stature tall and their naturall complexions so comely so faire and so beautifull as Saint Gregory seeing by chance certaine English boies in Rome and demaunding of what Country they were said that they might well bee called Angli their faces and countenances resembling the Angels and lamenting that such diuilish Idolatry should harbor in such diuine features he shortly after effected that the faith of Christ was planted in the Country In warre they are vndaunted and most expert Archers their women bee maruelous comely and beautifull their common sort of people rude barbarous and base their nobility and gentrie curteous ciuill and of singular humanity They salute one an other with cappe and knee and incounter the women with kisses leade them into Tauernes and there drinke together which they deeme no touch to their reputations if therein bee discouered no lasciuious intent If they haue warres they delight not in subuerting citties destroying burning and consuming corne cattaile or country but bend their forces wholy to the destruction of their enemies and he that is vanquisher hath command of all England of al other prouinces was the first that imbraced the Christian religion The country aboundeth with cattaile and wool wolues it breedeth none nor norisheth any that are brought thither in so much that their flockes may feed at liberty without feare or guide The country is rich in mettals as lead copper especially and some siluer there is also the Magerite or pearle and the stone Gagates there called Iette which burnoth in water and is extinguished with oyle In steed of wine whereof the land is barren they vse a kinde of licor which they
eldest sons of the Kings of England for the time being and now lastly and but lately by our dread soueraigne Lord King Iames vnto Henry Fredericke his eldest son the hopefull issue of a happie father borne certes as euidently appeareth in his minority to bee a perfect mirror of chiualry for the aduancement of our country and common wealth and the subuersion of his enemies The Inhabitants of Wales though they bee much improued yet do they not equall the English in ciuility nor their soile in fertility Their whole Country consisteth of twelue shires that is to say Anglesea Brecknocke Cardigan Carmarden Carnaruon Denbigh Flint Glamorgan Merionneth Mongomerry Pembroke and Radnor-shire and foure bishops Seas to wit the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids the Bishoppricke of Landaffe the Bishopprick of Bangor and the Bishoppricke of Saint Asaphe They haue a language peculiar to themselues yet do they liue vnder the self same lawes the Englishmen do but for because that part of the Island is far remote from London the Kings seat and chiefe tribunal of Iudgement where the lawes are executed and pleas heard for all the Realme and by reason of their different language the King by his commission maketh one of his nobles his deputy or lieutenant vnder him to rule in those parts and to see the peace maintained and Iustice ministred indifferently vnto all This gouernor is called the Lord president of Wales who for the ease and good of the country associate with one Iudge and diuers Iustices holdeth there his Tearmes and Sessions for the hearing and determining of causes within VVales and the Marches This Court is called the Court of the councell of the Marches of VVales the proceedings whereof are in a mixt manner betwixt our common law and ciuill law England accounting Cornwall for one though much differing in language is deuided into 41. parts which are called counties or shires the seuerall names whereof are these following viz. Berck-shire Bedford-shire Buckingham-shire Bishoppricke of Durham Cambridge-shire Cornwall Cumberland Cheshire Devon-shire Dorcet-shire Darby-shire Essex Glocester-shire Huntingdon-shire Hertford-shire Hereford-shire Hampt-shire Kent Lincolne-shire Lecester-shire Lancaster-shire Middle-sex Monmoth-shire Northumberland-shire North-folke Northampton-shire Nottingham-shire Oxford-shire Rutland-shire Richmond-shire Sussex Surrey Suffolke Somerset-shire Stafford-shire Shrop-shire Wilt-shire Westmore-land Worcester-shire Warwicke-shire Yorke-shire Euery shire is diuided either into Hundreds Lathes Rapes or Wapentakes and euery of those into sundry parishes and Constable-weekes and ouer euery shire is one principall gouernor called the Lieutenant of the shire and a Sheriffe to collect money due vnto the King and to account for the same in the Exchequer as also to execute his writs and processes and for the more particular peace of each seuerall part of the country there be ordained in euery Countie certaine of the worthiest and wisest sort of Gentlemen who are called Iustices or conseruators of the peace vnder whom high Constables Coroners petty cōstables headboroughs and tything-men haue euery one their seuerall offices England moreouer is diuided into two ecclesiasticall prouinces which are gouerned by two spirituall persons called Archb. to wit the Archb. of Canterbury who is primate and Metrapolitan of all England and the Archb. of Yorke and vnder these two Archb. are 26. Bishops that is to say 22. vnder the Archb. of Canterbury and 4. vnder the Archbishop of Yorke In the Prouince of Canterbury are these Diocesses bounded as followeth 1 2 The Diocesses of Canterbury and Rochester which haue vnder them all the County of Kent 3 The Diocesse of London which hath Essex Middlesex and a part of Hartford shire 4 The Diocesse of Chitchester which hath Sussex 5 The Diocesse of Winchester which hath Hamptshire Surrey and the Iles of Wight Gernsie and Iersey 6 The Diocesse of Salisbury which hath Wiltshire and Barkshire 7 The Diocesse of Excester which hath Deuonshire and Cornwall 8 The Diocesse of Bath and Wels which hath Somerset shire onely 9 The Diocesse of Glocester which hath Glocestershire 10 The Diocesse of Worcester which hath Worcester shire and a part of Warwicke shire 11 The Diocesse of Hereford which hath Herefordshire and a part of Shropshire 12 The Diocesse of Couentrie and Liechfield which hath Staffordshire Derbyshire and the rest of Warwickeshire with some part of Shropshire 13 The Diocesse of Lincolne which hath Lincolneshire Leicestershire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the rest of Hartfordshire 14 The Diocesse of Ely which hath Cambridgeshire and the I le of Ely 15 The Diocesse of Norwich which hath Northfolke and Suffolke 16 The Diocesse of Oxford which hath Oxfordshire 17 The Diocesse of Peterborow which hath Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire 18 The Diocesse of Bristow which hath Dorcetshire And to these are added the foure Bishopprickes of WALES viz. 19 The Bishop of S. Dauids 20 The Bishop of Landaffe 21 The Bishop of Bangor 22 The Bishop of S. Asaph In the Prouince of Yorke are these foure Diocesses comprehended within these limits following viz. 1 The Diocesse of Yorke which hath Yorkeshire and Nottinghamshire 2 The Diocesse of Westchester which hath Chesshire Richmondshire a part of Flintshire and Denbighshire in Wales 3 The Diocesse of Duresme which hath the Bishoppricke of Duresme and Northumberland 4 The Diocesse of Carlile which hath Cumberland and Westmerland And to these are added the Bishoppricke of Sodor in the I le Mona The whole number of Parish Churches and impropriations in all these seueral Diocesses are reckened about 131209. Hauing thus diuided the whole kingdome of England into shires and Bishops seas it resteth to say something of the Citties and Corporations whereof there be so many and that so goodly and so well gouerned by sundry Orders of Officers as I thinke but few countries in Christendome go beyond it of all which London the Metrapolitan citty of the Iland is most famous both for the great concourse of strangers that continually flocke thither from all parts of the world some for merchandize some for manners as also for the conueniencie of the place being situated vpon the famous riuer of Thames beautified with rare sumptuous buildings both of Prince and Peeres who for the most part keepe their resiance in or neare vnto the same as being the only place of Parlament and holding of pleas for the whole Realme And for the great multitude of Students and practitioners in the lawes which there keepe their Termes of pleading foure times in the yeare which set together is about one quarter during which time the Iudges and all other Courts keepe their Courts and Sessions and at other times is vacation and ceasing from execution of the lawes These Iudges Sergeants and other Students and practitioners of all sorts haue their lodgings and dyets in 14. seuerall houses whereof two are only for Iudges and Sergeants and are therefore called the Sergeants Innes the next foure are the foure famous houses of Innes of Court the onely receptacle of Gentlemen students and Councellors the other eight
my selfe and others together with the approbation of my indeauours and commendation of the workes by some worthy and worthily respected friends whose Iudgements doe farre exceed mine owne incouraged mee to vndergoe the businesse and to proceed in that I had already begunne with more alacrity which after much labour I haue now at length finished and suited in this ragged liuery and made him to speake in a phrase though not eloquent yet I hope plaine and intelligible And albeit a tale may be much improued by a formal manner of telling yet gold is more esteemed of for his goodnesse then for his collour and the worthinesse of the worke ought to bee of more regarde then the elegancy of the phrase the one beeing the substance the other but the shadow As for the nice curiosity of such word-weighing Crittickes as will sooner find two faults in another then amend one in themselues I little esteeme either of them or their censures But if for want of other matter to quarrell at any Momus should accuse my pen for mercenarie I protest I may truly answer them with the very words of mine Author that what I haue done was not Spe lucri ulsius neo popularis aurae ambitione verumenimuero tam libero plane otioso studio quam rei ipsius mira dulcedine at que vtilitate If I haue omitted or misconstrued any abolete words or sentences for their harshnesse and ill coherence or erred in setting downe the true quantitie of weights and measures for auoyding whereof I haue most commonly vsed the Latine words themselues or in describing the disguised apparell of sundry people as namely those rude sauages called Tovovpinambaltii beeing so different from all other nations as keeping the sence I could hardly adapt them to our owne English phrase or if I haue shewed my selfe too affectionate in the commendation of our owne country in my inlargement added to the chapter of England where I supposed mine Author was too sparing or to bee short if in the confession of the Aethiopians faith or the Epistles written from Prester Iohn to the Pope and kings of Portugall or in any other place or by any other meanes I haue ought mistaken or squared from the true meaning of the writers Bee pleased courteous and friendly Reader in humanity patiently to passe them ouer and impute such errors and escapes rather to the want of knowledge of the truth than want of will to expresse the truth And so concluding with this one onely aduertisement that if in the whole course of these bookes thou meete with any thing that in thy opinion doth ouermuch exalt the ceremonies of the Church of Rome thou wilt consider that the Author was an absolute Papist as well thou mayst perceiue and therefore of likelihood would by all meanes he could aduance and make the best of his owne Religion nor did I thinke it the part of a Translator by marginall notes to suppresse his opinions but in this place rather to forewarne thee which as the Prouerbe sayth doth fore-arme thee how to giue credit in those cases I commit these my labours to thy fauour able consideration and thy selfe to Gods holy protection Resting thine in what he is able ED. ASTON THE AVTHORS PREface to the Reader THE most famous and memorable lawes customes and manners of all nations and the situation of each seueral Countrie which Herodotus the father of Histories Diodorus Siculus Berosus Strabo Solinus Trogus Pompeius Ptolomy Pliny Cornelius Tacitus Dionysiuss Afer Pomponius Mela Caesar Iosephus and of later Writers Vincentius Aeneas Syluius who was afterward Pope Pius the second Antonius Sabellicus Iohannes Nauclerus Ambrosius Calepinus Nicholas Perottus in his books intituled Cornucopiae and many other famous Historiographers haue confusedly and as it were by parts commended vnto vs in their Commentaries I haue good diligent Reader as my leysure would serue collected abridged digested and compacted together in this short and compendious Breuiary wherein you may easily finde what euer you haue occasion to looke for which I haue effected not in expectance of gaine nor affecting popular prayse but freely and without other recompence then the pleasure and profite the thing it selfe bringeth with it And herein I haue expressed as well the customes of auncient time as those which be in vse at this day as well the good as the bad in differently that both lying open before thine eyes by their examples thou mayst follow and imitate in the course of thy life those which be honest holy and commendable and auoyd those which be dishonest and shameful And hereby thou shalt perceiue good Reader in what perfection and happinesse we now liue at this day and how fimply rudely and vnciuilly our forefathers liued from the Creation of the world to the generall Floud and for many ages after When as they vsing no money no merchandize but equalling one benefit with another had nothing proper to themselues but sea and land as common to all as the aire and firmament No man then gaped after honor and riches but euery one contented with a little liued a rurall secure and idle life free from toyle or trauell accompanied with one or more wiues and their sweet children hauing no other house than the heauens the shadow of a tree or some homely cabbin their meate was then the fruite of trees and milke of beasts their drinke water and their clothing first the vtmost rinde or broade leaues of trees and afterwards the skinnes of beasts vnhandsomly stitched together They were not then enclosed in and immured in walles nor defended with ditches but wandring abroad at their willes with their cattell not then compassed in inclosures reposed their bodies where euer night tooke them sleeping ioyfully and securely without feare of theeues or robbers wherof that age was ignorant All which things afterwards crept in and insued of mens variable willes emulation and dissonant desires when fruites gotten without labour beeing insufficient to sustaine such multitudes and other things growing defectiue and for the repelling and repressing the often incursions and fierce assaults of beasts and forraine people they were constrained to gather themselues into multitudes to ioyne their forces together and to apportion themselues certaine limits and territories wherein to liue where ioyning and vniting their houses for neighbourhood they beganne to liue a more ciuill and popular kind of life to fence and fortifie themselues with wals and trenches and to ordaine lawes and elect magistrates for the maintenance of peace and tranquilitie amongst them And then they began to prouide for their maintenance not onely by husbanding their grounds or following their flockes but by sundry other exercises and new inuented arts to passe by sea with their nauies into forren nations first for transporting of companies to inhabit new-found countries and then for trafficke and trading one with another to traine vp horses for the cart of copper to make coyne to cloth themselues more curiously to feed
hee indued him with celestiall vnderstanding and named him Adam of the redde earth or claye whereof he was framed And to the end he should not bee alone the Lord casting him into a dead slumber tooke a ribbe from out his side and framing woman thereof gaue her vnto him as his wife and companion and placed them in the pleasantest part of all the earth watered on all parts with most pleasant riuers and delectable fountaines which place for the euer fresh and pleasant aspect was of the Greekes called Paradice wherein for a space they liued a most blessed life free from all euill the earth producing all things of her owne accord But no sooner had they transgressed the commandement of their maker but that they were expelled from that most sacred seat and happy habitation thrust into the earth to till the same out of which they were taken which being then for a curse restrained of her former fruitfulnesse and bringing forth nothing willingly they got their liuings with sweate and sorrow their bodies being become subiect to heat and cold and all kinde of infirmities Their first begotten sonne they called Cain the second Abell after whom they had many other children So that the world growing richer in age and the earth more inhabited as the multitude of people increased so did wickednesse waxe more rife and men growing worse worse accounting iniury for innocencie and the contempt of Gods maiesty for piety were come to that height of iniquity that God in all the world scarce finding Noah only whom for the reparation of mankind he thought fit to be preserued with his houshold sent the generall deluge which drowning all the world destroyed the fowles of the aire and all liuing creatures breathing vpon the face of the earth some few seed pares only excepted defended by the Arke from the force of the floud After the rage of the waters had continued for fiue months space the Arke rested vpon the hils of Armenia and Noah his company going forth into the earth by Gods speciall grace assistances in short time the almost extinguished estate of all mortall creatures was repared And Noah because all parts of the earth might be re-peopled sent his sonnes nephews and kinsfolke with their companies to dwell some into one country some into an other Into Aegipt according to the opinion of Berosus he sent Esennius with the Colonies of Cham Tritamen into Lybia and Cyrene and Iaphet Priscus Attolaa to inioy the rest of Affrick Into East Asia hee sent Canges with some of the sonnes of Gomer Gallus Sabus surnamed Thurifer went into Arabia foelix Arabus ruled in the deserts of Arabia and Petreius in that part of Arabia called Petreia Chanaan hee placed in Damascus in the confines of Palestine In Europe hee made Thuysco King of Sarmatia from the riuer of Tanais to the riuer of Rhene to whom were ioyned the sonnes of Istrus and Mesa with their brethren who had the gouernment from the hill Adulas to Messembria Pontica Vnder whome Tyrus Archadius and Aemathius gouerned in Italy Gomerus in France Samotes possessed that part of France betwixt the riuers Garunia and Sequana and Iuball was Lord of the Celtibers That short and vntimely alienation of the children from their progenitors of whose life and manners they had little taste was cause of all the diuersity which insued for Cham beeing constrained to flye with his wife and children for scorning and deriding his father seated himselfe in that part of Arabia which was afterwards called by his name where hee left no religious ceremonies to his posterity as hauing receiued none from his Father whereof insued that as in tract of time diuerse companies beeing sent out of that coast to inhabite other countries and possessing diuerse partes of the world for the reiected seede did exceedingly increase many of them fell into inextricable errors their languages were varyed and all knowledge and reuerence of the true and liuing God was vtterly forgotten and abolished in so much as many of them might well bee sayd to liue a life so vnciuill and so barbarous as hardly could there any difference bee discerned betwixt them and brute beasts Those which went into Aegypt admiring the motion and brightnesse of the heauenly lights and ascribing a certaine God-head to the Sunne and Moone began to worship them for gods calling the Sunne Osyris and the Moone Isis the Ayre they reuerenced vnder the name of Iupiter the Fire of Vulcan the Skye of Pallas and the Earth of Ceres giuing diuine honors vnto other things likewise vnder diuerse other names and appellations Nor did that black clowde of darknesse hang onely ouer the land of Aegypt but what countries soeuer were first inhabited by the off-spring of Cham were vtterly ouer-whelmed in ignorance of true pietie and wholy inthralled in Satans slauerie Neither was there euer land the mother of more Colonies then that part of Arabia wherein cursed Cham and his crew remained so great was that destruction which the vntimely banishment of one man brought to all man-kinde Whereas on the contrary part the issue of Sem and Iaphet being lawfully instructed by their parents and elders and contented to liue in their owne limits wandred not abroad into all parts of the world as those others did which is the cause that the desire of the truth I meane the worship of the true God and godlinesse was vntill the comming of the Messias priuately practised in one country onely The false opinion of the Ethnicks concerning mans originall CAP. 2. BVT the ancient Philosophers beeing voyde of knowledge of the true God-head haue written long sithence many Histories of Nature haue otherwise thought of mans originall for some of them were of opinion that the world was without beginning and incorruptible and that the stock of humaine kinde hath beene for euer Some others supposed both world and worldly men to haue beginning and to be likewise subiect to corruption for say they at first the nature of heauen and earth being mingled together and vnseperated had one onely forme or Idaea out of which chaos each body being seperated from other the world attained this shape it now carryeth the ayrie being in continuall motion the firye part thereof for his lightnesse required the vppermost seate and by the same reason the Sunne and all other starres obtained their courses That part which was mixt with moysture by reason of his weight remained still in his propper place which being than mingled together of the moyst part thereof was made the sea and the harder part became earth though then soft and slimy which afterwards growing harder and thicker by the heate of the sunne the force of the heate by little and little swelling and puffing vp the superficies or vttermost part thereof there were in many places diuerse humors congealed together wherein appeared certaine putrifactions
couered with thin skinnes or filmes as wee may perceiue by experience in the fennes standing waters of Aegipt when as the heate of the ayre vpon a sodaine warmeth the cold earth so that heate abounding in moysture caused generation and a certaine winding ayre incompassing the moysture preserued that from danger by night which by day was made solide by the heate of the sunne so as in the end those putrifactions being brought to perfection as it were their time of birth drawing neere the skins wherewith they were couered beeing burned and broken they brought foorth the formes of all creatures of which those that did most participate of heate tooke theyr place in the vppermost region and became flying fowles those which were most neere vnto the nature of the earth became serpents and other earthly creatures and those of the watery condition were allotted the Element of the same nature and were called Fishes But when the earth with heate and wind waxing euery day dryer then other surceased from bringing forth the greatest sorts of creatures those which shee had already produced brought forth others of the same kinde by mutuall commixtion one with another And in this manner did those Philosophers affirme that men had their beginnings likewise and that they seeking the fields for such foode as herbes and fruites of trees did naturally yeeld them liued a wilde vnciuill and brutish kinde of life And being much annoyde with beasts the better to resist them partly mooued with feare and partly for their common profit gathered them-selues into companies and ioyning their forces together sought out fit places for themselues to dwell in That the sound of mens mouthes being first confused and disordered by little and little became a distinct and intelligible voice and gaue vnto euery thing his proper name And that men being placed and dispersed into diuerse parts of the world vsed not all one but diuerse languages and for euery language diuerse caracters of letters That the first company of men gaue beginning to euery country wherein they liued And that those men which were first so procreated being vtterly voyde of succour and ayde of any thing and not knowing how to gather the fruites of the earth and to lay them vp and keepe them to serue their necessitie lead so hard a life at the first as many of them perished in winter by cold or famine who afterwards growing wiser by experience found them out holes and caues in the ground both to auoyde the extremity of colde and to preserue fruites to defend them from famine And hauing found out the vse of fire and other things profitable and all other commodities of mans life beeing made manifest vnto them and finally making necessity the mistresse of their labours they commended to their memories the knowledge of all things to whom were giuen as helpers hands speach and excellencie of minde Now those which attributing nothing to Gods prouidence were of opinion that man had this manner of beginning did hold also that the Aethiopians were the first of all mortall men vsing this coniecture for their reason that the country of Aethiopia by reason of the vicinity and neerenesse of the heauens did before all other lands begin to waxe warme the earth from the beginning lying long soaked in water whereof it happened that of that first temperature of heate and moysture man himselfe being first begotten would with a better wil hold that place wherein hee was borne than to goe seeke strange countries all other places beeing vtterly vnknowne vnto him Wherefore beginning there yet first speaking a word or two in generall of Affricke one of the the three parts into which the world and this my present worke is diuided wee will first speake of the situation of Aethiopia and of the customes and orders vsed in that country and afterwards wee will treate of all other lands in order as they lye with what diligence we may Of the scituation and perfection of the world CAP. 3. OVr Ancestors as Orosius reporteth were of opinion that the circle of the whole earth inclosed within the borders of the Ocean is in the forme of a Triangle and that there be three parts thereof Affricke Asia and Europe Affricke is deuided from Asia by the riuer Nilus which running from the South into Aethiopia and passing by Aegipt maketh it exceeding fruitfull by his ouer-flowing and dischargeth himselfe into the sea in no lesse then seauen sundry places The Mediterranean sea deuideth Europe from Affrick which according to Pomponius Mela making breach into the earth from the West Ocean about Gades Iland and Hercules pillers is not there in bredth aboue ten miles ouer Asia is seperated from Europe by the riuer Tanais which flowing from the North almost into the middle of the poole of Maeotis meeteth there with the sea called Pontus which parteth the rest of Asia from Europe Affricke is bounded vpon the East with the riuer Nilus and vpon all other parts with the sea it is shorter then Europe and broder when it ioyneth to the sea and fuller of hills and holding on a crooked course towards the West by little and little growing sharper and narrower is then the narrowest when it is neerest to an end As much of Affricke as is inhabited is wonderfull fertile but the greatest part thereof lyeth desert being eyther couered with drye barren sands forsaken for the vicinitie of the Sunne or annoyde with sundry sorts of hurtfull creatures Vpon the North it is compassed with the Lybian Sea with the Aethiopian on the south and with the sea Atlantick on the west The whole country of Affrick was inhabited from the beginning but of foure sundrie sorts of people whereof two as Herodotus writeth were borne bred in that countrey and the other two were strangers the homebred and naturall countrimen are the Carthagenians and the Aethiopians the one inhabiting in the north of Africk the other in the south The strangers be Pheniceans and Grecians The ancient Aethiophians and Egiptians if all be true which they report of themselues were at first rude and barbarous and feeding commonly like bruite beasts with hearbes and wilde flesh vsing neither manners lawes nor gouernement but wandring and straying abroad without consideration or regard and vtterly destitute of any certaine habitation reposing themselues wheresoeuer they were benighted But afterwards beeing made more ciuill and humane by Hercules who is said to haue brought Colonies into that Country and making themselues houses of those shippes wherewith they had before sayled into Libia they beganne to dwell and inhabite together But of this we will speake more at large hereafter The soyle of Affricke is vnequally inhabited for the South part thereof by reason of the exceeding heat lyeth for the most part desert and that part which lyeth next vnto Europ is very populous the fruitfulnes of their ground is admirable
and wonderfull as yeelding to the husbandman in some places a hundred fould increase It is strange that is reported of the fruitfulnes of Mauritania in Affricke that there be Vines bigger then two men can fatham and clusters of Grapes of a cubite in compasse that there be stalkes of wilde Parsley wilde Fennell and thistles of twelue cubits in length and of a wonderfull thicknesse much like vnto the Indian Cane the knots or ioynts whereof will fill eight bushels there are also herbes called Sperage of no lesse notable bignesse Their Cipres trees about the hill Atlas be of an exceeding height without knots and with a bright leafe but of all their Cytron tree is the most noble and of the Romaines accounted most daintie Affricke breedeth Elephants and Dragons which lying in waite for other beasts kill all they can catch as Lyons Libards Bufles Goates and Apes whereof there bee great store in many places There bee also beasts like Camels and Panthers and beasts called Rhizes which bee like vnto Bulls And according to the opinion of Herodotus that country breedeth horned Asses besides Dragons Hyaenaes Porcupines wilde Rammes and a kinde of beast begotten betwixt the Hyaena and the Wolfe which is some-what bigger then the ordinary kinde of Wolues Panthers Storckes Egles Estridges and sundry kinds of Serpents but especially the Cerastes which hath a little body and hornes like a Ramme and the Aspe which is little likewise but very venimous against whose mischiefe the Ratte a very little creature is by nature opposed for a remedy Of Aethiopia and the ancient customes of that Country CAP. 4. EThiopia is deuided into two regions whereof one lyeth in Asia the other in Affricke That in Asia is now called India and is washed on the East with the red and Barbarian Sea and lieth Northward next vnto Libia and Aegipt vpon the west it hath the inner Libia and vpon the south it ioyneth to the other Aethiopia which is bigger and more southward This Aethiopia in Affrick is so called of Aethiops the sonne of Vulcan who gouerned there as Plinie is of opinion or else of the Greeke word aitho which signifieth to burne and ops which is the countenance because that country is parched and burned by reason of the neerenesse of the sunne for the heat there is exceeding great and continuall as being directly vnder the Meridian line Towards the west it is mountanous full of sand and grauell in the middle and desert in the east It containeth many sorts of people of diuerse and monstrous countenances and horrible shapes They were thought to bee the first people that liued and that they being in that country naturally bred continued free-men and were neuer subiect to slauery the gods were there first honoured and sacred ceremonies ordained they had a double vse of letters for some letters were called holy and were only known to the Priests the other serued for the common people nor were there formes of letters such as thereof could sillables bee framed but either like some liuing creature or the outward parts of mens bodies or resembling sundry instruments of worke-men and euery figure or forme of letter had his proper signification as by the Hawke was signified swiftnesse mischiefe and craft by the Crocadile watchfulnesse by the eye and so like-wise of other things Who-so-euer of their Priests was most troubled with vaine visions him they accounted the most holiest and creating him for their King adored him as though he were either a God or at the least giuen them by diuine prouidence and yet his supreame authority exempted him not from the obedience of their lawes but that hee was to doe all things according to their ancient customes and not to reward or punish any man himselfe but vpon whome soeuer he intended to take punishment to him hee sent the executioner to present him with the signe of death which was no sooner viewed by him to whome it was sent but forthwith who euer he were hee would goe home to his owne house and there procure his owne death for so great honour and affection did the subiect beare to his soueraigne that if it happened at any time by an accident the King to bee weakned or faint in any one part of his body all his friends and followers would of their owne accord weaken that part in themselues accounting it an odious thing that their King should be lame or blind of one eye and all his friends not to bee in like manner blind and lame also Their custome was also as is reported that their King being dead all his friends would willingly depriue themselues of life accounting that death most glorious and the surest testimony of true frindshippe The people by reason of the neerenesse of the heauens went for the most party naked couering onely their priuities with sheeps tayles and some few clothed them-selues with skinnes some of them also wore breeches made of haire their greatest imployments were about their Cattell their sheepe bee very little and of a hard and rough fleese their Dogges bee little likewise but very sharpe and eager Millet and Barley are their cheefest graines which serueth them both for bread and drinke and they haue no kinde of fruites vnlesse it be Dates and those be very rare also Many of them liued with hearbes and the slender rootes of reedes they eate also flesh milke and cheese The Isle of Meroê was once the head of the kingdome the forme thereof is like vnto a sheeld and it lyeth along by the riuer of Nylus for the space of three thousand stadia The Sheapheards that Inhabited that Ile were great huntsmen and the husbandmen had mines of gold Herodotus saith that those people of Aethiopia which be called Macrobij esteemed more of brasse than of golde for their gold they put to such base and vile vses as the Embassadors of Cambyses King of Persia being sent thether saw diuerse offenders fettered in prison in chaines of gold Some of them sowe their ground with a kinde of pulse and some others plant the Lote tree they haue Hebon wood and Pepper in great aboundance Elephants they hunt and eate they haue also Lyons Rhinocerots which bee enemies to the Elephant Basilisks Libbards and Dragons which winding and intangling themselues about the Elephants destroy them by sucking out their bloud There is found the Iacint stone and the Chrisophrasus which is a greene stone mixt with a golden brightnesse there is Cynamon gathered likewise Their weapons were bowes made of wood that was parched in the fire and foure cubits in length their women were good warriors the most of them hauing their lips thrust through with a ring of brasse Some of the Aethiopians worshipped the Sunne at his rising and inueighed bitterly against him at his going downe many of them cast their dead bodies into riuers some other put them into earthen
now of the residue of the people of Affricke Of the Carthaginians and other people of Affricke CAP. 6. OF the Carthaginians there bee many and sundry nations The Adrimachidae which bee a people of middle Libia border vpon Aegypt and vse the same customes the Aegiptians doe they are attired like other Carthaginians the wiues weare vpon each of their legges a bracelet of brasse and suffer their locks to grow long They take the vermine from out their heads and kill them with their teeth and then throw them away which no other Carthaginians doe but they onely There is none but Vergins giuen to the King in marriage and of those which like him best he taketh his pleasure The Nasamons a great and stout nation and spoylers of such shippes as they finde intangled in the sands in the Summer time leaue their flocks by the sea-side and goe abroad to gather dates at places where be great store of date trees and those very faire and fruitefull where plucking off the fruits from the trees before they be ready they dry them and ripen them at the Sunne and then steep them in milke and eate them They haue many wiues a peece with whom they lye openly in all mens sight almost in the same maner that the Massagetae doe which bee a people of Scythia in Asia The manner of the Nasamons is that when one first marrieth a wife the Bride lyeth with all her guests one after another to performe the act of generation and euery one as they play their part present her with some reward or other which they bring with them for that purpose Their swearing and diuination which they vse is by those men which were accounted the best iustest among them while they liued and when they swere the tuch the tombes of those men and diuine nere vnto their monuments wher when they haue finished their prayers they fall a sleepe and what vaine dreame soeuer is represented vnto them in there sleepe that they firmely beleeue to bee reuealed vnto them by those men and so put it in practise accordingly When the plyght their trothes one to another each one taketh a Cuppe from the others hand and drinketh all that is in it vppe but if they haue no drinke then they take dust from the ground and lick that vp The Garamantes which be people of middle Lybia also and dwell aboue the Nasomons abandon the sight and conuersation of all other people weapons for warre haue they none neither are they so hardy as to defend them-selues if they bee assaulted and about the sea coast towards the sunne setting dwell the Macae which bee a people in Arabia-foelix and border vpon the Nasomans these people shaue the crownes of their heads round and suffer all the rest of the hayre to growlong And in their warres in steed of Armor they weare the skinnes of such Estridges as keepe in caues vnder ground The Gnidanes be a people bordring vpon the Macae the women whereof haue the skirts of their garments garded and trimmed with welts made of beasts skinnes which as is reported are giuen vnto them by those men which haue laine with them for euery one which lyeth with a woman there must giue her one of those gardes and she which hath the most welts vpon her garment is accounted the best woman as beeing beloued of most men The Machliae which bee a people inhabiting about the Moore in Affricke called Triton weare long haire vpon the hinder parts of their heads and the people called Auytes vpon the forepart The Virgins of this country vpon the yearly feast of Minerua and in honor of that goddesse deuide themselues into two parts and fight one side against the other without any cause at all giuen with stones and clubs alledging that in so doing they obserue their country guise in honor of her whom we call Minerua and those virgins which dye of their wounds they call false virgins but shee that best bestowed her selfe in the fight is preferred before all the other virgins and adorned with Greekish armor and a crest or plume made of mettal of Corinth and so placed in a Charriot and carried in triumph round about the fenne The men accompany with women confusedly like beasts without respect of kindred or bloud and when a woman hath nourished her child that hee is lusty and strong with whome he dwelleth and is maintayned for the men meete together euery third month to choose their children his sonne he is euer after reputed The Atlantes so called of the hill Atlas neere which they dwell haue none of them any proper names They curse the sonne at his vprising blaming and reprehending it because his heate destroyeth both them and their country they eate no flesh nor are troubled with any dreames or visions The people of Affricke called Pastoritij liue of flesh and milke and yet abstaine from the flesh of kine because the Aegiptians doe nether eate swines flesh nor reare any kine And the women of Cyrene thinke it vnlawfull to strike them by reason of Isis the God of Aegipt in whose honor they Celebrate both fasting feasting daies but the women of Barcas do not only abstaine from flesh of kine but from swines flesh also these women when their children be of the age of foure yeares singe the vaynes vpon the crownes of their heads and their temples with wooll that is new shorne to the end that they should bee neuer after offended with fleme or rume descending from their heads by which meanes they say they bee very healthful when they sacrifice for their first fruites they cut off the eare of a beast and cast it to the top of a house and after breake his necke and of al the Gods they only do sacrifice to the Sun and Moone All the people of Affricke bury their dead as the Graetians doe the Nasomones excepted who bury them sitting for there when one beginneth to yeeld vp the ghost they cause him to sit least he should die with his face vpright Their dwelling-houses are made of young sprouts or sprigs of lentish trees wound and wrethed one about another The Maxes weare their heare vpon the right side of their heads long and shaue the left side They paint their bodies with red lede or vermilion alleadging that they had their beginning from the Troyans The women of Zabices which border vpon the Maxes play the wagonners in the warres The Zigantes where Bees make great abundance of honny and much more is reported to be made by art be all of them dyed with red leade and eate Apes and Munckies of which they haue great store liuing vpon hills All these people of Libia liue a rude and Sauage kind of life and for the most part without dores like beasts contented with such foode as they finde abroad eating nothing that is tame and bred at
home and hauing no other garments to couer their bodies but goats skins Their greatest Potentates haue no citties but turrets standing neere vnto waters wherein they lay vp such things as they leaue for their prouision They sweare their subiects once euery yeare to their allegiance and obedience to their Prince and that they shall be louing to their equalls and persecute al such as refuse to be vnder their gouernment as theeues There weapons are answerable to their country and their customes for they themselues beeing light and nimble of body and the country for the most part plaine and euen do neither vse swords nor knyues nor any other weapons in their warres sauing onely euery one three darts and a few stones in a letherne budget and with those they will fight and conflict both when they incounter and in the retraite being by practise made perfect to throw therein stones and darts right at a marke They obserue neither law nor equitie towards strangers The Trogloditae which the Greekes call shepheards because they liue by cattell elect their King from out the people of Aethiopia wiues and children they haue in common the King onely excepted who hath but one wife and euery one that commeth to him presenteth him with a certaine number of cattell At such time as the wind standeth in the East about the canicular or dog dayes which season is most subiect to showers they eate bloud and milke mixt together and boyled and when their pastures be parched and burned away with the heate of the Sunne they go downe into the moorish grounds for which there is great contention amongst them When their cattle be either old or diseased they kill them and eate them for of such consisteth their chiefest sustenance Their children be not called after the names of their parents but aftet the names of Buls Rammes or Sheepe and those they call fathers and mothers because their daily nourishment is yeelded by them and not by their naturall parents The meaner sort of people drinke the iuice of Holly-tree or sea-rush and those of the better sort the iuyce that is strayned out of a certaine flower which groweth in that countrey the liquor whereof is like vnto the worst of our Must They neuer continue long in one place but remooue and flitte often into diuers Regions taking with them whither soeuer they go their flockes and heards of cattell they be naked on all parts of their bodies but their priuities which be couered with skinnes All the Trogloditae circumcise their priuie parts like the Aegyptians excepting those which are lame they remoue often into strange Countreys and are neuer cutte or shauen with razour from their infancie Those Trogloditae which are called Megauares vse for their armour round shields made of raw oxe hides and clubbes studded with yron and some vse bowes and lances They haue little regard how they burie the dead for they vse no other ceremonies in their funerals but wrappe the dead corps in Holly twigges and then binding the necke and legges together put the carcase into a hole and couer it ouer with stones setting vpon the heape of stones a Goates horne in derision and so depart from it beeing neuer touched with any griefe though hee were neuer so neere a friend They contend and fight amongst themselues not as the Greekes do for anger or ambition but onely for their victualls and in their conflicts they first throw stones till some of them be wounded and then taking their bowes in hand wherein they be very expert they fight it out till some of them be slaine And the auncient and grauest women giue end vnto those controversies who pressing boldly into the middle of the multitude without any danger for it is not lawfull to hurt them by any meanes the men foorthwith cease off their strife Those which for age bee vnable to follow their flockes tye their owne neckes to an oxe tayle and so strangle themselues to death And if any be vnwilling to dye he is forced to it by his fellowes but first he shall haue warning thereof and this kind of death they account a great benefit vnto them those also which be sick of feuers or of any vncurable disease are serued in like sort for they account it the greatest misery that may be for any one to inioy his life that can doe nothing worthy of life Herodotus writeth that the Trogloditae make them hollow Caues in the ground to dwell in and that they haue no desire to possesse riches but rather addict themselues to wilfull and voluntary pouerty that they onely are delighted and glory in one kinde of stone which we call Hexacontalithus which is a little precious stone with diuerse corners that they eate the flesh of Serpents and that they speake not any intelligible language but in steed of speach make a kinde of noyse or howling rather then speach In that Aethiopia which lyeth aboue Aegipt dwell another kinde of people which be called Rhisophagi these barbarous people liue onely vpon the rootes of weedes which when they haue cleane washed they bruse teare a peeces with stones till they waxe soft and clammy and then make it into cakes like vnto tiles and bake them against the sunne and so eate them and this kinde of meat is theyr onely food all their life time for they haue great aboundance thereof and it is very pleasant and delectable in taste so as peace is there perpetually maintained and yet they fight notwithstanding but it is onely with Lyons which ranging out of the deserts to shunne the shade and to prey vpon other lesser wild beasts destroy many Aethiopians comming forth of the fens and surely that nation had beene vtterly destroyed by Lyons had not nature afforded a defence against them for at such time as the Dogge-starre ariseth and appeareth in their Horizon the winde being calme there flyeth into those parts an innumerable multitude of Gnatts which offend not the people because they flye from them into the Fennes and moorish grounds but doe so annoy the Lyons with their stings and terrifying them with their humming and bussing as they compell them all to depart out of those Regions Next vnto these are the Ilophagi and the Spermatophagi the Spermatophagi liue without labour by gathering the fruites which fall from trees in Summer time and when fruites are gone they eate a certaine herbe which they finde growing in shadie places where-with they be succourd in theyr need But the Ilophagi their wiues and children feede them-selues by clyming into Tree toppes and plucking off the tender buddes from twigges and branches which is their onely sustenance by continuall vse and practise whereof they grow so expert in clyming that a thing strange to bee reported they will skippe and hoppe from tree to tree like birds or squirrells without danger and trusting to their lightnesse and nimblenesse of their bodyes ascend to the very top of slender branches and if
at any time their footing fayle them yet will they claspe theyr hands about the twiggs and so saue and defend them-selues from falling and though by some mischance they should fall yet receiue they no hurt by reason of the lightnesse of theyr bodyes These people goe alwayes naked and haue theyr wiues and children in common They fight one against another onely for places to liue in being weaponed with staues and domineere and exult greatly ouer those they vanquish They die for the most part by famine whem their sight faileth they are depriued of that sence wherewith they sought their food In an other part of the region dwell those Aethiopians which bee called Cyneci they bee few in number but of a different life from all the rest for they inhabit the wood-land and desolate countrie wherein be but few fountaines of water and they sleepe vpon the tops of trees for feare of wilde beasts Euery morning they goe downe armed to the riuer sides and their hide themselues in trees amongst the leaues and in the heate of the day when the Beefes and Libbards and diuers other kindes of wilde beasts goe downe to the riuers to drinke and that they bee full and heauie with water these Aethiopians descen'd from the trees and fall vppon them and kill them with staues baked at the fire and with stones and dartes and then deuide them amongst their companies and eate them By which cunning deuise they deuoure many of those beasts and sometimes though but seldome they are foyled and slaine themselues And if at any time their cunning faile them and that they want beasts to eate they take the hides of such beasts as they haue eaten before and plucking of the haires laie the hides in steepe and then drie them before a soft fire and so deuiding to euery one a share satisfie themselues with that Their young boyes vnder the age of foureteene yeeres practise throwings at markes and they giue meate to those onely which touch the marke and therefore beeing forced thereto by famine they become most excellent and fine darters The people called Acridophagi border vpon the desert the men bee something shorter or lower of stature then other Aethiopians beeing leane and marueilous blacke In the spring time the West and South-west windes blow an infinite number of slies called Locustes out of the deserts into their Country which bee exceeding great but the collour of their wings is foule and lothsome These Aethiopians as their custome is gather out of places there-abouts great store of wood and other sorts of fuell and laie it in a great large valley and when at their wonted time as it were a whole cloude of Locusts bee carried by the windes ouer the valley they set fire on the fuell and with smoke stiphle and smother to death the Locusts which flie ouer it so as they fal downe vnto the earth in such aboundance as are sufficient to serue the whole countrie for victualls and these beeing sprinckled with salt which that country plentifully yeeldeth they preserue for a long space beeing a meate very pleasant vnto they taste And so these Locusts bee their continuall sustenance at all seasons for they neither keepe cattell nor eate fish beeing farre remote from the sea nor haue any other maintenance whereof to liue They bee nimble of body swift of foote and shorte of life so as they which liue the longest exceede not aboue fortie yeeres their end is not onely miserable but also incredible for when old age creepeth and commeth vppon them there doth certaine lice with winges of a horrible and vglie shape ingendring in their bodies knaw out and deuour their bellies guts and intralls and in a small time their whole bodies and he which hath the disease doth so itch is so allured to scrach as he receiueth thereby at one and the same time both pleasure and paine and when the corruption cometh forth and the lyce appeare he is so stirred with the bitternesse and anguish of the disease as hee teareth his owne flesh in peeces with his nayles with great wayling and lamentation for so great is the number of those vermine issuing out of the wounds heape vppon heape running as it were out of a vessell full of holes as they cannot be ouercome and by this meanes they die a very miserable death the cause whereof is ether the meate they liue vpon or the vnholesomenesse of the aire Vpon the vtmost parts of Affricke towards the South dwell a people which the Greekes cal Cinnamimi but of their neighbouring Barbarians they bee called wild or vplandish people These haue very great beards and for the defence of their liues breed vp great number of Mastiues and wild dogs for from the Summer troppicke to the middle of winter an infinite number of Indian Beefes come into their country the cause of their comming is vncertaine whether it bee that they fly from other wild beasts which pursue them or for the want of feeding or that they doe it by instinct of nature all which are wonderfull but the true cause is vnknowne from these the people defend them-selues with their dogges their owne forces being insufficient to withstand them and kill many of them some whereof they eate fresh and some others they powder vp for their prouision afterwards and with these dogges they take many other beasts in like sort The last people and the vtmost towards the South bee the Ichthiophagi which inhabite in the gulph of Arabia vpon the frontiers of the Trogloditae these carry the shape of men but liue like beasts they be very barbarous and go naked all their liues long vsing both wiues and daughters common like beasts they be neither touched with any feeling of pleasure or griefe other then what is naturall Neido the discerne any difference betwixt good and bad honesty and dishonesty Their habitations are in rockes and hills not farre from the sea wherein they haue deepe dennes and holes the passages in and out being naturally very hard and crooked The entrances into these holes as if nature had framed them for their vse the Inhabitants damme vp with a heape of great stones wherewith they take fishes as it were with nets for the flowing of the sea which hapneth euery day twise about three of the cloke and nine of the Cloke surrownding the borders neere vnto the shore the water increasing very high and couering all places carrieth into the continent an innumerable company of diuers sorts of fishes which seeking abroad for sustenance at the ebbing of the sea are by those stones stayd vpon dry land those doe the inhabitants make hast to gather vp and taking them lay them vpon the rockes against the noone Sunne till they be scorched with the heate thereof and when one side is scorched inough they turne the other when they bee thus broyled against the Sunne they take all the meate from the bones and put it into a
two riuers Nilus and Tanais the Euxine sea and part of the Mediterranian sea and vpon the other three parts with the Ocean which vppon the East is called Oceanus Eous vpon the South Indicus and North Scithicus The hill Taurus in a manner deuideth the whole continent in the middle which lying directly East and West leaueth one part thereof towards the North and the other towards the South which two parts are by the Greekes called the Inner Asia and the vtter Asia This hill in many places is three thousand stadiae in breadth and as long as all Asia beeing about forty and fiue thousand stadia from the vttermost edge of the sea beyond Rhodes vnto the furthermost parts of India and Scythia towards the East Asia is deuided into many partes whereof some bee bigger some lesser and euery part is distinguished from other by a peculiar name but so large and wide is the whole compasse of ground contained vnder the name of Asia as it alone is thought to comprehend as much land as all Affricke and Europe the other two parts of the world The ayre is there very temperate and the soyle fertile and therefore it aboundeth with all kinde of cattell It containeth many Prouinces and regions Vppon that side which bordereth vppon Affricke lyeth Arabia which is situated betwixt Iudaea and Aegipt and according to Plinie is deuided into three parts one part whereof is called Petrea or stony Arabia which vpon the North and West ioyneth vpon Syria and is inclosed with Arabia deserta on the one side and Arabia foelix on the other Panchaia and Sabaea are also by some supposed to bee comprehended within the compasse of Arabia Arabia is so called of Arabus the sonne of Apollo by Babylo the people whereof be scattered and dispersed wide and broad and are much different one from an other both in their customes and their apparell the heire of their heads they neuer cut but tye it vp with fillets and head-laces their beards they shaue close to the skinne they transferre not their arts and occupations from one to another as wee doe but there each one exerciseth his fathers trade and course of life and the Noblest man hath the gouernment ouer all the rest all things they possesse goe in common to their whole kindered and one wife serueth all that family for hee which first entreth into the house and setteth his staffe at the doore lyeth first with her but shee sleepeth all night with the eldest by which meanes they bee all brothers one to another they lye also with their owne mothers and sisters without any respect at all And yet the adulterer is punished with death and the lying with one of anothers kindred is adultery but all those which be of one house or kindred be termed legitimate They celebrate their feasts for almost thirty dayes together wherein two of their kinsmen that be good Musitians giue their attendance in turnes first one then an other Theyr citties and townes liue peaceably and quietly together without walls and fortresses for defence they vse oyle made of the graine Sesamina are very rich and abounding with all other things Theyr sheepe bee of a white fleece and theyr neate of a tall stature but horses they haue none the want whereof is supplyed with great store of Camels Gold siluer and many sorts of sweete and odoriferous oyntments are peculiar to that country Brasse Iron Cloth Purple Saffron Pepper and all workes ingrauen in mettell or stone are brought thether from other places theyr dead bodyes they accompt more abiect and vile then dung and the carcase of their King they bury in a dung-hill they be very carefull to preserue their reputations and promises with men and they confirme theyr leagues of friendship in this manner following When a peace and agreement is concluded betwixt two a third man standing in the middle betwixt them both striketh them vpon the palme of their hands about the longest fingers with a sharpe stone till hee draw bloud then taking a little flock from each of their garments hee annoynteth with the blood seauen stones which be laide before them for that purpose in dooing whereof hee inuocateth the names of Dionisyus and Vrania this done he which is the mediatour for the peace and attonement the frendes of both parties being present causeth the stranger or the Cittizen if the matter bee betwixt cittizens to put in sureties to continue that truce and the league the parties which contract the friendship thinke fit and iust to be obserued Their onely fuell is the branches of Myrrhe the smoke whereof is so noysome and hurtfull as it would breede incurable diseases if they preuented them not by burning a sweet incense or gumme called Storax the smell whereof allayeth the contagion of the smoke The Priests first slay the beasts they intend to sacrifice and then go to gather Cynamon strictly obseruing that they gather none before Sunne-rising nor after the Sun-setting and when they haue appeased their gods with the sacrifice hee which is chiefest amongst them diuideth the heape of branches which they haue gathered that day with a forke consecrated for that vse then do they dedicate a part of those branches to the Sunne which if the diuision made were equal will be inflamed with the beames of the Sunne and take fire and burne of their owne accord Some of those people which liue hardly feed vpon snakes and bee therefore called Ophiophagi they be neither vexed with care nor troble of mind The people called Nomades haue great store of Camels which serue them both in their battels and to carry burthens The people called Debae be some of them shepheards some exercise themselues in husbandry the country abounds with gold insomuch as they find oftentimes amongst the clods of earth certaine round balles of gold as big as acorns of which they make themselues iewels and brooches very pleasant to behold and weare them about their necks and arms They sell gold to their neighboring nations for three times the price of brasse twise the price of siluer both for the small account they make of gold and for the great desire they haue to trafficke with other people Next vnto these be the Sabaei which be rich in Frankincense Myrrhe and Cynnamon Some hold that there be Balme trees growing in the confines of this countrey it aboundeth with sweet Canes and odoriferous Dates there is also a serpent bredde in that countrey of an hand-breadth in length whose sting or biting is deadly and hee lyeth altogether vnder the rootes of trees The exceeding smell and sweet sauour of things growing there breedeth a stupiditie and dulnesse in their senses which they cure with the perfume of a certaine lyme or pitch called Bitumen and the beard of a bucke Goate All matters in controuersie are there referred to the King Many of the Sabaei are husbandmen and some of them are wholy occupied in gathering
spices which grow vpon trees They vse trafficke into Aethiopia with shippes couered with lether their fuell is the barke or rind of Cynamon which is of the nature of wood The Metrapolitan and chiefe citie of this kingdome is situated vpon an hill and is called Saba their Kings are of one kindred and raigne by succession to whom the multitude yeeld honours indifferently as well to the bad as to the good They neuer dare venter out of their Court or chiefe citie fearing lest they should be stoned to death by the common people by reason of an answer which they receiued long since from one of their Oracles At Saba where the King keepeth his Court be siluer iewels and pots of gold of all sorts the beds and three-footed stooles haue siluer feete and all the houshold stuffe is sumptuous and rich beyond credit The porches and galleries also bee vnderpropped with great pillars the heads whereof are siluer and gold the roofes and dores being set with golden bosses intermingled with pretious stones do manifest the sumptuous decking of the whole house for here one place shineth with gold another with siluer another with pretious stones and Elephants tooth and with many other ornaments besides of great woorth and estimation these people haue for many ages flowed in perpetuall felicitie for they bee vtterly voyde of ambition and desire to possesse other mens goods which bringeth many to ruine The people called Garraei be no lesse rich then these for almost all their houshold-stuffe is of gold and siluer and of Iuorie whereof they make the thresholds roofes and walles of their houses The people called Nabathaei of all men be most continent in getting riches they bee very industrious but much more carefull in keeping them for hee that diminisheth his priuate estate hath publicke punishment And on the other side hee is honoured and exalted that increaseth his patrimonie The Arabians vse in their warres swords bowes launces and slings and many times axes also That accursed stocke of the Sarrasins which were the greatest scourges that euer happened to mankind had their beginning in Arabia and as it is very credibly thought a great part of the Arabians became followers of the Sarrasins sect and tooke their name Yet now they haue betaken them to their old names againe The Arabians that dwell about Aegypt liue for the most part by stealing trusting in the swiftnesse of their Camels The manners and customes Of Panchaia and of the manners of the Panchaians CAP. 2. PANCHAIA is a Region of Arabia Diodorus Siculus calleth it an Iland of two hundred Stadia in bredth and that there be in it three stately Citties that is to say Dalida Hyracida and Oceanida the whole countrie is fruitfull enough liuing onely where it is sandie It aboundeth with wine and with frankinsence of which there is so great store as is sufficient to serue all the world for sacrifices it yeeldeth much myrrhe also and other odoriferous spices of diuers kinds which the Panchaians gather and sell to the Marchants of Arabia of whom others buy them transport them into Phaenicia Syria and Egypt from whence they are conveyed into all parts of the world The Panchaians vse Chariots in the warres for so they haue bin alwaies accustomed their common-wealth is diuided into three degrees of people first the Priests who possesse the prime place to whome the artificers are added the husbandmen haue the second and souldiers the third to whom the shepheards be annexed The Priests be gouernours and rulers ouer all the rest to whom the deciding of controuersies and arbittement of all publike affaires and iudiciall causes are committed punishment of death onely excepted The husbandmen imploy themselues onely in tilling and manuring the ground the increase whereof goeth in common to all Out of the husbandmen there be ten elected by the Priests which bee most expert and industrious in husbandrie to bee Iudges ouer the rest aswell for the exhortation of others in the art of husbandrie as for the distribution of their fruites The shepheards likewise bring all their increase as well of such things as appertaine to sacrifices as of all things else to the publike vse some by number and some by weight in doing whereof they be maruellous precise and no one there possesseth any thing in priuate to himselfe but only their houses and gardens for the Priests receiue all the custome and tribute-money and all other things else whatsoeuer into their custodie making diuision thereof as occasion requireth whereof two parts is euer due vnto themselues The Panchaians bee clothed in soft garments for the sheepe of that countrie differ much from others in softnesse and finenesse of wooll both men and women weare ornaments of gold adorning their neckes with chains their hands with bracelets their eares with eare-rings like the Persians and their feet with new shooes of diuers colours The souldiers are maintained onely to defend the countrie from forraine inuasions the Priests liue more sumptuously and in far greater delights then others wearing for the most part fine lightlinnen vestiments downe to the foot and somtimes garments made of the best and purest wooll Vpon their heads they haue myters wrought and imbrodered with gold and in stead of shooes sandals of diuers colours wrought very artificially They weare ornaments of gold also like women excepting eare-rings and be for the most part continually conuersant about the seruice of their gods reciting their worthy and memorable deeds in laudes and hymnes They deriue their pedegree from Iupiter Manasses alledging that when hee was conuersant with men and gouerned the whole world hee was banished into Panchaia The country abounds with gold siluer brasse tin and iron of which it is not lawfull to carry any out of the Iland neither is it tollerable for the Priests to stir out of their holy Temples for if any of them be found abroad it is lawfull to kill them Many oblations of gold and siluer which were long since offered and dedicated to their gods they preserue in their temple the doores whereof are of a very curious building beset with gold siluer and yuorie The bed for their god is all of gold being sixe cubits in length and foure in bredth and of a rare and wonderfull workmanship In like maner the table for their god which is placed neare vnto his bed is equall vnto it both for state quantity and cost They haue one great and magnificent temple which is all erected of white stone vnderset with great pillars carued columnes the length thereof is two acres and the breadth answerable to the length It is adorned with goodly Idols of their gods composed and framed with admirable art and cunning The Priests that haue charge of the sacrifices haue their houses about the temple and all the ground round about the temple for the space of two hundred Stadia is consecrated to the gods and the yearely reuenew thereof spent
soules were incorruptible that onely the soules of the good did flitte and remoue into other bodies vntill the resurrection and last iudgement and that the soules of the wicked were detained and imprisoned in euerlasting dungeons and these were called Pharises because in their habits and liuings they differed from the common disposition of other men The Saduces denied fortune and destiny saying that God saw all thinges and that it was in the will of man to do either good or euill they denied that the soules after this life suffered eyther punishment or pleasure they denied also the resurrection of the dead supposing their soules and bodies to perish together nor did they hold that there were any Angels and yet they receiued the fiue bookes of Moses they were seuere without measure and nothing sociable amongst themselues for which seuerity they named themselues Saduces that is to say iust But the Esseians liued altogether a monasticall life vtterly despising wedlocke and the company of all women not because they thought it fitte by forbidding carnall copulation to destroy the succession of mankind but that they should beware of womens intemperance suppo sing no womā to be faithfull true to her husband They had all thinges in common oyntments and bathes they accounted a reproach and esteemed a deformity in their trimming to bee an ornament vnto them so as they were alwayes arrayed in white garments they had no certaine citty but dwellings in euery place They spake no prophane words before the sunne rising but praied for his rising and after that workt vnto the fift houre then washing their bodies in water they eate together with few words They accounted an oath as periury and allowed none to be of their sect vnder a yeares probation and after the first yeares tryall when they were admitted they tryed their manners other two yeares also in which time if they were found in any sinne they would driue them away from them that eating grasse like beasts they might repent till their deaths When ten of them sat together no one would speake if nine of them were vnwilling they would not spit in the middle nor on the right side They obserued their sabboth so religiously that vpon that day they would not so much as purge their bellyes They carryed with them a wodden Pickax where-with they digged a hoale in the earth in some secret place to ease them-selues in and couered themselues diligently with their long garments least they should doe iniury to the diuine lights for which cause also they filled the hole againe presently They were long of life by reason of the simplenesse of their dyet for they liued for the most part with Dates they had no vse of money and they adiudged that death the best which happened to a man for Iustice sake They hold that all soules were created from the beginning and incorporated for a time in mens bodies and that the good soules after they departed from the bodyes liued beyond the Ocean where ioy is reserued for them and that the euill soules are assigned boystrous and stormie places towards the East Some of them could foretell things to come and some vsed the company of wiues but very moderatly for they supposed that if they should altogether abstaine from women the whole stocke of humaine kinde would perish There dwell in Syria at this day Greekes which bee called Gryphoni Iacobites Nestorians and Sarasins and two people of the Christian Religion which bee the Syriani and the Marouini the Syrians sacrifice as the Greekes doe and were some times obedient to the Church of Rome but the Marouini agree with the Iacobites and vse the same language and writing the Arabians doe These sundry sorts of holy men inhabite the hill Libanus the Sarrasins dwell about Ierusalem they be valiant in warre and expert in husbandry The Syrians bee vnprofitable people and the Marouines most valiant men though they be few in number Of Media and of the manners of the Medes CHAP. 5. MEDIA a region in Asia is so called as Solinus reporteth of Medus the sonne of Medea and Aegeus King of Athens and the people thereof be called Medi But Iosephus is of opinion that they be called Medes of Medeus the sonne of Iaphet This Region according to Ptolomeus is bounded vpon the North with the Hyrcan sea vpon the West with the great Armenia and Assyria with Persia vpon the South and on the East with Hircania and Parthia Their chiefest exercise and which is almost peculiar to that nation is shooting and riding Their Kings in ancient time were of great authority their head attires their round caps and their garments with sleeues remooued with the Empire and gouernment vnto the Persians It was proper to the Median Kings to haue many wiues which custome was shortly put in practise amongst priuate men in so much as it was not lawfull to haue lesse then seuen wiues In like manner it was thought fitting for women to haue many husbands and to haue lesse then fiue they deemed a miserie The Medes make leagues and confirme friendship after the maner of the Greekes and also by striking their armes about the shoulder blade and then to lick vp each others bloud That part of Media which is towards the North is barren and therefore they make them a kinde of paste of Apples dryed and brused in morters bread of rosted Almonds and wine of the rootes of hearbes and liue for the most part vpon the flesh of wilde beasts Of Parthia and the manner of liuing of the Parthians CAP. 6. THe Parthians which were banished out of Scythia and obtained this country by deceit called it after their names Parthia It hath vpon the South Carmania on the North Hyrcania on the West Media and Aria on the East The countrie is full of woods and hills and very barren of fruites The people during the time the Medes and Assyrians possessed the Empire were accounted base and of no credit nor estimation but when the kindome of Media was translated to the Persians this people also as a barbarous nation without name was a prey vnto the vanquishers and lastly became subiect to the Macedonians but in tract of time they grew of such vertue and valour and were so prosperous and successfull in their designements that they gouerned not onely the countries neere adioyning but making warre against the Romaines which then were conquerors of all Countries ouerthrew them with great destruction and slaughter of their men Plinie reckoneth foureteene kingdomes vnder the gouernment of the Parthians Trogus attributeth vnto them the Empire of the East as if they had made diuision of the whole world with the Romaines This people after their reuolting from the Macedonian Empire were gouerned by Kings which were all called Arsaces of Arsax their first King next vnto the Maiestie of their Kings was the order and gouernment of the people out of which were elected both Captaines for
the warres and Gouernors in time of peace They haue a mixt language borrowed of the Medes and Scythians and compounded of them both at the first their habites were answerable to their abilitie and after their owne country fashion but waxing richer they were as curiouslie clothed as the Medes their weapons were after the custome of theyr owne countrey and like vnto the Scythians Their armies consist not of free-men as in other nations but for the most part of slaues which sort of base people doe dayly increase for they bee all bondmen borne and no power of manumission permitted them yet bee they brought vp with as great care and industry as if they were free-men and taught both to ride and shoote and euery one as hee is in riches traineth vp and setteth forth with the King when hee goeth into the warres a great company of horse men according to his abilitie in so much as when Antonius made warres vpon the Parthians and the Parthians incountring him with fifty thousand horsemen there were not found in all that whole troupe aboue eight hundred free-men They cannot indure the single combate nor to remooue the assault from Citties besieged but their chiefest fight is with their horses running forward or turning backward and some-times also they faine them-selues to flye that thereby they may wound those which vnwarily pursue them The signe of battell is not giuen them with a trumpet but with a Timbrill or Drumme neither can they indure long fight for surely they were not to bee resisted if their courage and continuance were answerable to the assault and first brunt of the battell and often-times they will leaue the battaile in the very heate of the conflict and shortly after returne againe and begin a fresh so as when the enemy thinketh himselfe most secure he is oftentimes in greatest danger The munition for their horse-men are Brigandines or coates of maile imbrodered and with such bee their horses harnessed likewise In times past they had no other vse of siluer nor golde then in their weapons All of them haue many wiues being mooued therevnto with the pleasure of the variety of women nor is there a more greeuous punishment for any offence then for adultery and therefore they forbid their wiues not onely to banquet with other men but euen the very sight of them also There bee some of opinion whereof Strabo is one that if the Parthians cannot beget children of their wiues them-selues they will giue them in mariage to their friends thereby to raise them issue to succeed them They eate no other flesh but what they get by hunting and they be euer carryed on horse-back for they ride to their banquets they buy and sell conferre together and execute all publicke and priuate offices on hors-back And this difference in the dignities and degrees of the people is very singuler and worthy to bee noted that those which bee of a seruile and base condition goe euer on foote but the better sort of people and free-men ride continually The flesh of their dead bodyes insteed of buriall is commonly rent in peeces and deuoured eyther of byrds or dogges and they couer the bones when they be bare with earth They haue their gods in great reuerence and regarde they bee of a haughty and proud disposition sedicious deceitfull and malepart and very violent in all their actions but yet women bee somewhat more courteous then men they bee alwayes busied eyther in externall or ciuill broyles They bee naturally slowe of speach and farre more apt for action then vtterance They will neither bragge of their prosperity nor dispaire in aduersity they obey their Princes for feare not for shame they bee much giuen to lust and of a sparing dyet and there is no trust nor confidence to bee reposed in their words nor promises but so farre as is expedient and behouefull for themselues The manners and customes Of Persia and of the manners lawes and ordinances of the Persians CHAP. 7. PERSIA a country in the East is so called of Persis the sonne of Iupiter and Danaé of whom also Persepolis the Metrapolitan and chiefe Citty of that nation taketh his name and the people thereof be called Persians This country as Ptolomeus writeth in his fift booke is bounded on the North with Media on the West with Susiana on the East with the two Carmanias and on the South with the Persian sea Their chiefe townes were Aximia Persepolis and Diospolis The Persians beleeue in Heauen and in Iupiter they haue the Sunne also in great veneration whom they call Mitra and worship the Moone Venus the Fire Earth Water and windes as gods and goddesses They haue neither Temples Sanctuaries nor Idols but doe their sacrifices without doores in some high place with great reuerence and deuotion hauing the hoast for sacrifice brought to the Altar with a crowne or garland on his head they sacrifice to their gods nothing else but the heart of the oblation neither do the gods as they suppose require more at their hands and yet the custome of some in that countrie is to put the Intralls of the sacrifice into the fire also when they sacrifice they make a fyre of drye wood the barke or rinde being first pulled of and then casting vpon the wood some sweet tallow or suet and infusing a little oyle thereon set it on fire not blowing with their mouths but with bellowes for if any presume to blow the fire with his mouth or throw therin any dead carcasse or any other filthy thing hee dyeth for it The Persians neither wash themselues in water nor pisse nor spitte into it nor throw any dead carcasse into it nor prophane it any other kinde of way but worship it most religiously and that in this manner When they come to a lake riuer or brooke they make a little ditch or pond seuered from the other water and there they kill the sacrifice hauing speciall regarde that none of the other water bee touched with the bloud least all should be polluted this done and the flesh layde vpon a mirtell or lawrell tree the Priests or Magi make a fire with little twiggs and therewith burne the sacrifice till it be consumed and then sprinkling and infusing it with oyle mingled with milke and hony they pray for a long space together not to the fire nor water but to the earth holding in their hands all the while a bundle of Mirtle rods They create their Kings out of one family and hee which is not obedient vnto the King hath his head and armes cut off and is cast out without buriall Polycritus reporteth that al the Persian Kings haue their houses builded vpon hills and that there they hide all the treasure and tribute which they exact of their subiects for a monument of a well gouerned state And that of the people that dwell vpon the sea coast they exact siluer and from the inhabitants of the middle part of the
their luxurie is sought out in all places but such as the earth produceth without labour or toyle furnisheth their tables with wholesome and vnhurtfull diet by which meanes they be very healthfull and vnacquainted with the names and nature of sundrie diseases No one imploreth helpe of another where no one liueth to himselfe but all in common They haue no superiour but be all equals and therefore voide of enuie and emulation for the equality of pouerty maketh them all rich condēnations they haue none because they do nothing worthie of correction nor be they led by any law for that they commit no crimes onely this one law is generall to them all not to transgresse the law of nature which nourisheth labour and industrie exerciseth no auarice and flyeth idlenesse They giue not their bodies to lust thereby to weaken them and they possesse all things they desire not esteeming couetousnesse to bee a plague and scourge most cruell which impouerisheth all those shee layeth hold on and finding no end of obtayning the more rich shee groweth the more is her beggerie The Sunne yeeldeth them heate the deaw moisture the riuers asswage their thirst and the earth affoordeth them beddes where carke and care approch not neare their couches nor be their minds wearied or vexed with vaine cogitations Pride hath no power amongst them being al men of one condition nor is any one oppressed with other bōdage but only this that their bodies prostrate themselues to do seruice to their soules They make neither lime nor bricke wherwith to build them houses but rather chuse to inhabite in holes digged in the earth or vnder the hollownes of hils where they neither feare force of winds nor rage of tempest but suppose that the couerings of houses are not so sure a defence against showers as their holes whereof they haue a double vse for they serue them for houses while they liue and for buriall when they die Costly apparell they haue none but couer their members with rushes or to speake more truely with shamefastnesse Their women be not adorned to please others neither do they affect more beautie then they bee borne with the men accompany with women not for lust but for loue of increase They haue no war but continuall peace which is confirmed not by force but by friendship the father followeth not his sonne to his sepulchre nor is there any monuments made for the dead nor the ashes of their burned bodies inclosed in costly coffins which things they account as a punishment not as an honour vnto them These Brachmans as is sayd bee not oppressed with any pestilence or other diseases because they defile not the ayre with their beast-like acts but with them nature is euer agreeable to the season and the Elements hold on their course without offence a sparing and moderate diet is their purest Phisicke which is a readie medicine not onely to cure but to preuent all diseases whatsoeuer Pastimes and Enterludes they affect not but when they would view any spectacle they remember the monuments of things done and bewayle them as most ridiculous They be not delighted as many of vs be in old wiues tales but in the goodly order of the frame of the world and the disposition of naturall things they haue no trafficke into other Countries nor do they studie the art of Elo quence and Rhetoricke but haue one simple and common Dialect amongst them teaching them only to speake the truth They frequent neither Court nor Scholes whose doctrine beeing repugnant defineth nothing certain and stable Some of these people account honestie their Summum bonum and some pleasure They kill no harmelesse beast to performe their diuine Ceremonies saying that God accepteth not of sacrifices made with the bloud of things polluted but that he is rather delighted in the vnbloudy sacrifice and appeased by prayer for they hold that God is like men in this to be delighted in his own likenes In India also be a people called Catheae the men of that countrie haue many wiues who when their husband is dead appeale to the iudgement of certaine graue Iudges and plead their deserts towards their deceased husbands and she that by the sentence of the Iudges is approued to haue beene most officious and deare to her husband in his life time goes away reioycing at her conquest and attiring her selfe in her best apparell ascendeth the pyle and layeth her selfe downe by the bodie of her husband imbracing and kissing it and contemning the fire when it is put to the pyle in respect of her chastitie she is there with the carcase of her dead husband consumed to ashes and all the other wiues suruiue with shame and infamie Their children be not brought vp in their infancy according to the will of their parents but at the discretion of such as are publikely inioyned to that busines who by their office are to looke into their features and dispositions and if any be found slow or dul-spirited in their nonnage or decrepit or weake in any part of their bodies they suffer them to liue no longer but kill them out-right They marry their wiues not by wealth or Nobilitie but by beauty and not so much for pleasure as for procreation of children In some part of India is a custome vsed that those that are not able by reason of pouertie to place their daughters in mariage should bring them in the prime and flower of their age into the common market-place playing before them with pipes and other instruments of musick where the multitude beeing summoned and assembled together the maid comming neere vnto them first vncouereth the hinder part of her bodie vp to the shoulders and after that the fore-part and then if any one conceiueth liking of her she is giuen him in mariage Megasthenes writeth that vpon certaine hils in India be a manner of people with heads like dogs armed and fenced with nayles and clothed with beasts hydes they haue no humane voyce but a sound like the hoarse snarling or barking of dogges Those which liue about the riuer of Ganges eate no meat at all but liue onely by the smell of wild apples And when they trauell into other places remote they take of those apples with them that the smell of the apples may preserue their liues but if at any time their bodies receiue any noysome or stinking ayre they die instantly and some of these people were sayd to liue in Alexanders campe Wee reade of some people in India that haue but one eye and of othersome that haue such long ears as they hang down to their heeles and that they may lye downe and infold themselues in either of their eares by the hardnesse wherof they pull vp trees by the rootes that there be some also that haue but one foot and that so broad as when they lye with their faces vpwards the shadow of their foot defendeth them from the heate of the Sunne You may read in Ctesias
together like beasts skinnes and thereof make them short garments or cloakes and weare them Some others flea the right hands of their slaine enemies and with the same make couerings for their quiuers and many flea the whole bodies and stretching out the skinnes vppon blockes of wood carrie them about vpon their horses the heads being cut off in this manner as I haue sayd they couer the vtmost side of them with Oxe leather and those which be rich guild them within with gold and so vse them for pots to drinke in And such men of estimation as giue intertainement to strangers will shew vnto them that those were the heades of such men as they had vanquished in the wars bragging thereof as a point of great man-hood Once euery yeare all the Princes and gouernors of the region fill a pot full of wine of which all the Scythians which haue slaughtered any of their enemies do drinke but they which haue done no notable exploit tast not thereof but sit by without honor or regard which among them is the greatest ignominie that may be And those which haue committed the most slaughters shall drinke of two pots which they haue there readie prouided for the purpose Their gods which they worship and adore are the virgin Vesta as principall next vnto her Iupiter and Tellus for Tellus they suppose to be the wife of Iupiter after these they honor Apollo Venus Mars and Hercules but they thinke it not fit to make Idols Altars or Temples to any of these gods or goddesses but onely to Mars to whom they sacrifice euery hundreth captiue to the rest of their gods they sacrifice beasts and especially horses Hogges are in no account amongst them neither breed they any throughout the whole region When the King punisheth any man by death hee spareth none of his male-children but slayeth them all but he hurteth no woman-kind When the Scythians confirme friendship or make a league or peace one with another they put wine into a great earthen pot and then cutting some part of their bodies which make the peace with a knife or with a sword they mingle their bloud with the wine after that they dip their swords arrowes axes and iauelins into the cuppe which when they haue done they vow friendship one to another with many protestations And then is the wine drunke vp not onely by those which make the league but all their followers and partakers which bee of most dignitie and estimation drinke of it also The maner of buriall of Kings which is vsed of the people that inhabite about the riuer of Gerrus where Borysthenes is now nauigable is in this maner when their King is deceased they digge a great foure-square hole in the earth and there lay him for a space after that they take the dead bodie and bowell it and ceare it with waxe and fill it full of ozier branches brused a sweet perfume called red Stirax the seed of percely smallage and annis-seeds and so sow it vp againe and then putting the carcase into a cart they conuey it into another country where it is vsed as before and so interred But the Scythians cut off their dead kings eares clip his haire round cut his armes about wound him in the forehead and nose strike his left hand through with a dart and then carry the carcase into another nation which is vnder their gouernment the people whereof attend vpon them vnto another country And when they haue beheld all nations and the kings corps with them they leaue it to bee buried of those people that inhabite the vttermost parts of their kingdome who when they haue put it into a coffin and laid it vpon a bed they sticke downe certaine speares and laying him vpon the speares couer him with a coat then do they strangle one of his strumpets which he loued most dearely in his life time one groome one cooke one horse-keeper or muletor one sergeant one butler or cup-bearer and one horse and bury them altogether with golden cups and the first fruites of all their increase in the spatiousnesse of the Tombe or Sepulchre And when hee hath lyen there a yeare they take the most neere of the kings houshold seruants and all the Scythian seruants attending on the king he free borne and by him commanded to serue and no seruant bought with money doth minister to the king And after they haue strangled fiftie of these men-servants and as many of the best horses the mens bowels beeing first taken out and their garments stretched abroade and sowed together they set vp round about the circuit of the Kings tombe vppon arched worke those fiftie horses and the seruants sitting vppon their backes so as they may seeme afarre off to the beholders like a troupe of horsemen keeping their dead King And this is the maner and custome of interring and sepulture of their Kings in Scythia Priuate men also obserue a certaine custome in their burials for when one dyeth all his neighbours laying him in a cart carrie him about to his friends and each one of his friends receiuing him maketh a banket as well to his neighbours and kinsfolke as to the rest which accompany the coarse His bodie beeing thus carried from place to place for the space of fortie dayes is then interred his head beeing first emptied and cleane washed aboue the bodie they set three stickes bending one towards another vppon which they set wollen cappes as many as they can and then they put the carcase into a chest or coffin made of one tree like a trough and set it vnder the cappes and so fill vp the coffin with bright stones The men of Scythia do neuer wash themselues but their wiues infusing water vppon their bodies rubbe them against a rough stone with Cypresse Cedar or the wood of Frankinsence and after their bodies are rubbed and beginne to smell they besmeare their faces ouer with medicines or oyntments these oyntments make them to haue an odoriferous smeâ—â— And the next day after they remooue those medicines and make their faces cleane and bright againe Their manner of swearing and ministring an oath to others is by the Kings throne whereby if any one be conuinced of periurie by the Deuinors which make triall thereof with willow rods or wands hee is put to death without delay and forfeiteth all his goods to those which prooued him periured The Massagetae a people of Scythia in Asia beyond the Caspian sea in apparell and liuing be very like vnto these Scythians and therefore supposed of many to be Scythians indeed They fight both on foote and horse-backe and in both sorts of fight be almost invincible Their weapons be darts and speares and a certaine sword or weapon which they vsually weare about them called a sangar they vse gold in their belts sword-hangars and head attires and in guilding their pottes they put vppon their horses breasts brest-plates of gold their bridles and trappings be
all of gold and their speeres be poynted and their quiuers trimmed with Brasse for of Iron and siluer they haue no vse Euery one hath his wife and they accompany with women openly which is vsed by no other Scythians but onely they if they be iustly accounted Scythians for when any one there lusteth after another woman he hangeth his quiuer at his chariot and lyeth with her without shame The people haue no time prefixt them how long they shal liue but when one waxeth old his friends assemble together and sacrifice him with certaine sheepe and boiling the flesh together make a banket thereof And this kind of death they account most blessed but they eat none which die by any disease but bury them in the ground esteeming them damnâ—â— because they could not be sacrificed They neither sow nor plant any thing but liue of beasts and of fishes which the riuer Araxis affoords abundantly their vsuall drinke is milk Of the gods they worship only the Sun to whom they sacrifice horses thinking it fit to sacrifice a beast of the greatest speede to a starre of the swiftest course The people called Seres in Scythia of all others liue most curteously and quietly among theÌ„selues they auoid the company of all other men but themselues and despise the intercourse of merchandize with other countries for their merchants haue no communication for buying and selling with strange Merchants but onely set downe a price vpon their goods and deliuer them by racke of eye without buying any thing of others with theÌ„ is neither whore adulterer nor theefe brought to triall neither is any man there put to death at any time but the feare of their lawes with theÌ„ is of more force then the constellatioÌ„ of their natiuities They inhabit in the very beginning of the world and that they may the better liue chastly they be neither afflicted with canker or corruption nor with haile or pestilence When a woman is conceiued with child no man requireth her company nor till she be purified no one eateth vncleane flesh they know no sacrifices and all men iudge of themselues according to iustice and right wherefore they be not chastised with such punishments as are inflicted vpon men for their offences but liuing a long space yeeld vp their breaths without sicknesse The Tauro-Scythians so called of the hill Taurus about which they dwel sacrifice al those which suffer ship wrack vnto a virgin which they worship as a goddesse as also all the Greeks which be brought thither in this manner After they haue finished their praiers they cut off his head whom they meane to sacrifice and as some say throw his truncke head-long downe a Rocke for their Temple is scituated vpon a steepe Rocke which done they naile the head vpon a crosse or gybbet Some agreeing that their heads bee fastned to a crosse as is said doe notwithstanding deny that their bodies be throwne head-long down a Rocke but affirme that they bury them in the grownd The spirit or goddesse to whom they doe-sacrifice they terme to be Iphigenia the daughter of Agamemnon Euery one likewise cutteth off the heads of his enemies which he taketh in the warres and carrieth them home to his house and fixing them vpon poles setteth them vpon the highest part of his house and for the most part vpon the funnel of the chimney and the reason why they set them so high is for that they say the heads be the keepers and watchmen ouer the whole house these people liue by rapine and stealth and by the wars The Agathirsi be a very exquisit and well addorned people their garments for the most part be of gold Their women bee common to them all so as they be all cosins and kinsfolke one to an other there is neither enuy nor strife amongst them but in their liuing they much resemble the Thracians The Neury vse the Scythian customes these in the Summer before Darius expedition were constrained for the multitude of serpents which ingendred in their soile to alter their seate they perswades themselues so firmely as they will sweare it to bee true that for certaine daies euery yeere they become Wolues and againe after a while returne into their former habite and shapes The Anthropophagi that it is to say eaters of mans flesh vse the most sauage and rudest manners of all men they haue neither lawes nor ordinances to liue vnder they exercise themselues about cattel there garments be like the Scythians and they haue a language proper to themselues The Melanchlaeni goe all of them in blacke attire which is the cause they be so called and as many of them as feed onely on humaine flesh liue after the manner of the Scythians The Budini be a great and populous nation there Bodies be redish or yelowish and their eyes gray like Cats The City Gelon the people whereof be called Gelloni is the chiefe city of their Nation They solemnised certaine feasts euery third yeere in honour of Bacchus They were once Greekes but being remoued from thence they seated themselues in this Country and their language they now vse is a mixt speech betwixt the Scythian and Greeke tonge The Budini differ from the Gelloni both in life and language for the Budini being borne in the Country breed vp cattel and eate such fruites and herbes as the couÌ„try naturally produceth but the Gellony excercysing husbandry liue vpon corne and plant orchards gardens be nothing like the Budini either in collour or countenance The country is wel stored with trees out of a great and huge poole which they haue they take Ottors Beuers many other wild beasts of whose skins they make themselues clothes The Lyrcae line only by hunting which is on this manner they clime vp into the tops of trees which be very plentiful in that country and there lie in waite for wild beasts each huntsman hath his dog and his horse which be taught to couch down low vpon their bellies the better to intrappe the wild beast and after hee which is in the tree top hath spied the beast and stroke him with a darte hee leaueth the tree and pursueth him on horse-backe with his dogge vntill hee haue taken him The Argyphaei inhabite vnder the bottoms of high hils they bee a kind of people that bee balde from their birthes both men and women they haue flat nostrells a great chinne and a speech peculiar to themselues They be apparelled like the Scythians and liue by fruites of trees little caring for cattell whereof they haue no great store They lodge vnder trees and in the Winter-time they weare white caps but none in the Sommer There is none that will wronge them for they bee accounted a sacred people possessing no weapons of defence They determine such controuersies as arise amongst their neighbours and whosoeuer flyeth vnto them is in safety The Issedones were reported to vse this
by certaine women asfigned to that businesse he answereth in the middle of the people and all men to whom he speaketh ought to listen vnto him kneeling vpon their knees when how long soeuer his speech be and so diligently to attend his words as they misconster not his meaning in any point for it is not lawfull for any to alter the Emperours words nor in any sort to contradict or gaine-say the sentence hee pronounceth hee neuer drinketh in any publick assembly nor yet any other Tartarian Prince vnlesse some doe sing and play vnto him vppon a harpe before hee drinke and men of great worth when they ride are shadowed with a certaine fanne or curtaine fastned to a long speare and caried before them which custome is said to be vsed also by the women And these were the customes and maner of liuing of the people of Tartary about two hundred yeares sithence The Georgiani whom the Tartarians ouercame much about that time were worshippers of Christ obseruing the custome of the Greeke Church they dwelt neere vnto the Persians and their dominion extended a length wayes from Palestine to the Caspian hilles they had eighteene Bishopricks and one Catholicke or vniuersall Bishop who was insteed of a Patriarch at the first they were subiect to the Patriarch of Antioch the men be very warlike their Priests heads bee shauen round and the lay-men foure square some of their women were trained vp in the warres and serued on horseback The Georgians hauing disposed their armies and entering into the battell were wonte to carouse a gourd as bigge as ones fist filled full of the best wine and then to set vpon their enimies with greater courage The Cleargie bee much addicted to vsury and symonie there was mutuall and perpetuall enmity betwixt the Armenians and them The Armenians were Christians also vntill the Tartarians after they had subdued the Georgians ouer-came them likewise but they disagreed in many things from the faith and approoued fashion of the true Church they knew not the day of our Lords natiuitie for they obserued no feasts nor no vigils nor yet the foure Ember weekes they feasted not vpon Easter Eue alledging that Christ rose from the dead about the euening of that day they would eate flesh vpon euery Friday betwixt the feasts of Easter and Penticost yet they fasted much beginning their fast so strictly and precisely in Lent as they would neither vse oyle wine nor fish vpon Fridayes and Wednesdayes throughout the whole Lent holding it a greater sinne to drinke wine on those dayes then to lye with a strumpet in a brothell house Vpon Mondayes they abstained wholy from all meates vpon Tuesdayes and Thursdayes they did eate once and receiued no sustenance at all vpon Wednesdayes and Fridayes but vpon Saterdayes and Sundayes they would eate flesh and refresh themselues well They would not celebrate the office of the Masse throughout all Lent but vpon Saterdaies and Sundaies nor vpon Fridayes throughout the whole yeare for thereby as they were of opinion they brake and violated their fasts Infants moreouer of the age of two months and all others whatsoeuer were indifferently admitted to their communion and they put no water into the Sacrifice In the vse of Hares Beares Choughes and such other like creatures they imitated the Iewes as well as the Greekes they celebrated their Masses in glasse and wodden Chalices and some hauing no paraments nor Priest-like vestiments at all some of them also wore Miters belonging to Deacons or Subdeacons both Clergie and Lay-men allowed of vsury and Symony as well as the Georgians the Priests exercised themselues in Diuinations and Negromancie they vsed more drinking then lay men and all of them had or might haue wiues but after the death of one wife as well lay-men as the clergy men were prohibited to marry againe the Bishops gaue liberty to any to put away their wiues that were sound in adultery and to marry an other they beleeued not that there is a purgatory and obstinately denyed that there was two natures in Christ The Georgians report that they erred in thirty articles from the right path and diameter of Christian religion Of Turcia and of all the manners lawes and ordinances of the Turkes CHAP. 11. THat country which is now called Turcia or Turkie hath vpon the East the greater Armenia and extendeth to the Cilicke sea vpon the North it is bounded with the Euxine sea Aitonus calleth it Turquia it consisteth of many Prouinces as Lycaonia wherein Iconium is the chiefe towne Cappadocia where Cesaria is chiefe citty of the Prouince Isauria where Seleucia is head Licia now called Briquia Ionia now called Quiscum wherein standeth the citty of Ephesus Paphlagonia where Germanopolis and Lenech where Trapezus be chiefe cities All this vast country which is now called Turcia is not inhabited by one onely people but by Turkes Greekes Armenians Sarrasins Iacobitans Nestorians Iewes Christians all of them for the most part liuing after the lawes and institutions which that false Prophet Mahomet a Sarrasin ordained for the people of Arabia in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ 631. This Mahomet some say was an Arabian some a Persian but whether he was it is doubtfull but his father was certainly a worshipper of euill spirits his mother an Ismaelite and therfore not ignorant in the true law now whilst his father and mother instructed him in both their lawes they distracted the boy and made him doubtfull and wauering betwixt both so as being trained vp in both religions when hee grew of mans estate he followed neither of them but being a very crasty fellow of a subtill wit and long conuersant with Christians he framed and inuented out of both those lawes a religion most dangerous and pernicious to all mankinde First he affirmed that the Iewes did very ill in denying that Christ should be borne of a Virgin seeing that the Prophets men of wonderfull sanctity and integrity of life indued with the spirit of God did long before prophesie and soreshew that it should be so and that hee was to bee expected on the other side he condemned the Christians folly in beleeuing that Iesus the deerest friend of God borne of a Virgin would suffer reproches punishments of the Iewes Martinus Segonius Nouomontanus hath written thus of the Sepulcher of Christ our King and Lord. The Sarrasins and Turkes saith he by the ancient preaching of Mahomet laugh the Christians to scorne which attribute any honor to that Sepulcher affirming that the great Prophet Christ proceeded from the spirit of God that he was voide of all earthly blot or sinne and that hee he shall come to be iudge of all people but that they may approach vnto his true Sepulcher they vtterly deny because his glorious body conceiued by the diuine spirit was altogether impassible thus much hath Segonius written more to the same purpose which the Mahometans are wont to
Porters Clerkes and Singers That amongst the Greekes were Captaines of thousands Captaines of hundreds Captaines of fifty Gouernours ouer ten and rulers ouer fiue and that besides these as wel amongst the Greeks as Latines there were diuers sorts of conuents and religious houses both for men and women as the Sadduces Esseyes and Pharisies amongst the Iewes the Salij Diales and Vestales amongst the Romanes All the holy Apostles as Peter and those which succeeded him in the chaire of Rome agreed established that the vniuersal Apostolike most holy and high Bishop of Rome should euer after be called the Pope that is to say the father of his countrie and that he should proceede and gouerne the Catholike Romane Church as the Emperour of Rome was Monarch ouer the whole world and that as the Consuls were next in office and authoritie to the Emperour and were euer two in number so should there bee foure Patriarkes in the Church of God that in degree and dignitie should be next vnto the Pope whereof one was seated at Constantinople another at Antioch the third at Alexandria and the fourth at Ierusalem That the Senators of Rome should be expressed by Cardinals that such Kings or Princes as gouerned three Dukedomes should be equalled with Primates that should gouerne theree Archbishops and that the Archb. or Metrapolitans shold be compared to Dukes that as the Dukes had Earles vnder them so should Bishops be vnder the Archbishops That Bishops likewise should be resembled vnto Eatles their Assistants and Suffragans vnto Praesidents and Provosts vnto Lieutenants Arch-priests should supply the place of Tribunes of the soldiers for Tribunes of the people were ordained Chancelors and Arch deacons were put in the place of Praetors for Centurions were placed Deanes parish Priests for Decurions and other Prelates and Ministers for Aduocates and Atturneys Deacons represented the Aediles sub-deacons the Quaternions Exorcists the Duumuiri hostiarii or dore-keepers the treasurers readers singers and Poets the Porters of the Court and Acolites and Priests Ministers the Secretaries Taper-bearers decreeing that all these sundry Orders of Church-officers should be called by one generall name Clerkes of the Greeke word Cleros a lotte or chance whereby at first they were elected out of the people for Gods part or portion of inheritance This done they ordained that seuen sorts of these Clerkes should be of more speciall name and note then the rest as hauing euery one his peculiar function habit and dignitie in the church and that they should be alreadie to attend vpon the altar when the Bishop of Rome doth sacrifice to wit the Pope himself Bish Priests Deacons Subd Priests and singing men The office of Bishops is to giue orders to veile virgins to consecrate Bishops to confirme children by imposition of hands to dedicate Temples to degrade Priests frō their functions and to put them in againe vpon their reformation to celebrate Councels to make Chrismes vnctiōs to hallow vestiments and Church vessels and to do any other things which meaner Priests may do as well as they as to cathechise and baptize to make and consecrate the Sacrament of the Altar and to communicate it to others to pronounce absolution to the penitent to restraine the stubborn and to preach and declare the Gospel of Christ The crownes of their heades must bee shauen round like the Nazareans and they ought neither to weare lockes nor long beards they are bound to perpetuall chastitie and they haue the command and preheminence ouer other priests their liuings and maintenance ought to be onely of first firuites tythes oblations nor may they meddle or busie themselues in worldly matters their apparell and conuersation should be decent comely honest and they are tyed onely to serue God and the Church and to occupy and employ themselues seriously in reading the holy Scriptures that thereby they may perfectly know al things which belong to Christian Religion wherin they are bound to instruct others There be diuers conuenticles and houses of religious persons both men women as Benedictines Friars preachers Franciscans Augustines Bernardines Antonians Ioannites Carthusians Praemonstratentians Carmelites Cistertians many others euery one of which Orders haue distinct habits and customes different one from another by the rules which they haue priuatly set downe and prescribed for themselues to liue vnder And all of these professe perpetuall chastity obedience and wilfull pouertie liue for the most part a solitary life for which cause they were called Monkes as men liuing a monasticall kind of life Some of these Orders haue for their heads and gouernors of their houses and societies Abbots some Prouosts and some Priors but the Bishops be onely subiect to the Bishop of Rome most of these Orders we are hoodes or cowles though not all of one colour and abstaine wholy from flesh Bishops when they offer vp the sacrifice of the Masse were cōmanded by that sacred Synod to bee attired in holy vestures which for their perfection are borrowed out of the law of Moses of these garments be 15. to wit the Sandals the Amice the long Albe that reacheth down to their anckles the Girdle the Stole the Maniple the purple Coate with wide sleeues the Gloues the Ring the Linnen garment called Castula the Napkin or Sudary the Pall or Cope the Myter the Crozier staffe a chaire standing nere the altar for him to sit in of these 15. church-ornaments six were made common as well to other inferiour Priests as to Bishops that is to say the Amice the long Albe the Girdle the Stole the Manuple the Castula besides these 15. sundry sorts of garments the Pope by the donation of the Emperor Constantine the Great weareth in the celebration of the Masse all the Robes vsed by the Emperors of Rome as the scarlet coate the short purple cloake the scepter and the triple Diadem and with these he is arrayed in the Vestry when he saith Masse vppon any sollemne festiuall dayes and from thence goeth to the Altar attended with a priest on his right side and a Deacon on his left before him goeth a sub-Deacon with a book in his hand shut two taper-bearers one with a censor burning incense when he approcheth nere to the Altar hee puts off his myter and kneeling down with his attendants vpon the lowest step pronounceth the Confitcor or publike confession of sinners and then ascending vp to the altar he openeth the booke and kisseth it and so proceedeth to the celebration of all the ceremonies belonging to that sacrifice the sub-deacon reading the Epistle and the deacon the Gospell Bishopps and all other eminent Priests bee likewise bound to prayse God euery day seuen times and to vse one certaine order and forme of prayer and not onely to do so themselues but to giue commandement to all inferior Priests whatsoeuer vnder their charge and iurisdiction to do the like as to say Euensong in the afternoone Compline in the
vppon the toppes whereof the roofe must rest and bee supported and the Altars must leane to the lower parts The Altars are alwayes to bee decently couered with two linnen clothes hauing a crosse set vpon them or a shrine containing the Relicks of Saints two Candlesticks on each end and a booke The walls both within and without must bee fretted and carued with variety of sacred Images In euery parish Church there must be a hollow Font stone in which the hollowed water to baptize withall is preserued and kept Vpon the right side of the Altar must stand a Pix or Custodia which is either set vp against the wall or carued out of it in which the blessed sacrament of Christs body holy oyle to annoint the sick Chrisme for those which are baptised is to be kept fast shut vppe Furthermore in the midest of the Church must be placed a pulpit out of which the Curat on festiuall dayes teacheth the people all things necessary to saluation The Cleargie onely are permitted to sit in the Quire and the laitie in the body of the Church yet so deuided as that the men take place on the right side and the women on the left both of them behauing them-selues modestly and deuoutly and diligently auoyding whatsoeuer is opposite to good manners and Christian religion In the Primitiue Church the manner was both for men and women to suffer their haire to grow long without cutting and to shew their naked brests nor was there much difference in their attire Saint Peter the Apostle did first command that men should cut their hayre and women should couer their heads and both should bee apparelled in distinct habites That there should bee layde out to euery Church a peece of ground in which the bodyes of Christian people deceased should be buried which peece of ground is called the Church-yard and is hallowed by the Bishop and hath all the priuiledges belonging to the Church it selfe The funeralls of the departed are not solemnized in all places alike for some weare mourning apparell seauen dayes together some nine others thirty some forty some fifty some an hundred and some for the space of a whole yeare The Toletan Councell hath decreed that the dead body shall be first washed and wraped in a shrowd or sear-cloth and so carried to the graue with singing by men of the same condition as Priests by Priests and lay folkes by lay folke and that a Priest should goe before the coarse incensing it with Franckincence and sprinckling holy water on it and that it should bee laide in the graue with the face vpwards the feete to the East and the head to the west the Priest vsing certaine imprecations all the while the Sexton is couering the dead body with earth And to shew that a Christian is their buried their must be erected at the gate a crosse of wood with a wreath of Iuy cypresse or bayes about it And these bee the institutions of the Christian religion The end of the second booke THE THIRD BOOKE Of the most famous countries of Europe the third booke CAP. 1. NEXT vnto Asia order induceth mee to speake of Europe the third part of the world which is so called of Europa the daughter of Agenor King of Phaenicia who was rauished by Iupiter brought into Creet It is bounded on the West with the Atlanticke sea with the Brittish Ocean on the North on the East with the riuer Tanais the poole of Maeotis and the sea called Pontus which is the Sea betweene Moeotis and Tenedos and with the Mediterranean Sea on the South The soyle of Europe is of diuerse sorts and qualities very aptly befitting the vertue and disposition of the people of each seuerall Prouince euery one transferring the commodities of their owne countries vnto other nations for Europe is all habitable some little part onely excepted which by reason of the extremity of colde can hardly bee indured which is that part that is neerest vnto the riuer Tanais and the poole of Meotis as also those that dwell vpon the banckes of Borysthenes which liue altogether in Chariots That habitablest part of the Region which is also extreame cold and mountanous is very hardly inhabited and difficult to dwell in and yet all the difficulties and extremity thereof is well mitigated and appeased by honest and good gouernors euen as wee see those Greekes which dwell vppon mountaines and rockes liue indifferently well by reason of their great care and prouidence of Ciuilitie Artes and vnderstanding how to liue The Romaines also receiuing vnto them many people out of those cragged and cold countries or vnfrequented for other causes which naturally were barbarous inhumaine and insociable haue so reclaimed them by mingling them with other people as they haue learned those rude and sauadge people to liue together soberly and ciuilly The Inhabitants of so much of Europe as is plaine and hath a naturall temperature are apt to liue orderly for those which dwell in temperate and fortunate Regions be quiet and peaceable but the rough and difficult places are inhabited by quarrellous and cumbersome people and yet all of them participate their commodities one with an another some helping and furnishing others with weapons some with fruites and some with arts and instructions of manners the inconueniences and hinderances which happen to those that vse not this reciprocal ayd is most apparant for that the other by meanes of this mutuall intercourse of commodities are of sufficient power puissance to carry weapōs wage war and defend themselues so as they bee neuer vanquished vnlesse by a greater number And this commodity also is incident and naturall to all Europe as that it is plaine and euen and distinguished with hils wherby it is in al parts limitted wel ordered ciuill and valiant and that which is more well disposed to liue in peace and tranquillity so as what first by the Grecian forces next by the Macedonians and lastly by the Romaines no maruaile though it hath atchiued great conquests and notable victories by which it plainely appeareth that Europe is sufficient of it selfe both for war and for peace as hauing a competent and sufficient number of able fighting men and husbandmen and Cittizens enough besides Evrope moreouer aboundeth with the best fruites and those which be most profitable for mans life and all manner of mettells whereof is any vse besides odors for sacrifices and stones of great worth by which commodities both poore and rich haue sufficient meanes to liue It yeeldeth also great store of tame Cattell but very few rauenous or wild beastes And this is the nature of Evrope in generall the first Particular part whereof East-ward is Greece Of Greece and of Solons lawes which hee made for the Athenians and which were after established by the Princes of Greece CAP. 2. GReece a country of Europe was so called of one Graecus who had the gouernment of that country It begineth at the straights
of Isthmus and extending north and south lyeth opposite to that part of the Mediterranean sea which is called Aegeum on the East and on the West to the sea Ionium as the hill Apennyne deuideth Italy in the middle so is Greece seperated and deuided with Mountaines called Thermopilae the toppes of the hills stretching in length from Leucas and the Weasterne sea towards the other sea which is Eastward The vtmost hills towards the west bee called Oeta the highest whereof is named Callidromus in whose valley there is a way or passage into the Maliacan gulfe not aboue threescore paces broad through which way if no resistance bee made a whole hoste of men may bee safely conducted but the other parts of those hills bee so steepe craggy and intrycate as it is not possible for the nimblest foote-man that is to passe ouer them there hills bee called Thermopilae of the piles or bankes that stand like gates at the entrance of the hills and of the hot waters that spring out of them by the sea side of Greece ly these regions Acarnania Aetolia Locris Phocis Baeotia and Eubaea which are almost annexed to the land Attica and Peloponesus runne further into the sea than these other countries do varying from the other in proportion of hills and vpon that part which is towards the North it is included with Epirus Phirrhaebia Magnesia Thessalia Phithiotae and the Malican gulfe The most famous and renowned citty of Athens the nurse of all liberall sciences and Philosophers than the which there is no one thing in all Greece of more excellency and estimation is scituated betwixt Achaia and Macedonia in a country there called Attica of Atthis the Kings daughter of Athens who succeeded Cecrops in the kingdome and builded Athens Of this Cecrops it was called Secropia and after Mopsopia of Mopsus And of Ian the sonne of Xutus or as Iosephus writeth of Ianus the sonne of Iaphet it was called Ionia and lastly Athens of Minerua for the Greekes call Minerua Athenae Draco was the first that made lawes for the Athenians many of which lawes were afterwards abrogated by Solon of Salamin for the too seuere punishment inflicted vpon offenders for by all the laws which Draco ordained death was due for euery little offence in such sort as if one were conuicted but of sloth or Idlenesse hee should die for it and he which gathered rootes or fruits out of an others mans grounds was as deepely punished as those which had murdered their parents Solon deuided the citty into societies trybes or wards according to the estimation and valuation of euery ones substance and reueneus In the first rancke were those whose substance was supposed to consist of five hundred medimni those which were worth three hundred medimni and were able to breed and keepe horses were counted in the second order and those of the third degree were equall in substance to the second the charge of keeping horses onely excepted And of these orders were all magistrates and high officers for the most part ordained and those which were vnder these degrees were in the fourth rancke and were called mercenary and were excluded from all offices sauing that they might haue the charge of pleading and decyding causes This institution of ciuill gouernment Seruius Tullius is supposed to haue followed and imitated at Rome Moreouer Solon appointed a Senate or Councell consisting of yearely Magistrates in Areopagus though some haue reported that Draco was the founder of that assembly And to the end that hee might take away all occasion of ciuill dissention that might happen at any time afterwards and that the inconsiderate multitude should not trouble the iudiciall sentences by their doubtfull acclamations as vsually they did out of those foure trybes that were then in Athens hee made choyse of foure hundred men an hundred out of euery trybe giuing them power to approue the acts and decrees of the Arreopagites if they were agreeable to equity if other-wise to councell them and annihilate their doings by which meanes the state of the citty stayde as it were by two sure anchors seemed secure vnmoueable and of likelyhood to continue if any were condemned for parricide or for affection and vsurping the cheefe gouernment they were excluded by Solons lawe from bearing rule and not there onely but all those also were barred and prohibited to beare offices that if any sedition were set a foote in the citty stood neuter and tooke nether part for hee thought it an argument of a bad Cittyzen not to bee carefull of the common good and peace of others when hee him-selfe hath setled his owne estate and designes in safety Amongst the rest of Solons acts this is most admirable whereby he graunted liberty that if any woman had married a man vnable to beeget children shee might lawfully and without controulement depart from him and take vnto her any one of her husbands kindred whome shee liked best Hee tooke away all vse of mony-dowries from amongst them so as a woman might take nothing with her from her fathers but a few clothes and other trinkets of small worth signifying thereby that marriages should not bee made for mony but for loue and procreation of children least their euill life might bee a blotte and skandall vnto them after their deaths If any man slaundered his neighbour ether at the solemnization of their diuine ceremonies or at their sessions and publike assemblies hee was fined at foure drachmas Hee graunted power and authority vnto Testators to dispose and bequeath legacies of mony and goods amongst whome they pleased whereas before by the custome of the country they were not to bequeath any thing from their owne families and by this meanes friendshippe was preferred before kindred and fauour before allyances Neuerthelesse this was done with such caution and prouision that noe one could graunt such legacies beeing mooued there-vnto either through their owne franticke madnesse or by the subtill and vndermyning perswasions of other but meerely of his owne accord and good discretion Hee forbad all mournings and lamentations at other mens funeralls and enacted that the sonne should not bee bound to releeue his father if his father had not brought him vp in some arte or profitable occupation nor that bastards should nourish or releeue their parents and his reason was this that hee which forbeareth not to couple with a strumpet giueth euident demonstration that he hath more care of his owne sensuall pleasures then of the procreation of children and thereby hee becommeth vnworthy of reward or releefe of such children if the fall into pouerty Besides these Solon iudged it meete that the adulterer apprehended in the deed doing might lawfully be slaine and that he that forced and rauished a free-borne Virgin should be fined at ten Drachmas He abrogated and tooke away their ancient custome of selling their daughters and sisters vnlesse they were conuinced of whoredome and amongst
the world presently all his kinsfolke and friends flocke about him bewayling greatly his natiuity and saying that seeing he is borne he must of necessity suffer and indure all humaine and worldly calamities and againe when one is departed out of this life they commit him to the ground with great ioy and exultation shewing what and how many euills he hath escaped to liue for euer in eternal happinesse But those which dwell beyond the Crestonae haue many wiues a yeere and when a man dieth there is great controuersie amongst his wiues all their friends being accited to giue their iudgements of the matter which of those wiues was best beloued of her husband and she that is adiudged to haue beene deerest vnto him in his life time which shee esteemeth a great honour vnto her is both by the men and women adorned and gallantly decked vp and so brought vnto her husbands tombe and there killed by one of her own deerest friends and interred with her dead husband all the other wiues lamenting and accounting that a great crosse and disgrace vnto them All other Thracians in generall sell their children openly nor be virgins there restrained from accompanying with their neerest kin no not with their owne fathers but may lie with whom they please and yet husbands be very chary of their wiues chastity for they buy them of their parents with great summes of money and the signe them in the forheads with certaine markes which kind of marking is held a very generous and worthy thing but to be without those markes is an argument of ignominy and basenesse where diuers maides are to be married those which be most beautifull be first taxed and prized and beeing once prized their parents will not by any meanes giue them in marriage for lesse money then they were rated at and when all the fairest bee bought then those which be deformed be sold at more easier prices so as in conclusion all goe away In their banquets both men and women sit round about a fire whereinto they cast the seeds of certaine herbes which grow in those parts the very smell and sauour whereof doth so stop and stifle them as their senses be dulled and they as pleasant and iocund as if they were merry drunke To liue idlely and by theft they account an honest course of life but to labour and husband the ground they hold base and ignoble The gods which they chiefly worship and religiously adore be Mars Bacchus Diana and Mercury but they swere onely by Mars accounting him as the author and orignall of their race The people of Thrace exceed all other men in bignesse and stature of body their eyes be gray their lookes grim frowning and menacing their speech terrible and themselues long of life Their buildings be very low and base their diet is nothing dainty they haue no vines but great store of apples the King is elected as well by the voices of the commons as by the nobility and they elect such a one as is of approued good manners singular clemency and by reason of his age of very great grauity and one that hath no children for hee which is a father is not admitted amongst them to bee a gouernor bee his life and conuersation neuer so vprigh◠and lawdable and if at any time in all his raigne he chance to haue a child he is therfore depriued of his gouernment For by no meanes will they admit that their Kingdome should become hereditary and though the King be neuer so iust and rightfull Yet will they not allow him the whole power in his owne hands and to rule as he list himselfe but he must bee assistwith forty Rectors or Iudges to the end he should not be sole Iudge in capital causes and if the King himselfe bee found faulty of any offence he is punished with death yet not with such a death as any one shall lay violent hands vpon him but by the common consent of all he is deposed from his Kingly authority and then famished to death whom when hee is dead the great men bury on this manner First they lay forth his body vpon the ground for the space of three daies and then fall to banquetting and slaying of all sorts of beasts for sacrifices which done they weepe ouer him burne his body and bury his bones in the ground and lastly vpon his monument they proclaime and set out combats of all sorts and especially the Monomachia which is the single combat or fighting of two hand to hand The armour and weapons which as Herodotus writeth they vsed in the warres against Darius were helmets made of foxes skinnes souldiours coates and short cassockes ouer them and vpon their legges they were buskins made of fawnes skinnes their weapons wore dartes targets short poyniardes and bowes wherein they bee so skilfull and expert as they alleadge that they were the first inuentors of that weapon Their language and the Scythians is al one Pliny writeth that all Thrace was once deuided into fifty Stratageas which are counties or captainships that part of Thrace which was once called Getica where Darius the sonne of Hydaspis was wel-nigh ouerthrowne is now called Valachia of the Flacci a family of Rome For the Romaines after they had ouercome and vtterly vanquished the Getes sent thither a Colony vnder the conduct of one Flaccus wherevpon the countrie was first called Flaccia and afterwards by corruption Valachia which opinion carrieth more likely-hood of truth for that the Romaine language is yet spoken in that Countrie but they speake it so corruptly as a Romane can scarce vnderstand it the Romaine letters also bee there vsed sauing that the forme or fashion of the letters is somewhat alterred their rites and ceremonies of Religion doe ioyntly agree cohere and are all one with the Greekes The Daci afterwardes possessed this Countrie of whom for a certaine space it was called Dacia but now it is enioyed by the Almaines the Siculi and the Valachians The Almaines or Teutones were a verie valiant and hardie people sent thether out of Saxonie by Charles the Great who in their owne naturall language and dialect were called Seibemburges of the seuen Cities which they inhabited The Siculi or Sicilians were an ancient people of Hungaria and such as abandoning their owne Countrie first came thither from out of Scythia and seated themselues in that Countrie Of the Valachians were two sortes of people and of two sundrie factions the Dragulae and the Dani otherwise called Davi for there doe some Greeke writers reporte that the Getes and Daui were the names of seruantes which in times past came thither from other places The Dragulae being neither equall nor matchable to the Danes nor able to make their partie good with them not much aboue a hundred yeere since brought the Turkes into that coūtry by whose force armes the Dani were almost vtterly killed and vanquished had not that valiant man Iohn Huniades brought aide
especially honour and adore is the Fire which they perswade themselues to be most holy and euerlasting because it is fedde with continuall fuell and there was a fire kept euer burning by the Priests vpon the top of a high hill neere vnto the Riuer Meuiasa Vladislaus King of Poland who first reduced that nation to the Christian Religion quenched that fire and ouerthrew the turret wherein it was kept together with all the woods which the people of Sarmatia held to be as holy as the fire and worshipped them with as much deuotion and Religion esteeming and accounting them to bee the dwellings and habitations of the gods according to the saying of the Poet The gods inhabited and kept the woods Nor did they worshippe and reuerence the fire and woods onely but euery other thing likewise which vsually remained and abidde in the woods as birds and wilde beasts and if any one violated and contemned their witchcrafts and Inuocation of diuels their heads and feete would incontinently close and shrinke together by the deceipt and illusion of their euill spirits Within the woods each family had a place or hearth wherein they kept a fire for all that family in which fire their custome was to burne their dead bodies with their horses saddles and best garments firmely beleeuing that in that place those which be dead and burned meet together in the night and therfore they made them settles or benches to sit vppon of Corcke tree and placed them in readines the best meath and a kind of meate made of paste like vnto a cheese for them to eate Euery yeare vppon the first day of October all the people of the whole countrey assembled and mette together in those woods and there vsing all kind of deuotion celebrated a sollemne Feast each family feeding in his owne cottage vppon the daintiest fare and most delicious viands they could get At which feast they sacrificed by the firesides vnto all their goddes and especially vnto one who me they called Percumo which in their language signifieth thunder Their language is all one with the Lithuanians and the Polonians for the Priests preach vnto the people in the Polonian tongue they obserue the Customes of the Romane Church although there be some Ruthens towards the South and Muscouites which dwell farre north which obserue the Ceremonies of the Greeke Church yeelding their obedience to the Bishoppe of Constantinople and not to the Bishop of Rome Vppon the North side of this Countrey lyeth Muscovia it is fiue hundred miles in compasse rich in siluer and vppon all sides so garded enuironed and defended with such strong holds as not only strangers but their owne natiue countrey-men be interdicted and prohibited to passe in and out at their pleasures without the Dukes letters of safe-conduct The countrie is euen and plaine no hils but great store of woods and marish grounds it is watered with many great riuers as Occa Volha Dzuvina Boristhines and Dinaper and therefore affoordeth as many fishes and wild beasts as Lithuania from which it differeth not much neither in customes nor situation sauing that it is somewhat colder because more North-ward and therefore bee their cattell little and small and for the most part halting and lame of their lims The Metrapolitane and chiefe Cittie of the Region is Moscua it is twise as bigge within the compasse of it as Prague in Bohemia the building is of timber as all their other Citties bee it hath many streetes and lanes but they stand straggling with broad fieldes betwixt them the riuer Mosca runneth through the middle of it and diuideth it into two parts and in the middest of the Cittie standeth a castell or tower builded vppon leuell ground wherein be seuenteene turrets and three bul-warkes or Blocke-houses so strong and so stately as there be but few such to bee found within this Castell bee seuenteene Churches whereof those three which be dedicated to our blessed Ladie Saint Michael and Saint Nicholas bee walled about with stone but the rest be made of timber there is also in it three large and spatious Courts for Noblemen and Courtiers to spend their time in a stately and beautifull pallace also for the Duke to dwell in builded after the Italian fashion but not very large The Countrey containeth many famous Dukedoms out of which vppon any occasion in the space of three or foure dayes they will get together in a readinesse two hundred thousand able men Their vsuall drinke is water and meath and a certaine leauened or sowre liquor which they call Quassatz they plow with woodden ploughes and harow their ground with branches of trees or thorns Their corne by reason of continuall cold ripeneth but slowly and therefore they drie it in hote houses and so thresh it Against the extremitie of cold they vse diuers spices and make a kind of water to drinke of oates hony and milke so strong that they will sometimes be drunke with it Wine and oyle they haue none and to auoide drunkennesse the Gouernour of the countrey forbiddeth the drinking of all strong drinkes vppon paine of death except twise or thrice in a yeare and then it is tolerable for them to be drunke They haue siluer coyne of two sortes a bigger and a lesser it is not made round but somewhat long and with foure corners This coyne they call Dzuvingis They speake the Slauonian language and in religion follow the Greeke Church Their Bishops bee vnder the Patriarch of Constantinople and by him bee confirmed They be all Christians sauing the Kosannenses which worship Mahomet like the Sarrasins there dwell some Scythians also towards the North which speake their owne language and worship Idolles and one Idoll aboue the rest which they call Zlota baba that is to say the image of an old woman made of gold this Idoll they do so highly reuerence and adore as euery one that passeth by it falleth downe and worshippeth it offering thereunto a haire from their garments if they haue nothing else to offer And although the Slauonian toung be generally spoken throughout the whole nation yet is there so great difference in their speech it beeing so mixt confounded and corrupted with other languages as they can hardly vnderstand one another In the time of Idolatrie they had one high Priest or Bishop which they called Criue his dwelling was in the cittie Romoue so called of Roma And this custome was generall to all the whole nation not onely to sell their seruants and slaues like beasts but their sonnes and daughters likewise yea sometimes themselues suffering thē to be carried into other countries in hope of better meanes to liue for in their owne their diet was grosse and bad Of Polonia and of the latter customes of the Polonians CAP. 9. POLONIA a vast countrey of Europ is so called of his plainenesse and eeuennesse for Pole in the Slauonian toung which is spoken by the Polanders signifieth plaine leuell or eeuen it is otherwise called
surely Germany were an hundred times more happie if those Centaures worse then Dionysius and Phalaris were either vtterly expelled the land or at the least their tyranny and power so restrained abridged as they might be inforced to liue priuate like vnto the Nobility in Heluetia The 3. estate or order of the Germaines is of citizens and towns-men and of these some be onely subiect to Caesar and some to other Princes and Prelates of the church Those which yeld obedience to the Emperor haue many priuiledges lawes and customes common to themselues and euery yeare by the voyces of the cittizens is one chiefe magistrate elected who for his yeare hath a soueraign authority ouer them all and hee of himselfe hath power to punish any one of the same order with death When an offence is cōmitted the offendor is brought before the magistrates elected where beeing sette in councel the accuser is called for who hauing set downe his accusation the defendant hath free liberty to plead for himselfe and when both parties be heard at large the Iudges proceed to sentence which is not by any course of law for that these manner of magistrates be ignorant of the lawes but as they be induced by reason and as the custome hath beene afore-time in like cases the like forme of Iudgement is vsed in ciuill causes likewise sauing that in ciuill and criminall causes the party accused may appeale vnto Caesar which offenders in other causes may not doe In euery Imperiall Citty bee two sorts of Citizens the one of Gentlemen the other of Plebeians the Plebeians or comminalty of the city be occupied in trading and keeping shops but the Gentlemen which bee also called Patritians liue only vpon their patrimony reuenewes in as good fashion as the Nobility or Knights of the country do if any of the comminalty wax so rich that he either by custome or commerce will intrude himselfe into the society of Gentlemen he is notwithstanding his wealth discarded their companies whereof it proceedeth that each of these orders of Citizens haue for many yeeres continued in there owne estate without alteration And yet for all this the administration and gouernment of their commonwealth is commune and permitted as well vnto the Plebeians as Patritians so as the communalty is no way in subiection to the gentility but euery one hath his owne substance in safety with free liberty not transgressing their lawes to liue as they list and Iustice is ministred for the most part throughout al the whole country by men which haue little learning or none at al for in euery City and in many townes likewise bee elected 12. Iudges which be such as be most notorious for vprightnesse and integrity of life not respecting whether they be learned or no which twelue must of necessity take vpon them the office of Iustice and Iudgement for which they expect no other wages nor reward but onely honour and they be so diligent in performing their duties therein that for the common good they will not sticke to neglect al priuate affaires and businesse whatsoeuer be they neuer so vrgent to obserue the times appointed for Iudgment and hearing of causes And they bee all of them sworne to minister Iustice vnto euery one according to right and equity from whose sentences in times past they would neuer appeale esteming it a great indignity vnto them to contradict the decrees of such men as executed their offices gratis but now adaies appeales be vsuall which were the more tollerable a great deale if the Iudges to whom the appeales be made would in their Iudgements obserue the customes of the former Iudges but their doinges are so little regarded that their sentences though neuer so iust and vpright be retracted and wholy altered onely because they seeme to repugne their written lawes whereby the Iudges of the former rancke are vndeseruedly taxed of ignorance their good indeuours reprooued and blemished and the parties to bee releeued oftentimes oppressed which kinde of Iudgement how corrupt it is themselues may easily perceiue Furthermore the Citizens liue and accord together very familiarly and friendly meeting and assembling themselues sometimes in publicke places sometimes in priuate houses where they spend their time some in buying and selling some in conferrence one with an other some in feasting and banquetting and some in gaming and disporting in all which sundry actions can hardly be discouered any deceite or contention They be very curteous and affable for at all times and in all places bee they men or women so often as they meete together so often doe they salute one an other Vpon working daies they be very frugall and sparing both in their diet and apparell but vpon festiuall daies they will goe more gallantly and far more daintily Those which labour eate foure times a day and playmen but twise the mens apparell for the most part is wollen and the womens linnen and each of them so much differrent one from an other both in collour and fashion as you shall hardly finde one man or one woman apparelled like an other for they be so new fangled as they will fall into euery new fashion imitating the Italians but more vsually the French men from whom now of late yeeres the men haue gotten their broad nosed shooes their coates with wide hanging sleeues cut and wouen cappes which they call Pyrethia And not long since they wore shooes with sharpe snoutes short coates cloose to their bodies and hoods with tayles or flappes behinde This sparingnesse in apparel heretofore vsed by men is now descended vnto women and by them practised for whereas they were wonte to weare many kerchers vpon their heads which made their heads seeme great by reason of their many folds of linnen they now weare but one onely They bee also more modest in all their other clothes then heretofore they haue beene in a manner vtterly reiecting gold siluer and pearles and all sumptuous garding of their garments with rich furres and silkes I need not speake of their long traines carried vp behind them which though they were common bee now onely worne of the Nobility and the women be now so decent and comely cloathed as they cannot iustly bee reprehended for any thing they weare sauing that some womens gownes bee ouer wide and to much hollowed about the necke In their funerals and celebration of their friends obites they be attired in blacke and their time of lamentation is thirty daies within which space they doe sacrifice for them three times the first day the seuenth day and the thirtith day They be so deuout and religious a people that euery artificer before he begin his worke wil goe to the Church and heare masse yea both men and maide seruants be by their masters compelled therunto for they hold it a beastly and hatefull thing for any one to neglect his seruice to God either for idlenesse or for any businesse whatsoeuer In giuing almes they be
as when the skirmish is at the hottest their riders for their better adrantage will oftentimes skippe of their backes and fight on foote and finde their horses againe in the very same place they were left when they haue occasion to vse them nor doe they esteeme any one thing more ilde or more ilbeseeming them than to ride vpon horses that bee harnessed or haue saddles on their backes by continuall vse whereof though they bee but few they dare and boldly will aduenture to incounter with a troope of armed men and harnessed horses though the number of them bee very great The Sueuians will suffer no wines to bee brought vnto them supposing that the drinking of wine maketh men more effeminate and lesse able to indure labour they hold it a generall commendations to them to haue their feelds and territories of their citties large and wide signifying thereby that their forces bee not able to maintaine such a multitude of citties for which cause in Sueuia the feelds be said to extend a thousand and six hundred paces from their citties on euery side Cornelius Tacitus writing the scituation of Germany and the manners of the people speaketh thus of the Sueuians The Germaines saith hee haue distinguished the greatest part of Germany by sundry names and nations although they be al called by one general name Sueuians and the property of that people is to plat their lockes and then to knitt and bind them vp on a knot by which marke and token the Sueuians be discerned and knowne from other Germaines and the Freemen from slaues There vse is to turne vp their curled lockes vntill they waxe so old that their haire grow white and oftentimes they will bynde it on a knot vpon the crowne of their heads in doing whereof the better sort of people bee most curyous They obserue a certaine time by tradition from their fathers which ceremony they esteeme so reuerent as they dare not omit it that all the people of one stocke or kindred assemble themselues and meete together in a certayne woode consecrated and made holy after their fashion there to doe sacrifice which as a most barbarous and horible ceremonie and detestable sacrifice is euer solemnized by killing of a man This woode or holy groue they reuerence another way also for there is none of them will aduenture to goe into it vnlesse he bee bound hand and foote with a corde that they may perceiue the power of their Gods and if any of them happen to fall it is not lawfull for him to be taken vp or to re-enfore himselfe to rise againe but hee must bee rowled or tumbled thither vpon the ground And all this their superstition tendeth to no other ende but to know thereby the originall of their nation where God the gouernor of all things is and of all inferior things that are in subiection and yeeld obedience vnto that God Some of the Sueuians as Cornelius also reporteth doe sacrifice vnto Isis And as for all their other customes though heretofore neuer so peculiar they bee now common to all the rest of the Germanes But so it is that at this day not onely the manners of the Sueuians but almost of all other nations else bee changed and turned cleane topsie turuy and that which is most to bee lamented alterred from better to worse for now most of the welthiest men of all Sueuia bee marchants and a great company of them compact and confederate them-selues together euery one disbursing a summe of mony to bee imployed in Marchandize wherewith they doe not onely buy vp and get into their hands spices silkes and other things of great value which bee brought thither by sea from forren countries but sometimes also they will deale with things of small worth as spoones needles spectacles and puppets and many such like tryfles and trinkets ingrossing vp much wine and graine likewise which manner of trafficke is not to bee commended for it is not onely greeuous and hurtfull to crafts men and husband men who bee constrayned to sell their wares and commodities to these grypers as I may terme them rather than Marchants before they can make the best profit of them when neede shall afterwards inforce them to buy the same of them againe for dubble the price but preiudiciall also to all the whole country in generall For whereas the people were wont to make their prouision of such things as they wanted from their neighbour Princes at the cheapest rate they haue so fed and bribed those corrupt Princes and gouernors of the contry that nothing shall be bought but of themselues either in Stutgardia or in other places where they keepe Marts and faires And yet those rich men doe not traffick themselues but by their seruants and common factors who gathering in the moneys disbursed with the increase yeeld an account thereof at such time as they bee called therevnto rendring vnto euery man truly and faithfully his owne money and his part of the gaine The common people of Sueuia doe most of them practise dressing of Toe and spinning which maner of worke they apply so busily and vse so generally as in the winter time in some parts of Sueuia you shall not only see maids and women but men and boyes also with Spindles and Distaffes in their hands They make a kinde of cloth the warpe whereof is linnen and the oofe silke which they call Pargath and an other manner of cloth which they call Golsch and that is all linnen of these manner of clothes they make great aboundance for it is knowne to bee true that the Vlmenses onely doe make euery yeare a hundred thousand of these clothes and if so many bee made in one part of the country which is but a handfull in respect of the whole one may easily coniecture that the number which is made in the whole land is almost infinite These clothes bee carryed to nations farre from them and especially twise a yeare to Franckford Marte from whence the people of Sueueland receiue great custome and tribute Moreouer as euill things bee often-times mingled with good and no one thing is perfect in all points the Sueuians be meruailous lecherous people the women as willing to yeeld as the men to aske yea both sides bee apt to slide but slow to repent and surely I thinke that this vice is generally fauoured both in Sueuia and throughout all Germany for neither there nor in any other part of Germany is any punishment inflicted nor any one excommunicated by the Ecclesiasticall censure either for open fornication adultery nor yet for rauishing of women And thereof ariseth this Prouerbe that Sueuia onely is able to yeeld whores inough for all Germany as well as Franconia affendeth good store of theeues and beggars Boemia hereticks Bauaria pilferers and slaues Heluetia Butchers and Bawdes Drunkards in Saxonie periurers in Frisia and Westphalia and gluttons about the Rheine Of Bauaria and Carinthia and of the lawes and
customes of those people heretofore and how they liue at this day CAP. 17. BAVARIA a Prouince of Germany is so named of a people called Auarij by putting therevnto the letter B who being a remnant of the Huns expelled thence the Norici and possessed their country It is also called Boioaria of a people of Cisalpine France called Boij who were once said to inhabite those parts before which time it was called Noricum Vpon the East thereof lyeth Hungaria and Sueuia vpon the West Italy ioyneth vnto it vpon the South and Franconia and Boemia vpon the North. The famous riuer Danubius comming from Sueuia runneth through Bauaria and vnder the name of Bauaria at this day is comprehended Austria Stiria and Cariâ—thiâ— the people whereof bee all a like both in life and language whereas heretofore it contayned noe more than that onely which was called Noricum That good and holy King Lucius King of Britaine was the first that instructed them in the Christian religion and after him Saint Rupertus and lastly they were confirmed in the faith by Boniface Bishoppe of Moguntinum Bauaria is deuided into foure Bishoppes seas that is to say Saltzburga Patauia Phrisinberge and Ratisbon it hath in it more famous Citties than are in any one prouince of Germany besides the Metropolitan wherof is Saltzburge heretofore as is surmised called Iuuania Schiren was once the Dukes seate but now it is translated to Monachium This land before it was reduced into a Prouince was gouerned by Kings of their owne nation vntill the raigne of Arnolphus the Emperor And as all the Kings of Parthia were named Arsaces and the Aegiptian Kings Ptolomies so was euery king of Bauaria called Cacannus but after it was subued by Arnolphus and annexed to the Empire the gouernment was committed to Dukes which manner of gouernment remayneth still and all the Dukes for many successions together haue beene elected out of that most worthy and renowned family of the Agilolphingij The manners and customes of that people may bee vnderstood by the lawes which were giuen them when they first receiued the right faith of Christ wich were these following first that if a freeman borne would bestow any thing towards the maintenance of the Church whether it were lands mony or goods hee should make a deed thereof in writing and seale and subscribe it with his owne hand and seale and put to the names of sixe witnesses to confirme it and then deliuer it as his deede in the presence of the Bishoppe by which act both hee him-selfe and all his posterity were vtterly bard for euer after to inioy or repossesse the same againe but by permission of the Church And whatsoeuer was so giuen to the maintenance of Gods holy Church was committed to the Bishoppes custody and by him defended and protected If any one wronged the Church or any thing there-vnto belonging hee incurred the iudgement of God the displeasure of holy Church and was constrayned ether by the King or Prince for the time being to render restitution and forfeted three ounces of gold besides but if he denied the fact he was brought before the Altar and there in presence of Preest and people swore and deposed what wronge hee had done and of what value He that perswaded another mans seruant to runne away from his Maister were he man-seruant or maid seruant was inforced to fetch him againe and to put an other into his place as a pledge till he came and was fined at fifteene shillings besides If a seruant did priuily burne any Church goods hee had his hand cut off and his eyes puld out that he might neuer after see to commit the like villanie and the maister of such seruant made good the value of that which was burnt But if a Freeman commited such a fault he restored againe the full value of the losse and forfeted for his folly three pound and if hee denyed the fact hee was to purge him-selfe by the othes of twenty foure men who standing by the Altar before the defendor of the Church layed their hands vpon the holy Euangelist and swore whether they thought him faulty or noe If an offendor tooke sanctuary for refuge he was secure nor was it lawfull for a Maister to fetch his seruant thence otherwise to hurt him for if hee did the Iudge would compell him to pay forty shillings to the Church as a recompence for infringing his priuiledges Hee that iniured any one that was in any inferiour order in the Church made satisfaction with twise the value of the iniury done which was paide ouer vnto his parents or neerest friends But if the wrong were to one of an higher order he paide three times the value Hee that killed a Priest forseited and paid forthwith to the Church where he was Minister three hundred peeces of gold and he that killed a Deacon two hundred and if he were not able to pay such a summe of money hee was deliuered both himselfe his wife and children into bondage and seruitude and detained in slauery vntill he could make shift to pay the money No one might offer violence to a Bishop although hee did him wrong but might make his complaint and commence his suite before the King Duke or commons whether it were for homicide fornication or consenting to the enemy and if it was prooued that he would haue brought in enemies to inuade the country or sought the spoyle of those he ought to preserue he was either deposed or banished Hee that contrary to the lawes of the Church married a recluse or Nun out of her Cloyster was compelled to restore her thither againe and to leaue her where hee found her and the Bishop by the Dukes assistants would thrust her into the Nunry againe whether shee would or no and the man if there were no hope of his amendment was banished the country It was not lawfull for either Priest or Deacon to keepe in his house any strange woman lest by often companie and familiaritie with her he might happe to be polluted and so offer an vnworthie sacrifice vnto God and the people be plagued for his offences If any difference or controversie arose betwixt Priests Deacons or other Clergie men the Cannon law committed the deciding thereof to the Bishops farmers husbandmen and seruants payd tribute and tyth to the Church euery one according to his abilitie as euery tenth bushel of graine euery tenth perch of land euery tenth faggot the tenth part of their honey and for euery foure pullets fifteene egs They were bound also to bring stone timber and lyme for the reparations of the Churches but yet with this speciall care that no man shold be taxed more then he was wel able to indure If any one were false vnto his Duke and by treason procured enemies into the Prouince or betrayed any Cittie and was thereof conuicted by three witnesses all his goods were confiscate to the Duke and the Duke had power to vse
and to this they were called by a trumpeter or cornetter And the third was of such as dwelt in diuers parts of the country payd tribute vnto the cittie By the Parliament or conuocation-house of the Centuries where the Consuls put downe and the Decemviri created to whom all the power and Empirie of the Senate descended euen as the authority of the Consuls was first deriued from the Kings nor was it lawfull in any case to appeale from them These Decemviri when they went about to make any new lawes would do it in this manner first one of them had a whole day allowed him to consider what was fitting to be don in which day he bore the greatest authority and when hee had set downe his opinion in writing the next day was allowed for another and to haue the like prime place in gouernement and so likewise the rest euery one his seuerall day and when euery one had had his day and their opinions and doings written in seuerall tables and layd before them altogether they then collected and confirmed what they thought good out of euery ones sentence and so calling them the lawes of the ten tables they published them to the people And there went euer before him that had the chiefest Iurisdiction twelue men carrying bundels of roddes and the other nine had euery one his Vsher going before him But this kind of gouernement continued not long for euen as the power and authority of the Tribunes was vtterly banished out of the citie by the Decemviri so vppon mature consideration it seemed good to the Patricians that the Tribunes in requitall should extinguish and put downe theirs And then was there a law ordained that whatsoeuer was decreed by the Plebeians should go currant through all the people and if any one hindred or impeached the Tribunes or Aediles in their iudgements his head should be sacrificed to Iupiter and his whole family that were free should be sold for slaues at the Temple of Ceres After this there was another Councell created out of the Plebeians and then was it made lawfull and tolerable for the Plebeians to marry and enter into consanguinitie with the Patricians Besides these there were created two Censors who had the charge ouer the Scribes the keeping of the tables and the order and forme of taxing and leuying of money and mustering souldiers committed vnto them This pettie office beeing but meane at the first institution grew in processe of time to an incredible height in so much as the whole raines of correction and ciuill discipline were in conclusion let loose into their hands for the gouernement of the Senate the Equites and Centurians were so curbed and restrained as they had power only to decide controuersies touching honour and reproch and in the Censors consisted the chiefest soueraignty as to view and ouersee publike places to giue pensions to the people and againe to taxe them with exactions and tribute to consecrate sacrifices euery fift yeare for the purgation of the cittie to displace and thrust the Senators out of the cittie or to defame them and these continued in their office for fiue yeares and then new were created in their roomes Then was there another Magistrate created to heare and determine matters whom they called a Praetor and to him was committed power and authoritie ouer all publike and priuate dealings and to constitute and ordaine new lawes and statutes and to abrogate and repeale the old Of these Praetors there was first but one created and he was called Vrbanus Praetor because he had the gouernement of the cittizens to whome he alone beeing not able to vndergo so great a burthen by reason of the great accesse of strangers that daily resorted thither to dwell there was afterwards another Praetor added and him they called Praetor peregrinus as hauing the charge ouer aliens and strangers and this kind of gouernement was called Ius honorarium for the great honour and dignitie that belonged to the Magistrates for they had all the ensignes and ornaments attributed vnto them that before belonged to the Kings and their apparel and furniture was almost equall to the Consuls In this state did the cittie of Rome continue vntil Iulius Caesars time who reduced the gouernement into a Monarchie againe by taking vppon him the name of Imperator which kind of gouernement by Emperors did long after continue and then began to be celebrated at Rome the playes called Ludi Circenses the solemnitie whereof was thus The whole traine of Players issuing orderly from out the Capitoll passed by the forum into a great circle or rundle of ground like a theater made for the Spectators to behold the games And first went the sonnes of the Equites that for age strength and agilitie were most fit for exercises both on foote and horsebacke riding vppon horses and distinguished by their companies and Centuries to shew vnto strangers and forrainers the great hope the citty conceiued of her future happinesse by the exceeding aptnes and towardnes of their youth after them followed the wagoners with chariots some drawn with foure horses and some with two and some others leading little low horses that would stand without the bridle And after them followed the champions that were to try the masteries as wrastling running and the whirleabout called Caestus which was done with plummets of lead beeing all of them naked sauing their priuities then followed the troupe of dancers leapers and vaulters in their companies the men first the young striplings after and then the children in the next ranke vnto these followed the trumpetters and minstrels some playing vpon flutes some vpon pipes and some with a kind of Iuory harpes with 7. strings called Dulcimers the leapers and vaulters were apparelled in red coates girded in the wast with brazen belts and swords at their sides and the mens swords were shorter then the others they had also brazen helmets great plumes of fethers before euery company went men that were skilfull in those kind of exercises to shew them the maner of that dancing and skipping and other more violent and warlike motions by words in meeter consisting of foure syllables They practised also the Enoplian dancing otherwise called the Pyrrhichian dauncing inuented as is supposed by Pallas though some of a contrarie opinion thinke that the Curetes were the first authors of that kind of dancing Then followed the troupe of the Satyrisci with an Enoplian dance these Satyrisci were figured into Sileni and Satyres and they vsed taunting and scoffing motions in their dancing had also a consort of musick following after them Then went there a company with censors in their hands casting round about them sweet odors amongst whom were diuers that carried vpon their shoulders the images of their gods all guilded with gold and siluer and last of all followed the chiefe Magistrates of the city attended with great troups making shew by their easie pace and demure
language is breefe and obscure and for the most part carrying a double sence and doubtfull vnderstanding they be great boasters of themselues and dispisers of others menacers braggarts and detractors proud and puft vp in their owne opinions sharpe-witted and learned withall They haue a certaine manner of Poets or Musitions which they call Bardi that sing vnto Organs and winde Instruments as others doe to the Harp or Lute praysing some in their songs and sonnets and dispraysing others but those that bee of greatest estimation and honour amongst them bee the Philosophers which they call Saronidae Diuyners and South-saiers bee also there in great request and highly honored and obeyed of the common people these by their sorceries and sacrifices foretel things to come vsing when they consult of any weighty affaires a ceremony most horrible and execrable and almost incredible for they cut a mans throate with a sword and when he fainteth they iudge of future euents both by his falling and sincking downe as also by ripping vp his members and opening his intrals and bowels and by the effusion of his bloud And they will neuer offer sacrifice without some one of these Philosophers supposing that no sacrifice can bee acceptable vnlesse it bee offred by some of those nature serchers beeing in their opinions men most neere to the Gods And their Poets be of such reuerence and estimation as when the battaile is set in aray their swords drawne and their darts throwne if any of these Poets aproach neere vnto the battaile the whole hoast yea and the enemy himselfe will at his comming abstaine from fight so as euen amongst these rude and barbarous people anger will yeeld to wisdome and Mars giue place to the Muses The Galatian women be equall vnto the men both in strength and bignesse of body there boies be for the most part white and old men carry a very graue and fatherly aspect The Galatae that dwell vnder the North-pole and be neerest vnto Scythia and therefore more barbarous then the other are said to feed on mans flesh like vnto those that inhabited that part of Britany called Iris. These Northerne Galatians through their courage and cruelty are reported to be those people that once ouerrun almost all Asia and were called Cimmerij and are thought to be the very same that afterwards by corruption of the name for Cimmerij were called Cimbri they liue after their old accustomed manner by rapine and stealth little regarding such things as they haue of their owne for the great desire they haue to steale and filch from others And these Galatae be they who after they had sacked Rome and spoiled the Temple of Appollo at Delphos subdued and made tributary vnto them a great part both of Europ and Asia vtterly ruinating many Kingdomes and possessing their lands for those that came into Greece called that part of the country they inioyde there Gallo-Gretia or the Region of Galatia in Asia the lesse It is bounded on the East with Cappadocia and the riuer Halis with Asia and Bythinia on the West on the South lieth Pamphilia and Pontus Euxinus on the North But those Cimbri whereof now wee speake were people of an intollerable cruelty vsing such blasphemous and impious ceremonies in their sacrifices of their gods as is strang and incredible for they had euer following and attending vpon their hoastes certaine women priests that were very skilful in diuinations the haire of their heads was hoare and gray and their garments white and they had vnder those white gownes yellow smockes made of fine linnen and clasped together with brazen buttons or copper claspes they had girdles about their wastes and went bare-footed and if any captiues were taken and brought into the campe they were incountred by these she priests with their naked blades and by them lug'd and drawne vpon the ground vnto a place where stood a brazen pot or kettle conayning twenty Amphora's ouer which stood a pulpit or high seate where-into they would nimbly ascend and take the captiue vp with them and there cut his throate ouer the caldron and euer as the bloud distilled and ranne into the kettle they would pronounce their prophesies of some they would rippe the bellies and bowell them prophesing by their intralls of their successe in the warres And euery fift yeere they would sacrifice one of their owne people that was guilty and condemned of some crime by fixing him quicke vpon speares or stakes and all the beasts and cattaile that they tooke from their enemies they would kill and slay as well as the captiues and either burne them vpon piles of wood or put them to death by some other kinde of torture and the Cimbrian women as they were very beautifull and goodly women so were they maruelous luxurious and wanton There beds were beasts skinnes laide vpon the bare ground vpon which when they slept they would haue vpon each side of them an excubitor or watchman there carts also when they had any warres were couered with skinnes whereon they would labour and strike so hard as they would make a horrible and ill fauored noyse and clankering But their impudency was of all things most admirable and odious for they so far exceeded the bounds of modestic as they would offer their naked bodies to men in the open streetes esteeming it no fault but rather condeming those for dastards and fainte-hearted cowards that should refuse their offered fauours Valerius Maximus reporteth that the Cimbri and Celtiberi would exult and reioyce when they were in the warres because if they died there their ends were honourable and happie but if they languished in any disease they would lament and bee sorrowfull accounting that kinde of death as base and reprochfull Of Gallia and of the ancient customes and latter manners of the Frenchmen CAP. 22. GALLIA a broade Countrie of Europe is scituated betwixt the inner French sea and the Britaine Ocean the riuer of Rhene the Alpes and the Pyrenean hils The Pyrenean hils include it in vpon the West and the Britain Ocean vpon the North vpon the East lieth the riuer of Rhene which inuironeth as much of France from the Alpes to the Ocean as the Pyrenaean hils doe from the inmost to the vttermost sea and vpon the South it is inclosed with the Narbon sea It is called Gallia of the whitenesse of the people for gala in Greeke signifieth milke All that part of France which is called tonsa or togata Gallia is also named Cisalpina and is comprehended within the limits of Italy and all that part which is called Transalpina or France beyond the Alpes is surnamed Gallia Comata and is by Historiographers deuided into three Prouinces of the three sorts of people that inhabite therein to wit Belgica Celtica and Aquitanica which three Prouinces be thus bounded and limitted Belgica is all that Country which lieth betwixt the riuers Scaldis and Sequana from thence then to the riuer Garumna is
the Prouince of Celtica which is all that which is now the countrie of Lyons and from that againe vnto the Pyrenaean hils is the country of Aquitanica once called Armorica Augustus deuideth France into foure parts by adding to those three the Prouince of Lyons And Ammianus maketh many subdiuisions by distributing the country of Lions into two parts and Aquitanica into two parts Braccata Gallia which is also called Narbon was so called of a certaine fashion of mantles or breeches called Braccae which by them were much worne Gallia Belgica which adioyneth vnto Rhene speaketh for the most part the Almaine tongue and comprehendeth many prouinces as Heluetia Alsatia Lotharingia Luxenburg Burgundy Brabant Gelderland Holland Zeland all which may bee more rightly accounted part of Germany then of France but that the riuer of Rhene hath deuided it from Germany And surely I see no reason why hils riuers should limit bound Kingdoms but rather the language and gouernment and that each Country should extend as farre as his owne proper language is spoken The Romanes called the people of Gallia by one generall name Celtae after the name of their King and Gallatae of Galata his mothers name but they bee now called Franci and Gallia France of those people of Germanie so called by whom it was al subdued as Baptista Mantuanus writeth in his booke intituled Dionysius and Anthonius Sabellicus in his third booke of the tenth Aeneade The Dictator Caesar saith that the French men doe differ much amongst themselues both in language lawes and institutions and that many things be common to most of them as to bee factious which is a general aspertion not only vnto Citizens and Burgesses but in priuate families also for euery one as he excelleth others in wealth or wisdome contendeth to haue the souerainty and to aduance his owne faction coueting to haue all things done by his owne direction rather then by others though as wise wealthy as himself an other institution they haue very ancient and grounded vpon good reason that is that the common people should liue in security and not bee iniured by the nobility for but for that there is no country in the world wherein the clownes liue in greater contempt and slauery then in France for there was held little difference betwixt them and slaues being neuer called to any publike councel but oppressed with tributes or constrained to lend their money without security in so much as they were content to retaine to noble men and gentlemen yeelding themselues as slaues and bondmen vnto them only to bee freed from other mens extortions and wrongs There were two sorts of men that caried most estimation amongst them which were the Equites and the Druides some likewise did attribute as much honour to Poets and Prophets as vnto the Druides for that the Prophets bended their whole courses to finde out the causes of natural things the Poets wholy imployed themselues in praises and poems and all these were by Caesar called by the name of Druidae These Druidae had the charge and ouersight of al sacrifices both publike and priuate their function was also to expound and interpret their religion and to instruct and bring vp children and young men in learning and decipline for the assemblies and troupes of such youth were much accounted of to them was committed likewise the disciding of controuersies the bounding limitting of mens grounds power to punish offendors by death torments or otherwise and if either priuate person or Magistrate offred to withstand or gainsay any of their decrees or refused to stand to their awarde they would interdict and forbid him to come to their sacrifices which amongst that people was the greatest punishment that could bee inflicted The Druides shunned the communication and company of all men least they should bee polluted and no one could haue iustice or bee honoured and reuerenced according to his place dignity and deserts if any of these Druides were against it They had one that was the gouernor and Arch-priest ouer them who bore the chiefest sway as head of the whole order and euer as one of those prouosts or gouernors died an other was elected in his roome out of those Druides either by worthinesse of person or plurality of voices This councel or Senate of Druides assembled at one time of the yeere at Lyons which is about the middle of France and there they kept their Sessions for the hearing and determining of all controuersies that were brought before them from al parts of the Country which kinde of Iudgement and establishing of lawes and statutes was afterwards receiued amongst al the nobles commons of France the superstition beeing first brought out of Britany and by them called the Parliament of which I will speake more hereafter The Druides were exempted from the warres and had immunity from tribute and whosoeuer addicted himselfe to that kinde of profession must learne by heart thousands of verses yea so many as some of them spent twenty yeeres in conning verses without booke nor was it lawfull for them to commit any thing to writing that belonged to the knowledge of that science for that they auoided all meanes that might either bee a helpe vnto their memories or anywise concerne the authority of that discipline and also that their idle superstitious rites might not bee laide open to the common people and yet all other sorts of Gaules and themselues in all other matters both publike priuate vsed at that time the Greeke character The Druides beleeued and preached the immortality of the soule that after her departure out of one body shee remooued into an other by which means al feare of death being taken away they were more hardy and venturous to vndergo al dangers They would reason and dispute much of the stars and of their motion of the magnitude the worlde and sytuation of the earth and of the naturall causes of things and power of their prophane gods they held a position likewise that the world was eternall and that the elements of fire and water preuailed one against an other by turnes An other sort of religious persons and which were most deuoute of all others were those they called Equites and they when they fell into any dangerous disease or any other perill of their liues would offer for the recouery of their health or auoiding of imminent danger a humaine sacrifice which sacrifice must euer bee solemnized by the assistance of some one of the Druides Some others of that sect had great huge Images made hallow and couered with twigges into the concauity whereof they would put men aliue and then set fire about the Image vntill all were consumed away The punishment inflicted vpon theeues and offenders they esteemed most gratefull and acceptable to their gods and all those ancient Gaules held the god Mercury in great veneration as first founder and inuentor of all arts and misteries the
to the first Court of Parliament which is there by them so ratified and confirmed as no one can appeale from it and he which is found guiltie before them must pay vnto the Courts three-score pounds of Tours weight and some are adiudged to pay more according to the quality of the offence but if the party so condemned thinke that his cause was not well vnderstood and discussed and that he had some iniurie done him thereby receiuing some losse or hinderance hee may bring the matter thus crazed by misinformation againe into question before the Iudges but it shall not be heard vnlesse he pawne and put into their hands an hundred and twenty pounds to stand to their censure The fourth Court in the Court of Requests and is kept by the Masters of the Kings pallace or Masters of requests and supplications and none shall haue their causes heard there but only the kings seruāts or such as haue some priuiledges from the King and they shall not be molested in other Courts of this Court there be onely sixe Iudges it is lawfull to appeale from them to the Parlament If in handling controuersies any great difficulty arise it must be decided by the assembly of all the Iudges and Councellors of euery Court together which happeneth oftentimes in matters proposed by the King touching the gouernment of the Commonwealth for no law can be throughly established without the consent of this Senate or Parlament-house In this Parlament the Peeres of France and other masters of Requests that be the kings fauorites may sit as assistants vnto the Iudges and their places be next vnto the Presidents of the first Court or Chamber but all matters touching the king or any of the Peeres be defined and determined by the Peeres themselues and the Iudges of the first Court. There be twelue chiefe Peers elected out of all the Nobility of France whereof sixe be spirituall men six temporall the spirituall Peeres be the Bishop of Rhemes the Bishop of Lavdunum and the Bishop of Langres which be called Episcopi Duces or chiefe Bishops the Bishop of Beuvois the Bishop of Noyon and the Bishop of Challons which be Episcopi Comites or secundarie Bishops The sixe secular Peeres be the Duke of Burgundie the D. of Normandie and the Duke of Aquitania which bee chiefe Princes or Arch-dukes the Duke of Flanders the Duke of Tholousa and the Duke of Campania which be secundary Princes These twelue according to the opinion of Robertus were first instituted by Charles the great who taking them with him into the warres called them his Peeres as hauing equall power in assisting of the King and they were euer present at his coronation and yeelded obedience to no other Court but onely to the King and his Court of Parliament And these be the ancient and later maners of the Gauls and French-men and their customes most worthie of memorie Of Spaine and of the manners of the Spaniards CAP. 23. SPAINE the greatest country in Europe is situated betwixt France and Affricke and bounded with the Ocean sea and the Pirenaean hils It is comparable to any other country both for fertilitie of soyle and aboundance of fruites and vines and so sufficiently stored with all kind of commodities that be either necessarie or behoofull as it affordeth great part of her superfluitie to the city of Rome and all Italy ouer If you require gold siluer or pretious stones there they are in aboundance if mynes of Iron and sundry other mettals you shall find no defect if wines it giueth place to none and as for oyles it excelleth all other nations of Europe besides that they haue such store of salt as they neuer boyle it but dig it out of the earth in full perfection Yea there is no part of their ground be it neuer so barren but it yeeldeth increase of one thing or other the heate of the Sunne is not there so violent as in Affricke nor be they tossed with such continuall stormes and tempestuous winds as France is but there is an equall temperature of the heauens and wholesomnes of the ayre ouer all the Region it beeing greatly wasted with marine winds without such foggie mists and infectious exhalations as proceed from fennes and moorish grounds There is great plenty of hempe flaxe and broome the pill or skin wherof serueth to tye vp their vines and it affordeth more vermilion then any other countrie besides The currents of their riuers be not so swift and violent as they thereby become hurtfull but gentle and mild to water and manure their fields and medowes and the armes of the Ocean sea which adioyne vnto them affoord great store of fish and yet for no one thing was Spaine more commended in times past then for the swiftnesse of their horses whereof grew this fiction That the Spanish horses were conceiued of the winds Spaine taketh her beginning at the Pyrenaean hilles and winding by Hercules pillars extendeth to the Northerne Ocean so as all places contained within that compasse may iustly be said to be of Spaine The breadth of Spaine as Appianus writeth is ten thousand stadia the length much answerable to the breadth it ioyneth vnto France only at the Pyrenaean hils and on al other sides it is inclosed with the sea it is distinguished and knowne by three names Tarragon Bethica and Lusitania Tarragon the chiefe citties whereof were called Pallantia and Numantia now called Soria at the one end ioyneth vnto France and vnto Bethica and Lusitania at the other The Mediterranean sea runneth by the South-side thereof and vpon the North it lyeth opposite to the Ocean the other two prouinces be diuided by the riuer Anas so as Bethica the chiefe citties whereof were Hispalis and Corduba looketh West-ward into the Atlanticke sea and into the Mediterranean vpon the South Lusitania lyeth opposite onely to the Ocean the side of it vnto the Northerne Ocean and vnto the Western at the end the city Emerita being once the chiefe Cittie of that Prouince Spaine was first called Iberia of the riuer Iberus and after that Hesperia of Hesperus the brother of Atlas and lastly it was named Hispania of Hispalis now called Sibilia Their bodies bee very apt to indure both hunger and labour and their minds euer prepared for death they bee very sparing and strict both in their diet and euery thing else and they be much more desirous of warres then of peace So much as if warres be wanting abroade they wil grow to ciuill dissention and home-bred garboiles among themselues They will suffer torments euen vnto death rather than reueile a thing committed to their secrecie hauing more care of their credits and trust reposed in them then of their liues They be maruellous nimble and swift of pace and of an vnquiet and turbulent disposition their horses be both speedie and warlike and their armes more deare vnto them then their bloud They furnish not their tables with daintie
cal Ale and Beare and they haue much wines brought them out of other countries There bee many villages borrowes and cities whereof London is the chiefest of the nation the Kings seat and the most famous for trafficke and trading These are their customes and manners they vse in this age which are much differing from their customes they vsed the time of Iulius Caesar for at that time it was not lawfull for them to eate Hare Hen or Goose and yet would they norish and keepe them for their pleasures The people that inhabited the middle part of the country liued for the most part vpon milke and flesh beeing vtterly destitute of corne and cloathed themselues with skinnes Their faces they would die with woad to the end that in battaile they might breed a great terror to their enemies They wore long haire hanging downe about their shoulders and shaued all parts of their bodies but their heads one woman would haue tenne or more husbands at one time and it was lawfull for the brother to enioy his brothers wife the father the sonnes and the sonne the fathers and the children were accounted children to them all Strabo dissenting from the opinion of Caesar saith that the English are farre taller then the Frenchmen and of a shorter haire Thicke woods serued them in steed of cities wherein they builded them cabbines and cottages harboring themselues and their cattaile vnder one roofe The country is more subiect to raine then snow and when the weather is faire the earth is couered sometimes with a blacke clowde that for the space of foure houres together you shall see no Sunne at high noone Scotland the vttermost part of Britan towards the North is deuided from the other part of the Island onely with a riuer or small arme of the sea Not farre distant from Scotland lieth Ireland the people whereof vse one kinde of habite in no point differing one from an other They speake all one language and vse the selfe same customes They haue nimble wits and are very apt to reuenge vsing great cruelty in the warres though otherwise they bee sober and can indure all manner of wants with great facility They are naturally faire but nothing curious in their apparel The Scots of whom I spake before as some are of opinion were so called of the paynting of their bodies for it was an vsual and auncient custome there and especially amongst the rudest and barbarous kinde of people to paint and die their bodies armes and legs with varnish or vermillion which custome if all bee true as is written by ancient authors was practised by the Britans especially in time of warre the more to terrifie the enemy as before is said Aeneas Siluius saith that the shortest day in winter there is not aboue three houres long and it is a thing worthy the noting to see how poore folkes there stand about the Temples of their gods begging stones of passengers for them to burne for the country affoordeth but small store of fuell and the stones which they craue and get together in this manner are of a fat and sulphery condition and wil burne like coles Aeneas saith that hee heard there was a tree in Scotland that in Antumne whē the leaues were withered they fell of the tree into a riuer by vertue of the water were turned into birds This tree he saith hee sought for in Scotland but could not find it and that lastly it was told him by some that knew the Country well that this strange miracle was to be seene in one of the Isles of Orcades And thus farre mine Author concerning the estate of this Island by which appeareth the little acquaintance both hee and those writers out of which hee frameth this collection had with it for else would they not so sleightly haue slipt ouer the commendation of so worthy a Country and therefore I thought it not amisse in this place to supply their defects with this short addition of mine owne wherein happely you may perceiue a more liuely description of this our Realme of Great Britany and the condition of the inhabitants then could well bee expected from meere strangers BRITANNIA sometimes called Albion the worthiest and renownedst Island of all the world is in compasse as is said before according to the opinion of the best writers about 1836. English miles It is sytuated in a most milde temperate clymate the ayre beeing neither too hot in Sommer nor too cold in winter through which temperature it aboundeth with all sorts of graine fruits and cattaile that be either necessary or behoueful for mans life for besides that the Country is wholesome pleasant and delightsome there bee such store of ponds riuers and running waters for fish and foule such aboundance of forrests and chases for timber and fuel such large fields champion grounds for corne and graine such pastures and meadowes for sheepe and cattaile such orchards and gardens for pleasure and profit such hunting and hawking in fields fluds and forrests such strong castles such stately buildings such goodly cities and walled townes such beautifull houses of the Nobility disperced in all parts of the country such large territories such renowned vniuersities for the aduancement of learning and good letters such practise of religiō such places for pleading such trafficke and trading such maintainance of Iustice such generous dispositions in the nobles such ciuility amongst citizens such intercourse amongst the commons in a word such is the pompe riches florishing state of this Realme vnder the gouernment of our most gratious Prince King Iames that England at this day is so amply stored with natures richest guifts that she is not onely furnished with things sufficient to serue her selfe but sendeth forth sundry of her superfluous commodities into other countries also and for al things may iustly bee compared if not preferred to any country in Christendome who were the first inhabitants of this Island and why it was so called I finde it so diuersly reported that I rather leaue euery man to his opinion then by setting downe mine owne incurre the censure of ignorance and indiscretion but howsoeuer although it hath bin inhabited by sundry nations and deuided into seuerall Kingdoms yet doe I not finde that euer it admitted any other forme of gouernment but the Kingly authority only no not when it was dismembered into many Kingdomes but that then euery King had a perfect and absolute command ouer his subiects nor that any King of England either then or since it grew into a Monarchy did euer receiue his authority from any other Prince as his supreme but that euery King within the limits of his Kingdome was next vnto God sole and absolute gouernor the idle example of King Iohn onely excepted who without consent of his commons or establishment by act of parliament forced therevnto by the rebellion of his Nobles aided by the Dolphin of France resigned his crowne to the Popes Legate
three or foure other Barons which be called Barons of the Exchequer Besides these three Courts of the common law and the court of the Councell for the Marches of Wales whereof I haue spoken before there is a Court for the North part of England which is likewise called the Councell hauing a President Iustices and assistants as in the Councell of Wales and the same forme of proceeding And for the more ease and quiet of the subiect the King by his commission sendeth the Iudges and Barons of the Exchequer twise a yeare into euery seuerall County of the countrie as well to see the lawes executed against malefactors as for the triall and determining of causes depending betwixt partie and party These two Sessions are vsually called the Assises or Goale deliuery and their manner of proceedings is by Iurors who are to giue their verdicts according to euidēce And for because the time of these Iudges commission is ouer short to determine all matters that may arise in halfe a yeare the Iustices of peace in their seuerall Counties haue their Sessions likewise which be kept foure times in the yeare and be therefore called the quarter Sessions in which Sessions are heard and determined all pettie causes for the more ease of the Iudges in their circuits And for the better maintenance of peace in euery part of the Realm there be diuers other petty Courts as county Courts hundred Courts towne Courts Leets Court Barons and such like all which hold plea according to the course of the common law Next vnto these Courts of common law is the Court of Star-chamber which is the court of the kings Councell therin sit as Iudges the L. Chancelor as chiefe the L. Treasurer and the rest of the priuy Councel both spirituall and tēporall to gether with the chiefe Iustices of both benches And in this court be censured all criminall causes as periurie forgerie cousenage ryots maintenance and such like The court of Wards and Liueries is next which is a court of no long continuance being first ordained by Henry the 8. the matters that are determinable in that court are as touching wards and wardships and the Iudges are the Master of the wards and liueries the Atturney of the court of wards and other officers and assistants Then is there the Admirals court which is only for punishment of misdemeanors done at sea the Iudges of which court be the Lord high Admirall of England and a Iudge with other officers The Duchie court which is a court for the determining of matters depending within the Duchy of Lancaster wherein be Iudges the Chancelor of the Duchie and the Atturney And a late erected court called the court of the Queens reuenues for the deciding of controuersies amongst the Queenes tenants Next vnto these are the courts of Equity which are the Chancery and the court of Requests The court of Chancery which is commonly called the court of conscience is chiefly for the mitigation of the rigor of the cōmon lawe wherein the Lord high Chancelor of England is chiefest Iudge and moderator to whom are ioyned as assistants the M. of the Rolles and certaine graue Doctors of the ciuill law which are vsually called Masters of the Chancery The court of Requests is much like to the Chancery and is chiefly for the kings seruants the Iudges wherof are the Masters of Requests which bee alwaies reuerent men and well seen in the ciuill law and one of them is euer attendant on the King to receiue supplications and to answer them according to the Kings pleasure Hauing thus passed ouer the seueral courts of common law the courts of Equity and those which are of a mixt nature betwixt the common ciuill law I wil only name the spirituall courts the chiefest wherof are these The first and most principal is the conuocation of the Clergy which is a Synod of the chiefest of the Clergie of the whole Realme held only in Parlament time in a place called the Conuocation house where cannons are ordained for church-gouernment And this court may be called a generall Councell next vnto which are the particular Synods of both Prouinces Canterbury and York and are called prouinciall Synods Then is there the Archb. of Cāterburies court called the Arches the court of Audience the Prerogatiue court the court of Faculties the court of Peculiars with many other courts in each seuerall Dioces In all which courts what matters are there handled their Iudges and assistants and all their whole manner of proceedings I leaue to the report of such as are better acquainted in those courts And thus much may suffice for the present estate of our country as it is now in the ninth yeare of the raigne of our dread Soueraign Lord K. Iames the first whome God graunt long to rule and raigne ouer vs. OF IRELAND HIBERNIA an Iland bordering vpon Brittaine on the North and West side and much about halfe as big as Brittaine was so called according to some ab hyberno tempore that is to say of the winter season The ground there is so exceeding rancke and the grasse so pleasant and delicious withall that their beasts in Sommer time will kill themselues with feeding and supersluosly grazing if they be not driuen from pasture some part of the day This Island breedeth neither spider nor toade nor any other venimous or infectious creature nor will any liue that are brought thither out of other Countries but dye instantly as soone as they do but touch this Countries soyle Bees there be none the aire is very temperate and the earth fruitfull and yet be the people exceeding barbarous vnciuill and cruell For those which prooue vanquishers in their battels swill and drinke vp the bloud of their slaine enemies and then defile and gore their owne faces with it And whether they do right or wrong it is all one vnto them When a woman is deliuered of a male child the first meate she giueth him shee putteth into his mouth with her husbands sword point signifying by that manner of feeding and also praying after her countrey fashion that the child may dye no other death but in the field amongst his enemies Their greatest gallants adorne the hilts and pummels of their swords with beasts teeth which bee as white as Iuorie and brought thither out of other countreys And their chiefest delight and greatest glorie is to be souldiers Those which inhabite the hilly and mountainous part of the countrie liue vppon milke and apples and are more giuen to hunting and sporting then to husbandrie The Sea betwixt England and Ireland is very raging vnquiet and troublesome all the yeare long and but in summer hardly nauigable Yet do they sayle ouer it in boates or whirries made of Ozier twigs and couered with Oxe hides or buffe skins they abstaine from meate all the while they are vpon the seas And this sea according to the opinion of the best writers is in breadth one hundred and twenty
English miles The inhabitants of the I le of Sillura retaine as yet their old customes and course of life money they haue none nor no marketting but giue and take one of an other furnishing themselues rather by exchanging one thing for an other then by buying and selling They beleeue in the gods and aswell women as men bee very skilful in predictions and sooth-saying Those which possesse the Iles called Eubudes whereof there be fiue liue altogether on milke and fish not caring for corne nor any kinde of fruites These Islands are seperated one from an other onely by a little riuer and are all vnder the gouernment of one King who possesseth nothing in priuate to himselfe but occupieth all in commune with his subiects Their lawes inforce him to equity and right and least coueteousnesse should diuert him from truth hee learneth Iustice through pouerty as being maintained at the publike charge without hauing any thing proper to himselfe no not so much as a wife in so much as enioying the company of women by turnes with his subiects hee is vtterly depriued of all hope of issue that hee may iustly say are his owne The vtmost Island in the British seas is Thyle wherein in the Sommer solstice when the Sunne is in Cancer there is almost no night and as little day in the winter solstice The Inhabitants in the beginning of the spring liue amongst their cattaile with herbes and milke and in winter with fruites of trees for the Island yeeldeth great store of apples They haue certaine mariages but enioy their women in commune like the Inhabitants of the Eubudes There bee other Islands also in the Mediterranean sea towards the West which of the Greekes bee called Gymnesiae because the people thereof goe naked but of the Romans and by the Inhabitants themselues they are called Baleares of slinging or casting of stones because they bee more expert in that excercise then any other people The biggest of these Islands is the greatest Island that is excepting seuen which are Sicilia Sardinia Creta Eubaea Cyprus Corsica and Lesbos It is distant from Iberia now called Spaine one daies sayling The lesser of them lieth more East-ward and aboundeth with all kinde of cattaile and especially mules which bee greater then other country mules and will bray lowder both of these Islands are fertile and fruitfull and well replenished with people They bee very greedy of wine whereof their country yeeldeth none and in steed of oyle which is also wanting they anoint their bodies with swines grease and masticke mingled together Women there are in farre more estimation then men in so much as if a woman bee taken prisoner they will ransome her with three or foure men Their dwellings are in hollow caues made in steepe rockes which are their onely couering and defence for their bodies And they are so farre out of loue with gold and siluer as they forbid it to bee brought into their Island supposing that by wanting money they are in security from all plots of treason And therefore at such time as they serued in the Carthaginian warres they brought home nothing with them but wine and women which they bought with the money they receiued for pay Their manner of marriages are both strange and prodigious for all the brides family and friends that are present at the nuptials lie with her one after an other according to their age and the bride-groome last of all the forme of burials also is proper to themselues and different from all other people for they dismember and cut the dead bodie into small peeces and put them into a vessel and so couer the vessel with stones Their weapons are euery one a sling and there budgets to put stones in the one hee hangeth about his necke an other hee guirdeth about his waste and the third hee carrieth in his hand their stones are bigger then other men are well able to throw and yet will throw them so strongly that they flie with such violence as if they were shot out of a pecce And with these stones when they assault any citty will they wound and kill their enemies that gard and defend the walles and bulwarkes of the cittie and breâ—â— their shields and helmets and all other kinde of armor and they will leuell so rightly as they will verie seldome misse the marke they aime at for they bee trained vp in this kinde of excercise from their childhood and therevnto constrained by their mothers who will set a peece of bread vpon a stake for them to throw at and giue them nothing to eate before they haue stroke the bread off the stake with a stone Now hauing entred into the relation of Islands opportunitie is offered to speake somewhat of a new found Island sytuated in the South part of the Ocean sea and of the strange things that are reported to bee in that Island as also of the cause and manner of the finding thereof which was thus One Iambolus being in his youth trained vp as a scholler after the death of his father who was a merchant betooke himselfe to merchandize and sayling into Arabia for spices he with all his partners were surprised and taken by Pyrats and Robbers and one of his fellowes and himselfe beeing by those theeues set into the fields to keepe sheepe were afterwards found and taken away by certaine maritine Aethiopians and by them carried ouer into Aethiopia where for because they were strangers they were assigned to bee a sacrifice and expiation to the gods of that Country for those Aethiopians which liued vpon the sea coast had an ancient custome of sixe hundred yeares continuance which they receiued by Oracle from their gods to expiate and make satisfaction to their gods with two men the manner whereof was this They had a little barke or boate prouided for that purpose that was able to brooke the seas and which two men were able to gouerne and into this vessel they put Iambolus and his companion and victuals for sixe monthes commanding them that according to their Oracle they should direct their ship and saile South ward and that then they should attaine to a fortunate Island the people whereof were maruelous curteous and ciuil florished in great felicity Into which Island if they arriued in safety their owne Country should for six hundred yeeres after enioy perfect peace and happinesse But if through the terror or tediousnesse of the seas they diuerted their course that then as impious and wicked varlets they were causers of great calamities that should fall vpon their region This done and the boate lanched out those maritine Aethiopians are said to keepe that day holy and to doe sacrifice to the seas praying for their good successe and that their expiation may take good effect When Iambolus and his companion were thus committed to the mercy of the sea and had beene long tossed in stormes and tempests after foure monthes sayling they
simple and they couet for nothing but to suffice nature they eate flesh some-times boylde and sometimes broyld and dresse their meate them-selues reiecting the Arte of Cookery and all seasoning of their meates with salte or spices as friuolous and vnnecessary They worship the Firmament the Sunne and the rest of the celestiall bodyes they catch diuerse sorts of fishes and birds and they haue great store of Olyue trees and Vines which naturally hold their increase so as they haue Oliues and Grapes in aboundance without trauell or cost These Ilands also produce serpents that bee great ones but nothing hurtfull the flesh whereof is maruelous sweete and delicious Their garments are of a sine white Cotton or Downe which groweth in the middle of Reedes which being dyed with the Iuyse of these sea fishes that coloureth purple they make themselues purple garments thereof There be also diuerse sorts of liuing creatures of strange and almost incredible natures They obserue a certaine order and strict course in their dyet eating but onely one kinde of meate vppon one day for some day they eate fishes an other day fowles an other flesh of beasts and some-times Oyle and the table where they eate theyr meate is very meane and simple They bee addicted to diuerse exercises for some serue and are serued in course some are imployed in fishing some in fowling some in sundry Artes and manuall occupations and all of them in generall are busied in some one thing or other that redoundeth to their common good In their sacred ceremonies and vpon holy dayes they sing lawdes and himnes in honor of their gods and especially of the Sunne to whome they dedicate themselues and their Islands They bury their dead bodyes vpon the sea coast couering the carcasse with sand that by the flowing and inundation of the waters there may bee a great heape of sand in the place where the corpes are buryed The canes whereof they eate the fruite as they say doe increase and decrease according to the disposition of the Moone The water of their fountaines is both sweet and holsome alwayes hotte vnlesse it bee mingled either with wine or cold water When Iambolus and his companion had liued in that Iland seauen yeares they were forced to depart for the Ilanders held them to bee euill liuers and of bad behauiour and conuersation and therefore prouiding their shippe ready and victualling her they set forward on their iourney though fore against their wills and at the foure months end they came to the King of India by whome they were afterwards safely conducted through Persia and brought into Greece Of the Iland called Taprobane and of the manners of the Inhabitants CAP. 26. TAPROBANE before mans venterousnesse by exquisit searching into euery creeke and corner of the sea had truely and throughly discouered it was held to be as it were an other world that wherein the Antipodes were supposed to dwell But Alexander the great by his prowesse and valour remooued the ignorance of this common error which did much augment and increase the glory of his name for Onesicritus the praefect of his nauie being by him sent to search out what manner of land it was what commodities it yeelded and how and by whom it was inhabited made it most apparent and manifest vnto vs. The length of the Iland is seauen thousand stadia and fiue thousand in breadth and it hath a riuer running through the middle of it that deuideth it into two parts Some part of this Iland is wholy replenished with beasts and Elephants which be farre bigger then India breedeth any and some part of it is well peopled There bee great store of Pearles and precious stones of diuerse kindes It is situated East and West and beginneth at the sea called fretum Indioe from Prasla a countrie in India into Taprobane at the first discouery thereof was the space of 25. dayes sayling but it was with such boates as the riuer of Nilus carried that were made of reedes for at this day with our shippes it is not aboue seuen dayes sayle The sea that deuideth the Iland in twaine in many places is very shallow being not aboue seuen foote deepe but in some other places againe the channell is so exceeding deepe that no anchor can reache the bottome In sayling they obserue not the course of the starres for the North pole and the seauen starres doe neuer appeare to their view and the Moone is no longer seene in their Horizon but from the sixt day after his change to the sixteenth but the cleere and radiant starre called Canopus shineth there very bright and the Sunne riseth vppon their right hands and setteth vppon their left With coyne they were altogether vnacquainted vntill the raigne of the Emperour Claudius and it is reported that they were greatly amazed at the sight of money because it was stamped with sundry figures and similitudes and yet in weight and substance was all one In stature and bignesse of body they exceed all other men of what nation so euer They dye and coulour their hayre browne their heires bee gray or blew their visage grimme and sterne and their voyce harshe and terrible Those which dye an vntimely death liue commonly till they bee a hundred yeare old but those which spend out the full course of nature liue till they bee maruelous old farte exceeding mans ordinary frayltie They neuer sleepe in the day time and but part of the night neyther for they risâ— exceeding early Their buildings bee meane and lowe and their victualls alwayes alike they haue great store of Apples but no Vines They honor Hercules as their God Their Kings are elected as well by the voyces of the commons as by the nobility for the peoples care is to choose one of great clemencie and vnprooueable manners and such a one as is well striken in yeares and withall that hath no children for he which is a father is not there admitted to be a King be he neuer so good and vertuous and if the King at any time during his raigne hap to haue a child he is therefore instantly deposed and depriued of all Princely iurisdiction and this they doe for because they will not haue their kingdome become hereditary Moreouer bee their King neuer so iust and vpright yet will they not commit the absolute gouernment wholy into his hands for to the end he should not be sole Iudge in capitall causes there be forty Rectors or Guides annexed vnto him as his assistants and if the iudgement of the King and his forty assistants seeme partiall or distastfull to any one he may from them appeale to the people who haue likewise seuenty Iudges allowed them for the determining of such causes as come to them by way of appeale and the sentence that is pronounced by these seuenty Iudges must of necessity stand inuiolable The King in his apparell differeth much from the people and if he be found guilty of any offence
bee called Bou-re and they weare them in imitation of the little chaines of gold which are vsually worne amongst Christians and that which of many is called Buccinum may very well bee the same whereof wee see many women to weare girdles with vs. These barbarous people likewise make these chaines they call Bou re of a certaine kinde of wood that is blacke and harde and namely as Matheolus witneseth of the tree called Sicomorus which is much like vnto a wilde figge tree and this tree is much vsed in those chaines because in weight and brightnesse it is very like vnto Iette Furthermore the Americanes haue great store of hennes the breede whereof they first had from the Portingals from these hennes they plucke all the white fethers and with their instruments of iron which now they haue and before when they had none of those instruments then with sharpe stones they hacke and chappe into very small peeces the softest of those fethers and putting them when they bee chopped small into hot and seething water die them with a certaine red collour of Brasile this being done they annoint their bodies with a clammie gum for to make the fethers sticke on and then couer and decke themselues all ouer both bodie armes and legges with those fethers painting them also with diuers collours so as they seeme to bee couered with a downe or soft wooll like vnto young pigions and other birds new hatched Wherevpon it is verie likely that when diuers of our Countrimen came first into those coastes and sawe them so attired and not searching out the reason thereof spread abroade this rumor that the barbarous Americans were hairy all ouer their bodies though the matter bee farre otherwise for they bee not naturally so but this rumor arose by the ignorance of the cause and beeing once spred abroade was easily beleeued to bee true There is one hath written that the Cumani vse to annoint themselues with a certaine gumme or clammy ointment and then trimme themselues with fethers of diuers collours like these Americans The manner how the Tovovpinamkij for so they bee also called attire their heads is thus besides the shauing of the fore-part of their heads in manner of a Monkes crowne and the haires of the hinder partes hanging downe long to their neckes as is sayd their manner is to weare frontlets or ornaments for their fore-heads of fethers of sundry collours orderly disposed and set together these frontlets doe much resemble the Periwigs vsed to bee worne by noble women who may iustly bee said to receiue that kinde of attire from the Barbarians they be called in their language Yempenambi They weare earings also made of very white bones not much vnlike vnto those bones which as wee haue sayd before yong men put into the holes of their lips In that country is a birde which they call Toucan all her body is as blacke as a rauen and about her gorge she hath a ring of downy fethers that be yellow and vnder that an other ring of vermillion collour from this part of the birde that is yellow they pull of the skinne the birde beeing neuer the worse and drie it and so lay a round peece thereof vpon each of their cheekes making them for to sticke on with a kinde of waxe that they had which they call Trayetic which beeing fastened and made fit one would thinke they had bridles in their mouthes and that the yellow rounds were bosses guilded with gold These people if they either prepare themselues to the warres or according to their custome and sollemne pompe to kill any captiue to be deuoured to the end that nothing may bee wanting to make them fine and braue they put on their garments settle on their cappes put bracelets vpon their armes of diuers coloured fethers as greene red yellow blew and such like so artificially and cunningly compacted and ioyned together with slender Canes and cotton threedes as I thinke there is scarce any imbroderer in all France that can set in order and make fit those fethers with more industrie and curiositie then they do in so much as the garments wouen and trimmed in this precise manner may be thought to bee made of a hairie kind of silke the same kind of trimming do they likewise bestow vppon their woodden clubbes The last kind of their garments are made of Estridge fethers which in colour bee browne or russet and which they get from their borderers wherby we may guesse that those great birds be bred in those parts the garments be made in this manner They sow all the quilles of the fethers together in ranke one by another disposing of them so orderly as no one fether stand out longer than another which done they put the one side to the other and make it round like a rose or canopie and this strange garment in their language is called Araroye This bundell they put vppon their backes binding it fast with a cotton threede and the stalkes nearest vnto their skinnes wherewith when they be decked arrayed they seeme as though they carried vpon their backs a cage or coupe to put young chickins in Those which would be accounted most warlike that they may better manifest their strength shew that they haue slaine many enemies and also for a vaunt how many captiues they haue killed to be deuoured cutte and gash their breasts armes and thighes and then staine and color the wounds and gashes with a certaine blacke dust the prints of which gashes remain in their flesh to their deaths representing to those which behold them brest-plates and sloppes cut after the Heluetian manner When they giue themselues to banquetting carrousing and dauncing wherin they spend much time the more to stirre vp their minds thereunto besides their horrible clamors outcries and houlings they haue a certaine fruite that hath a hard shell in forme and bignesse like vnto a Chesnut out of this shell they take the kernell and put litle stones into the place where the kernell was so tying a great many of them vpon a threed put them vppon their legges like vnto bels vsed here in England by morris dancers no lesse noise would they make in their hopping and skipping if the shels of snayles were vsed in the same manner which do not much differ from those ratling instruments they vse in dancing And in these things the barbarous people exceedingly delight and take surpassing pleasure in them when they be brought vnto them In that Countrey also groweth a certaine kind of tree the fruite whereof in fashion and thickenesse is like vnto an Estridge egge through which they bore a hole in such manner and fashion as boyes with vs bore holes in nuttes to make Whirligigges and put therein little stones or the bigger cornes or graines of millet or any other conuenient thing and then putting through the hole a sticke of a foote and a halfe long make thereof an instrument which they call Maraca which
will make a huge noyse and rattle lowder than a swines bladder with peas in it therfore those barbarous people carry them euer about with them in their hands And thus farre haue I spoken in briefe of the disposition manners customes apparell and behauior vsed by the Tovovpinambaltii There is brought vnto them from the Christians a curled or wrinkled cloth some red some greene and some yellow whereof they make them all manner of garments these the Christians do giue vnto these barbarous people and haue for them in exchange victuals marmosets munkies Parrats Brasile wood cotton Indian pepper and many such like things which are very good merchandize And most of them weare loose and flaggring breeches all the parts of their bodies else bare some of them againe will weare no breeches but a cote reaching downe to their buttockes where with when they be clothed and readie to go abroade they will behold themselues oftentimes and instantly put it off againe and leaue it at home vntill it be their humour to weare it again which maketh all our people that behold them to laugh at them and in like manner do they with their shirts and caps But for as much as can be said of the externall habit of their bodies both of men and children I suppose I haue spoken sufficiently and therefore if out of this my description any one desire to represent vnto his mind one of these barbarous men let him first imagine that he beholds the shadow and resemblance of a naked man with all his members and lineamentall proportion fitly framed and set together the haires of his bodie plucked off with pincers all the fore-part of his head shauen with holes in his lippes and cheekes in which be put either sharpe bones or greene stones eare rings thrust through his eares his bodie dyed with diuers colours his thighes and legges stained and coloured with that blacke painting called by them Genipat and about his necke a chaine made of the shell which they call Vygnoll and then you shall see and easily discerne the perfect picture of those that liue in that countrey The Tovovpinambaltian women do vsually carry their little children in their armes wrapped and swadled in a Cotton scarffe who imbrace and wind about their mothers sides with both their legges They haue beddes also made of Cotton like nettes and hanged vppe from the ground Their best fruite is that which they call Ananas But now if you will imagine in your mind a barbarous man in another fashion he shall be disrobed of that ridiculous attire and anticke habite and his whole bodie dawbed with a glewish and slimie gumme and their fethers chopped small shall be cast vppon his bodie and when he is attired with this artificiall Wooll or Feather-downe how fine a fellow hee will seeme vnto you I neede not to shew Moreouer whether he retaine his naturall colour or be disguised in diuers colours or in fethers yet let him haue those garments cappe and fether bracelets which wee haue described and then certainely he is arrayed in the best manner he can be but if you please to giue him his garment made of that curled cloth and as we haue said their custome is to cloath him with his cote all the other parts of his bodie being naked and one sleeue yellow and the other greene by these markes you may suppose him to be either an ideot or an artificiall foole To conclude if you will adde to these his instrument called Maraca and his bundell of fethers which they call Araroye set handsomely vppon his backe his ratling instruments also made of shelles with stones in them bound vnto their legs by this representation you must imagin hee is dancing and drinking Many patternes and figures are not sufficient to expresse the extraordinary care and industrie of those barbarous people in attiring their bodies according to the whole description which before we haue set foorth for no similitude can make a liuely representation of the whole matter as it is vnlesse euery thing be in their proper colours but the attyring of those women which they call Quoniam and in some places where they haue acquaintance and commerce with the Portugals they name them Maria how much more excellent it is than the others let vs diligently marke and consider For first of all as we said in the beginning of this chapter the women goe naked as well as the men and all of them plucke off their haires as men do leauing not a haire vpon their eye-browes or eye-lids but as concerning the haire of their heads they differ much from men for the men as is said shaue all the fore-parts of their heades and let the hinder parts grow long but women there do not onely nourish their haires on their heades but like our Country-women vse often to combe and wash them as also to bind and wrappe them vp with Cotton head-laces dyed blacke though for the most part they go with their hairs loose and spred abroad like vnto those ancient mad-brained Bacchides of Rome for they much delight to haue them hanging downe and flaggering about their shoulders In another thing also the women differ from the men for they make no holes in their lippes as men do and therfore they adorne not nor beautifie their faces with Iewels and stones but they make such great holes in their eares as when their eare-rings bee foorth they may put in their fingers and their eare-rings bee made of that great shell which they call Vignol beeing in whitenesse and length like vnto a midling candle so as if you behold them afarre off hanging vppon their shoulders and dangling vppon their breasts you would iudge them like the hanging eares of a hound As for their faces they trimme them in this fashion and in doing thereof euery one helpeth other first they paynt with a pencill a circle in the middle of their cheekes either redde blew or yellow in forme of a cockle or snaylehouse sterring them vntill their faces be varyed and distinguished all ouer with those sundry colours in like manner do they paynt the place where the haire of their eye-lidds and eye-browes did grow which fashion I haue heard is vsed of some light house-wiues in France They haue bracelets also made of peeces of bones cutte like fish-scales or Serpents scales ioyned and made fast with waxe mingled with gumme so artificially and finely as they cannot be amended by any artificiall skill or cunning they be an hand-breadth in length and do somewhat resemble the bracelet or wrist-band which is vsed with vs in blowing of bellowes They vsually also weare bright and exceeding white chaines which they call Bou-re but they weare them not about their neckes as men do but about their armes in stead of bracelets and for this purpose they haue a great desire of glasse-buttons either yellow blew or greene with holes in them and put vpon a threede these they cal Maurobi and
entred into great part of the Atlantick shore wherein many townes citties and Islands were discouered and found forth in all which places by his meanes the faith of Christ was made knowne and Churches there erected especially in those Islands which before lay desart the principall whereof was the Iland of Wood commonly called Medeyra now a most famous and fruitfull Iland But in the end as there is no certaintie in mortal matters in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ one thousand foure hundred and three score this Henry was surprised by death and for that he was neuer married he had lest al which he had got by his voiages traueling by sea vnto the crown of Portugal as his proper inheritance which being giuen by his own hands continued vnto the time of Iohn the second of that name without enuy or emulation of other forraine kings or Princes In which Kings daies Columbus a Genoan borne a very skilfull Sayler being repulsed vnregarded and dismissed by the same King Iohn to whome he promised to discouer the West Indies by the ayde and furtherance of Ferdinand and Elizabeth King and Queene of Castile he most fortunately attempted the voyage and found out those large and ample prouinces to their great and vnspeakeable profit shewing also how they might come to them by shippes This Iohn oftentimes reuoluing in his minde the affaires of the East Indies of whose fruitfulnesse many and sundry things were deliuered by auncient writers Amongst his other great labours and costes whereof hee was no niggard hee determined to send certaine men skillfull in the Arabian tongue vnto those prouinces and especially vnto Prestor Iohn whereof two of them which hee sent were Alfonsus of Payua borne at the white Castell and another Iohn Peter of Couilham both Portingales These luckely began their iourney from Schalabiton the seauenth day of May in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ one thousand foure hundred foure-score and six and fayning them selues to be Marchants for their more quietter passage they iournyed first to Barchiona from thence to Naples and so to Rhodes then taking their iourney from Alexandria they arriued lastly at Cayre and their getting the company of some Marchants they tooke their iourny towards Thor where taking shipping they arriued neere a certayne citty called Cuaquen sytuated on the Aethiopian shore from thence they sayled towards Adenes where they agreed betwixt themselues that Alphonsus should returne againe into Aethiopia vnto Prestor Iohn and that Peter should go forward into India but Iohn hauing found out Calecut Goa and the whole shore of the Malabars sayled to Zofala and from thence againe to Adenes so went straight to Caire expecting to finde his companion there and that they might returne together into Portingale to their king for they appointed when they went from Adene to meete againe at a time limited at the same Cayre whither when he was returned he receyued letters from King Iohn out of Portugale by the hands of two Iewes whereof one was called Rabbi Abraham a Biensian and the other Ioseph a Lamacensian by which letters he was certified that his fellow Alfonsus was there dead and whereby hee was also commanded not to returne into his country before hee had vewed Ormuzia and saluted Prestor Iohn of whose state the king did greatly desire to be certified Wherefore Iohn Peter not knowing what his companion Alphonsus had done in his life time went backe againe to Adenes accompanied with the same Rabbi Abraham and sent Ioseph backe againe to the King with letters signifiing his trauels and what he had done so taking water sayled from Adenes to Oromuzia where leauing Abraham the Iew and dispatching him with more letters to the King he determined to saile towards Mecha which when hee had deseryed he ernestly desired to see mount Synai from thence hee departed to Thor and againe taking shipping and passing ouer the straights of the Erythrean sea hee came to Zeila and from thence went all the rest of the way on foote vnto the court of Prestor Iohn who was then called Alexander of whome beeing very curteously receiued hee deliuered vnto him the letters which hee had from King Iohn offerring into his hands also the Topography or Mappe wherein he might see all our voyage This Alexander determining to send him backe to his King was preuented by death that hee could not doe it who being dead his brother surnamed Nau succeeded him in his place of whome this Iohn Peter could neuer obtaine licence to depart into his country and Nau dying likewise his liberty to depart was in like manner denied him by Dauid the Sonne of Nau and next heire to his Kingdome but seeing hee could by no meaues haue leaue to depart from that prouince and to mitigate and asswage the exceeding desire he had to returne home the King bestowed vpon him most ample and large gifts and then he tooke to his wife a noble woman of whome hee begot many children This man our Embassadors found out in the court of Prestor Iohn and had conferrence with him from whence when they departed in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred twenty and sixe they were very desirous to take him with them into their country and he himselfe was as willing to depart but they could neuer get leaue of king Dauid for hee euer answered to their desires that hee receiued that man of his father Nau when he receiued his Kingdomes and that hee would regard him with the like care and loue as he did his Kingdomes And that there was noe cause why it should bee irckesome to him to liue amongst the Aethiopians where both from his fathers liberality and his owne he had receiued great welth and riches This Iohn Peter as our Embassadors reported was skilfull almost in all languages for which cause and more especially for his wisdome which was very great was he so earnestly retayned of the Aethiopian Emperors from whome they exactly understood the estate of Portugall and their nauigations by the often recytall whereof as he was very learned and eloquent he purchased the loue and affections of the people of Aethiopia both to him-selfe and to vs all After Iohn the second King of Portugall was dead and Emanuell most happily succeeded him in his Kingdome he sent a nauy whereof Vascus a Gama was gouenor in the yeare of our redemtion one thousand foure hundred ninty and seauen for Aethiopia who disankerring at Vlysbone and recouering and escaping that dangerous poynt called caput bonaespei at last arriued in East India where by armes they reduced many prouinces and citties vnder our subiection and gouernment which newes being made knowne in Aethiopia by the borderers as also by some Portugalls which at that time came out of India to Prester Iohns Court Helena the grand-mother of David who by reason of Dauids non age had the administration and gouernment of his Kingdomes sent one Mathew Armenius a skilfull man and learned in
elect another Patriarch by the most voyces but it is not lawfull to elect any other than one of Alexandria and one of incorrupt manners and vntainted conuersation who being created they signe their suffrages and giue them into the Legates hands that came for that purpose he foorthwith goeth to Cayre whither when he is come he offereth that creation vnto the Patriarch of Alexandria whose seate is alwaies there to be read And when he perceiueth which of the people of Alexandria they haue elected he foorth-with sendeth the man ordained to such honors with the Legate into Aethiopia who by an old ordonance ought alwaies to be an Eremit of the Order of S. Anthony with whom the Ambassadour goeth straight into Aethiopia where he is receiued of all men with great ioy and honor in which busines somtimes is spent a yere or two in al which time precious Iohn doth dispose of the reuenues of the Patriarke according to his pleasure Now the chiefest office of the Patriarch is to giue orders which none but he can either giue or take away but he can bestow vpon none either Bishopricke or other Church-benefice this onely belongeth to precious Iohn who dispenceth of all things according to his will And the Patriarch beeing dead he whose power and yerely reuenues is the largest is made heire of the whole substance of all his goods Moreouer the office of the Patriarch is to proceed to excommunication against the stubborne the obseruation whereof is so strict as the punishment of perpetuall steruing to death is inflicted vpon the offenders Indulgences he giueth nor granteth none neither bee any interdicted the Sacraments of the church for any offence whatsoeuer be it neuer so hainous but onely for homicide the name of the Patriarchship in our speech is called Abunna but he which now executeth the office is called Marcus which was the proper name giuen him in Baptisme he is a man of an hundred yeares of age or aboue And you must note that we begin our yeare in the Kalends of September which day alwaies falleth vpon the vigill of Saint Iohn Baptist the other festiuall dayes as the Feast of the Natiuity of our Lord Easter and the rest bee celebrated with vs at the same times they be in the Roman Church And this I may not obscurely passe ouer as though it were not so that Saint Philip the Apostle did preach the Gospell and faith of our Sauiour Iesus Christ our Lord in our countrie Now if you desire to know of the name of our Emperour he is fully perswaded that hee was euer called precious Iohn and not Presbiter Iohn as is falsly bruted abrode for in one speech it is written with characters that signifie Ioannes Belull that is as much to say as precious or high Iohn and in the chaldaean tongue it is Ioannes Encoe which beeing interpreted doth signifie precious or high Iohn Neither is hee to be named Emperour of the Abyssini as Matheus hath vntruly declared but Emperour of the Aethiopians and Mathew beeing an Armenian could not throughly vnderstand our matters especially those which appertained vnto faith and Christian Religion and therefore he related many things in the presence of the most prudent and most potent king Emanuel of happy memory which with vs are nothing soe and this hee did not with a desire to speake vntruths for hee was a good man but for that hee was not throughly instructed in matters concerning our religion The succession of his Kingdomes and Empire doth not alwaies descend vpon the eldest sonne but vnto him vpon whome the father pleaseth to bestow it And hee which now gouerneth the Empire was his fathers third sonne which hee merited and obtayned by an awfull and holy reuerence to his father for when his father lay a dying he commanded all his sonnes to sit downe vpon his throne which all the rest of his children did sauing he and he refused saying God for bid that so much should be attributed vnto me that I should sit in my Lords chaire whose deuotion when his father saw hee indued him with all his Kingdomes Empire he is called Dauid the power of whose Empire as well ouer Christians as Ethnickes is large and ample wherin be many Kings and petty Kings Earles Barons and Peeres and much Nobility all which be most obedient to his command In all whose dominions there is no mony vsed but such as is brought from other places for they giue and receiue siluer and gold by weight wee haue many citties and great townes but not such as we see here in Portugall the reason whereof for the most part is that precious Ioan liueth alwaies in campes and tents which custome is vsed for this purpose that the nobility may continually excercise themselues in military affaires And this I may not omit to tell you that wee bee compasled about on all sides with the enimies of our faith with whom we haue many and euer prosperous conflicts which victories we attribute to gods diuine assistance written lawes we haue none in vse amongst vs neither be the complaints of those which sue others expressed in libells or writings but by words which is done least by the couetuousnesse of Iudges and counsellors controuersies should be protracted And this more I thinke sit to shew you that this Mathew was not sent by Dauid our Emperor vnto the most inuincible and potent King Emanuell of happy memory but by Queene Helena the Emperors wife surnamed the hand of Mary who at that time by reason of Dauids nonage tooke vpon her the gouernment of the Kingdomes being a woman without doubt most prudent and holy And the same Helen as shee was excceeding well learned writ two bookes in the Chaldean tongue one of the which is called Enzera Chebaa that is to say praise God vpon the Organes and instruments of Musicke in which booke shee disputeth very learnedly of the Trinitie and of the virginity of Mary the mother of Christ The other booke is called Chedale Chaay that is to say the sonne beame contayning very acute disputations of the law of God All these things concerning our faith religion and state of our country I Zaga Zabo by interpretation the grace of the father both Bishop and Preest and Bugana Raz that is Captaine Knight and Veceroy of the Prouince haue declared which I could not deny at your request my most deere Sonne in Christ Damianus nor yet any other man desiring to be instructed there in neither is it lawfull to deny it for two causes the first whereof is for that I am commanded by my most mighty Lord Precious Iohn Emperor of the Aethiopians to satisfie euery one that demandeth of me concerning our faith religion and prouinces that I should conceale nothing but faithfully declare vnto them the truth of al things both by words and writing the other reason is for that I deeme it very fitting and labour well spent that our names customes and ordinances and
chap. 19 Of Tuscia and of the ancient maners of the Tuscans ch 20 Of Galalia in Europe and of the old customes of that country chap. 21 Of Gallia and of the ancient customes and later â—â—nners of the Frenchmen chap. 22 Of Spaine and of the manners of the Spaniards chap. 28 Of Lusitania and of the manners of the Portugals chap. 24 Of England Scotland and Ireland and of many other Ilands and of the maners customes of the Inhabitants chap. 25 Of the I le of Taprohane and the customes of that people cha 26 FINIS Lib. 3. NIcholas Damascen of the manners and customes of sundry nations fol 472 Certaine things of America or Brasill gathered out of the writings of Iohannes Lerius fol. 483 The faith religion and manners of the Aethiopians and the deploration of the people of Lappia compiled by Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall wherein is contained A letter of Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall to Pope Paul the third fol. 503 A letter of Helena the grandmother of Prestor Iohn Emperor of Aethiopia to Emanuell King of Portugall written in the yeare 1509. fol. 512 The letters of the most renowned Dauid Emperor of Aethiopia to Emanuell King of Portugall written in the yeare 1521. Paulus Iouius beeing Interpretor fol. 517 The letters of the same Dauid Emperor of Aethiopia to Iohn the third of that name King of Portugall in the yeare 1524. fol. 526 The letters of the same Emperor to the Pope of Rome in the same yeare 1524. the same Paulus Iouius beeing Interpretor fol. 533 Other letters from the said Emperor to the Pope the same yeare fol. 540 The faith and religion that the Aethiopians hold and obserue fol. 546 The deplâ—ration of Lappia f. 581 The siâ—uation of Lapp a. fol. 585 A short discourse of the Aethiopians taken out of Scaligers seuenth booke De emendatione temporum fol. 588 FINIS The cause why he writ this booke The cause why people inhabited neere together The earth recouered from hir first rudenes and barren nesse and made fertile The earth compared to Paradise The true God forgotten Plurality of gods which god was worshipped in each seueral country Jesus Christ reduced the world from error The large Countries of the Mahometans The diuersitie of worshipinge is the seminarie of distention The Greeke Philosophers first glory The law-giuers first authority The Caldeanes the wisest men in the world VVhy the world is so called The originall and appellation of Adam Paradice The fertilnesse of the earth why iâ— was restrained Cain the first begotten of Adam The generall deluge and how long it continued Noah sent his children and kindred to inhabite other countries The cause of the variety of toungs and manners The exile of Cham. Men liued like beasts The Sunne and Moone worshipped The Moone called Isis the Sunne Osyris the Ayre Iupiter the Fyre Vulcan the Sky Pallas and the Earth Ceres Arabia the mother of many Colonies The issue of Sem and Japhet VVhy the worship of the true God remained with so few The two-fold opinion of the Philosophers concerning the world Light things tend vpwards and heauie things downewards The naturall creation of liuing creatures The barbarous manner of liuing of the first people The diuersitie of toungs how it came Men made wiser by danger Necessitie the the mistresse of labours The first men were the Aethiopians The earth deuided into three parts Affrick deuided from Asia Europ deuided from Affricke Asia deuided from Europe The scituation and qualitie of Affricke The incommodities of Affrick Affrick inhabited by home-bred people and strangers The people of Affrick made more ciuill by Hercules The qualitie of the soyle of Affrick The fruitfulnesse of the ground The wonders of Affrick VVhat kind of beasts are bred in Affrick Two Aethiopias One Aethiopia is now called India The qualitie of Aethiopia The Aethiopians were the first people The gods first worshipped in in Aethiopia VVhat letters the Aethiopians vsed The election of their Kings The obedience of the Ethiopians The apparell of the Ethiopians Their exercise Meroê was once the Kings seate Gold accounted baser then brasse The Aethiopian armor The religion of the Ethiopians The authority of the Priests Their gods The new customes of the Aethiopians or Indians Prestor Iohn King of that Aethiopia which is in Asia Their Priests marry once and no more Saint Thomas held in great reuerence The power of the Ethiopian Kings VVhat weapons be vsed in their wars The punishment for adultery Husbands assigne dowers for their wiues Mahomet worshipped in Libia The denomination and description of Aegipt The Aegiptians had their beginning from the Aethiopians The Aegiptian women do the offices of men and men the offices of women Their manner of funerals Circumcision vsed by the Egiptians The cleannesse of the Priests Beanes an vncleane graine with the Egiptians The Aegiptians wine The Aegiptians salutations VVollen garments contemned Many ceremonies vsed in Christian religion borrowed from the Egiptians VVhat seruants attended vpon their Kings The Priests prasied the good Kings dispraised the bad The Egyptians simple diet The Kings safety much regarded How the Egyptians be wayle their dead Kings that were good How their Kings be buried The auncient gouernment of the Egiptians Their common-wealth consisteth of three sorts of people husbandmen shepheards and labourers How their iudgments were giuen The chiefe Iudge weareth the signe of Truth about his neck The lawes of the Egiptians against periurd persons Against salse accusers A law against parents that murdered their children A law against Pariacides Offenders in the warres punished with shame A law against adultery and fornication Bocchoris their law maker Mens bodiesnot liable to their debts The law against theeues Their marriaages The small cost bestowed in bringing vpchildren Musick disalowd of the Egiptians How the Egiptians cure the diseased The Aegiptians worship diuers sorts of creatures The strange kind of burials amongst the Egiptians The bodies of dead parents giuen to their creditors The Adrimachidae The Nasamons The Masagetae The Nasomans and their marriages How the prophesy The Garamantes The Macae The Gnidanes The Machlyes and Auses The Atlantes The Pastoritij The Maxes The zabices The zigantes All these people of Libia be Sauadge people The Trogloditae The Rhisophagi The Ilophagi and Sparmatophagi The Cyneci The Acridophagi The Cinnamini The Ichthiophagi Men free from all passions of the minde Patient people The Amazons most warlike women Asia why so called Arabia deuided into three parts The Arabians lye with their owne mothers and daughters No horses in Arabia The Garraei The Nabathaei Panchaia aboundeth with Frankinsence Iupiter was banished into Panchaia The great Temple in Panchaia Hony wine made of dates The Assyrians botes Their apparell Virgins that be mariageable be sold to their husbands A law excluding Phisitions and how they cured the sick The officers amongst the Assyrians The limmits of Palestine Iudaea or Palestine called also Canaan Canaan promised to