done or passed any matter of importance touching the state of the Realme so much is it respected both within the Realme and abroad This Court of Parliament was first ordayned by Philip the faire King of France The second Parliament is at Bordeaux for the Countries of Guyen Gascoine Zaintonge Perigort part of Poictou and others and was first ordained by Charls the seventh The third Parliament is at Roven for the Dukedome of Normandy first made exchequer by Philip the faire and afterwards continuall Parliament by Lewes the twelfth The fourth Parliament is at Tholouze first ordained for certaine times in the yeare by Philip the faire and afterwards made continually by Charles the seventh for the Countrey of Langueâ—oc The fift Parliament is at Grenoble for the Countrey of Daulphine instituted by Lewes the eleventh The sixt Parliament is at Dijon for the Dukedome of Burgundy it was likewise ordayned by the said Lewes the eleventh The seventh Parliament is at Aix for the Earledome of Provence appointed by Lewes the 12. The eight Parliament is at Renes in Britaine ordayned by Henry the second Of all these Parliaments Paris Parliament is the chiefe and certaine cases are reserved to bee judged onely at the Parliament of Paris Of the Oystridge THE Oystridge is found especially in Affrica his head is covered with small haires his his eyes be grosse and blacke his neck is long his bill is short and sharpe his feete hath as it were a by partite hoofe Pliny saith that hee exceedeth the height of a man on horseback and that his Wings helpe him little But with his Nailes which are like Hoofes hee taketh stones and throweth against those which persecute him Hee doth digest whatsoever hee devoureth be it never hard Hee is of a marvellous foolishnesse for if he hath once hidden his head under a bush hee thinketh himselfe safe and not to bee seene It is said to be a simple and forgetfull thing and that as soone as it hath brought forth egs it forgetteth them untill the yong commeth forth which is thought to bee easily done because they leave the egges in the warme sand so that the yong may soone be hatched the which the males doe feed and cherish when they are brought forth When hee seeth that hee cannot avoide taking he casteth stones against his followers and many times hurteth them His Nest is commonly found in the Sand well made with Bulwarkes and Bankes to keepe away raine from the yong Of the Empire of Cathay THE Empire of Cathay is ruled by the great Cham. With this Nation one man may have many Wives and when the Husband dyeth every wife pleadeth her owne cause before the Judges and sheweth her merits so that which of them soever is adjudged to have been the most officious and dearest wife to her husband shee in her best apparrell and all her Jewels as though shee had gotten the victory of the other goeth willingly and merrily unto the heape of Wood where her husband shall be burnt and lying downe by his carcasse and embracing it the fire is kindled and so she is burnt with her husband the other of his wives after this live in great shame and obloquy They match not together for Wealth or Nobility but for excellency of beauty and procreation sake The people of Cathay have this opinion that they thinke no other Nation to see with both eyes but themselves they are perswaded also that they excell all other in subtilty of Arts and Sciences It is a white kinde of people without beards of small eyes and lacking true piety and due obeisance to God for some of them worshippe the Sunne some the Moone others certaine Images of mettals and other some an Oxe so that they be full of monstrous superstition The Emperour keepeth his Court at his Citty called Cambalu which is the noblest Mart in that part of the World for there is almost never a day throughout the yeare but that a thousand Cart-loads of Silke almost are changed and brought there amongst Merchants The Emperour keepeth in his Court twelve thousand Horsemen to keepe his body Their order of watching is thus One Captaine with three thousand gardeth the King within the Palace for 3 dayes and so doth another other 3 dayes following and thus they keep their courses When the Emperour sitteth downe to meate he hath his principall and greatest Queen on his left hand and his children which be of royall blood on his right hand in a lower place No Man that â—itteth downe in this Hall drinketh or is served in any other vessell but of Gold the Princes and Noble-men that serve the King at his meate cover their mouths with most fine silke clothes lest they should breath upon the Kings meate or drinke and when the Emperour taketh the pot to drinke all the Musitians begin to make great melody and the other ministers bend their knees The thirteene Cantons of Swisserland THe inhabitants of Helvetia or Swisserland after they had emancipated themselves from the yoake of the Empire and expelled the Nobility of the imperiall faction beganne to make Leagues and Confederacies one towne with another to fortifie themselves by that meanes against forraigne invasions if any happened And in processe of time within little more then an hundred yeares are increased to the number of 13 which they call Cantons by which the whole Countrey of Swisse is governed and defended And here according to their antiquity I place them the first that confederated together and gave example to the rest were Vri Swits Vndervard Villages and these three by little and little have drawne to their Faction all the rest that follow Lucerne Zurich Citties Glaris Zug Villages Berne Fribourg Soulleurre Baste Schaffouse Citties Appensel Village whereof 7 professe the Romish Religion viz. Vri Swits Vndervard Zug Lucerne Fribourg and Soulleurre the rest are Zuinglians which diversity of Religion hath caused dissention and mortall Warres of late yeares among them although they be all sworne together to defend their Liberty against Strangers The twelve Peeres or Paires of France IN the Realme of France to be a Peere is the greatest dignity under the King for that in many things they have almost equall Authority with Kings for Peere in the French tongue signifieth equall But because it may bee too prolixe a matter to speake of their Prerogatives it shall suffice to number them and each of their offices at the sacring or coronation of a new King These ancient Peeres are twelve in number whereof six are of the Clergy and sixe are Lay-men the six of the Clergy with their Offices at the Coronation are the Archbishop and Duke of Reins which hath his accustomed charge to oynt and consecrate the King the Bishop and Duke of Lacon whose office is to bring the holy Ampoule or divine water wherwith the King is annointed the Bishop and Duke of Langres whose office is to bring the Scepter and the hand of Justice the Bishop and
of certaine Abbies religious Houses or other spirituall lands whereof they shall alow a certaine stipend to the entertaining of a certaine number of religious persons in every religious house under him and for that benefit are sworne at the entring into the said Order alwayes to defend the Spirituality and maintaine the Clergy in their priviledges but how they keepe their Oath it is well seene in every place of their spirituall possessions and thereof my selfe have oftentimes had oeular experience for travailing in that Countrey and passing oâ—tentimes by goodly religious houâ—ses I have sometimes for recreâ—ation having well tryed the courteous demeanor that commonly Religious men use towards strangers that come to view their houses entred into sundry of them where I have divers times beene sufficiently enformed by the religious how the King had given the rents and possessions of their houses to the Knights of his Order with the conditions already rehearsed which Knights allow them such bare exhibition that by reason it is not sufficient to entertaine the fourth part oâ— the number by them appoynâ—ted almost all of them aâ— constrayned eyther to forsakâ— their houses and begge oâ— else there to starve througâ— which occasion many goâ—â— religious houses are of late fallen in decay for want of reparation trimming up and inhabiting and will do more and more without a redresse And this have I learned in divers Religious houses beside the common murmuring of the Clergy and so wee may see how these Knights called of the Holy Ghost for to defend and maintaine the spirituality doe under pretence thereof rob and prodigally wast the spirituall possessions so that it may seeme only to be a policy under the correction of better judgement put in the Kings head to diminish spirituall livings which in that Countrey are wonderful great and satisfie his prodigall minde in rewarding by that meanes his flatterers because through his exceeding lavishnesse hee is scarce able otherwise to reward them The Bishop of Rome considering what dismembring of Church-lands and decay of Gods service commeth through this Order in the Realme of France will not grant the confirmation thereof although the King hath beene instant for the same but notwithstanding the Popes misliking thereof the Order is maintained though to the great weakning of the Religion in that Countrey Yea at the last celebration thereof which was on New-yeares day even 1581 I saw three Bishops were admitted into that Order The Collar is of Flowers de lys and flames of Gold with a Crosse and a Dove on it pendant representing the Holy Ghost wrought in Orange-tauny Velvet garnished about with silver beames which the Knights of that Order weare upon their Cloakes before their heart Their robe is a blacke Velvet Mantle poudered with Lillies and flamâ—s of Gold and Silver None are admitted to this Order who cannot proove their Nobility by 3 descents at least The sixt Order is of the Bath brought first into England 1â—99 by Henry the Fourth They are created at the Coronation of Kings and Queenes and the installation of the Princes of Wales Their duty is to defend true Religion Widdows Maids Orphans and to maintaine the Kings rights Of the Cannibals THe Cannibals are wilde people feeding uppon mans flesh which is a very sweete kinde of flesh If they get or finde any children within the age of 14 yeares they feede them and cram them as we doe Capons but those which are beyond 14 yeares of age they kill them out of hand devouring their hot guts immediately and the other parts of their bodies they salt and lay up as we doe poudred flesh they eaten women but keepe them onelâ— for the bearing of children 〈◊〉 we doe Hennes for egges If any for age is past childe bearing shee doth all drudgeâ—ry like unto a bond-woman they have no houses but the erect many trees together and so combine them in the top that it serveth for lodging Their beds be made of Silke and Hey they have no Iron but they use bones instead of Iron they dresse their meate in earthen pots mingling the flesh of Parats Geese Ducks and mans flesh together They are now come to more civility then they had in times past Of the Lyon LYons live in many Countries in Affrica they have a cruell and terrible looke and thinne haires Pliny thinketh that his especiall valiancy is when his maine covereth his necke and shoulders In Affrica for the scarcity of waters many wilde beasts meete together at some one puddle where males and females of divers kindes use naturall conjunction whereof commeth monstrous yong Aristotle saith that the shee Lyon hath at her first generation five yong and that every year-after shee bringeth forth lesse by one untill shee waxe barren and that her yong are without shape or fashion about the bignesse of a Weasell Herodoâ—us and Gellius thinketh the contrary that shee bringeth forth one every yeare Democritus saith this beast onely is bred and brought forth with open eyes and that hee is given to little sleep as it may appeare because his tayle is often wagging as hee sleepeth The Male Lyon maketh urine like unto a Dogge which is strong in savour The Lyons drinke seldome they feed every other day after satiety they be without meat for 3 dayes they devoure such things as they can wholly they live long The Lyon only of al fierce and cruell beasts sheweth clemency towards the humble for hee spareth the prostrate and when he rageth he useth his violence rather against Men then Woemen He never uttereth his Force against infants and children but beeing driven with great Famine thereto His tayle is a note of his minde and stomacke as the eares bee in a horse for if his tayle stirreth not he is gentle and peaceable the which is a rare thing for he is most commonly angry He keepeth his desire of revenging long against any that hatve hurt him being wounded hee doth note and marke him that gave the wound and in a great multitude will invade him His bones are sound and not hollow whereof some write that out of his bones fire may be striken as out of stones and therefore sometimes he is so raging with anger and in such a burning heate that hee dyeth presently He is never exasperate or moved but either by famine or hurt This one thing is to be noted in so cruell a beast that wheeles runned about and empty Carts and the combes and singing of Cocks doth make him afraid but especially hee is afraide of fire Of the people called the Nigrites and others THere is a kinde of people nigh unto the confines of the west Arabians called Azanagi whose colour is betwixt blacke and ash-colour they live with Barley and Dates and Camels milke and because they are neare unto the Nigrits they feede sometimes upon divers kinde of pulse they be no great feeders for the scarcity of victuals maketh them to suffer and tollerate much famine The Portugals use merchandize
the World 3634 and before Christ 320 yeares after whose death it was divided among the Prefects which in his life-time he had appointed in divers Countries by which division Seleucus was King of Syria Ptolomeus of Egypt Antigonus of Asia Cassander of Macedonia and Greece all which Countries were after subdued by the Romans The fourth Monarchy or Empire was of the Romans founded by Iulius Caesar in the yeare of the World 3914 after the building of Rome 706 yeares and before Christ 47 yeares This Monarchy flourished about the space of 470 yeares till that after the death of Theodostus the great it was divided by his two Sonnes into two Empires Arcadius was Emperor of Constantinople which Empire endured though afterwards much diminished by the invasions of barbarous Nations untill the yeare of our Lord 1453 and then was quite lost by Constantine and conquered by Mahomet second King of Turkes Honorius was Emperour of Rome which Empire shortly after in the yeare of our Lord five Hundred Seventy five and about the ninth Moneth of the Reigne of Augustus was utterly ruinated and spoyled by Othacar King of Gothes And long after in the yeare of our Lord Eight Hundred and one it was restored by Charles the great and by him united to the Crown of France and by his successours translated into Germany where it yet remaineth as a shadow onely or representation of the greatnesse and majesty of the ancient Roman Empire How the Torneyments and Iustes beganne first in Saxony HEnry Duke of Saxony in the yeare of our Lord 931 beeing assaulted and incombred much with Infidels and Heathen Nations made an assembly of a great multitude of the Nobility to assist him in his Warres against the Saracens wherein he had so good successe that triumphantly he had the victory over them Thus after hee had given the repulse to the Infidels considering what a number of the Nobility he had dayly exercising themselves in Martiall acts thought it meet that after the end of his long and great Warres to recreate them with â—ome honest and pleasant exerâ—â—se Hee had compassion over â—hem because some of them â—â—habiting amongst Cittizens â—hould bee occupied with civill â—usinesse and not in the exerâ—â—se of noble and honourable paâ—imes meete for such personaâ—es as they were and therefore â—e prescribed certaine articles â—ccording to the which they â—hould live and if they did transâ—resse them that they should be â—unished in the open Torniaâ—ent these articles were twelve â—n number The first whosoever of the Nobility should say or doe aâ—y thing against the Holy faith â—â—e should be restrained from the Torneyment and if under â—he colour or excuse of the Noblenesse of any of his ancestors â—ny doth presume to enter the lists or the Torneyment let him with shame be driven away The second whosoever comming of noble blood doth attempt any thing against the royall Majesty of Caesar let him be punished openly in the Torneyment and of this article was the Authour Conradus a Prince of Palatine The Duke of Franconia was the Authour of the third which is this Whosoever comming of a noble house betrayeth has Lord or forsaketh him or exciteth to fly away in an Army without any necessary cause or slayeth his innocent companions let him have punishment in the open Torneyment The Duke of Sueneland made the fourth after this sort Whosoever comming of Noble Parentage doth violate or defame by words or deeds Virgins or Women let him be openly corrected in the Torneyment The fift Article the Duke of Bavaria made in this manner If any of the Nobility bee apprehended or reproved to have corrupted or falsefied the Seale or to have violated his Oath or hath beene noted of infamy let him as unworthy bee kept from the Torneyment The sixt is if any Noble-man did either secretly or openly slay his wife or bed-fellow or had helped by his counsell or deede to the destroying of the Lord the law of the Torneyment should take place against him The seventh if any did spoile and rob Churches Chappels Widdows or Wards or kept by force that which was theirs from them wheras they were rather to be helped and maintaâ—â—ned that he should bee duely corrected for it The eighth If any noble man were become an enemy to another and did not maintaine hâ—â— cause by lawfull order or by martiall law but would 〈◊〉 his adversary by robberies 〈◊〉 by destroying of his goods especially his Wines and Corne whereby the Common-wealth is endamaged let him be tormented in the Torneyment The ninth If any did presume to make any alteration or sâ—â— any heavy burden upon others otherwise then of ancient times were used howsoever it were done c. that hee should have his correction in open Torneyment The tenth If any were convict of Adultery c. in like â—anner let him be amended The eleventh Whatsoever Noble-man doth not live as a Noble-man should doe c. in â—â—ke manner let him bee puniâ—hed The twelfth Hee that will â—e at the Torneyment not comâ—ing of noble parentage or â—annot prove his Nobility in â—ure descents hee may not â—nter into the exercise of the Torneyment Thus in a briefe summe you â—ay see the manner of the Torâ—eyment in Saxony The eight Parliaments of France THE chiefe and generalleâ— Justice of the Realme 〈◊〉 France is continually kept 〈◊〉 eight Citties wherein are Palaâ—ces made expresly for the puâ—â—pose and this generall kinde oâ— Justice is divided into eigâ—â— parts according to the eigâ—â— Citties and every of them aâ—â— called Parliaments which diffeâ— very little from our Tearmâ—â— but whereas these are but fouâ— times in a yeare those are conâ—tinually kept each of them haâ—ving instead of our Lord Chanâ—celour a chiefe President The first and chiefest of thesâ— Parliaments is that of Pariâ— called the Court of the Peereâ— of France and to the equitâ— â—nd judgement of this Parliaâ—ent many forraigne Kings and â—rinces have submitted themâ—â—lves in matters of greatest imâ—ortance as to the most veneâ—ble and chiefest Senate of Juâ—â—â—ce in the world Such were â—â—e Emperour Frederick the seâ—â—â—nd called Barberossa King 〈◊〉 both Scycils when he subâ—itted himselfe to the judgment 〈◊〉 this Court of Parliament as â—uching all the controversies 〈◊〉 his Empire and Kingdomes â—hich he had against Pope Inâ—â—cent the Fourth Philip Prince 〈◊〉 Tarente and the Duke of â—urgundy who submitted themâ—â—lves to this Parliament for â—â—e controversie betwixt them â—â—on the expences of the recoâ—ery of the Empire of Constanâ—â—nople The Duke of Lorraineâ—bject â—bject to the Empire and the Lord Guy of Chastillon who submitted themselves to the judgement of this Court as concerning the limitation of their lands and possessions the Daulphin of Vienna and the Earle of Savâ—y submitted themselves to the judgement of this Parliament concerning the suite betwixt them for the homage of the Marquisat of Saluces Moreover without the consent of this Parliament it hath not beene seene that the Kings of France have