earthly beasts comming neare to the water he dismembreth them with his nayles which hee hath sharper then any weapon His biting is cruell and sharpe and hee so rendeth with his teeth that it can never bee healed there is great store of them about Nilus because they are very fruitfull of themselves having young every yeare and also they are seldome taken It is a fearefull beast flying from those that persecute him and persecuting those that fly from him It is said that when hee goeth about to devoure a man that hee beginneth to weepe whereof hath sprung this Proverb The teares of a Crocodile that is when one doth weepe with his eyes without compassion and not with his heart and minde Pliny saith that this beast onely in his biting doth move his upper jaw he liveth in the day time upon the land and in the night time in the water his eyes be very dull in the water and his sight is marvellous sharp out of the water Some say that hee groweth and encreaseth as long as he liveth The Twelve Apostles with their Martyrdomes IAmes the Sonne of Zebedee called maior for that he was chosen to be an Apostle was sent to convert Spaine from whence by reason of the obstinacy of the people for he converted in all but nine persons hee returned shortly againe to preach in Iudea where by the envy of a Jewisâ— Bishop called Abiathar hee was accused and beheaded by the consent of Herod Agrippa His body was conveyed by his Disciples first to Ierusalem and from thence to Spaine where it yet remaineth in Compostella a famous pilgrimage Iames the sonne of Alpheus called minor for that hee was last chosen he was the first Bishop of Ierusalem and that by the space of thirty yeares and then as he was preaching in the Temple he was throwne headlong downe by the Pharises and by them stoned to death He was buried by the Temple Simon by Christ called Peter through the indignation of Nero because he had overcome Simon Magus was crucified with his head downeward according as he desired Saul after his conversion called Paul after he had endured and escaped many dangers and torments as beating with rods and put in the stocks by Philippus stoned in Lystra delivered to wilde beasts in Ephesus bound and beaten in Ierusalem and many others lastly came to Rome where by the commandement of Nero he was beheaded because he was a Roman borne the same day that Peter was crucified Paul instead of Iohn because he ended not his life with Martyrdome Philip after hee had preached through the whole Countrey of Scythia and converted a great part thereof in the space of twenty yeares was at the last in the Citty of Hierapolâ—â— when hee had there extirpeâ— the Heresie of the Hebeonites fastned to the Crosse and so dyed Bartholmew went to preach in India and afterward came to Albania a Citty of Armenia the greater where he converted the King of that Citty and destroyed the Idolls wherefore by the commandement oâ— Astiagus brother to the King Polemius whom hee had converted hee was flead alive His body was afterwards brought to Italy and is as some say at Rome Andrew Simon Peters brother went first to preach in Achaia and afterward preached in Scythia but lastly hee was taken at Patras a City of Achaia by Egeas Proconsull of that Province who because he had converted his Wife Maximilla cast him in prison where hee was sore beaten and lastly stretched out and bound on a slopâ— crosse to augment his torment and so dyed Thomas preached the Gospell to the Parthians Medes Persians Hyrcanians Bragmans and converted a great part of India He was by the Infidells throwâ— into a burning Furnace and came out unhurt Finally because he prayed God to destroy the Idoll of the Sunne which the Infidells would have compelled him to worship hee waâ— by them thrust through with speares and swords Mathew after he had preached much in Iudea he went into Ethiopia and there converted the greatest part of thaâ— countrey Finally having newly ended his prayers and lifting up his hads to Heave by the Alâ—ar certaine spies came behinde him and ranne him through with their swords which was â—one by the commandement of a King of those Counâ—ries Iudas called also Thaddeus after the ascension of our Lord was sent by Thomas to heale Aâ—agar King of of Edissa afterwards hee preached in Pontus â—nd Mesopotamia and converted â—any cruell and barbarous people Lastly hee came to Persia there for confounding of their â—dols hee was suddenly runne â—pon and murdered by the Paâ—â—n Bishops of that Countrie â—e is buried at Netre a Citty of Armenia Simon called Chaâ—aneus broâ—â—er to Thaddeus and Iames the â—â—sse after hee had preached in â—â—ypt returned to Ierusalem whereof by the consent of the Apostles he was made Bishop after the Martyrdom of his brother Iames. As touching his death and Martyrdome some say that hee suffered with his brother Iudas Thaddeus in Persia others that he was through tâ—â— envy of Hereticks accused to 〈◊〉 a Christian before the Consulâ— Atticus and therefore crucified as his Master was Mathyas after the ascension 〈◊〉 Christ chosen by the Apostleâ— to supply Iudas roome waâ— borne at Bethlehem and descended of the Tribe of Iuda He preached altogether in Iudâ—â— where lastly he was accused bâ— his enemies of perjury or raâ—ther blasphemy and thereforâ— he was condemned to be stoneâ— to death by two men duriâ—â— which torment one smote hiâ— with a hatchet and so hee suffred martyrdome The Seven Wise men of Greece BIas borne in the Haven-towne of Priâ—ne in the Countrey of Ionia Solon borne in the Iland of Salamine Chilo borne in Lacedemonia Cleobulus borne at Lindus in the I le of Rhodes Piâ—taâ—us borne at Mitylene in the I le of Lesbos Thales borne at Miâ—eto in Greece Periander King of Corinth Yong fowles hatched and brought forth without the dammes and females FOElix Vlmensis and Britenbachius write in their bookes of common peregrination and travaile that in Alexandria and and in Egypt there bee Oveâ—â— made full of holes wherein are laid three or foure thousand egges some of Geese some of Hens some of Pigeons some of Ducks and that they are hidden and covered in dung and that hot coales are set a farre of about the dung so that through the temperate heate of these things the egges by little and little waxe warme in the dung even as it were under the Hen And at length the young are hatched and brought forth so that they come by flocks out of the dung and from thence are taken and led abroad to bee fed at liberty The rites and manners of the Egyptians THe Egyptians were almost the first in the World wherof other Nations learned and took their lawes wisdome manner and living and wee reade that for learning sake Homer Dedalus Solon Plato and many other went thither Foralthough they were Gentiles and not beâ—eeving on God yet they
and pompe for after that the Pope is new elected by the whole Colledge of Cardinals hee commeth from his Palace of Saint Angelo with great glory and honour towards Saint Peters Church First the Officers as Stewards Controllers Treasurers and chiefe Rulers apparrelled all in long Scarlet-gownes Secondly the Knights of Rome Thirdly the Barons Counts and Marquesses Then the Abbats then followed the Bishops after the Bishops the Arch-bishops in their long Pontificall garments with silver Miters richly beset with stones After came 3 degrees of Cardinals Deacon-Cardinals Priest-Cardinals and Bishop-Cardinals The Pope with passing pompe is carryed upon mens shoulders in Cellagestatoria with his triple Crowne on his head full of precious stones and with a most sumptuous and precious robe wrought over very artificially with Gold and set with divers stones and so carryed in pompe to St. Peters Church upon Kings Embassadors shoulders After some prayers and sacrifice done he is againe upon mens shoulders carried from St. Peters into Saint Andrews Chappell where after many rites and ceremonies finished which were provided for his inauguration hee is taken up againe into his golden chaire from St. Andrew's Chappell where Andrew the Apostles head is presented thence hee is carried to the Chappell of St. Peter and St. Paul thence carried from place to place by the Legats and Embassadours of all the Kings of Christendome then being in Rome representing the states of Kings and Emperours Oh superbum animal for betweene golden and silver Crosses the Miters of Bishops and Cardinals Hats shining as stars with divers kinds of precious stones with Jewels the Popes triumphant carriage under suchâ— regall Canopy with his triple Crowne his rich and Pontificall garments blessing the people passed farre the pompe oâ— great Xerxes in his voyage into Greece or the triumphs of great Pompey over all Affrica and Asia at Rome Hos ludos iocos diceres prout rabies Papa with such peales of Gunnes ringing of Bells sounding Trumpets with such clamours and noise of other brazen Instruments that it far surmounted the besieging of Carthage or the assaulting of Numantia In like triumph and pompe he is againe carried into his Palace of St. Angelo blessing the people from place to place and in every place as he is carryed the people againe crying out wishing him the felicity of Augustus and the love of Traian using severall solemne Ceremonies with the greatest pompe that can be invented His Dinner that day exceeded Ca. Caesar who in his triumph over Affrica prepared 22000 â—bles most roially furnished and his banquets after dinner farre excelled the banquets of Lacius Lucullus or Marcus Antonius His Mirthe and Musicke passed the feast Hyacinthia The funerall pompe of the Romane Emperours THe pompe and solemne state of the Funeralls of the Roman Emperours were such as being set forth the solemnity of the dead Emperour were such as the Senators Dictators Consuls and chiefe magistrates of Rome being in their appointed funerall garments attending to carry the Coffin with one before the Herse playing upon a Shalme or a Flute with a mournfull funerall Song called Nania which in like manner the Grecians used at the funerall of their Kings the song which they called Ialemos Then the Patricians and Senators carried before the dead Emperour his Statues and Images and after that the Statues and Images of his predecessors to set forth the dignity of his stocke as Ca. Caesar did the funerall of his Aunt Mother to Marius whose Statues Caesar caused to bee carried before the Coffin with all the Serjeants carrying their Axes and rods with all the Ensignes Crowns rich spoyles and Trophies which Marius had gotten in his victories In like manner Tiberius Caesar the third Emperour of Rome caused at the funerall of his Father Drusus that the statue of Aeneas and all the statues of the Kings of Alba untill Romulus time the 17 after Aeneas and the statue of Romulus and of the whole family of Gens Iulia from Romulus time to Iulius Caesar lineally The like pompe was before Sylla and others by the Patricians and Senators Yet Marcus Aemilius Lepidus Pomponius Atticus with some others commanded that they should not be brought into the Field of Mars with any solemnity of Iupiters coate of triumphant garments Purple robes and such other pompe But specially if any dyed in the field the rare sight of the solemnity excelled the Generall and chiefe Captaines and every Officer with his band trayling their Pikes after them on the ground with the points of their Swords downeward their Ensignes folded together their horses sheard and clipt their dumbe Musicke with all the ruefull sights that might be invented c. Of the order of the inauguration and Coronation of the Kings of Persia. IN Persia after great King Cyrus death for so were the Kings of Persia called Great Kings his successors used Cyrus orders with the like ceremonies as was solemnized at the inaugurations of King Cyrus for then there was no anointing of any King in the whole World but of the Kings of Israel other Nations used such ceremonies as their Countries observed in their electing of Kings In some countries they made choise of the most likely est men in sight as among the Ethopians Among the Medes he that excelled in comelinesse and talnes of person and strength of body should be elected King In Lybia hee that was most swift in running should bee King In Persia then a Kingdome under the Medes untill Cyrus time whose greatnesse grew such as he became the onely Monarch by whom all the East Kingdomes were subdued his Successors the great Kings of Persia were with these ceremonies made Kings They should sit in Cyrus Chayre they should put on those garments that Cyrus first ware which were kept as monuments and reliques for the Kings of Persia. The new King sitting so in Cyrus Chaire three of the greatest Peeres in Persia brought unto him three dishes in the one was five dry figges In the second a little Turpentine the third Milke These Ceremonies being finished after that the new King had eaten of the dry figges and had tasted of the Turpentine and dranke of the Milke hee rose from Cyrus Chaire and was thence brought unto the next Hill for the Persians had no Temples nor Alters there Aftar supplications done they sacrificed unto the Sunne whose Temple say they is the whole World thence the King is brought to Persepolis where the new King againe putteth on the twelve sundry robes of Cyrus one after another by several ceremonies to be done while they doe sacrifice unto the whole hoste of Heaven the Sun the Moone and the Stars whom the Persians calâ— in one name Iupiter Magi there having Tiara on their heads and crowned with Myrtle sang their sacred songs Theogonia while the new King is putting on of these twelve Robes After this the King went to Cyrus chaire and read the lawes of Persia For as the old Kings of Rome were onely by the
studied much for honesty and goodnes and with their honest conversation did allure strangers and good men to come unto them â—nd to learne that which they â—ould not finde in other plaâ—es Their women in times â—ast did use Merchandize and â—ll things which appertained â—o Chapmen the men did weave and spinne within the house and carrie burdens on their heads the which the womeÌ„ did use to bear on their sholders the men did make Urine sitting but the woman did contrary They did discharge their bellies at home but their banquets they kept in high wayes they moulded bread with their feet and stirred their clay with their hands They did use to write after the Hebrewe fashion beginning their letters on the right hand When any of them met together at Dinner or Supper before they departed there came in one that brought a picture of a dead man upon a staffe made oâ— Wood of a Cubit length 〈◊〉 somewhat more and shewetâ— it to every one of the guests saying behold and looke upoâ— this drinke and bee refreshed with pleasure for such a one shalt thou be after thy death Their lawes were such that perjured men lost their lives as though they had beene guilty of two offences the one of violating piety towards God the other of breaking faith and promise amongst men which is the surest knot of humane society If any travailer found any man beaten of theeves and would not helpe him if he could he should bee found culpable of death if hee were not able to helpe him he was bound to detect the theeves and to follow the action against them and he that did neglect to doe this was punished with certaine stripes and kept without meat for three dayes If any Father killed his son there was no punishment of death appointed but for 3 daies and nights continually hee was commanded to bee about the dead body for they thought it no just thing to take away life from him that gave life to his children but rather that hee should bee punished with continuall paine and repentance of his fact that others might fear to do the like Paracides they caused to bee burned upon an heape of thornes and such as uttered any secrets to their enemies they caused their tongues to bee cut out And they that did counterfeit or clip mony had both their hands cut off so that with what part of the body the offence was made with the same hee should tollerate punishment If any had violated a free woman his naturall parts were cut off because in one fault he committed three haynous things that is an injury corruption and confusion of children He that was taken in voluntary Adultery had a thousand stripes with rods and the woman was mangled upon the nose The Priests could have but one Wife but the laity as many as they could keepe The bringing up of their children was with small cost for it came not unto the charge of twenty groats the whole Education of their full age and and this is not to bee marvelled at because Egypt is a hot Countrey and therefore they live naked without any kinde of Garment and they feed upon roots the which they eate sometimes raw and sometimes rosted in Imbers The Priests did teach their children especially Geometry and Arithmeticke They did drive away sicknesse either with fasting or with vomit the which they used every third day Their opinion was that all diseases came of superfluity of meates and therefore that to be the best cure which tooke away the matter and causes The seven Saxon Kingdomes that England was once divided into THe first was the Kingdome of Kent which had his beginning of the Saxon Hengist in the yeare of our Lord 476 and the fift yeare of Vortiger King of Britaine his last reigne for he had beene deposed the Kingdome continued 342 yeares till that Egberâ— King of Westsaxons vanquished Baldred last King thereof and joyned it to his owne Kingdome The second Kingdome was of Sussex or Southsaxons which began by the Saxon Ella in the yeare of our Lord 482 and the second yeare of Aurelius Ambrosius King of Britaine This Kingdome continued not above 112 yeares The third Kingdome was of East-angles or East-Englishmen and contained Northfolke and Suffolke it was first begunne by the Saxon Vffa about the yeare of our Lord 492 and the 11 yeare of Aurelius Ambrosius King of Britaine This Kingdome continued 376 yeares the last King whereof was Saint Edmond martyr'd by the Danes The fourth was the Kingdome of Westsaxons containing the West-countrey of England and had his beginning by the Saxon Cerdicus the yeare of our Lord 522 and the fift yeare of Arthur the great King of Britaine and endured from the first yeare of Cerdicus to the last of Alured the terme of 378 yeares The Kings of this Countrey subdued at length all the other sixe Kingdomes which Egbert beganne and Alured finished making all the South part of this Iland one Monarchy The fift was the Kingdome of Northumberland containing the Countries betwixt the river of Humber and Scotland had his beginning of the Saxon Idâ— King of Brenicia the yeare of our Lord 547 and the second or last yeare of the reigne of Aurelius Canon King of Britaine This Kingdome of Northumberland was at the first divided into two Kingdomes the one was called the Brenicia which bended towards the North and the other Deyra about the Countrey of Durham and this Kingdome continued some-while under one King sometime under two the terme of 409 years first under the Saxons and then under the Danes The sixt Kingdome was of the East Saxons or Essex which beganne by the Saxon Sebert the yeare of our Lord about 614 and continued from the beginning of the reigne of Sebert till the eighth yeare of Edward the elder 293 yeares The seventh Kingdome was of Mercia containing Huntingtonshire Hertfordshire Glostershire and others and was the greatest of all the other taking his beginning of the Saxon Penda in the yeare of our Lord 626 after the comming of Hengist 126 yeares during the reigne of Cadwan King of Britaine and continued from Penda till that Edward the Elder chased out the Danes about 280 yeares These 7 Kingdomes of the Saxons beside that of Wales and Scotland were all contained at once in this Iland of Britaine and continued a long space The foure Monarchies THe first Monarchy was of the Assyrians founded by Ninus about the yeare of the World 2220 augmented by the Queene Semiramis and after it had endured the terme of 1300 yeares it was translated by Arbactus unto the Medes and there having endured 350 years it was lost by Astyages and conquered by Cyrsu The second Monarchy was of the Persians founded by Cyrus the yeare of the World 3425 which after it had endured 191 yeares was lost by Darius and subdued by Alexander the great The third Monarchy was of the Grecians founded by Alexander the great in the yeare of
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
with them in these our dayes They cover their heads with a linnen roller whereof one part hangeth downe by the Fore-head so that they cover al their mouth therewith For they are almost as much ashamed to shew their mouthes as their privy parts and therfore they keep their mouths close never opening them except it bee to take meate and that because they would not let any filthy aire and vapour to slip out thereby They doe greatly esteeme fat and corpulent woemen and such as have large and faire breasts and dugges Within this Countrey the travaile of sixe dayes journey will bring a man to a place called Tagaza from whence is brought much plenty of Salt the which is carryed away upon Camels backs into divers places and especially to the Kingdome called Melli. The people called Mellitae be somewhat beyond the Equinoctiall and have most fervent heates and therfore at certaine times in the yeare their blood is infected so that if they had no remedy by Salt they could not live by any meanes their Salt is divided into such lumps that one salt stone is enough to be borne upon one mans shoulders But when they come to the Countrey called Melli they loade one Cammell with two salt stones as for the poorer sort that are not able to have Cammels they carry their Salt upon their shoulders and some upon their heads and that in such a company that they seeme almost in multitude like unto an army of men This Salt they bring unto a great water where every one dischargeth his burden of Salt upon the Land and make great Hills thereof leaving a certaine signe for the true knowledge of every mans heap this done they depart and then commeth the Nigrits who will not bee knowne nor yet talke with any other kind of people they come neer with their ships and where they see and perceive the heaps of Salt they lay great store of Gold neigh unto every heap of Salt even as they thinke it convenient for the Merchandize and agreeable to equity for the exchange and then they depart leaving the Gold and Salt together The Nigrits which went a farre off returne againe and every one looketh upon his owne heape and if the Gold that was left by it pleaseth him and seemeth sufficient for the exchange then hee taketh the said Gold away leaving the Salt behinde him and not minding to returne againe If the heape of Gold doth not seem unto them sufficient for the exchange of the heap of Salt then they leave both still and depart againe in some secret place minding to come againe within a little after But those Nigrits which cannot abide to be knowne come againe to the said place and take away such heapes of Salt as they see the Gold to bee taken from or else they adde a little more Gold to the heape that was left before or otherwise they carry away their Gold leaving the Salt still if the bargaine please not them And thus doe they use their Merchandize so that the one seeth not the other and that by an old custome It is a great labour with these Nigrits to carry their salt upon their shoulders because they lacke all manner of beasts meete for that carriage almost the which commeth through the unfruitfulnesse of the earth for they have very little store of Grasse and that which they have is pestilent also and therefore they dayly drinke water wherein a little salt hath bin resolved and this is their greatest remedy and most especiall medicine They never have raine but in August September and October But these men that come after this sort and exchange Gold for Salt without any talke of bargaine or sale are thought to be marvellous blacke having their lower lip hanging downe to the breast somewhat red and within excoriate and chapped so that blood commeth out but the upper lip is small like unto ours and for this cause all their teeth may bee seene which are a great deale bigger then ours their lips are also thought to putrifie many times for the heat of their Countrey for the remedy whereof they use the benefit of salt Of Prester Iohns land THE rule and dominion of Prester Ihon is large and of great compasse this Countrey excelleth in Riches in Gold Silver and precious Stones Some say that the Aethiopes living under Prestor Iohn are very good Christians and that foureteene Kings doe homage and obeysance to the Emperor Prester Iohn whereof some bee tributary also to him The great almner of Prester Iohn promiseth himselfe to fight for the Holyâ—land It is written that Thomas the Apostle was buried in the Kingdome of Aethiope There be beasts also in this Countrey that have seven Hornes in their Fore-heads There bee white Camels and white Beares and Horses with two hornes It is also said that there bee Birds or Fowles in this Countrey which with their tallants and nailes wil carry away an Oxe or an Horse to feed their young In some part of this Countrey it is thought that there bee men with hornes and such as have but one eye before them and two behinde them and some people that feede upon mans flesh and devoure their owne parents and slay and eate those that are aged And another kind of people that hath Feet like unâ—o horse-feete and very round Their Women dwell severally and have three Kingdomes The â—hree Queenes of Amazones set â—orth and make preparations to Wars with 300000 souldiers of women The Pigmeis in Affrica bee good Christians The King of the Pigmeis warre against the fowles which destroy fruite and his people driveth them away with their voyces It is said also that there be certaine Monsters which above the loynes are seene formed like unto men and beneath the loynes unto horses The Aethiopians have an artificious way to take Lyons and Unicornes There have beene seene in times past Giants of three score and tenne cubits in compasse and now in these dayes it is said that many great Giants bee there seene oâ— thirty and five cubits in height The bird which is called a Phâ—â—nix and liveth three hundred yeares and more is said to bee set on fire and burnt through the heate of the Sunne and that of her ashes there springeth another yong one There is great store of Pepper gathred in the woods which are full of Serpents and Scorpions And men having heads like unto dogger are sayd to bee very cunning in fishing Other people there are which have their faces in their breasts they be strong and swift runners and great searchers of Gold and Silver Many other such trifles incredible things the Iewes do fable upon the land of Prester Iohn which are so far beyond all credit and likelyhood of truth that I thought it better to omit them then to occupy the reader in idle spending the time about them Of the Mice of the Alpes THere is a kinde of Mice about the Alpes almost as most as bigge as Conyes
a gate made all of massie Brasse and was usually to have twenty men to shut or close the Gates together and then being locked and bolted besides other Barres of Iron which went a crosse about the first houre of the Morning or just after 12 of the Clocke the said Gate flew open of its owne accord which the Magistrates hearing of went presently to see and all of them with their greatest power could hardly shut them againe the vulgar interpreted it and affirmed that God openeâ— unto them the Gate of his blessings The fifth Chariots and armed men seene in the Ayre shooting as it were one against another with arrowes and darts all of them just over the Citty The sixt was at the celebration of the full Moone at the day called Pentecost when the Priests all in their vestments adorned for their wonted Sacrifice at first felt the ground to quiver or shake under them and then a voyce which said Let us depart hence The seventh which is most wonderfull being one of their owne Countrey men but a devout man and having a great desire to celebrate the Feast which they call the Feast of Tabernacles and being present among the assembly on a sudden tryed out a voice from the East â— voice from the West a voyce from the foure windes a voyce â—gainst the Temple Ierusalem â—nd thus crying against al men women and all manner of people of what degree soever continually cryed thus night and day in the streets of Jerusalem which some of the Nobility heard disdaining any misfortune whatsoever seized upon him by their command and their servants holding him with Chaines and cords till other Magistrates that were then in office did pronounce some punishment upon him for his foretelling them of the destruction of their famous Citty and Temple they stripped him and beat him very sorely yet hee persevered in his crying O Ierusalem woe woe unto thee Albinus then being his Judge which pronounced his former punishment was in amazement at his words which continually spake for that the stripes were layd and afflicted on him still and thus they suffered him to cry for the space of 7 yeares and almost 6 months and none tooke it to heart his voyce neither waxing hoarse nor weary till the time of the siedge still saying woe woe to this faire City and at last presaging his own death cryed out Woe to my own selfe and as some report a stone being conveyed from an engine smote him on the fore-head but some relate that it was a dart flung from an envious hand which had often heard him cry with teares and say O Ierusalem woe woe This Albinus as it is reported was one of the first that was taken prisoner and after put to death by Titus some sixe dayes after the east end of the Temple was fired Of Ireland THE earth in Ireland is so fruitfull and so good of pasture that their cattell except they bee restrayned sometimes from pasture in Summer are like to be in danger through satiety There is no hurtfull thing nor noysome beast no Spider no toade nor such like either breedeth there or else being brought from other Countries thither continueth or liveth there The earth of this Countrey cast in powder upon any dangerous beast or venemous Serpent of any other Countrey destroyeth and kill them There bee no Bees in this Countrey the temperatenesse of the ayre is marvellous the fertility and fruitfulnesse of the Countrey is notable the people of the Countrey bee voide of hospitality they are uncivill and cruell and therefore not unapt for warlike affaires they attribute great honour to Martiall acts and knightly prowesse The Sea betwixt Ireland and England doth rage almost continually so that there is no safe passage but at certaine times Of England and Scotland IN England there be no wolvs and it any be brought thither they doe not continue and therefore their heards of Cattell keepe well together without any great attendance of men The Sheepe have hornes contrary to those of other countries In Scotland there be certaine Trees which bring forth a fruit folded and wrapped up in the leaves and that fruite when in convenient time it falleth into the water running by the tree it reviveth and taketh life and is transformed into a living fowle which some call a Goose of the tree or a Barnacle This tree also groweth in the Isle of Pomenia which is not far from Scotland towards the North. The ancient Cosmographers and especially Saxo the Grammarian maketh mention of this tree likewise and therefore it is not like to bee any feigned or devised thing of late writers Aeneas Syluius writeth of this tree in this manner We heard say there was a tree in Scotland which growing upon a banke by the waters side bringeth forth fruit much like in forme to Ducks and the fruit of that tree when it is ripe doth fall of it selfe some upon the land and some into the water and those that fal upon the earth do putrifie and rot but those thâ—t fall into the water straight waies with life to swim out of the water and to fly in the aire with feathers and wings of the which thing when we made more diligent search being in Scotland with King IAMES a wise sad and grave man wee learned to flye from wondring making such things miracles as were common and that this famous tree was not onely to bee found in Scotland but also in the Isle called the Orchades Of an Isle in Spaine named Gades THere is a little Isle in Spaine called Gades Erythraea the the pastures whereof doe feede cattell so well that they cannot draw or sever any whay from milke but they must needs powre water when they will have their milke to curd Their cattell also be like to dye at every thirty daies end except they be let blood and so lose some quantity of their blood The grasse whereon their sheep feed is somewhat dry but yet it encreaseth a marvellous fatnesse both in their flesh and also in their milke Seneca the Schoole-master of Nero the Emperour SAint Hierom saith that hee was a man of most continent â—ife and therefore hee accounâ—eth him in the number of holy men but especially for the often letters that he wrote to Saint Paul and Saint Paul to him This Seneca being the Schoole-master of Nero was of great power and authority hee wished himselfe to bee in the like degree with his Country-men that Paul had amongst â—he Christians Among divers of his excellent gifts and properties hee had so singuâ—ar and notable a memory that he could rehearse two thousand mens names in the same order that they were told him and also hee was able to rehearse 2 hundreth Verses being said of 2 hundred Schollers from the first to the last most perfectly It is written that Nero his cruell and cursed scholler in recompence of his paines and teaching put him to death two yeares
before the martyrdome of Peter and Paul When Seneca waxed old Nero calling to remembrance the punishment of the rod wherewith Seneca corrected him in his childhood admonished and commanded him to chuse what kind of death he would dye whereby Seneca understanding the Emperours will and pleasure desired that he might bee set in warme water and that his veines might bee cut and opened in it and so they were and he bled untill all his vitall spirits issued out of his body and thus he desired to finish his life because he thought it an easie kinde of death to lose his life in cutting of his veines To divers Nations in ancient times were obiected divers vices and deformities ENvy to the Iewes disloyalty and unfaithfulnesse to the Persians craftinesse to the Aegyptians Deceitfulnesse to the Grecians Cruelty to the Saracens Levity and lightnesse to the Caldeans Variety and changeablenesse to the Affricans Gluttony to the French men Vaine glory to the Lombards Unmercifull severity of the Hungarians The uncleannesse and and filthinesse of the Sâ—evians The foolishnesse of the Saxons The hardinesse of the Picts the luxury of the Scots the drunkennesse and vinolency of the Spaniards the anger of the Britains the rapacity and greedinesse of the Normans And as those vices were noted in these kindes of Nations severally so divers vertues and honest properties were attributed to them severally As Prudence to the Hebricians Stedfastnesse to the Persians Subtilty and wittinesse to the Egyptians Wisedome to the Grecians Gravity to the Romans Sagacity to the Caldeans Wit to the Assyrians Strength and Fortitude to the French-men Faithfulnesse to the Scots Subtile sophistry to the Spaniards Hospitality to the Britaines Mutuall particiâ—ation to the Normans These properties were of anâ—â—ent writers ascribed to divers Nations in old time the which â—ow in these our dayes seeme to â—e much changed and to have â—ad great alteration Sugar groweth in a part of Italy IN Calabria which is a part of Italy there groweth Sugar which is a kinde of Hony gatheâ—ed out of great canes or reeds â—irst of al it is like unto a kind of narrow resolved into liquour which some call white gum a â—hing easie to bee separated and â—ivided and afterward this liâ—uor being boyled and sodden â—fter the manner of Salt is reâ—olved into a spume of froth â—ntill at the length that which 〈◊〉 good falleth to the bottome and then the corruption and dregs may be cleane taken away by the froth A Mountaine alwayes casting forth flames and smoke THe Mountaine called Vesâ—vius Mons being nigh unto the great water Sarnum not far from Naples sendeth forth continually flames of fire and smoke like unto Aetna in Sicily This Hill in the Reigne of TITUS the Emperour being broken in the very top did cast forth so great flames that it set the Countries adjoyning on fire The Writers of Histories say such abundance of ashes and hot imbers to have beene throwne out of this Hill that the fields round about have beene filled with the said ashes even to the tops of the trees It is also found in ancient writings that Pliny the second being a very grave and wise man in the Reigne of Traianus the Emperour was suffocate and destroyed with the flames and ashes of this Hill when that for the desire he had to see and note the nature and motion of it hee presumed to goe too neare This Mountaine also burned with flames of fire when T. Vespasian and F. Domitian were Consuls and breaking out in the top first it cast forth stones aloft after that so great flames of fire followed that through the fervent heate thereof two Townes were consumed with Fire the smoke thereof was so thicke that it tooke away the light of the Sunne and in the day time made the darknesse of the night casting forth Pumice stones and divers other kinde of black stones Last of all ashes sprang out so thicke and such a multitude that the Countries hard by were covered therewith as it were with Snow and these ashes were driven by the force of the windes partly into Affricke and partly into Aegypt and Syria The which outragious burning as the elder Pliny did contemplate and behold the smoke did so obstruct and stop his winde-pipe that in the restraint of respiration he was suffocate and strangled The properties of the Eagle IN Italy there bee many Eagles this fowle is a rapacious cruell and a devourer of flesh she is so much given to greedinesse and to her prey that she doth not onely seeke for preys in necessity of food but also when shee hath enough shee seeketh for superfluities shee doth greedily invade and set upon Hares Harts Geese and Cranes the eyes of the Eagle be so sharpe and quicke of sight that being in the very highest part of the Ayre shee can easily see what falleth on the land Amongst all fowles onely the Eagle can move her selfe streight upward and downward perpendicularly with her flying without any collaterall declining The Egle is commended for his faithfulnesse towards other birds when he hath gotten meat or feeding for hee doth familiarly communicate the same unto such Fowles as do accompany him and when hee hath no more to make distribution of then he attacheth his guest and dismembreth and devoureth him All Fowle tremble when they see the Eagle having as it were some understanding of his tyranny against them Hee loveth his yong with great affection so that the Eagle putteth his owne body in danger for them bearing his yong on his back when hee perceiveth them to be assaulted with Arrowes When he laboureth to drive the Hart headlong to ruine hee gatheâ—eth much dust as hee flyeth â—nd sitting upon the Harts â—ornes hee shaketh the dust â—â—to his eyes and with his â—ings beateth him about the â—outh untill he bringeth him to all downe headlong Hee hath great conflicts with the Dragon and the Dragon most greedily coveteth â—he Egles Egges and for this â—ause they fight wheresoever â—hey meeâ—e It is said that â—he Eagle of all kinde of Fowles â—an keepe the sharpnesse of his â—ight and his eyes steadfast against the Sunne beames and â—hat hee is never hurt by lightâ—ing A Description of the Raven THe Raven is a fowle give to rapacity and devoâ—â—ring of flesh great of body slow in flight sharpe in sight and frequenteth much in Italy in the Alpes in Spaine and in Egypt And this is to be understood oâ— the great kinde of Ravens Thâ— skinne of the Raven is prepareâ— and dressed artificially of thâ— white tawyers with the featheâ— remaining upon it and that 〈◊〉 laid to a stomacke not well 〈◊〉 sickly doth marvellously helpâ— digestion This Fowle doâ—â— greatly above all other covâ—â— mens carcases and by a singulaâ— wit and naturall gift it underâ—standeth of mans death presâ—â—ging it few dayes before With his sharpe eye-sight also it perceiveth a farre off his most desired foode There bee some that writeth marvellous things
forts and holds of such rebells robbers where they did inclose â—hemselves without the help of such Guns and great Ordnance â—herefore they doe not wel that condemne the inventer of these Gunnes without the which neiâ—her good could live in safeâ—ard nor yet Citties could bee â—f any force and keepe their riâ—hes nor Merchants could exâ—rcise their Merchandize and Sâ—afick who are indeed the speâ—â—all parts of mighty and â—â—eat Cittyes Wherefore let the enemies of Bombards and great Gunnes cease to contemne the gifts of God except a man will imagine the gaping mouth of a Dog and his teeth made for to bite and so to be condemned and the hornes in a Bull or an Oxe not to be the good worke of the Creator But no wise man will condemne these parts of nature given in the stead of weapons let them reject the abuse as in an Oxe and a mad Dog it is better to lacke both hornes and teeth For there is no kinde of creature the which evill men will not abuse Some detest this as a plaine devilish devise and that nothing could be more wickedly deviseâ— under Heaven because all flagitiâ—ous and wicked nations as thâ— Turks Tartarians being the coÌ„â—mon plagues scourges of the world doe occupy them for the destruction and consuming of good men in this case no manhood no fortitude nor strength of body no warlike policy no weapons nor instruments no strong holds nor Towers of stone can profit or doe good For these torments which shoote stones and Iron peeces and great flames of fire doe waste destroy and overthrow all things and bring them to nothing One shot destroyeth an hundreth or two hundreth men in an army be they never so well harnessed Theâ—e be many kindes of Bombards and great Gunnes which are to â—ee learned nominately of them â—hat for warlike have employed great paines in the use and â—nd experience of such things A notable History of a thing done at a Town in Germany called Bingium NIgh unto the towne of Bingium almost in the middle of the water of Rhene is a certain Turret called the Tower of Mice the name whereof was attributed to it upon this event In the yeare of our Lord 914 when Otto the great had the Empire and rule there was a certaine Bishop of Magunce named Hatto who was the abbot of Fuldeâ— before in whose time there was great famine in that countrey this Bishop when hee perceived the poore to bee oppressed with great famine did congregate and gather together a great number of the poore into one great Barne and set the Barn on fire and so burnt them For he said that they did not differ from Mice which consume and waste Corne being profitable for nothing But God suffred not so great tyrany unrevenged for he commanded the Mice by great flocks and with a multitude to invade this Bishop without pitty and to afflict and vexe him both day and night and to devoure him quick But this Bishop flying into this Tower that I spake of before for refuge thinking himselfe to be safe in the middest of the water of Rhene and free from all gnawing and biâ—ings of Mice was much deceiâ—ed for all this profited him noâ—â—ing because the Mice came without number over the water â—hen swimming ready to execute the just judgement of God The which thing the miserable Bishop perceiving at the length yelded and gave up his life amongst the Mice There beâ— some that write moreover oâ— him that the Mice did gnaw and eate out and utterly extinguisâ— his name from the walls and hangings The like and morâ— horrible history you shall find in Polonia where the King and the Queeene and their childreâ— were consumed of Mice The Bathes called Badenses in Germany THe waters of the Bathes Baden have this property that feathers of Fowles beiâ—â— boyled in this water may 〈◊〉 cleane taken away from tâ—â— skinne and Swines haires froâ— their skinnes whether they bee cast living into this Water or chafed with it being dead These waters have the property of Alum Salt and Brimstone therefore they be good for such as have hard fetching of their breath and stopping of the breast which things rise of cold fluxes of the braine they bee medicinable for moist eyes and hizzing and ringing of the eares for trembling parts and astonied for the crampe and other diseases touching the sinewes which come of cold humidities they be good for such as have a cold stomacke moyst and ill of digestion and those that suffer griefe of the liver and splene through cold Also for such as are troubled with the dropsie or have any griping in the guts they helpe such as bee troubled with the stone and women barren and unfruitfull they take away the griefe of the mother and doe represse the evills of the wombe and the inflation of the thighes they heale scabs wheals and scars and have a very good property in helping the gout See the third booke of Munsters Cosmography for the nature vertue and wholsome properties of the Bathes in Valesia The Hernesewe THE Hernesewe is a Fowle that liveth of the water and yet shee doth abhorre raine and tempests in so much that shee seeketh to avoid them by flying on high She hath her nest in very high trees and sheweth as it were a naturall hatred against the gossehauk and other kind of Hauks as the Hauk contrariwise seeketh her destruction continually when they fight above in the ayre they labour both especially for this one thing that the one might ascend and be above the other if the Hauk getteth the upper place hee overthroweth and vanquisheth the Hernesewe with a marvellows earnest flight but if the Hernesewe getteth above the Hauk then with his dung he defileth the Hauk and so destroyeth him for his dung is a poyson to the Hauke and his feathers doe putrifie and rot after it A monster borne nigh unto Worms in Germany in the yeare 1495. A Woman was delivered of two female children whole and perfect in bodies but in the top of the Forehead they were joyned and grew together unseparably so that they must needes behold one the other They were compelled by force of this naturall conjunction to goe both together to sleepe and rise together and when one went forward the other went backward their noses did almost touch together their eyes did not looke streight and forward but onely side-wayes because a little above their eyes their foreheads cleaved and did sticke fast together they lived untill they were tenne yeares of age and then when the one of them dyed and that was cut away from the other living shee that lived died also within alittle after of a wound that 〈◊〉 tooke in the head by cutting away of her fellow or rather by a corruption in the braine which came of the stinke of the wound and putrefaction The occasion of this monster was thought to be this Two women talked together where of
the drinking of plaine waâ—er They have also Gold and Silver in admiration as well as other Nations The King of Denmark that ruleth also Norway maketh a ruler among them yearly all things be common amongst them saving their wives they esteem their yong cattel as much as their children of the poorer sort you may sooner obâ—aine their Childe then their Cattell They honour their Bishop as a King to whose will â—nd pleasure all the people hath great respect whatsoever he determineth by Law Scripture or by custome of other Nations that they doe curiously observe and yet now the King hath compelled them to take a ruler They have so great store of fish in this Isle that they make their sales of them in piles as high as houses they live most commonly there by fish for the great penury of wheat and corne which is brought unto them from nations that with great lucre and and gaines carry away fish for it There is a notable Hill or Mountaine called Hecla not farre from which he Mines of Brimstone the singlar Merchandize of that Country For divers Merchants loade their ships with it when this Hil doth rage it thundreth terrible noyses iâ— easteth out stones it belcheth out Brimstone it covereth the earth so farre round about with the ashes cast forth that unto the twentieth stone it is unhabited they that desire to contemplate the nature of so great flames and therefore adventure more nigh unto the Hill are suddenly swallowed and consumed with some inorable gulfe or vorage for there be many such blasts so covered and hidden with ashes that none can sufficiently beware or take heede of them and there commeth out such a fire from that Hill that consumeth Water but stubble or stâ—aw it doth not burne This place is thought of some to be the prison of ununclean soules For the Ice being divided and broken into many parts swimmeth about the Isle almost eight moneths and being broken and bruised with rushing upon the banks with the beatings and noise of the cracking against the banks and rocks giveth so horrible a sound almost representing the miserable lamentation of humane voyce and weeping that it maketh the â—uder sort the more simple and unwife to beleeve that mens soules bee tormented there in cold The inhabitants use instead of bread whereof they lacke store fish dryed made hard and ground to meale and yet out of divers Countries Wheate is brought unto them but not so much as may suffice There bee spirits commonly seene shewing themselves manifestly in doing such things as belong to men but especially they appeare in the formes of such as have beene drowned or â—estroyed by some other vioâ—ent chance and thus doe they â—ppeare commonly in the comâ—any of such men as have had faâ—iliar acquaintance with the deâ—arted and doe use them so in â—ll points that they be taken many times for the living perâ—ons in deed of such as be ignoâ—ant of their deaths offering â—heir right hands for acquainâ—ance and this falsehood and â—rroneous sight cannot bee perâ—eived before the spirit it selfe â—anisheth out of sight and conâ—umeth away being required of â—heir familiars to come home â—nd to see their Friends againe with great sighes and weeping â—hey answer That they must go â—o Hecla the Mountaine and so â—uddenly they vanish out of â—ight Of the Countrey called Laponia IN Laponia the people be of a meane stature but they be of such agility of body that being girded and prepared with a sheafe of arrowes and Bow they will suddenly passe through 〈◊〉 hoope or circle whose Diameter is but halfe a yard They bee taught the Art of shooting from their childhood and a Boy there shall have no meate before hee can touch his marke with his arrow When the Sun goeth downe after the Equinox in September they have one continuall night for three Moneths almost all which time they have no other light but as it were a twiter light and when the Sunne commeth to them before the Equinox in March they celebrate that day as a festivall day with much solemnity Of Whales THere bee great Whales as bigge as Hills almost nigh unto Iseland which are sometimes openly seene and those will drowne and overthrow Shippes except they be made afeard with the sound of Trumpets and Drummes or except some round and empty vessels be cast unto them wherewith they may play and sport them because they are delighted in playing with such things Sometimes many cast their anchors upon Whales backes thinking them to be some Isles and so become in great danger Many in Iseland of the Bones and Ribs of such monstrous Whales make posts and sparres for the building of their houses Munster saith this is a good remedy against such dangerous Whales to take that which the Apothecaries call Castoreum and temper it with water and cast it into the Sea for by this as by a poyson they are utterly driven and banished to the bottome of the Sea How a marvellous horrible Dragon was destroyed in Polonia IN Graccovia a Citty of Polonia there was a marvellous horrible and huge Dragon which consumed and devoured all things and was the cause of great damages for when hee came out of his denne under the mountaine hee did rape and snatch all kind of cattel and men wandring uncircumspectly devouring them with his horrible jawes Gracchus being very sad and lamenting this matter commanded three severall bodies to be cast unto him every day for being contented with those he would looke for no more The which thing although it was grievous yet hee perswaded that three either of sheepe or of some other cattell should be offered him every day wherein Brimstone and some fiery powder or device of flame should be included hidden and mingled with waxe and pitch privily for so that beast and Dragon being provoked with naturall greedinesse or with a rapacious famine and hunger devouring without respect or choise the offered prey by little and little was weakned and extinguished The like example is read in Daniel the Prophet A strange History of a King devoured of Mice THere was in Polonia a King named Pompilius who was wont in all his execrations and and curses to say I pray God the Mice may devoure me Trâ—ly with evill luck and forespeaking evill to himselfe and to his for the Mice devoured his sonne who was also called Pompilius after his Father This sonne after the death of his father being left in his childhood his Uncles administred and governed the Kingdome untill hee came to mans years and was married then suddenly as he was in the middest of his â—easts overcharged with Wine being adorned with Coronates and Garlands dawbed with his â—yntments oppressed with luxury and surfeiting a great number of Mice comming from the carcases of his uncles did invade him the which hee and his wife â—he Queen did destroy but they came forth so fast and in such a multitude assaulted and set upon this Tyrant in
his banquets and his Wife and his Children with most cruell gnawings â—nd bitings so that a great â—and of Souldiers and harnissed men could not drive them away because mans helpe being defatigated and made weary yet the Mice remained strong without any wearinesse both day and night There was therefore devised and built burning and hot Furnaces and Ovens and in the middest of them this Pompilius was placed with his wife and children but the Mice came thither also passing through flames of fire not ceasing to gnaw and consume this Paricid At the length was devised another meanes by another element This Pompilius a murderer of his owne uncles was conveighed in ships with his children and his family into the middest of a deepe water and yet the Mice most earnestly without ceasing followed him and did gnaw and byte both those that were carried away and their ships in so much that the water entring in at the holes gnawne by the Mice did threaten and signifie danger of drowning and therefore the shipmen fearing suffocation in the water and drowning brought the ship to the banke on the land where another great of Mice meeting with the other did more vehemently vexe him then the first these things being openly seene and knowne they that aâ—ore were defenders of him and his children perceiving this to bee GODS punishment and revengeing fled away Now Pompilius being without al such as may comfort and helpe him went into an high Tower in Crusnicza where the Mice clyming up with most swift course did consume and devoure his two Sonnes his wife and the flagitious body of Pompilius Behold and marke there is no counsell or power can take place against God the Lord of all little small vermin weake and timerous mice did miserably destroy Pompilius as Lice being a very little and smal vermine and of lesser force then mice did bring to ruine and destruction Arnolphus the Emperour eating and wasting his flesh his marrow and guts so that the Physitians could doe no good at all the whole substance of the body being so eaten that there was nothing but gristles and onely bones left A Beare seeking for honey was the cause of delivering a man out of an hollow tree IN Muscovia there is found great store of Honey in hollow trees and that which is old honey is left and forsaken of the Bees so that in the stockes of marvellous great Trees the dilligent searchers may finde wonderfull plenty of honey-combes Demetrius sent as Embassadour to Rome declared there before a company of learned men that a yeare or two before hee came out of the country to Rome a poore Countrey-man being a Farmer in the next Village by him searched the Woods and Trees for the gaine and profit of honey and espying at the length a very great hollow tree climed up into the top of it and lept down into the hollownesse so that he sunke and did stick fast in a great heape of Honey even to the breast and throat almost and so remained fast in that sweet poyson that all hope of any deliverance was cleane gone when hee had continued two dayes and fed and maintained his life onely by Honey considering that with himselfe that hee was now so restrained from the liberty and helpe of his hands and feet that with them he could make no shift to get out and if he should cry out with open mouth and full voyce that this could nothing prevaile in such a solitude and vâ—st place of wood and trees because it was not possible that the sound of his voyce and cry could goe far out of the hollow tree so that it might come to the eares of travailers and passers by all these things when hee had deliberated in his minde now destitute of all help and consolation hee beganne utterly to despaire and yet by a marvellous and incredible chance hee escaped being delivered and drawne out by the benefit of a great Beare when that by chance this Beare very desirous and searching for honey most hastily scaled that tree and let her selfe downe into the hollownesse thereof with her hinder feet first downward aftermans fashion about the Raines and Loynes of the which beast the man clasping and taking fast hold mooved and stirred the said Beare to leape out and violently to enforce her selfe out of the Tree being driven so to doe for very suddain fear and for the strange handling and holding about her and also through the great outcryes and noyses that he made And thus the Beare by violence delivered her selfe and the man also from the hollow tree and from great feare Of Beares IN the countrey of Muscovia there is great plenty of Bears seeking preying every where for Hony and Bees not altogether for the filling of their Bellies but also for the helping of their eye-sight for their eyes waxe dimme and ill oftentimes for the which cause they doe especially desire the Honey-combes and that their mouthes stung and wounded of Bees might ease the heavinesse of their heads in bleeding The head in Beares is very weake the which in Lyons contrarywise is most strong And therfore when necessity urgeth that they must needs tumble from some high rocke they tumble and role downe with their head covered betweene their clawes and oftentimes by dousts and knocks in gravell and sand they are almost exanimate and without life They scale trees backward they molest and vexe Bulles with their clawes hanging about their mouthes and Hornes A Beare bringeth forth her yong according to Pliny after thirty dayes past and that commonly five The yong Beare at the first comming forth as it were a white piece of flesh without forme or shape somewhat bigger then a mouse it is without eyes or eares onely nayles and clawes doe appeare outward But the shee Beare never leaveth licking this rude and deformed yong flesh untill by little and little shee bringeth it to some forme and shape when she goeth to the den that shee hath closen for her shee commeth creeping with her belly upward least the place might bee espyed through her steps and there she being with young remaineth foureteene dayes without any motion as Aristotle faith But without meaâ—e shee continueth 40 daies onely being sustained with the licking of her left foote then after this when shee chanceâ— upon any meate or foode shee is filled beyond measure and this satiety is helped by vomiting with eating of Ants the yong for fourteene dayes space daies space is oppressed with such heavines or sleep that they cannot bee awaked or stirred up from their drowsie heavinesse neither with pricking nor with wounding and in this meane space of sleeping they waxe fat maruellously After 14 dayes space they awake from sleepe and begin to licke their former pawes and so live they for a time and it is not manifest with what kind of meate they should live untill the spring time but then they begin to run abroad and feede of the yong
springs and trees and soft tender herbs meet for their mouthes In this Countrie of Muscovia there is great store of the best furres and skinnes and that this is their chiefest merchandize in that Countrey The treasure that was found in the Temple of Jerusalem by the Souldiers THe Temple being consumed with fire the Souldiers put all the Iewes that they found about it to death and carryed away all they could finde sparing neither old nor young infant or Priest Magistrate or Senate whatsoeverâ— And afterwards the Roman souldiers thrusting forwards one another being greedy of gaine sought where to get into the Temple where the fire was aslaked entered the Treasure-house where the sacred money was kept by which meanes a great part thereof was stolne away by the souldiers and Sabinus by name to all mens knowledge which stood by carryed away 400 Talents The souldiers beholding the gates of the Temple and of the Treasure-house to be of massie Gold were confident that there was nothing else but Gold and in great plenty which they possessed without any deniall and bore and carried away upon their shoulders an infinite treasure of money which we cannot value and great was the losse and spoile of their Cups and Challices being all of Gold which were broken and defaced which the Priests did offer their coine to their Gods in beside the Table which was of 2 Cubits high and 4 Cubits in length all of Gold likewise the covering and rich habits and vestments and the two silver Trumpets which the Priests wore at the time of their Sacrifices were all consumed by the fire thus by their Enemy and their owne incrudulity was their Temple burnt their City defaced and their treasure consumed which was the glory and renown of the whole world Lycurgus LYcurgus was a noble Philosopher of Sparta in Greece who erected a civill estate of the Citty with his noble institutes and Lawes whereas before times of all the Grecians the Lacedemonians were worst nurtered Lycurgus taking the matter boldly in hand did â—brogate all their Lawes instiâ—utes and old rites of living and â—id erect a great deale more ciâ—ill ordinances more coÌ„menâ—able First there were 28 Segâ—iors elected which should proâ—ide that the popular estate â—hould not grow out of frame â—ltogether and also that they which had the rule should not â—oe about any tyranny Hee â—ooke away utterly all use of Gold and Silver and brought â—n money of Iron and then was â—ll occasion of Felony taken away The Iron whereof he made his money being as red â—s fire he put out in vinegar â—hat it might be meete for noâ—hing afterward through his â—oftnesse Hee cast out of the Citty all Arts as unprofitable or that purpose and yet most part of Artificers when the use of gold was taken away departed from thence of theâ— owne accords seeing that 〈◊〉 mony was not in use amongâ—â— other Nations Then that 〈◊〉 might the better take away 〈◊〉 luxury and rioting out of the City he appoynted commoâ— meetings at banquets and feastâ— that poore and rich indifferently might meete together 〈◊〉 their feasts and feede all upon the same kinde of banquet Hereby there was inâ—lame great anger of those that werâ— wealthy and mighty and they falling upon Licurgus with greâ—â— force caused him to lose one 〈◊〉 his eies with the blow of a 〈◊〉 Wherefore a law was made that the Lacedemonians should no more enter into their feasts with a staffe Every one gave yearely to this feast one bâ—â—shell of flower eight gallons of wine five pound of cheese five pound and a halfe of figges Children did frequent this as a schoole or exercise of all temperancy and civill discipline â—here they did learne to accustome themselves in ciuill talks and to use honest pastimes and to jest and bee merry without knavery Their Virgines were exercised with running wrastling barriers comely mooving and gesture with quaiting casting of the bowle hammer or such like so that idlenesse and effeminate delicatnesse taken away they waxed the stronger to tolerate and suffer the paine of Childe-bearing Children after they were seven yeares of age had their exercises with their equalls and of necessity did learn letters they were noted and shorne to the very skinne they went bare-foot â—â— 12 yeares of age they might put on one coat after the Countrey fashion they neither knew bathes nor fomentations they tooke their rest in beds made with reeds they might goe to the Feasts of their elders and betters and there if they did steale any thing and were taken with the theft they were corrected with whips not because it was unlawfull to steale but because they did it not privily enough with craft and subtilty Lycurgus removing all superstion permitted the dead bodies to be buried in the Citty and also to have their Monuments about the Temples It was not lawfull to ingrave or write the name of the man or woman upon any Grave but â—uch as dyed manfully in warre The time of lamentation for the â—ead was prescribed about 11 dayes It was not lawfull for Cittizens to make peregrinations for feare they should bring â—n strange manners into the Citty But those which came from strange Countries thither except they were profitable and meete for the CoÌ„mon-wealth were excluded the Citty lest that forraine nations might taste of the Lacedemonian discipline Lycurgus would not suffer young men to use one vesture all the whole yeare nor any to be more deeked then another nor to have more delicate banquets then others Hee commanded all things to be bought not for money but for exchange and recompense of wares He commanded also Children toward 18 yeares of age to be brought into the field and not into the Market-place or Judgement-hall that they might passe over the first yeares not in luxury but in all kinde of labour and paines they must not lay any thing under them for to sleepe the easier And their lives they were driven to passe without ease and not to come into the Citty before they were men in deed Maides he would have to be married without any dower or rewards given by their Parents That Wives might not be chosen for money sake and that the Husbands should keepe their Wives more streightly because they should receive nothing in Marriage with them He would have the greatest honour and reverence to be given â—o old aged men and not to rich â—nd noble men he granted unto Kings the power of the warres â—o Magistrates judgements and yearely succession to the Senate the custody of the Lawes â—o the people the election of the Senate or to create what officers they would These Lawes and new institutes because they seemed hard and streight in comparison of their loose customes and Lawes before used he fained Apollo of Delphos to be the authour of them and that he had them from thence At the last to give eternity and perpetuity to his Lawes he bound the whole Citty with an
the which the liqour is taken wherewith silke is dyed Purple Shee hath a long tongue aâ—â— iâ— were the length of a finger 〈◊〉 which shee is alwaies mooving by her tongue shee gotteth 〈◊〉 prey that she desirethâ—â— In 〈◊〉 they discerne true Purple 〈◊〉 counterfeit by powring oyle upon silke for if it leaveth any spots it is counterfeit but if the silke garment hath no fault after the oyle is is good and allowable Purple The City of Babylon SEmyramis a Noble woman and of great prowesse erected and built the pompous City of Babylon the walls wherof were made of brick sand pitch and plaister of a marvellous length and grossenesse The Walls were in compasse three hundred and threescore furlongs with many and great towers beautified The breadth of the Wall was such that sixe Carts might goe together thereon The height was thirty and two foote the turrets in number were two hundred and fifty The breadth and length thereof was equall with the Walls Shee made a bridge also of five furlongs in length with pillars in the depth by marvellous art of stone iron and lead joyned together When Ninus her husband was dead shee tooke the administration of the Kingdome and reigned 24 yeares For although shee had a Sonne called also Ninus yet shee considering his yong yeares unmeet for to rule feigned her selfe to bee King Ninus sonne the which was easily credited for the great likenesse of nature that was in them This woman was of so noble courage that she had a singular emulation to excell her husband in glory of whom it needeth not now to speak any more because divers authors have so largely renowned and set forth her noble Acts. Of the Phoenix THe Phoenix is a noble bird and is but one in the World which is not much seene Coruelius saith that the Phoenix did flye into Egypt when as Plaucius and Paupinius were Consuls It is said that she is as big as an Eagle having a glittring brightnesse like as Gold about her neck in other parts Purple anâ— Azured taile with Rose colours her head with a plume and top of Feathers Manilius saith that no man hath seene her feeding Shee liveth sixe hundred and threescore yeares when she waxeth old she maketh her nest of Cassia and branches of a Frankinsence-tree to fill it with odours and so dyeth upon it then of her bones and marrow thereof there springeth first a little worme which afterward is a young Phenix This Bird as Pliny saith is commonly in Arabia where are found goodly Pearls and of great estimation Cleopatra gave for one Pearle that was brought out of this Countrey two hundred and fifty thousand crowns The goodnesse of Pearles is judged by the whitenesse greatnesse roundnesse plainenesse orient brightnesse and waight The Description of the forme of the Ramme that Titus brought before the Walles of Ierusalem A Ramme is a huge beame like the maine Mast of a Ship whose end is armed with a strong massie iron made in the forme of a Rammes head whereupon it taketh its name because it butteth with his head It hangeth on another beame with ropes like the beame of a paire of ballances the beame it hangeth on lying a crosse is held up with two props which being drawne back by force of many men and then joyntly with all their forces shooved forwards it striketh the wall with the head of iron and there is no Wall nor Tower so strong but though it abide the first stroke of the Engine yet cannot it abide or hold out long The Generall of the Romans thought good to use this Engine to take the Citty by force and when they saw that none of the Iews durst come upon the wall they then applyed the Ramme unto them which so shooke the Walles beyond thought that the Iews cryed out as though the Citty had beene already taken they to prevent the force of the Rammâ— let downe sacks of wooll and chaffe to hinder the powerfull beating of the Ramme for it was of that force and strength in the running that is past beleefe yet this policy and invention did helpe for a while and did preserve the Wall whole and sound For where this policy was not used to prevent the force of the Engine it did overthrow and batter downe the Walls suddenly and furiously yet though it was of that force and strength in those times it is now quite out of use and almost of knowledge but onely for the name Of Mahomet the false Prophet of the Saracens of his originall and perversity MAhomet was the Prince of all impiety and superstition Wherefore it is not to bee marvelled if hee hath set the feeds of all evill and such as will not be rooted out Some say that hee was a Cyrenaic in Nation some that hee was an Arabian others that he was a Persian He was borne in the yeare of our Lord 597 A man of an obscure family and of no great wealth nor strength nor manhood some say that his father was a worshipper of devils and that Ismaelita his mother was not ignorant of the Lawes of the Hebrewes Wherefore the Childe being distract and made doubtfull because whilst that his Father teached him one kinde of religion his Mother suggested another so that hee followed none of them throughly And thus being trained up in two severall manners hee received and kept none of them at his ful age but he being brought up amongst the good Christians being of a subtile and crafty wit invented and devised of both Lawes a most pernicious and detestable sect for mankinde After the death of his parents he was taken of the Sarracens which were accounted notable amongst the Arabians in theft and robberies and was sold to a Merchant of the Ismael kinde Hee being a crafty fellow rapacious dishonest subject to all vice a notable dissembler and deceiver was at the length made the ruler of their Merchandize and Wares He did drive Camells throughout Egypt Syria Palestine and other strange places with the often travaile in which places hee using the company aswell of the Jewes as of the Christians many times studied and went about not to learn but to deprave the old and new Testament being taught divers sects of his Parents to this he added the gaines that came by theft and dayly imagined how to deceive his Master Wherefore being suspected of his Master and hated of others of an obscure Servant and slave hee became a notorious theefe and robber And being made more famous with his continuall theft and robberies hee got dayly a great number of companions of his unthrifty doings These things were also a great helpe unto him his strange and horrible countenance his terrible voice and his desperate ruffenly boldnesse greatly to bee feared Thus comming by little and little in admiration of a barbarous Nation hee got unto him no small authority so that that his Master being dead without Children hee married and tooke to wife his
the valleyes of the desarts The tenth was Albunea surnamed Tiburtina because she was borne at Tiber 15 miles from Rome The invisible Word shall be borne of a Virgine hee shall converse among sinners and shall of them bee despised Lactantius Firmianus rehearseth divers of their prophesies without making any particular mention of them they are to bee referred specially notwithstanding as it should seeme unto Sibylla Samberta who wrot 24 bookes in verse chiefly intreating of the comming miracles and life of Christ whereunto the sayings of all the other Sibyls are conformable S. Austine likewise in the 23 Chapter of his 18 booke Dâ—â—civitate dei reciteth these Prophesies as followeth Then he shall bee taken by the wicked â—ands of the Infidells and they â—hall give him buffets on his face with their sacrilegious hands â—nd they shall spit upon him with their foule and accursed â—outhes Hee shall turne unto â—hem his shoulders suffering â—hem to bee whipped yea he â—hall hold his peace without â—peaking ere a word to the end â—at none shall know from â—henee his words proceede â—ee shall also be crowned with â—hornes they shall give him â—all to eate and Vinegar to drinke Behold the feast that â—hey shall make him in so much â—hat thou ignorant and blinde â—eople shalt not know thy God â—onversing among men but â—hou shalt crowne him with â—hornes mingling for him gall â—nd vinegar then the vaile of â—he Temple shall rend and at mid-day it shall be darke night for the space of three houres So the just shall dye the death and this death or sleepe shall continue three dayes and when he shall have been in the bowels of the earth he shall rise againe and returne to life Lactantius moreover Lib. 4. Chap. 15. rehearseth these Pâ—â—phesies of them He shall raise the dead the impotent and lame shall goe and runne nimbly the deafe shall heare the blinde shall see the dumbe shall speak freeâ—ly And a little before that saith with five loaves and two fishes hee shall nourish in the Desartâ— 5000 men and the fragment thereof shall bee sufficient to satisfie many more Many otheâ— things were foretold by theâ—â— Sibyls as well of the ruins oâ— great States as of Christ. The eleventh called Epyrotica some hold her to bee the same that Phrigia was she came from Troas to Dodona where she prophesied and was as well as the other denominated from the place but the most hold that she was diverse from the other and was called Phaënni so writes Iohannes Tsetses she prophesied that the pure word should come from a Virgin how hee should willingly come down from heaven seem poore to the world yet should governe all things whose rule kingdome should never cease that he should be both God and Man and that this his kingdome should principally reside in the souls of men whom he would governe and save to another life thus Laelius Cleopassus and others affirme Colophonia Lampusia the twelfth she came out of Greece from Colophonia a City of Ioniâ— shee prophesied of the changes of Kingdomes of Inundation Earthquakes and of Warres shee told that God was onely to be adored that hee was angry at vice and punished it that hee did delight in holy and upright men shee told also that the whole World should bee burnt and wished men to adore that God while they lived here which would punish them so severely hereafter for their contempt Of India IN the Country of India they have two Summers their ayre is most gentle and pleasant and temperant great fruitfulnesse of the soyle and plenty of waters and therefore some â—â—ve 130 yeares especially the Musitanes There be others whose lives â—re longer there be marvellous â—reat beasts bred in that Counâ—rey and trees of such height â—hat a man cannot shoote to the â—op of them this commeth by â—he fertility of the soile temâ—eratenesse of the Ayre and â—lenty of waters Their reeds â—re of such bignesse and length â—hat the space betwixt every â—not may beare three men â—ometimes in a little River â—here bee store of Parrats It â—ringeth forth Nard Cinamon Pepper Calamus Aromaticus â—nd other spices and also divers Pearle and precious stones Pliny saith that in the Countrey of India all things are bredde of a greater magnitude then in any other Countrey as men beasts and trees The people have a bushy haire and a speciall decking with precious stones they are very divers 〈◊〉 apparrell some weare woollen garments and some linnen many goe naked and some cover their privy parts onely the colour of the body is commonly blacke being in their Motherâ— wombe such through the disposition of their Parents they bee of a good tall stature and strong They bethrifty in living and very continent from theft they know no Letters but doe all things by memory and for their simplicity and thriftinesse all things have prosperous successe they drinke no wine but in Sacrifice they make drinke of Rice and Barley their meate 〈◊〉 commonly rice-pottage they â—â—ve no prerogative to their old â—ge except they excell in wiseâ—ome He that is reprehended â—s a false witnesse hath the tops â—f his fingers cut off hee that â—epriveth any man of any memâ—er hath the law Talio that is â—o lose the like member and alâ—o his hand is cut off And if aâ—y man putteth out the eye or â—utteth away the hand of an Arâ—ificer he loseth his life for it If any woman killeth a drunken King she hath her reward to be conjoyned with his successour There be seven speciall orders amongst the Indians the first is of Philosophers which being few in number were preferred before the rest in honour and dignity they are free from all workes and neither serve any body nor governe or rule they take such things of private follâ—â— wherewith they doe Sacrifice and they have a care of the dead and especially know what is done in Hell and therefore many gifts and honours are bestowed upon them they profit much to the life of the Indians for they meete together in the beginning of the yeare and foretell drought raine windes diseases and other things the knowledge whereof is profitable that Philosopher which foresheweth any thing that is false hath no other punishment but to keepe silence for ever The second order is of Husbandmen which exceeding the rest in multitude being free from Wars and other worke doe onely bestow their time in tilling their ground no enemy offereth any injury to them because they are thought to be occupied about the common profit they live in the fields with their Wives and Children and come not into the City they give tribute to the King the fift part of â—heir profit The third order is Shepheards which neither inâ—abite in Cities nor Townes but have their tabernacles and â—heir nets and things for hunâ—ing and these keep the Countrey from the danger of beasts and fowles The fourth degree â—s of Artificers whereof some maketh weapons some other
â—hings meete for the countrey â—nd other profitable things â—hese bee free from tribute and have their Corne from the Prince The fift order is of souldiers exercised in warlike affaires they al their horses Elephants be maintained by the Prince The sixt is of superintendents who seeing all things that bee done in India make relation thereof to the King In the seventh order bee those that have the rule of commoâ— counsells being but a few 〈◊〉 number and such as most excel in nobility and wisedome for oâ— these some bee chosen to the King's councell and to the admiâ—nistration of the Commonâ—wealth and to bee judges 〈◊〉 doubtfull cases Dukes also anâ— Captaines be chosen of them Thus India being destributed into these parts it is not lawful for any order to marry with thâ— mens wives of another order nor to change his trade of liâ—ving nor for the Souldierâ— to play the plough-man noâ— the Artificer to meddle in thâ— Philosophers office And because India is so great a Counâ—rey there bee many Natiâ—ions discrepant in forme and â—ongue and manners for some â—nhabiting about rivers lakes doe eate raw fish and others â—aw flesh and when any falâ—eth sicke his friends kill him saying that if hee should wither â—nd pine away with sicknesse â—hat his flesh should be corrupt â—nd although hee denyeth himâ—elfe to bee sicke yet they kill him and make a banquet of him â—o hee that liveth in perfect health to his old age is slaine â—nd devoured in like manner And therefore few of them â—ome to extreame old age There bee some of the Indiansâ—hat â—hat never kill any living thing nor plant nor sow any thing nor erect any Houses but liveth only with herbs amongst whom when any falleth sick he goeth into a desart place and there dyeth no man taking care either of him dying or being dead they use naturall conjunction together openly like unto brute beasts Of the Bragmans THe people called Bragmans lead a simple life and are not led with any inticements they desire no more then very Nature doth require they have plenty of all things for life the which their earth bringeth forth without tillage Their tables be furnished with wholesome dishes and therefore they neither know diversities of names in sicknesse nor their kindes but they have good health very long One desireth no helpe of another for they live in common amongst those that are equall there is no place for envy seeing that none is superiour they have no judgements because they doe nothing worthy of correction their onely Law is not to doe any thing against nature which nourisheth labour exerciseth no covetousnesse and flyeth from filthy idlenesse This Nation hurteth it selfe in the Sunne it getteth moisture in the dew it extinguisheth thirst with water The ground is instead of beds carefulnesse breaketh no sleepe nor pensivenesse troubleth not the minde their habitation is in digged Caves upon the Mountaines sides they feele no rage of winds nor tempests they thinke themselves better defended in a cave then in a house from the injury of weather because their cave hath two uses one for a mansion place another for a Sepulchre or grave when they dye They have no precious garments but they cover their members with a thing like paper rather for shamefastnesse then otherwise The women be not trimmed as they please but they are ignorant how to encrease beauty more then Nature giveth the man and the woman use naturall conjunction not for libidinous pleasures but for love of procreation No Parent followeth the Funerals of his childe they have no Sepulchers in Churches for the dead but in vessels made of precious stones they lay up the ashes of the dead Their best remedy in Physicke is abstinence and sparing which doth not onely cure their griefes but also prevent those which might come they have no common playes nor games but when they assemble together they read the Monuments of things done wherein if they heare any thing to bee laughed at they weepe they are not delighted in old fables but in the goodly disposition of naturall things they learne no Eloquence but have a simple kinde of speech onely commanding not to lye Of the Elephaâ—â— THere be Elephants in India which bee very wilde and fierce but they are easily made tame after this manner They compasse some cleane place with a deepe ditch of foure 〈◊〉 five Furlongs they make the entry into it with a very straight bridge then set they in threâ— or foure Female Elephanâ—â— which are tame and they themselves lye privily watching in cottages in the day time the wilde Elephants come not but in the night time they enter the which place of the entry the Hunters shut and stop privily after this they bring in of their strongest tame Elephants to fight with them besides that they doe punish them with famine and lacke of meate and when they be weary with fighting they which are bold carterly fellowes privily getteth under the belly of the Elephant and so suddenly stealeth under the belly of the wilde Elephant and by these meanes doe chaine and fetter them and after this they move their tame Elephants to beate the wilde untill they fall to the ground and when they are downe they binde their necks with the necks of the tame Eâ—ephants with such thongs and bindings as Oxen bee bound with and this doe they that â—hey should not cast off such as sit them Moreover they cut their neckes about with Raysings and Scissures and lay â—he Chaynes thereon that for paine they should give place to their chaines and goe qâ—â—etly of such as are taken they chose out such as are unprofitable either for old age or yong age and the rest bee led into the stables and they being bound both feete and necks in a pillar to bee tamed with hunger After that they bee refreshed with grasse or greene weeds then they teach them to be obedient some with words some with singing and some with drummes be made gentle The Elephant is the greatest amongst all beasts and commeth nearest to humane sence he haâ—â— some understanding as Pliâ—â— saith of his countrey talke anâ— especially a remembrance and obedience of such duties as hee hath learned If the Elephant by chance killeth any of theâ—â— keepers in a rage they havâ— so great a desire of him afterward that some for sorrow abstaine from meat and some doe pine themselves to death This beast is accustomed when hee is full of feeding to goe to sleepe and leaning to a tree hee sleepeth for he cannot bend his knees as other beasts doe the inhabitants perceiving the tree which is worne and made filthy with the Elephants leaning cause the same tree to bee cut hard by the ground so that it may not fall without thrusting and enforcing then they put away the signes of their owne steps and depart quickly before the Elephant commeth to sleepe the Elephant comming in the evening to his accustomed
a halfe old his middle teeth both above and beneath do fall when hee is three yeares old hee casteth those that are like unto Dogs teeth and bringeth forth new before sixe yeares of his age his upper double teeth doe fall at the sixt yeare hee supplieth those that he wanteth at the seventh yeare all are supplied equally from that time he hath hollow teeth and therfore it is hard to discerne their ages at the tenth yeare their temples begin to waxe hollow and the browes sometimes wax gray and their teeth stick out Mares have their full increase in five yeares but Horses in sixe yeares Xenophon teacheth these properties to be observed in an Horse First to know his age then if he will take a bridle or not after this if one may sit him then if he will cast him that sitteth on him and if he will fly or run away being let loose or if hee may be soone taken or if he being smitten with a stick will goe thâ— swifter or not Of certaine monstrous people in India MAny are found in India both men women and beasts full of haire and with leaves and mosse on them which commeth of the great heate that there is Pliny saith that the inhabitants of this Countrey be coloured with the Sunne and thereby come to certaine blacknesse like unto the Ethiops not because they are outwardly so black through the adustion of the Sunne but naturally in their blood there is an inclination to blacknesse the which the heate of the Sun doth seeme to double Our Ancestours have feigned many monsters in this Country as people with Heads like unto dogges armed onely with nayles clothed with 〈◊〉 and skinnes having no kinde of mans speech but onely a kinde of barking There bee some that live at the fountaine of Ganges which take no benefit by meat but live onely by the savour of wilde Apples and when they goe farre they carry them for their maintenance and live by the smell and savour of them If they come into any filthy or stinking ayre they must needs dye and it said that some of them were seene in the Tents and Army of Alexander Wee read also that there bee certaine people with one â—ye in India and some to have so great â—ares that they hang downe even to their feete and many to have but one foot and that so great that when they lye down on their backs and would keepe them from the Sunne the shadow of that onely legge doth comfort them It is read also that there is a Nation which hath gray haires in youth the which in age waxe blacke and also men say there is another kind of women which conceive at five yeares of age but they live not above eight yeares there be some that lack neckes and have eyes in their shoulders there bee wilde men also with heads like unto Dogs with a rough and hairy body which make a terrible hissing but these and such like are not to be credited and taken for truth except great reason can perswade that such may be and experience can prove the same It is also thought that there is a certaine people called Pygmeis which be never in peace but when the Cranes with whom they have continuall warres flye into other countries These Pygmeis are short men of stature inhabiting in the extreame part of the mountains of India where is a wholesome and good ayre who exceed not twenty seven inches in stature For Pygme is as much to say as a cubite These Pygmeis fight with Cranes but they have the foyle the report goeth that they sit upon the backs of Rams or Goats and have arrowes for their weapons and so in the Spring time with a great Army they come to the Sea and there consume the Cranes egges and yong ones and that this expedition is made in three moneths for otherwise they were not able to resist the Cranes their Cottages bee made of clay feathers and egge-shells But of the nature of Cranes the authors write in this manner When the Cranes take a flight they consent together and flye very high for to marke and behold they chuse a captaine and guide whom they follow in the latter end of the company they have those that may cry and may lead the whole flocke with their voyce they have their watches every night by turne which hold a stone in their feet which falling from those that are weary for lacke of sleepe argueth and reprooveth their negligence by sound the other sleep with their bils and heads under their wings standing upon each feete by course the guide looketh forthwith his neck straight forward and fore-sheweth things to come When they are mad tame they waxe lascivious and run and flye in round compasses with shaking their wings Of the Ants of India MEgasthenes writeh of the Ants in India after this sort there is an Hil of thre thousand furlongs in compasse in India and many Gold mines therin the which are kept with Ants as big as Foxes getting their living with a marvellous celerity in hunting they dig and scrape the earth that bringeth forth Gold and heapeth it up at the hole of their Dens the which Merchants doe privily steale away laying flesh for a bait to stay the Ants if perhaps they should marke them This is thought of many to bee a fable and therefore I leave it at large to judge of it as you think best Of Indian Apes ABout the mountain called Emodij there is a great wood full of great Apes the which as the Macedonians did see standing as it were thicke together upon the Hills and having weapons like men of Warre for that kinde of beast commeth as neare to humane subtilty as Elephants doe they would have set upon them as enemies had not the inhabitants of that Countrey beene present and shewed to Alexander that it was nothing else but an assembly of Apes which contend to imitate such things as they see and so that battell was turned to laughing Apes are taken after this manner they that hunt Apes set dishes full of water in the sight of the Apes and therewith they annoint and wash their eyes and suddenly with as privy speed as they can they take away the water and set pots with birdlime and such like stuffe instead thereof the Apes perceiving them annointing their eyes being given to follow all things come downe immediately from the trees and thinking to doe as the men did they dawbe and annoint their eyes and mouthes with birdlime and so are they easie to bee made a prey and taken alive They use also another trade to take them they take buskins and put them on in the sight oâ— the Apes and so depart leaving others annoynted inwardly with birdlime and such like and somewhat hairy that the fraud might not appeare the which the Apes plucking upon their legs are so snared and intangled with it that they cannot escape the hands of the Hunters There
seeing the you have bin my best â—riend let us change our wives upon that condition that you may have mine and I may have yours then saith the other say you so in earnest ye saith he by Pollux Then saith his fellow let us goe home to my house whither when they are come the one claymeth anothers Wife saying come â—â—ther Woman and follow this man because from hence forth hee shall be thy Husband then the Woman saith do you speaâ— in earnest to whom her first Husband saith I doe not mock then the woman saith gladly I will follow him And this iâ— the way of changing theiâ— Wives There be some Women in this countrey that may marry seven Husbands and lye wiâ—â— them every night by course and where shee is delivered of â— Childe shee may choose tâ— which of her Husbands she wilâ— father her Childe so that the man may not refuse it by any meanes Many other strange things is rehearsed of this Nation the rehearsall whereof were very tedious heere There is much Pepper growing in this Countrey of Calechut the stalk of Pepper is but weak somwhat like to a Vine stalke so that it cannot grow without a prop it is not much unlike to Ivye for it windeth and creepeth as that doth and with a more deepe clasping it windeth about the tree this hath many branches three handfull long They gather it in October and November being greene as yet and lay it on tiles in the Sunne to bee dryed where in three daies space it waxeth black even as we have it Ginger groweth in Calechut but much is brought out of Cravonor thither Cynamon is in the Isle of Zaylon fifty Germain miles beyond Calechut Pepper groweth in the fields of Calechut but great store is brought out of Crimucoll 12 miles beyond Chalechut Cloves are gathreed in a place called Meluza a little from Calechut Nutmegs groweth in Melaccha which is a great way from Calechut Musâ— or Castoreum commeth from the Countrey of Pego which is an hundred miles from Calechut Pearle and Precious stones are found about the City of Ormus and sent to Calechut the general Mart of all the East parts And many other Spyces Silkes and strange things are brought from these Countries into ours The end of the Iewes answerable to their lives SEldome hath it been known but alwayes a wicked life hath had a shamefull end and this without searching any further for examples may evidently be seene in the Nation of the Iewes their lives being odious towards God proved as shamefull to Men they generally exercised inhumanity to strangers despised the Prophets and mocked their Priests they were given to fearfull oppression and usury they did not honour their Magistrates nor parents they practised contentions and seditions they prophan'd the Sabbath of God they were extreamly unthankful and as extreamly disobedient to God in a word they left not any notorous sinne unpractised and for the prosecution of these lewd courses it pleased Heavens Justice to make them a shame a curse and an astonishment to all the world and themselves for as they sold Gods Word and his Sacrifices so in Vespasians time they were publickly sold for slaves to the number of thirty seven thousand persons at once as they dealt with strangers so to this day are they used by all strangers as they cared not for their Priests so are they now deprived both of Country Citty Temple and Priests As they used oppression so are they now to this day oppressed and mis-used by all Nations without pitty or remorse nay even their owne curses which they wished might fall upon them are indeed fallen justly â—pon them and theirs What â—eed I be tedious it is most manifest to all men that they â—re as justly miserable and conâ—emned as they were unjust in â—heir impieties so that they who did refuse to bee vessels â—or mercy are deservedly made â—essels of Justice that although GODS Will was not done â—y them yet it is done upon â—hem Discite Iustitiam moniti non tomnite Divos The seven Wonders of the World THe first were the Walls of Babylon built by Semiramis of stone joyned together with a strange kind of slimy and gluish morter which groweth in thâ— Mines of those Countries anâ— especially in the Lake wheâ—â— stood in time past Sodome anâ— Gomorrah now called Asfaltiâ—â— These Walls according to tâ—â— Towne were built in quadrangle and contained in circuit as saiâ—â— Pliny in the twenty sixt Chapter of his sixt booke 60 miles so that every square was siâ—teene mile long they were 〈◊〉 foot high and fifty foot thick and to build these Walls werâ— hired by Semiramis out of diâ—vers Countries for a long spacâ— 300000 men The second was the Pillar oâ— the Sunne offered by the Genâ—tiles unto Iupiter This Pillaâ— stood in the I le of Rhodes anâ— was made of Iron in the form of a man of incredible greatâ—nesse in so much that a maâ— might scarce fadome the great â—inger thereof After it had stood 56 yeares it fell down by reason of an earth-quake and so â—ay till the Iland was wonne by â—he Souldan of Egypt who carâ—yed so much mettall away as â—oaded 900 Camels The third were the Pyramides of Egypt among the which â—here is one especially noted aâ—out the Citty of Memphis now â—alled grand Caire this Piramidâ—overed â—overed about 40 acres of land â—t the foote or foundation thereâ—f it was all built of Marbleâ—tone and in the building â—hereof were imployed contiâ—ually for the space of 20 years â—600000 men and for the susteâ—ance of these workmen was â—is burst in radish and such other â—oots 1800 tallents which acâ—ording to our reckoning is the summe 1880000 crownes this might seem incredible were it not that it is affirmed by so many Authors of authority The fourth was the Mausol of Mausolus King of Caria and husband to Artemisia so called this Woman for the great love shee bare to her Spouse burned his dead body and dranke the powder thereof thinking no Sepulcher so worthy as her owne body and the rest of the powder shee buried in this famous tombe the stone whereof was of an excellent kind of marble it was 411 feet in circuit and 25 cubits high was invironed about with 36 Pillars of stone wonderfully well carved The fift was the Temple oâ— Diana builded by the Amazones it was 455 foot long and 220 foot broad and in it stood 127 marble pillars each of them being 70 foote high the worke thereof was so wonderfull curious that it was 220 yeares a making The sixt was the Image of Iupiter Olympius in Achaia all of Porphyre an infinite number of little pieces joyned together this Image besides the excellency of the worke is especially noted for the greatnesse thereof and was the more famous by reason of the game called Olympiades there kept The seventh was the Tower Pharos nigh unto Alexandria in Egypt builded by Ptolomeus Philadelphus King of Egypt to direct the
passengers which came to take haven thereabouts by burning of pitch or other like things in the toppe this Tower was of a marvellous height and singular workmanship the building wherof cost according to our money 480000 crownes Some Authors put for the seventh wonder the Gardens and Orchards upon the Walls of Babylon Others put the Obelisque of Semiramis which differeth in nothing from a Pyramid saving that it is all one stone the Obelisque Semiramis caused to be wrought and taken out of the Mountaines of Armenia it was a hundred and fifty foot high and every square was foure and twenty foot broad at the bottome so that it contained in circuit 96 foot The sixe Ages of the World IN the dividing of these Ages there is great contrariety of Opinions among Writers for that some follow the computation of the 72 Interpreters and some follow the Hebrewes and the common Text of the Bible The first Age from the creation of the world till the universall Flood endured according to the Hebrewes 1656 yeares which agreeth with the saying of S. Hierom Bede Philâ— and the common text of the Bible The 72 Interpreters and Eusebius hold that it endured 2242 yeares and Saint Austine is of opinion that it endured 2272. Of this age few or no things are recited worthy of memory except the birth of the first man Adam and the creation of all things The second age from Noahs flood till the birth of Abraham endured according to the 72 Interpreters Eusebius and the greatest part of writers 942 and according to the Hebrews but 292 yeares Saint Austin counteth 172 yeares In this age was builded Babel the Tower of confusion the Empire of the Assyrians beganne and the great Citty of Ninive was builded which contained in circuit three dayes journey The third age from Abraham to David endured by the agreement of all Authours 941 yeares During this age was the peregrination of Abraham the beginning of the Amazones Sodome and Gomorrah were destroyed Ioseph was sold to the Egyptians Moses passed the red Sea Iob the just lived Iason conquered the golden Feece the destruction of Troy the Latins began to reigne in Italy The fourth age from the beginning of the reigne of David till the leading of the Iewes captive into Babylon endured 485 yeares During this age the Empire of Assyrians was translated to the Medes the Olympiades of the Grecians began Carthage was builded by Dido and Rome by Romulus Byzance was also builded the destruction of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and thereupon the calamity of the Iewes The fift age from the transmigration of Babylon to the comming of Christ endured by the agreement of all 589 yeares During this age Cyrus beganne the Monarchy of the Persians the 70 yeare of this age the Jewes returned to their Countrey Consuls beganne to rule in Rome Xerxes invaded Greece with an Army of 1000000 men Plato Aristotle and Demostenes flourished with many other worthy Philosophers Alexander wonne the Monarchy of the World the destruction of Carthage by the Romans Câ—â—sar usurped the Empire of Rome The sixt age beganne at the birth of our Saviour Christ which yet endureth and shall endure to the end of the world Of the bridges of Singui and Quinsai THere be numbred in the City of Singui about six thousand bridges of stone having so large Arches that shippes may passe through without bending of the Mast. There is another City called Quinsay in Asia which containeth in the circuit of it above an hundred Italian miles which make 25 German miles it is thought to bee the greatest and most notable City in the World It hath 12 thousand bridges of stone so high and large that a ship may passe upright through them Of certaine illusions of Devils about Tangut THere is seene and heard about the Desarts of Tangut in the day time and more commonly in the night divers illusions of Devills therfore travailers that way ought to take good heed that they â—ever not their companies and least any comming behinde might hinder them for otherwise they shall soone loose the fight of their companions for the hils and mountaines there be heard the voyces of Spirits and Devills which going solitarily will call other by their names feigning and counterfeiting the voyces of their companions the which if they can by any meanes doe lead men out of the way to destruction there be hard sometimes in the Ayre the consents and harmony of musick-instruments there bee many worshippers of Idolls and they attribute much honour to the Devills When their Wives have a sonne they commend him to some Idoll and in the honour of it that yeare the Father keepeth up a Ramme the which after the nativity of the Childe at the next feast of that Idoll he offereth with his sonne and many other Ceremonies When the Sacrifice is done they bring the flesh which was offered to some secret place and all his kinsfolkes gathred together doe eate of that with great devotion keeping the bones reverently in some vessel In this Countrey is found a Serpent called Salamandra which liveth in the fire without any damage those Serpents are used for the making of such cloth as may suffer the fire without any corruption or harme or else when any spot commeth to any Garment made of the haires of a Salamander it may bee cast for an houre in the fire and all the spots will be gone no otherwise then if they had bin very cleane washt Of the Cocatrice THere is in Affrick a kinde of Serpent called a Cocatrice which hath a white spot on his head having the fashion of a Diadem His head is very sharp his mouth red his eyes somewhat blacke in colour as Pliny saith with his hissing he driveth away all kinde of Serpents Hee destroyeth with his breath young trees and plants consumeth herbs breaketh stones infecteth the ayre where he tarrieth so that a bird cannot fly over that ayre or through it without danger of death Yet it is said that the poison of a Weasell is his destruction Aelianus saith that he hath so sharpe poison that exceeding not in length a mans hand yet hee extinguisheth every great Serpent with his onely breath There is not a more hurtfull or more pestilent beast upon the earth for this lying in his denne may destroy a whole Citty by infection Of the Crocodile THe Crocodile is found commonly about the water of Nilus and Ganges in India and waxeth of a little thing to a very great beast For his egges are much like unto Goose-egs but the yong which commeth of them taketh encrease to sixteene or eighteeâ—â— cubits in length hee liveth almost as long as a man hee lacketh a tongue his body is maâ—â—vellously defended of nature for all his backe is full of scales and wonderfull hard his 〈◊〉 is long hee hath many teeth on both sides of his mouth whereof two doe especially hang out he doth not onely devoure man but also other
and a laughing stock to the Gentiles they so thought for that he was borne in Bethlem a little village in Iudea that he lived and was conversant among simple people without pompe and glory and that he died the death of the crosse with reproach and shame supposing him to be a Carpenters son but they were deceived his birth was most glorious the appearing of the Starre prooved it â—he descending of Angels singing Gloria in excelsis did manifest it the comming of Magi from the East did confirme it his life was most Imperiall comanding Water into Wine the blinde to see the lame to go the sick to health and the dead to rise His death was most triumphant with the song of Hosanna he vanquished Devils subdued Hell and conquered the world and said ConsuÌ„matum est Therefore his nativity is to bee solemnized of all Christians his life to be worshipped and death to be glorified with Alâ—elujah Hosanna and Gloria in excelsis songs triumphant and fit for Jesus Christ our Saviour Of the ancient and strange ceremonies at the Election of the Prince of Carinthia CArinthia is a Province where the Sclavonians speach is spoken where manners and customes are most strange and the like Ceremonies not read of When any new elected Prince entreth into his goverment hee is brought into a faire large valley where was wont to bee an ancient Citty where some monuments are left as reliques so that time weare out the name of it In a wide faire medow hard by a marble stone is erected upon the which stone a Rusticall fellow standeth which by succession of blood that place and office by heritage doth possesse There he hath hard by him a deformed leane Mare and an olde leane Oxe and the Rusticall Countrey people in heapes about him On the farther side of the medowe is the new Prince with his Barons and States about him with great pompe very richly attired all in Purple having the Princes Ensignes and his Arms and 12 Banners carried solemnly before him the Prince being apparrelled like a poore simple country man in old broken garments his cap bare and his shoos worne with a countrey staffe in his hand seeming rather more like a shepherd then a Prince who comming nigh to the Clowne that standeth upon the stone hee cryeth out in the Sclavonian tongue and asketh who is this that is comming here so proude the Barons and the States answere he is a Prince of the Country then the Country man from the Marble stone demands againe Is this man a right and just Judge Doth he seek the benefit and wealth of this Countrey Is â—he of honest and vertuous condition Is he a sound Christian in religion Will he defend the true faith And is he worthy of this honour To whom al the States and Barons answere he is and shall be Againe he saith I aske you by what law and right should I bee removed from this seat The County of Goritia answereth for mony this place is bought then this Oxe and this Mare shal be thine and all the Garments which the last Prince did put off thy houâ—e shal be free without any tribute Then the countrey-man descendeth and meeteth the Prince and striketh him a little on the cheeke saying I command thee to be a good just Prince then he taketh his Mare and his Oxe and giveth the place to the Prince who streight standeth upon the Marble-stone taking a naked Sword into his hand first hee doth flourish it one way then he doth flourish it another way promising thereby equall Justice to the people there they bring water in a Countrey-mans cap to drink to signifie unto the Prince that he should abstaine from wine After these ceremonies the Prince coÌ„meth downe from the Marble-stone and is brought to the Temple called Our Ladies Chappel which was the seate sometime of a Bishop then from thence after some sacrifice which was to be used all things done and performed the Prince putteth off the rusticall garments that he put on before to performe the custome and ceremonies of the Countrey and weareth his princely wonted attire and after hee had feasted with his Barons and his Nobility he returned to the medow againe where the Marble-stone was and sitteth there on his Tribunall seat to heare causes pleaded and to give judgement according to Justice this is the manner and strange custome of the election of any Prince in Carinthia So strange were the customes and manners in old time aswell at the election and coronation of Princes as also in their ceremonies and Scepters For the first Kings of the world used for their Scepters long gilded speares The old Kings of Rome used a crooked staffe called Lituus Tarquiniuâ— Priscus the 5 King of Rome had his Scepter of Ivory The Kings of India had their Scepters of Ebony The Lydians carried before their Kings great Axes The Kings of Sicily used a silver staffe for their Scepter The Babylonians used divers kinds of Scepters with sundry figures as of Lyons Eagles c. The manner of the funerall pompe of the Grecians IN other parts of Greece they used more solemne mourneâ—ull ceremonies at the Funerall of their Kings and Princes â—hey tooke downe their Bulâ—arkes and Fortresses of Wars â—hey untile their Temples they â—â—bvert their Altars they reject â—nd depose their Idols they put â—ut their fire and the men shave â—oth their heads and beards and â—hey clip their horses and left â—othing undone that seemed â—ournefull Then al the Priests â—agistrates young Gentlemen â—nd children carryed Trophies â—nd Monuments of the dead â—ing with his Ensignes and â—rmes crowned with Garlands â—â—cording to the custome of â—reece The Noblemen carryed divers great Cups or Bowles some full of Wine others full of Milke and some full of Blood all in white Garments others carried Hony and Cakes which should be sprinkled and cast upon the funerall fire at what time they sung Hymnes Odes and songs called Ialemâ—â— in the praise of the dead Prince and lastly when the King is solemnly thus burned the Princeâ— and great men of his blood should carry his Ashes in Golden pots crowned over with all kinde of sweete flowers which should bee a memory or Trophie of the deaâ— King The Grecians had also these customes at the funerall of theiâ— deare friends as Parents Brethren Sisters both the Men and Woemen should have theiâ— long haire and offer it upon the Hearse of the dead So Achilles solemnized the funerall of his deare friend Patroclus cutting the fore locks of his haire to set it among many other of Patroclus friends upon his Hearse or Tombe Euripides funerall was of Arâ—bâ—laus King of Macedonia so honoured that hee lamented Euripides death with mourning apparrell and with a shaâ—en head and beard according to the use and custome of the Macedonians The great pompe and solemnity at the inauguration of the Pope of Rome THe Pope of Rome at his inauguration excelled all other Princes in solemnity
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