Christe at one very instaunce shoulde be in many places and of many menne receiued at ones and in sondrye parcelles Ninethly that thoughe the bread it selfe be chaunged into the very flesshe of Christe and the wine into his bloude that yet to all the sences thei remaine breade and wine and neither flesshe ne bloud Further that all these coÌ„modities coÌ„teined in these verses folowing should happen vnto those that worthely eate it It putteth in mynde and kindleth encreaseth hope and strengtheneth Mainteineth clenseth restoreth giues life and vniteth Stablissheth beliefe abates the foode of sinne and all vnclennes quencheth Finally to be very profitable for the saluacioÌ„ aswell of those liuyng as deade for whoÌ„ it is specially offred by the priest in the Masse And therefore to haue to name Eucharistia communio In the beginning of the Christiane faithe and yet amonge certeine schismatiques as thei saye one whole lofe was consecrated of suche bigguenesse as wheÌ„ the Priest had broken it in a platter into smalle pieces it mighte suffise the whole multitude that ware at the masse to participate of For in time paste the Christianes came euery day to communicate by a speciall commaundemente and ordenaunce Aftrewarde but ones in a wicke and that on the Sonday But whan it began to be skant well kepte vppon the Sonday neither then was it commaunded that euery manne should receiue it thrise in the yere or ones at the leaste at euery Easter And that euery christian manne when he stode in any daungier of death beynge whole of minde should receiue it as a waifaring viande to staye him by the waye with as good preparacion of bodye and soule as he possibly mighte Matrimonie whiche is the lawefulle coupling of the manne and the woman broughte in by the lawe of nature the lawe of God the lawe of all peoples and the lawe ciuile is the fiueth Sacrament The holy fathers woulde haue but one mariage at ones that not in secrete but with opeÌ„ solemnitie eyther in the churche or in the churche porche and so that the priest be called to the matier Who shold firste examine the man and then the womanne whether thei bothe consent to be maried together Yf thei be agreed whiche is chiefely in this case requisite he taking them bothe by the right handes coupleth them together in the name of the holy and vnseperable trinitie the father the sonne and the holy ghoste And commaundeth and exhorteth them that thei alwaye remembring this their coupling of their owue free wille consent as longe as thei liue neuer forsake one a nother but loue honour one another be debonaire and buxome one to another giuing them selues to procreacion and not to lecherous luste And that thei honestly and diligently bringe vp suche children as God sendeth them of theyr bodies Aftre that he affiaunceth theÌ„ both with one ringe And sprinckling holy water vpon them reacheth them a stole and leadeth them into the churche where yf thei ware not blessed afore he blesseth them knieling before the altare The woman hath on a redde fillet or frontelette and ouer that a white veile withoute the whiche it is not lawfulle for her fro that daye forewarde to go oute of doores abrode or to sitte by any manne Twelue thinges ther be whiche the holy fathers woulde haue to barre persons from contracting of matrimonie and to disseuer them againe yf thei be contracted Errour of person that is to saye mistaking one for another A betrowthing vpon a condicion CoÌ„sanguinitie or kindred An opeÌ„ crime Diuersitie of secte Force or coÌ„strainte Holy ordres a BoÌ„de or former contracte Commune or open honestie Affinitie and Dishabilitie of engeÌ„drure The sixteth Sacramente is penaunce or repentaunce giuen of Christe as it ware for a wracke boorde wherby men are preserued fro drowninge Eche christian oughte vndoubtedly to beleue that this consisteth in foure poinctes To saie in RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce of our sinnes Canonicalle coÌ„fession Absolucion and Satisfaction or amendes Firste let him sorowe not with a lighte forthinckinge but with a moste earneste and bittre repentaunce in the botome of his conscience for the puritie and innocencie that he had gotten eyther by baptisme or the benefite of former repentaunce and nowe hathe eftsones loste and forgone throughe sinne And let him hope with this repentaunce to be reconciled to the fauour of God againe And let him humbly and truly with his owne mouthe confesse to a wise prieste in the steade of God all those offences wherwith he knoweth him selfe to haue loste his innocencie and clennesse and to haue prouoked the wrathe of GOD againste him selfe And let him assuredly beleue that the same prieste hath power giuen him of Christe as beinge his vicare or deputie on earthe to absolue him of all his sinnes Finally for satisfaction or amendes making for the faulte lette him not with grudginge but chierfully and gladly doe what so euer he shal be coÌ„mauÌ„ded Beleuig with vndoubted faith that he is absolued and quyte of all assone as the priest in dewe forme of wordes hath pronounced the absolucion The seuenth and the laste SacrameÌ„t is the laste enoynting by an oyle that is made to this vse by the bisshope in euery diocesse by an yerely custome vpoÌ„ mauÌ„dy thursdaie like as the chrismatory oyle is And this by the precepte of sainte Iames the Apostle and by the ordinaunce of Felix the fourthe Pope after Sainte Peter was giuen only to them that laie in dyeng being of full age and requyring it Thei vse to enoynte with a prescripte fourme of wordes and with often inuocation of sainctes those partes of the bodie wher our fiue wittes or senses the hearing seyng smelling tasting and touching beare moste stroke with whiche man is iudged chiefely to sinne That is the eares the eyes the nosethrilles the mouthe the handes and the fete Wherby the holy fathers would vs to be leue that there was not onely purchased cleane forgiuenesse of all smaller offences or venialle sinnes but also either presente recouâ—rie or a riper and gentier deathe All the feastes and holydaies throughout the yere whiche the churche hath commaunded to be obserued kept beginne at the Aduente or approche of Christe our Lorde Whiche Peter the Apostle instituted to be obserued in Decembre with fasting and prater thre wiekes and a haulfe before Christemas wheÌ„ we close vp the last viii daies of that moneth with great ioye and feaste Thei deuided the yere into two fiuetie wekes and. xij seueral monthes The monethes coÌ„monly into xxx daies The firste daye of Ianuary the churche recordeth howe Christe was circumcised acordinge to Moyses lawe The. iii. daye aftre howe he was worshipped of the thre Sages with thre sondry presentes and howe beinge baptissed of Iohn in Iordaine the floude he laide the foundation of the newe Lawe The seconde of Februarie how his mother vnspotted obeyeng the maner of her coÌ„try brought him into the temple and suftred her self to be purified or clensed
those that delight al in raw meate they sette birdes and rawe foules Finally as I said they kiepe them all with great diligence and coste They lament their death asmoche as the death of their owne children bury them more sumptuously then their substance doth stretch In so moche that Ptolomeus Lagus reigning in Egipt when there chaunced a cowe to die in Memphis for very age he that had taken charge of the kepyng of her bestowed vpon the buriall of her beside a greate some of mony that was giuen him for the keping fiftie talentes of siluer that he borowed of Ptolome Peraduenture these thynges will seme vnto some men to wondreful but he wil wondre asmoche yf he cōsidre what communely is done emonge euery of the Egiptians in the funeralle of their deade When any man is departed his lyfe all his niere friendes and kindesfolke throwing dirte vpō their heades go wieping and wailing rounde about the citie vntle the Corps be buried And in the meane season they neyther bathe ne drincke wine or eate any meate but that that is most base vile ne weare any apparell that is gorgeous or faire They haue thre sortes of Sepulchres Sumptuous meane and basse In the firste sorte they bestowe a talente of siluer Aboute the seconde twenty Markes and aboute the thirde litle or nothing There be certaine Pheretrers whose facultie it is to sette forthe burialles whiche learne it of their fathers and teache it their childrē These when a funeral happeneth make vnto him that is doer for the deade an estimate of the exequies in writing whiche the doer may at his pleasure enlarge or make lesse When thei are ones fallen at appoyncte the bodye is deliuered to the Pheretrer to bee enterred acordyng to the rate that they agreed vpon Then the bodie beyng laied foorthe commeth the Pheretrers chiefe cutter and he appoincteth his vndrecutter a place on the side haulfe of the paunche wher to make incision and how large Then he with a sharpe stone whiche of the country fro whence it cōmeth they call Ethiopicus openeth the left side as farre as the lawe permitteth And streight with all spiede ronneth his waye frō the company standing by which curse him and reuile him and throwe many stones aftre him For they thincke there yet remaineth a certeine hatred due vnto him that woūdeth the body of their frinde Those that are the seasoners and embalmers of the body whome they calle poulderers they haue in greate honour and estimacion for that they haue familiaritie with the priestes and entre the temples together with them The bodye nowe commen to their handes one emong all the reste standing by vnlaceth the entrailes and draweth them out at the foresaid incision all sauing the kidneis and the harte These entrailes are taken by another at his hande and wasshed in wine of the country Phenicea wherin are enfused many soote odours and drugges Then enoincte they the whole bodye ouer firste with Cedre and then with other oynctemētes xxx daies aboue Then do thei ceare it ouer with Mirrhe Cinamome and suche other thinges as wil not onely preserue it to cōtinuaunce but also make it soote smelling The Corps thus being trimmed is deliuered to the kindesfolke of the deade euery parte of it kepte so whole not an heare of his browes or eye liddes being hurte the it raither lieth like one being in sliepe then like a dead corpse Before the body be enterred the kindesfolke of the deade signefie to the iudges and the friendes of this passed the day of the burial Whiche according to the maner then vsed thei terme the deades passaige ouer the mere The maner wherof is this The iudges aboue xl in nomber sittinge on the farther side of the mere on a cōpassed benche wheling haulfe roūde and the people standing about them The body is put into a litle boate made for the nones and drawen ouer to the iudges by a chorde The body then standing before the iudges in the sight of the people before it be cofred if ther be any manne that haue aught to saye against the dead he is permitted by the lawe Yf any be proued to haue liued euyll the iudges geue sentence that the bodye shall not be buried And who so is founde vniuscelye to haue accused suffreth greate punyshemente therfore When no manne wyll accuse or he that accused is knowen to haue slaunderously done it the kinsfolke endyng their mournyng tourne them selues now to the prayse of the dead nothing aftre the maner of the Grecians for that the Egiptians thinke themselues all to be gentlemen alike But beginnyng at his childehode in the whiche thei reherse his bringing vp nourtering and scholyng thei passe to his mannes age their commending his godlines his iustice his temperaunce the residewe of his vertues And calling vpon the vndre earthe goddes they beseche them to place him emonge the godlye and good To the which wordes all the whole multitude crieth Amen showtyng oute and magnifieng the glorye of the deade as thoughe they shoulde be with the vnder earth goddes among the blessed for euer This done euery man burieth his dead some in Sepulchres made for the purpose and other that haue no suche preparacion in their strongest wall at home in their house setting vp the cofre ther taberbernacle wyse But they that for some offence or debte of enterest or suche like are denied their bewriall are sette vp at home without any cofre vntle their successours growyng to abilitie canne dischardge their debtes and offeces and honourably bewrie them There is a maner emong them sometyme to borowe money vpon their parētes corpses deliueryng the bodies to the creditours in pledge And who so redemeth theim not ronneth into vtter infamie and is at his death denied his bewriall A manne not altogether causeles mighte merueile that thei could not be-contente to constitute lawes for the framyng of the maners of those that are onliue but also put ordre for the exequies and Hearses of the deade But the cause why thei bent them selues so muche hervnto was for that thei thought ther was no bettre waie possible to driue men to honestie of life The Grekes which haue set furthe so many thynges in fained tales and fables of Poetes farre aboue credite concernyng the rewarde of the good and punishment of the euill could not with all their deuices drawe men so vertue and withdrawe them from vices But rather cōtrariwise haue with them that be leudely disposed broughte all together in contempte and derision But among the Egiptians the punishemente due vnto the wicked and lewde and the praise of the godlie and good not heard by tales of a tubbe but sene daiely at the eye putteth both partes in remēbraunce what behoueth in this life what fame and opinson thei shall leaue of them selues to their posteritie And hervppon it riseth that euery man gladly emong thē ensueth good ordre of life And to make an ende of
booke There ware amonge the Iewes thre seueralle sectes differyng in life from the reast of the people The Phariseâ—s the Sadduceis and the Esse is The Phariseis vsed a certeine rough solempnesse of appareille and a very skante fare determinyng the Tradicions of Moyses by certein ordâ—naunces and decrees whiche thei them selues sette vp Thei caried vppon their foreheades and on their lefte armes pretie billettes of Paper facioned for the place wherein ware written the tenne preceptes of the two Tables And this did thei for that the lorde saieth And these shall thou haue meanyng the commaundementes as a remembraunce haÌ„ging before thine eyes and alwaie ready at thine hande These ware called their Philacteries of these two woordes Phylexi and Thorat wherof the former signifieth to Kiepe and the other the Lawe These menne also hauyng vppon their skirtes muche broder gardes then other stacke them full of Thornes whiche beatyng and prickyng them on the hieles as thei wente might putte them in remembraunce of the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of God Thei attributed all thynges vnto God and destenie whiche thei call Emarmeni Neuertheles thei graunted that it laie muche in the free choise of manne either to doe or not to doe the thinges that are iust and godlie but yet destenie to helpe in al cases Whiche destenie thei thought to depende of the influence of the bodies aboue Looke what their superiours and Elders had saied or answered to any demaunde thei neuer woulde contrarie it Thei belieued that GOD should come to Iudge the worlde and that all soules ware euerlastyng And as for the soules of the good thei helde opinion that thei passed from one bodie to another vntill the daie of the generall resurrection But the soules of the wicked to be plonged in to euerlasting prison doÌ„ geoÌ„ The name of Pharisei was giueÌ„ vnto them for that thei ware disguised fro the coÌ„mune maner of other as ye would saie Sequestred The Saddeiects denied that there was any destenie but that God was the beholder of all and that it laie in the choise of manne to doe well or euill And as for ioye or sorowe that the soule should suffre aftre this life thei denied Neither belieued thei any resurrection because thei thoughte the soule died with the bodie Thei would not belieue that there ware any spirites good or bad Neither would thei receiue more of the Bible then the fiue bookes of Moses Thei ware sterne men and vncompaignable not so muche as ones kepyng felowshippe one with another For the whiche sternesse thei named theim selues Sadduceis that is to saie â—uste menne The Esse is ware in all poinctes verie like vnto our cloisterers abhorryng mariage and the companie of women Not for that thei condempned Mariage or the procreacion of issue but for that thei iudged a manne ought to be ware of the intemperauncie of women And that no woman kept her self true to her husbaÌ„de Oh shameful opinion and muche better to be reported by the dead then to be credited of the quicke bee it neuer so true Thei possesed all thinges in commune As for checkes or reuilinges was to theÌ„ muske and Honie and slouenly vndaftinesse a greate comelinesse So that thei ware alwaie in a white surcote all was well Thei had no certein abiding in any one citie but Celles ouer all where so euer thei became Before the risyng of the Sonne thei spake nothyng that touched any worldly affaire but prated the sonne to rise Aftre whose vprijste thei laboured vntill eleuen of the clocke And then washyng firste their whole bodie in water thei satte doune together to meate in solempne silence euery manne Swearing thei compted for swearyng Thei admitted no manne to their secte vndre a yere of probacion And aftre what time thei had receiued him yet had thei two yeres more to proue his maners and condicions Suche as thei tooke with a faulte thei draue fro their coÌ„paignie Enioyned by the waie of penaunce to go a grasing like a beast vntill his dieng daie When tenne ware sette in a companie together no one of them spake without the conseÌ„te of the other nyne Thei would not spitte within the precincte of the compaignie emong theim ne yeat on their righte side Thei kept the Sabboth with suche a precisenesse that thei would not that daie ease nature of the belie burden And wheÌ„ vpon other daies nature forced theim to that easemente thei caried with theim a litle spade of woodde wherwith in place moste secreate thei vsed to digge a litle pit to laie their bealie in And in the time of doyng thei also vsed a very greate circumspection that their clothes laie close to the grounde rounde aboute theim for offendyng saied thei of the Maiestie of God Vpon whiche respecte thei also conered and bewrted it assone as thei had bone that nature required Thei ware of verie long life by the reason of the vnifourme diete that thei vsed alwaie aftre one rate of fare whiche was onely the fruicte of their countrie Palme Thei occupied no money If any manne suffered for wel doyng or as wroÌ„gfully condempned that thoughte thei the beste kinde of death Thei helde opinion that all soules ware made in the beginnyng and put in to bodies from tyme to tyme as bodies did niede theim And for the good soules beyng ridde of their bodies againe thei saied there was a place appoincted beyond the weast Occean where thei take repose But for the euill thei appoincted places toward the East as more stormie colde vnpleasante Ther ware amoÌ„ge them that prophecied thinges Some of them gaue themselues to wedlocke least if thei should be of the oppinion that men oughte to absteine vttrely from women mankinde should fade and in processe be extincte â–ª yeat vsed thei the compaignie of their wiues nothing at rioce The lande of Siria whereof we haue named Iewrie a parte is at this daie enhabited of the Grekes called Griphones of the Iacobites Nestorians Sarracenes and of two christian nacions the Sirians and Marouines The SiriaÌ„s vse to saie Masse aftre the maner of the Grekes and for a space ware subiecte to the churche of Rome The Marouines agre in opinion with the Iacobites Their lettres and congue are al one with the Arabique These christianes dwelle at the Mounte Libanus The Sarracenes whiche dwelle aboute IerusaleÌ„ a people valeauÌ„t in warre delighte muche in housbandrie and tilthe But contrary wise thei that enhabite Siria in that poincte are nothing worth The Marouines are feawe in nombre but of all other thei are the hardieste ¶ The. v. Chapitre ¶ Of Media and the maners of the Medes MEdia a countrie of Asia as Solinus writeth toke the name of one Medus the sonne of Medea Egeus kyng of Athenes Of whoÌ„ the people ware also called Medes But Iosephus affirmeth that it was so named of Medius the soÌ„ne of Iapheth This countrie as it is sene in Ptolomie hath on the Northe the sea named Hircanum on the West
â—brely and sensibly to giue the meaninge of those infinite threasoures with suche wordes as falle moste feling lie for them ronne thei neuer so roughe in the prose or be they neuer so simple and harde framing with our phrase If my doinges therfore herin shall seme to the in certeyne places more Grekisshe then Englysshe or liker the maner of the Latine then of our owne londe impute it to the reuerence that I owe to these maner of Authours WHeÌ„ Moses had gouerned the Israelites by the space of fowrtie yeres but .xxx. daies lackyng He asseÌ„bled the people harde vpon Iordane where the coune now stondeth that is called Abila so named of the plentie of Abeles theraboute growing and all the people being gathered together he spake vnto theim in this wise Felowes companions of my long trauelles forasmuche as it pleaseth God that I departe this life and myne age is now comen to the nombre of an hundred and twentie yeres and for that I can be no helpe ne aide vnto you in the thinges ye shal haue to do on the other side I ordeine the Lorde restrainyng me I thought it not miete no not euen now at the laste caste to slacke myne endeu our to warde you for the aduauncemeÌ„t of your wealth But to studie how to purchace afwell to you eternalle enioyeng of prosperitâ—e as to my self perpetualle memorie emoÌ„gest you when ye shall haue opteined plentie of al blessednesse Go to then aftre what time I shall haue declared how bothe ye your selues maie be blessed and leaue vn to your posteritie an euerlasting possession of the same I will so departe this life And â—â—uly I am worthye me thinckes to be credited A good man at no time dissombleth and muche lesse when he lieth at the poincte if deathe and belieued of ye bothe for the earnest sticking in your quarelle sondrie tymes heretofore and also for that the soules of men brought vnto the laste caste are then most estreightly allied and knitte with all vertue O Israelites a fauourable GOD is the onely cause of all the good thinges that men possesse And he alone can giue vnto the worthy and take fro the wicked If ye shewe your selues towarde him suche as he requireth and suche as I perfectely knowinge his wille and pleasure admonysshe ye to be he shall neuer with drawe himself from you neither shal ye at any time cease to be blessed honorable ouer all Yea the wealth that ye now possesse shall remaine sure your owne and that that is promised ye in time to come shall spiedely the giuen ye So that ye obeie the thinges whiche God would ye to obeie and preferre no trade of Ciuile ordre or gouernaunce before the lawes that I presently giue you ne straie vnto straunge maners contempnynge the loue and feare whiche ye now haue vnto the Lorde And in folowyng these â–ª ye shal be of all menne moste strong and â—aliaunte in fight and vanquisheable to none enemie Neither is it mete that thei should feare any manne for whose helpe God hath armed hymself to battaile Greate rewardes are laied before ye for vertue if duryng your life she dwelle continually in you For firste she her self of all goodnes is the best and purchaseth habound aunce of all other thynges that good are She truely vsed emong ye shal giue vnto you a blessed life make ye to be praised aboue all foreme nacions and cause ye to be renoumed emoÌ„g those that shal be aftre your daies All these thinges maie ye obteine if ye bee obediente and kepe well the lawes whiche I haue giueÌ„ ye from the mouthe of God and exercise your mindes in the vndrestanding of theÌ„ As for my self I departe gladde of your prosperitie commendyng ye to the rulâ— of sobre discrecion and to those honeste ordres and Lawes that I leaue among ye and to the vertue of your chiefteines to whom the aduauncement of your coÌ„modities and profites shal be committed God also that hetherto hath gouerned you by whose wille I haue bene your profitable minister shall not yet cease to prouide for ye But euen as long as ye your selues shall wishe to haue him your gouernour helper continuyng in your earneste zeale of vertue so long shall ye be sure that he wille foresee to deliuer ye from daunger And the high Prieste Eleasar and Iosua the counsaile and the Officers of the Tribes shall declare and open vnto you what is beste to be done Whiche if ye followe ye shall haue blessed wealthe amonge you Obeie ye them therefore withoute grudge vnderstandyng that the menne whiche praise worthely canne obeit shall also haue knoweledge how praise worthely to rule if thei shal ones come to that prerogatiue of dignitie And iudge it to be franke libertie not to repine against the thynges â–ª whervnto your Capiteines shall require ye For now ye take this to be libertie If ye maie hurte those that haue done good vn to you and sette nought by them whiche are your welwillers and friendes The whiche euill if ye shall from hence furthe auoide the worlde shall go the bettre with you Beware I require you that ye neuer entreprise suche outrage against them as ye haue ofteÌ„ attempted against me For ye knowe that I haue bene oftener in hasarde of my life throughe you then by mine enemies Wherin I would ye should not thincke that I meane in any wise to atcwighte ye or â—aunte ye For lothe woulde I be by this my rehersalle of thinges paste to leaue in your mindes any displeasure against me now at my departing Seing that eueÌ„ then when ye thus dealte with me I shewed none angre against ye But by this to giue ye warnyng that ye vprightly behaue your selues heraftre and offre no iniurie to your superiours for riches sake Wherof ye shall haue plentie beyng ones passed Iordane and hauyng achieued Chanaan But if throughe these vertue shall become contemptible and fulsome vnto you ye shall lose also the fauour of God Who becomen your enemie ye shall also lose the laÌ„de whiche ye shall possesse with shame enough ouercomen of your enemies in the fielde And being skatered the worlde ouer ye shall be as thralles and bondemen in euery coaste and countrie by Sea and by lande And as for the remembraunce and repentaunce of the lawes not obserued shall then when ye shal be fallen into those euilles stande ye to none effecte Wherefore if ye entende to conserue these lawes leaue ye not an enemie on liue when ye shall haue vanquished them But iudge it necessary for your welfares to destroie theim euery mothers childe Lesse if thei be suffred to liue ye take sauour in their maners and corrupte your owne countrie discipline ordenaunces I counsaile ye also that ye hewe doune their groues throwe doune their Altares and what so euer Churches thei shall haue and abolishe with fire the memorialle of theim and their people For by that and none other meanes