at a priuye signe to fall to feasting tipling and quaffing betweene themselues aboue measure Which thing he deuysed to the intent the Sardian embassadours beholding so greate plentye and aboundance of grayne and vewing the people in such wise to disport them selues with al kynde of pleasure and delight might make report therof to y e kinge his soueraigne which fell out accordynglye For the ambassadours taking diligent view of all thinges they saw and dispatching their ambassage to Thrasibulus made speedy recourse to Sardis And as I am geuen to vnderstand hereof onelye proceeded a conclusion of peace betwene them For Halyattes supposinge the Milesians to bee oppressed with greate want and penury of grayne at the returne of hys legates hard other newes then hee looked for After this a league was established betweene them of mutuall hospitality and fellowship and in steed of one temple Halyattes caused 2 other to be sumptiuously built at AssessuÌ„ beyng after restored to hysful and perfect strength Such was then the maner of the warre that Halyattes mayntayned agaynst the people of Miletus Periander the some of Sypselus who aduertised Thrasibulus of the oracle was king of Corinth in whose raigne there happened by report of hys people with whom also y e cityzens of Lesbos do iustly accord a miracle right straunge and wonderful Arion Methimnaeus sitting on the backe of a Dolphine by safe and easy conduite arryued at Taenaros hauing the name to bee the most excellent and skylfull musition on the harpe of those â—ymeâ—â— by whom also chieflye was inuented named and taught the kynde and forme of verse called Biâ—hyrambus The fame is how this Aryon hauing a loÌ„g tyme bene resident in the court of Periander was greatly desyrous to passe the Seas into Italye and Cicilie wher beyng growen in wealth and flowinge with infinite summes of money was lead by a desire of retyring backe into hys owne countreye and determyne to in ship himselfe at Tarentum for the speciall credite and good lyking he had to the men of his owne nation hyred a Corinthian barck to returne in which hauing a gall of pleasant wynde and beinge nowe without kenne of Lande the Maryners were all in mind to haue borded Aryon to enioy his money which thing y e pore harper perceyuing freely offred to depart from his wealth if therewith satisfyed they would shew mercy on him selfe and spare his life How beit finding theÌ„ cruelly bent not to bee moued with anye tears but y t either he must kil himselfe be buried on y e laÌ„d or fling hiÌ„selfe hedloÌ„g into y e mids of y e sea he besought theÌ„â—sibly y t since it semed them best to deale so roughly w t him they would graunt him liberty in his richest aray to sing a song wherto they gladly yeldiÌ„g as beyng not a little ioyful to lend their eares to the chiefest and most famous musitioÌ„ then liuing on the earth He weÌ„t from them apart into the middest of the shippe wher hauing decked his body w t most pretious and costlye furniture he framed his voyce to the sweete and melodious verse named Orthium which no soner had he brought to an end but al his pompe glorious arayment he threw himselfe headlonge into the Sea the shipmen held on their course to Corinth Arion receyued by a Dolphin was in perfect safety landed at Taenaros froÌ„ whence so arrayed as he was he framed his steps towarde Corinth to the seate and pallace of the king wher hauing entred a discourse of his strauÌ„ge case incredible fortune y e king supposing him to ouer reach coÌ„mitted him immediatly to close ward wher no maÌ„ might haue accesse vnto hiÌ„ After that diligent serch was made for the mariners who beyng apprehended and curiouslye questioned with about Arion made answere that his abode was aboute Italy and how at their comming from thence they leaft him in florishing estate at Tarentum at which words Arion preseÌ„tly appearing draue them into such a quandarye that hauing no colour of excuse they were compelled perforce to confesse the truth These thinges are verifyed by the men of Corinth and Lesbos Ther is yet to be seene at Taenaros a huge massy monumeÌ„t wrought of brasse Arion sitting on y e back of a Dolphin Howbeit Haliattes prince of Lydia hauing entred the warre with the Milesians gouerned the kingdome 57 yeares finished his dayes who second of that linage after the due recouerye of his strength offred at Delphos a piece of siluer plate of value incomparable and a smal dish of yron curyously wrought a thinge no lesse wonderful to behold then ought that hath bene dedicated in the temple of Apollo being the handy worke of Blaucus Chius who first found out the meane to worke in yron After the death of Haliattes the sceptor descended vnto Craesus his sonne beyng then at the age of thirtye and three yeares This Kyng mynding to haue a fling at the Grecians began first of all and encountred with the people of Ephesus who beyng inuyroned by hym with a siege gaue theyr Citty to the Goddesse tying a rope from the temple of Diana to the walles of the Towne Betweene the olde citye that was besieged and the Temple was the space of 7. furlonges These were the first that Craesus began to quarel with amonges the Grecians After this he began by piecemeale to be doyng with the seuerall cityes of Ionia Aeolia pretending agaynst each diuerse and sundrye causes some very weighty and of due regard other meeretrifles and very friuolous Now when he had subdued the Grecians in Asia and made them tributory to his seat hee determined to furnish a nauy agaynst the inhabitauntes of the Isles To the framing wherof when all things were in readynesse some say that Bias Prienaeus other that Pittacus Mitylaeneus comming to Sardis was demaunded of the Kinge what newes in Greece who shaped him such an answeare that it gaue him small courage to proceede in his enterprise The people of the Isles O King sayd hee haue made prouision of a thousande horses in full purpose to come agaynst thee and thy citye Sardis Craesus thinking he had spoken truth Would God quoth he it might once take them in the brayne to war on horsebacke against the sonnes of the Lydians who taking his talke by the end proceeded saying Most noble Prince it is thy desire to meete with these Sea fishes flooting on shore and what dost thou think they more greedy wish and long after then to take thee and thy Lidyans waueryng and tossing in the water to gleike the one the other syde for so many Grecians become subiect pentionarye to thy kingdome Wherwith Craesus verye much delighted for that he seemed to haue spoken wisely chaunged his mynd and made a friendly league with the people of Ionia that held the Isles in processe of tyme hee became conquerour of al those which are within the ryuer Halis For besydes the
Craesus to haue done him to death not supposing him to haue bene the king Whom he perceyuinge neuerthelesse regarded not the daunger making no difference whether hee perished by sword or otherwyse The dumbe sonne seeyng the imminent perill of the King hys father and fearynge his death brake out in these wordes sayinge Hold thy handes Good fellow slay not king Craesus Which beyng the first wordes that euer he spake hee had alwaies after the ready vse and practise of his toung Thus Craesus and hys city Sardis after he had raygned 14. years and abiden so many dayes siege fell into the hands and power of the Persians hauing lost a great kingdome accordyng to the voyce and sentence of the oracle beyng in this sort apprehended he was brought to king Cyrus who causing his hands feete to be clogged with great waighty giues of yron set him in y e midst of a woodpile made for the nonce accōpanied w t 14. children of the Lydians determinīg to offer these first fruites to y e Gods ether for perfourmāce accōplishment of some vow or for profe or tryall whether any of the Gods vnto whose honor seruice he vnderstode Craesus to be greatly addicted woulde saue deliuer hī frō y e fyre These things are cōmonly spred reported of Cyrus In this most yrksome lamentable case whiles y e kynge of y e Lydiās stode on y e heape or pyle of fagots he bethought hymselfe of the words and saying of Solon who lead by the diuine instinct of some heauenly influence had told hym before that in the number of the liuinge there was no man so singular that might be named happy Wherof beyng admonished in his mynd and fetching from the bottom of his hart a deepe and streyning sigh by report wept bitterly three sundrye tymes cryed out aloude vppon the name of Solon which Cyrus hearing willed the interpreters to aske hym whom he called vppon To whom Craesus made no an sweare at all vntil such tyme as beynge compelled by constraynt he sayd I named him whom I had rather then al the wealth in the worlde hee had lykewyse talked with all those who beynge placed in the hyghest degree of honoure haue the chiefe gouernment of the kingdomes on Earth which woordes for that hee vttered not halfe playnlye and to the cleare and perfyt vnderstanding of those which were attentyue and listened vnto hym they vrged him a fresh to make a recytall therof agayne At whose instant and importunate halinge beynge now constrayned to begynne his speech anew he told them how a long tyme synce Solon an Athenian arriued at his court who beholding his infinite treasure aboundance of wealth made verye light accompt thereof as a thinge of smal and base value in so much that whatsoeuer he had spokē and pronounced of hym the same in due measure had fallen out and comen to euent Which thinges neuerthelesse were not peculiarly spoken by hym but generally of the whole nation and company of men and chiefly of those which please themselues here on earth in a pleasaunt dreame and singular cōtentment of happy blisse Whyles Craesus spake these thinges and the fagottes had taken fyre on euery syde Cyrus vnderstandynge by the expositers of the Lydian toung what he had said was moued with compassion knowinge himselfe also to bee but a man who was now in hand to frye another to death by fyre that of late dayes was nothinge inferiour to himselfe in power and prosperitie And fearing vengeaunce for the same and consydering the instable course and fickle flower of mans affayres commaunded with all diligence the fyre to be extinguished and Craesus with the rest of his company to bee set free But they stroue in vain the fyre hauing taken such vehement holde that it seemed vnquencheable and not to bee ouercome In this place the Lydians recounte that Craesus knowing kyng Cyrus his minde to be chaunged seeing euery man endeuoure to abate the rage and furie of the flame howbeit nothing at all profiting he lyfted vp his voyce cryed to Apollo for succour that if euer any giftes offered by him had ben pleasaunt in his sight he would acquite and deliuer him from this presēt daunger As he was pitifully shedding his teares in plainte and lamentation to the God sodainly the skye being faire the weather smoth and calme the daye was ouercaste and shadowed with the darke vale of dimme and duskie cloudes which breakynge out into maine showres cleane put out and quenched y e fire Herby Cyrus perceiuing that Craesus was a vertuous mā and reuerenced the Gods he saued him from the fyre demaunded him the question saying Tell me now O Craesus whose counsaile was it to inuade my country and became of my friend myne enemy Certes quoth hee G Kinge I haue done this to mine owne great losse and thy gayne the God of the Graecians incyting and leading me hereto who was the cause that I warred agaynst thee For no man is so franticke to desire warre rather then peace when as in tyme of concorde the sonnes bury the fathers but in warre the father carieth the sonne to hys graue Howbeit it seemed good to the God to bringe these things to passe which hauinge saide Cyrus placed him by and hadde hym in great honour and reuerence and stedfastlye beholding him greatly wondred with the rest of his company All which while Craesus in a deepe muse and profound studye sat stil without speaking any worde But sodainly lifting vp his head and vewing the Persian souldiers spoyling and ryflyng the citye Whether shall I speake my mynd noble Cyrus sayde hee and vtter that I thinke or holde my peace at this present and say nothinge But beyng lycenced to speake freely and without feare he asked him saying Wherin is al this company so busily cōuersaunt or what seeke they to do of a truth quoth Cyrus naught else but to pole and dispoile the city and make a hand of thy riches and treasure To whom Cresus answeryng neyther do they wast my city mighty prince sayd he nor consume my goods for the righte of these thinges is no longer myne but they are thy goods which they trayle and lugge aboute and al this wealth pertayueth to thee vpon which wordes the king aduysinge hymselfe drewe Craesus asyde from the company and demaunded of him what he thought meet to be done in this case Who replyed saying For asmuch as it hath pleased the Gods to make mee thy ser 〈…〉 I hold it my duty whatsoeuer I shal perceiue more then thy selfe to make thee priuy and a counsaile therto The Persians quoth he are a croked generation and of nature peruerse and stubburne yet neuertheles verye bare and beggerly whom if in this sort thou securely permit to ryg and ransacke cityes and recouer store plentye of wealth I feare me that as euery one groweth to greattest aboundaunce hee will sonest slipp
Philitio who at that time kept sheepe in those places Chephrenes dying yeelded the Kingdome to Mycerinus the sonne of his brother Cheops who eschuing the wicked acts and detestable practises of his father caused the temples to be set open giuing libertie to the people being so long distressed vnder the gouernement of his father and vncle to follow their owne affayres and returne to their auncient custome of sacrifice ministring iustice aboue all the Kings that were before him for which cause none of all the princes that haue borne rule in Aegypt is so greatly praysed and renowmed both for other causes which were wisely taken vp by him in iudgement and chiefly for this that a certayne Aegyptian much complayning that the King had wronged him in deciding his cause he commaunded him to value the losse which he had suffered by him which the partie doing he gaue him so much of his owne goods to make him a recompence Mycerinus in this wise gouerning the common weale with great clemency and seekyng by vertue to aduance his fame was sodeinely daunted by a great misfortune the death of his onely daughter hauing no more children but her which was the first and greatest hart-breake that befell him in his kingdome For which cause being stricken with sorrowe aboue measure and desirous to solemnize her funeralles by the most royall and princely kinde of buryall that could be deuised he caused an oxe to be made of wood inwardly vauted and hollow within which being layde ouer and garnished most curiously with gilt he inclosed therein the wanne and forlorne corpse of his best beloued daughter This royall tombe was not interred and buryed in the grounde but remayned vnto our age in the city Sais in open view standing in a certayne parlour of the Kings pallace adorned and set foorth for the same purpose with most beautifull and costly furniture The custome is euermore in the daye time to cast into the belly of the oxe sweete and precious odoures of all sortes that may be gotten and in the nighte to kindle a lampe which burneth by the tombe till the next daye In a chamber next adioyning are certayne pictures of women that were the concubines of Mycerinus if we may beleeue the talke of those that in the same city of Sais are professours in religion forsomuch as there are seene standing in that place certayne mighty images made of wood twentye or thereaboutes in number the most parte of them bare and naked but what women they resemble or whose pictures they be I am not able to alleadge more then hearesay notwithstāding there were which as touching the gilded oxe and the other images framed this tale that Mycerinus being inamoured of his own daughter dealt vnlawfully with her besides the course of nature who for intollerable greefe hanging her selfe was intombed in that oxe by her father the Queene her mother causing the hands of all her gentlewomen to be cut off by whose meanes she had beene betrayed to serue her fathers lust for which cause say they are these images portrayed to declare the misfortune which they abode in their lifetime But this is as true as the man in the moone for that a man with halfe an eye may clearely perceiue that their hands fel offfor very age by reason that the wood through long cōtinuance of time was spaked and perished whiche euen to our memory were to be seene lying at the feete of those which were portrayed The oxe wherein the yong princesse lay was sumptuously clad and arayed all the body wyth a gorgeous mantle of Phenicia hys head and necke beeyng spanged and layde ouer with braces and plates of golde of a maruaylous thickenesse Betweene hys hornes was set a globe or circle of golde glistering as the sunne Neyther is the oxe standing and borne vp vppon hys feete but kneeleth as it were on hys knees equall in bignesse to a great heighfer The manner is once a yeare to bring this image out of the parlour wherein it is kepte hauyng first of all well beaten and cudgelled a certayne image of one of theyr Sainctes whome in thys case wee thynke it not lawfull for vs to name The talke goeth that the Lady besought the Kyng her father that beeing dead she myght once a yeare beholde the sunne whereof sprang the custome and maner aforesayde After this there befell vnto him another mischiefe that sate as neere hys skirtes as the death of his dilling insomuch that he was readie to runne beyonde hymselfe for sorrowe A prophecie arose in the city of Butis that the tearme of sixe yeares fully exspired the Kyng shoulde ende hys lyfe leauing hys Kyngdome to be ruled of another Whereof the Kyng beeing aduertised and greately greeuing at the rigorous and vniust dealing of the gods sped a messenger to the place where the seate of prophecie was helde to expostulate with the god for what cause since hys father and vnckle who had beene so vnmindfull of the gods shutting vp their temples and making hauocke of the people had liued so long he hymselfe that had dealte better with them and caused these thynges to bee restored agayne shoulde so soone be depriued of the benefite of lyfe to whome aunswere was made that hys dayes were therefore shortened because hee tooke a wrong course and dyd not as he should do beyng appoynted by the celestiall powers that the countrey of Aegypt should suffer miserie and be afflicted by their princes y e space of an hūdred fifty yeares which the two former princes well vnderstanding was neuerthelesse by him neglected and left vnperformed Mycerinus hearing this round reply and perceiuing that his thread was almost spoon set al at reuell making great prouision of lights and tapers which at euentide he caused to be lighted passing the night in exceeding great mirth and princely banquetting letting slip no time wherein he either wandered not alongst the riuer and through the woods and groues of the countrey or entertayned the time in some pleasaunt deuises following all things that might eyther breede delighte or bring pleasure which things he did to the end he might prooue the prophecie false and conuince the god of a lie making twelue yeares of sixe by spending the nightes also as he did the dayes Mycerinus also built a pyre not equall to that which his father had set vp before him beeing in measure but twentie foote square framed quadrangularly and another lower then that of three acres in compasse being built to the middest of the stone of Aethiopia There be of the Graecian writers that suppose thys towre to haue bene erected by a woman of notable fame called Rhodope who misse of their account not seeming to knowe what that Rhodope was of whome they speake Besides it is very vnlikely that Rhodope woulde euer haue enterprised a worke of so great value wherein infinite thousands of talentes were spent before it came to perfection Lastly it was not in the
gaue no gyftes offered no sacrifice esteeming them vnworthy of any reuerence hauing geuen out a false verdite And such as had pronounced him guilty to these as to the most true gods whose Oracles were agreeable to iustice hee perfourmed the greatest honour hee coulde deuise Besides in the City of Saïs hee made a porche to the temple of Minerua a worke of great admiration and farre passing the rest both in heights and bignesse so great is the quantity of the stones that were employed in the building Hee erected besides in the same place diuerse Images of a woÌ„derfull size the pictures of many noysome and pestilent Serpents Hee layde there also many huge stones to the repayring of the temple parte of the which were digged out of the stone quarryes by Memphis other of great quantity brought from the city of Elephantina which is distant from Saïs 20. dayes sayling Moreouer that which is not the least wonder but in my minde to bee reckoned amongst the chiefest hee brought from Elephantina an house framed of one stone in the cariage whereof 2000. choyse men of the Mariners of Aegypt consumed three yeares The roufe hereof on the outside is 21. cubyts longe 14. cubits broad eight cubites highe being on the inside 22. cubytes in length and in height 5. This house is set at the entring into the temple geuing this reason why it was not brought into the church for that the chiefe Mariner when he had gotten it to that place as wearie wyth hys dayes worke tooke respite and breached him selfe whereat the King being very much mooued bad him leaue of work not permitting him to labour any longer Some say that one of those which were busied in heauing of the stone with leauers to haue bene bruised to death by it and that this was the cause why it stoode without the Pallace By the same King were erected sundry temples built by arte very exquisitely and cunningly whereof one hee made sacred to Vulcane before which lyeth a great Image with the face vpwarde in length seuenty fiue feete being spread along vppon a pauement of stone in the selfe same place on eache side this Image stand two carued monuments of stone twenty foote in quantity Like vnto this is another stone in Saïs lying in the selfe same maner In like sorte the great temple in Memphis so gorgeous and beautifull to the sight of all that behold it was the handiwork also of y e same King Amasis In the time of this Kinges gâ—uernmente Aegypt floryshed in all wealth being greatly increased aswell by the ryches which the ryuer yeeldeth as in other reuenewes which the people receyue by the countrey which at the same time was so populous that there were then inhabited 20000 cityes Likewise by this Kinge it was enacted that euerye one should yearely render accounte to the cheife president of the countrey howe and by what maner of trade hee gayned his lyuinge being alwayes prouyding that such as refused to doe it at all or beeinge called to a reckoninge coulde shewe no lawefull meanes howe they spent their tymes should for the the same cause bee adiudged to dye Which lawe Solon borowing of the Aegyptians did publish it in Athens and is by them for the profite thereof most religiously obserued Amasis vppon good affection hee bare to the Grecians besides other benefittes franckly bestowed on them made it lawefull for all such as trauayled into Aegypte to inhabyte the City Naucrates And such as would not abyde in that place hauinge more mynde to seaâ—aring for the vse of Marchaundize to those hee gaue lybertye to Plant aulters and builde churches So that the greatest and most famous Temple in all the land is called the Grecian temple The Cityes of the Greekes by whose charge and expence this temple was builte in Aegypte were these of the countrey of Iönia Chius Teus Phocoea Clazomene amongst the Dorians foure Cities Rhodus Cnydus Halicarnassus Phaselus one City of the people of Aeolia namely Mitylene To these Cityes of Greece is the Temple belonginge by whom also are founde and mayntayned certayne Priests to serue in the same There are other townes besides in Greece that haue some righte to the Temple as hauing contributed some thinge to the vse of the same Howbeit the Temple of Iupiter the people of Aegina built of their owne proper cost No City toke parte with Samos in setting vp the Pallace of Iuno the Milesians alone tooke vppon them to erect the Temple of Apollo Besides these there are no other monuments built by the Grecians which remayne extant in Aegypt And if by fortune any of the Greekes passe into Nylus by any other way then that which serueth to lande from Greece hee is fayne to sweare that hee was constrained agaynst his will byndinge him selfe by oath that in the same Shippe hee wyll speede him selfe into Canobicus another Channell of the Ryuer so called and if by contrarye wyndes hee bee hindered from arryuinge there hee muste hyre caryage by water and so ferry the nexte way to Naucrates In such sorte were the Grecians tyed to that City beinge by reason of their trafique thyther had in principall honoure Nowe whereas the Pallace of Amphiction whiche is nowe at Delphos beeing straungely pearyshed by fyre was gone in hande with a freshe vppon price of three hundred tallentes the people of Delphos which were leauyed at the fourth parte of the charges straying aboute all countryes gathered very much being chiefly assysted by the Aegyptians Amasis the Kinge bestowinge on them a thowsande tallents of Asume and the Grecians that were abyding in Aegypt twenty pound Moreouer with the Cyrenaeans Prynce Amasis entred friendship and strooke a league of fellowship with the same insomuch that he thought meete to enter asâ—yaunce with them taking a wife of that countrey eyther for affection he bare to the women of Greece or in respecte of hys loue to the Cyrenaeans His wife as some say was the daughter of Battus sonne of Arcesilaus as others reporte of Critobulus a man of chiefe credite and regarde amongst those with whome he dwelt His Ladies name was Ladyce a woman of surpassing beautie with whome the King beeing in bed was so strangely benummed and daunted in courage as if he had bene an Eunuch not able to execute any dutie of a man wherat the King himselfe beeing greately agast feeling himselfe frollicke in the company of other women and so faint to hys Lady Ladyce on a time began to taunt her in these tearmes Can it be thou filthy and detestable hagge that by any meanes I should refrayne from doing thee to the most miserable death that can be deuised which hast thus inchaunted and bewitched my body In faith minion I will coniure this diuell of yours and assure thy selfe if thy lucke be not the better thou shalt not liue two dayes to an ende The poore Lady standing stiffely in her owne defence and nothing preuayling to appease his fury
reseruing that which commeth of it which serueth them partly for Oyle partly for the vse of their Lamps and candles yeelding as they sayd before a deyne very loathsome and vnsauory Likewise agaynst gnats and flyes wherewith their lande aboundeth aboue measure certaine remedies are founde out by them Such as dwell aboue the Fennes are holpen herein by towers and high garrets wherein they take their sleepe forasmuch as the winde will not suffer the Gnats to fly high The people of the Fennes in steede of Turrets are fayne to worke this deuise Each man hath his Nets wherewith in the day time they goe on fishing and in the night pytche them aboute their chambers wherein they rest by whych meanes they come to take a nappe of nyne houres longe whereas otherwise were they neuer so well wrapped in clothes the Gnats with their sharp nebbes woulde pierâ— and stinge quite through all being not able in like maner to passe through the Nets Their Shippes vsed for burthen or caryage are made of a kinde of Thorne not farre vnlike the tree Lotos growing in Cyrene from the which there issueth a certayne kinde of gumme Of the body of this thorne they sawe and square out certaine boardes two cubits longe and fashioned like a tilesheard which they frame and compact together after this maner First they vnite and ioyne the plancks together with an infinit number of nayles and pynnes binding the same to many transomes that goe both crosse and longe wayes for the strength of the vessell Their wood they frame not in compasse after the maner of other Nations but fasten and knit the ioyntes together with Bullrushes and such like They haue only one Helme or Sterne which is made to goe throughe the hinder parte of the Shippe The Mast is likewise of thorne the Sayle of the Rushe Byblus These kinde of vessells are not able to cut against the streame but are haled and drawne forward by land Downe the streame they passe in this wyse They frame an hurdle of the bushe Tamarisk fast bounde and tyed together with the peelings of greene Cane or Reedes prouydinge moreouer a mighty stone wyth an hole through the middest two talents in weight which done they cast the hurdle into the streame beinge made fast with a Rope to the nose of the Vessell contrariwise the stonne they tye behynde wyth an other Gable geuinge it so much scope that it may sinke to the bottome By which meanes it commeth to passe that the streame caryinge on the hurdle causeth the Shippe to follow with exceedinge swiftnesse and the stone on the other side drayling behinde directeth the same in euen and stedfast course At such time as the ryuer ouerrunneth the soyle the Cityes are only apparent and vncouered resembling in shew the Iles of the sea Aegêum all the land besides being in maner of a sea The Cities which in time of the floud are extante be in place of Portes for the ships to lye at rode in During which time they sayle not in y e mayne ryuer but through y e midst of the fieldes They that take shipping from the Citye Naucrates to Memphis haue their course by the Pyramides albeit there be another way also â—â—ndinge to the same place strykinge ouer by the Neb of Delta and the City of the Cercasians Likewise as we take our voyage from the Sea coaste and the city Canobus to Naucrates through the wyde and open fieldes we shall passe by Anthylla a towne so named in like manner arryuinge at the city Arcandry Anthylla a city of chiefe renowne is euermore geuen and allotted by the Kinge of Aegypt to his Queene that then is to finde her shoes which are purchased by the reuenewes of the same Which custome hath remayned since the tyme that the Persians gonerned in Aegypt Archandry seenieth to haue taken the name of Archander sonne in lawe to Danaeus and the lawfull ofspringe of Phthius Achaeus not denying but that there might bee another besides him but howsoeuer it is the city Archandry can in no wyse be made an Aegyptian name Hytherto haue I set dawne such thinges as eyther by my selfe I haue seene and knowne or bene constantly aduertysed thereof by the people of the region determining henceforth to prosecute such matters as I haue onely by heresay interlaceing the same otherwhiles with such thinges as of myne owne knowledge I am able to iustifie Menes the firste Kinge of Aegypt as the pryests make reporte by altering the course of the ryuer gayned all that grounde whereon the City Memphis is situated the floud being wonte before time to haue his course fast by the sandy mountayne which lyeth towarde Lybia This Menes therefore damminge vppe the bosome of the ryuer towardes the south Region hauinge cast vppe a pyle or bulwarke of Earth much after an hundred Furlonges aboue the City by that meanes dryed the old Chanell causinge the ryuer to forsake and abandone his naturall course and runne at randame amiddest the hills To which damme also the Persians that rule in Aegypte euen at this day haue a dilligent eye yearely fortifyinge and repayringe the same wyth newe and fresh Earth Through the which if by fortune the ryuer stryuinge to recouer his olde course should happily make a breach the city Memphis were in daunger to bee ouerwhelmed with water By the selfe same Menes firste bearinge rule and authority in Aegypt after y â— by turning y â— streame of Nilus he had made dry ground of that where erst the ryuer had his passage in the same plot of land was the city it selfe founded erected which as well may bee seene stands in the straight and narrow places of the countrey More then this to the North West for Eastward Memphis is bounded by the course of the riuer hee caused to be drawne out of the ryuer a large and wyde poole beinge also the founder of Vulcans temple in Memphis one of the fayrest buildinges and of chiefest fame in all the countrey of Aegypte Three hundred thirty Prynces that by mutuall succession followed Menes the priests also readily mentioned out of y â— books of their Monuments of which number 18 were by Countrey Aethyopians and one a forraine outlandish women whose nation they knew not al the rest being sprong of their owne land This woman y â— aspired to y â— crowne bare the name of y â— famous Queene of Babylon was called Nitocris whose brother in y â— time of his empire being slaine by y â— Aegyptians Nitocris wearing y â— crowne after him sought meanes secretly how to reueÌ„ge his death whith she brought to passe by a straunge deuice and pollicy Hauing therefore builte for hir owne vse a fayre gorgeous courte she caused an hollow Vaut or caue to be cast vnder the earth pretending for the time a reason of hir deuice albeit farre different from hir secret minde purpose The work ended she inuited thither
the most part of hir nobles to a banquet such as shee knew to haue bene y â— authors and workers of hir brothers death who being all assembled and set together in an inner Parlour expectinge their cheere the water was let in at a priuy grate and ouerwhelmed them all These thinges they spake of Nitocris adding besids that hauing wrought this feate shee cast hir selfe into an house full of Ashes to escape vnpunished By the rest of the kinges of Aegypt the priestes coulde recyte no glorious acte that shoulde bee accomplished sauing by the noble king Moeris the last and latest of all this crewe To whom they attribute y â— building of y â— great porches belonging to Vulcans temple standing on the North parte of y â— Pallace By the same also was a certaine fenne delued and cast vp wherein were builded certaine mighty Towers called Pyramides of whose bygnesse as also of y â— large coÌ„passe and amplitude of the Poole wee will ioyntely intreate in another place These thinges were done by Moeris the last king The rest consuminge the time of their raygne in silence and obscurity whom for the same cause I will passe ouer and addresse my speache to him who came after them in time and went before them in Dignity namely the worthy Prynce Sesostris Him the Pryestes recounte firste of all the kings of Aegypt to haue passed the narrow Seas of Arabia in longe Ships or Gallyes and brought in subiection to the Crowne all those People that marche a longe the redde Sea From whence retyringe backe againe the same way hee came and gathered a greate power of men and tooke his passage otter the waters into the mayne lande conquering and subduing all Countreyes whether so euer hee went Such as hee founde valiaunte and hardye not refusinge to icoparde their safety in the defence and maynetenaunâ—e of their liberty after the victory obtayned hee fired in theyr countrey certayne smale pyllers or Crosses of stone wherein were ingrauen the names of the kinge and the countrey and how by his owne proper force and puissaunce he had made them yelde Contrarywyse such as without controuersie gaue themselues into his handes or with litle stryfe and lesse bloudshed were brought to relent with them also and in their region he planted Pillers and builte vp litle crosses as before wherein were carued and importrayed the secret partes of women to signifie to the posterity the base and effeminate courage of the people there abyding In this sorte hee trauayled with his at my vp and downe the mayne passing out of Asia into Europe where he made conquest of the Scythians and Thracians which seemeth to haue bene the farthest poynt of his voyage for so much as in their land also his titles marks are apparantly seene and not beyonde Herefro hee began to measure his steps back agayne incamping his powre at the ryuer Phasis where I am not able to discusse whether king Sesostris him selfe planted any parte of his army in that place euer after to possesse y â— countrey or whether some of his souldiers wearyed with continuall perigrination and trauayle toke vp their maÌ„sion place rested there For the people named Colchi seeme to be Aegyptians which I speake rather of myne owne gathering then of any other mans information Howveit for tryall sake coÌ„moninge w t the inhabitants of either nation the Colchans seemed rather to acknowledge remember y â— Aegyptians then y â— Aegyptians theÌ„ affyrming that the Colchans were a remnante of Sesostris army My selfe haue drawne a coÌ„iecture hereof y â— both people are in couÌ„tenance a like black in hayre a like fryzled albeit it may seeme a very feeble gesse the same being also in other nations A better surmise may be gathered of this that y â— people of Aethyopia Aegypt and Colchis only of all men circumcyse cut of the foreskin from their hidden partes reteyning the custome time out of minde For the Phoenicians and Syrians y â— dwell in Palaestina confesse themselues to haue borrowed the maner of circumsicion from the Aegypt 〈…〉 And as for those Syrians y â— dwell neere vnto the ryuers Thermodon and Parthemus and the people called Macrones their next neighbours they tooke the selfe same vse and custome of y â— Colchans Howbeit the Aegyptians and Aethyopians which of them learned it of others it is hard to discerne forasmuch as the custome in both Countryes is of great antiquity Neuerthelesse very good occasion of coniecture is offred vnto vs that it came fyrst from y â— Aegyptians at such time as the Aethyopians had exchaunge of marchaundise with them For the Phoenicians that in like maner haue mutuall trafique which the Grecians leaue of to circumcysse them selues and refuse in that poynte to be conformable to the lawes and statutes of their countrey One thinge more may be alleaged wherein the people of Colchis doe very narrowly resemble y â— customes of Aegypt in so much as these two nations alone work their lynnen dresse theyr flax after y e same sorte in all poyntes respecting each other both in order of lyfe maner of laÌ„guage The flaxe which is brought from Colchis y e Grecians call Sardonick the other coÌ„ming out of Aegypt they terme after the name of the countrey Aegyptian flaxe But to returne to the tytles and emblems that king Sesostris lefte behind him in all regions through y t which he passed many thereof are fallen to decay NotwithstaÌ„ding certaine of them in Syria and Paloestina I beheld with myne own eyes intayled with such posyes as we spake of before and the pictures of womens secretes ingrauen in them Likewise in Iönia are to bee seene two sundry Images of Sesostris himselfe carued in pillers one as we passe from Ephesus to Phocoea another in the way from Sardis to Smyrna Eyther of these haue the forme and figure of a man fiue hands breadth in bignesse bearing in his righte hand a Darte in his left a vowe his harnesse and furniture after the manner of the Aegyptians and Aethyopians Crosse his backe from the one shoulder to the other went a sentence ingrauen in the holy letter of Aegypt hauing this meaning By my owne force did I vanquishe this region Notwithstandinge it is not there specified what he should be albeit els where it is to be seene Some haue deemed this monument to haue bene the image of Memnon not a litle deceyued in opinion This noble and victorious prince Sesostris making his returne to Aegypt came by report of y e priests to a place named Daphnoe pelusiae with an infinite trayne of forraine people out of al Nations by him subdued where being very curteously met welcomed by his brother whom in his absence he had lefte for Viceroy and protectour of the countrey he was also by y e same inuited to a princely banquet him selfe his wife and his children The house where into they were entered