twy-light Mattins in the morning and their houres at the first third sixt and ninth houre of the day and that all this if it be possible should be done in the Church humbly kneeling or standing before the Altar with their faces towards the East The Lords prayer and the Apostles Creed were then vsed to be sayd as they are now at this day Saint Hierome at the instance of Pope Damasus distributed and digested the Psalmes by the dayes assigning to euery houre his proper Psalmes and their number as nine at nocturns vpon holy dayes and 12. vpon working daies for the laudes at Mattins fiue fiue at euen-song and at all other houres three and it was chiefly he that disposed and set in order the Gospels Epistles all other things which as yet be read out of the old new Testament sauing only the hymnes Damasus diuiding the Quire of singing men into two parts appointed them to sing in course the Anthemes written by S. Ambrose Bishop of Millaine added Gloria Patri to the end of euery Antheme The Toletan Agathon Councels allowed the lessons hymnes which be read before euery houre The prayers grails tracts alleluias offertories communions in the Masse anthems versicles tropes and other things sung and read to the honor of God in the office of the Masse as well for the day as night were penned by S. Gregory Gelasius Ambros and diuers others of the holy Fathers not all at once but at diuers times The Masse for so is that sacrifice called was celebrated at the first in that simple furniture and plaine manner as it is now vsed vpon Easter Eue. Pope Celestinus added the Priests manner of entrance to the altar the Gloria in excelsis was annexed by Telesphorus the hymne which begins et in terra was composed by Hillarie Bishop of Poictiers and was afterwards by Symachus ordained to be sung The salutations taken out of the booke of Ruth which the priest pronounceth 7. times in the Masse by saying Dominus vobiscum were appointed by Clement Anacletus Gelasius disposed the rest to the offertory in the Order they be now vsed except the Sequentiae which are said after the Masse and these Nicholas added the Apostles Creed which Damasus annexed vnto them out of the Constantinopolitan councell The Sermon which is preached to the people by the priest or deacon standing in a pulpit vppon holy-daies was rather vsed by tradition after the examples of Nehemias or Esdras then instituted by any other in which Sermon the people that be present at Masse bee admonished to communicate as in duty they are bound and that they should imbrace mutual loue that they should be purged from their sins not be polluted with vices when they receiue the Sacrament of the altar and for that cause he concludeth his Sermon with the publike confession of sinners he declareth moreouer vnto them the contents of the old and new Testament and putteth them in mind of the ten Commandements the twelue Articles of our beleefe the seuen Sacraments of the Church the liues and Martyrdomes of Saints the holy-dayes and fasting daies instituted and ordained by the Church the vices and vertues and all other things necessarie for a Christian to know Pope Gregory added the Offertory to the Masse and Leo the Prefaces Gelasius and Sixtus the greater and lesser Canons and Gregory the Lords prayer out of the Gospell of Saint Mathew Martial Saint Peters Disciple instituted that Bishoppes should giue the benediction and Innocentius that inferior Priests should offer the Pax Agnus Dei was adioyned by Sergius the Communion by Gregorie and the Conclusion in these wordes Ite missa est Benedicamus Domino or Deo gratias was inuented by Pope Leo. The twelue Articles of our Faith which the holy Apostles haue commanded euery one not onely to acknowledge but most constantly to beleeue be these following The first that there is one God in Trinitie the Father Almightie Maker of heauen and earth the second That Iesus Christ is his onely begotten Sonne our Lord the third that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary the fourth that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried the fift that he descended into hell and the third day rose againe from the dead the sixt that he ascended into heauen and that there hee sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty the seuenth that he shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead the eight that there is a holy Ghost the ninth that there is a holy Catholike Church the tenth that there is a Communion of Saints and remission of sinnes the eleuenth that there is a resurrection of the flesh and the twelfth that there is an eternall life after death in another world The tenne Commandements which were written with the finger of God and deliuered by the hands of his seruant Moses to the people of Israel and which he willed vs to obserue and keepe be these following The first to beleeue that there is one God the second not to take the name of God in vaine the third to keepe holy the Sabbath day the fourth to honour our fathers and betters the fift to do no murther the sixt not to commit adulterie the seuenth not to steale the eighth not to beare false witnesse the ninth not to couet other mens goods and the tenth not to desire another mans wife nor any thing that is his The seuen Sacraments of the Church which bee included in the last fiue Articles of our faith and which the holy Fathers haue commanded vs to beleeue be these following First Baptisme and this Sacrament heretofore as it was established by a canonicall sanction was not ministred vnto any vnlesse vpon very vrgent necessitie but vnto such as were afore-hand well instructed in the faith and sufficiently catechised and examined thereof seuen sundrie times to wit vpon certaine dayes in Lent and vppon the vigils of Easter and Penticost beeing the vsuall times for consecration in all Parishes But this Sacrament beeing aboue all the rest most necessarie vnto saluation and least any one should depart out of this life without the benefit thereof it was ordained that as soon as an infant was borne he should haue God-fathers procured for him to be his witnesses or sureties and that then the child beeing brought by his God-fathers before the church doore the Priest standing there for the purpose should demand of the child before he dippe him in the holy Font whether he will forsake the Diuell and all his pompes and whether he stedfastly beleeue all the Articles of the Christian faith and the God-fathers affirming on his behalfe the Priest bloweth three times in the Infants face and when he hath exorcized and catechized him he doth these seuen things in order vnto the child first he putteth hallowed salt into his mouth secondly hee annointeth his eyes eares and
declaration of these Epistles hath promised to translate into Latine the booke which Francis Aluarez composed concerning the scituation manners and behauiour of the Ethiopians in which booke he expresseth and setteth forth his whole iourney or trauels One coppy of which booke I my selfe haue in my keeping But if Iouius surcease to translate it I would not bee strange to take the matter in hand although not willingly vnlesse most holy father it please you to command and then shall I be more free and safe from all malitious detractors who may happily suppose that I vndergoe the busines not with a desire to further the Christian common-wealth but rather in aemulation of Iouius glory For the doing of which busines effectually faithfully I suppose I am sufficiently instructed for when I had executed my embassage into Germany and Sarmatia was returned vnto my king Iohn the third of that name of whose great courtesie and bountie in receiuing of me I had sufficient triall I fell in conference with the Ethiopian Embassador at Lisbon a man honoured and indued with the dignity of a Bishop admirable for his credit doctrine and eloquence in the Chaldean and Arabian tongue and in briefe a man most fit to bee sent from the most mighty Emperour of Ethiopia vnto great and potent princes for vrgent and weightie affaires his name was Zaga Zabo and after an assured and firme friendship was established betwixt vs I had often conference with him and reasoned and debated with him especially of the manners and Religion of the Christians of Aethiopia for I desired to know those things not by the bare narration of trauelling interpreters but from a man borne in that Country and that in his presence and receiuing it from his mouth Amongst other things I shewed vnto him an Epistle sent into Portugall by Mathew the Embassador which Epistle together with the Articles which he proposed before King Emmanuel I translated as I haue sayd into the Latine tongue and many things I haue corrected by his direction where the interpretation obtained not sufficient credit nor likelihood which he affirmed did oftentimes happen both to me and to Iouius for as then I had with me the Epistles of the same Iouius which we conferred with great diligence and after vnfained friendship and the true loue of Christ flourished and was esteemed amongst vs I was imboldened to require of him a plaine and sincere declaration of the faith and religion of the Aethiopians and to haue it penned downe with his owne hands which hee graunted vnto me with great alacritie and foorthwith beganne to make description thereof which relation of his I haue faithfully translated into Latin as by the sequele will appeare wherein I went forward with greater desire my conscience vrging me that I was not ignorant that if these things should haue perished with me they could neuer after that be published by any other man for because they were so framed and composed after the Chaldean and Aethiopian phrase as they could hardly of any man bee vnderstood but of my selfe who by much familiaritie might attaine to the knowledge of all those things as well from the mouth as from the writings of the sayd Aethiopian Ambassadour In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen THese be the things which be vsed obserued amongst vs Aethiopians as touching our faith and religion First we beleeue in the name of the holy Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost who is one Lord three in name but one in Diuinity three representations but one similitude the coniunction of the three persons is equall equall I say in Diuinitie one Kingdome one throne one Iudge one Charity one Word and one Spirit but the word of the Father and of the Sonne the word of the holy Ghost and the Sonne is the same word and the word with God and with the holy Ghost and with himself without any defect or diuision the Sonne of the Father and the Sonne of the same Father without beginning to wit first the Sonne of the Father without mother For no one knoweth the secret and mysterie of his Natiuity but the Father Sonne and the holy Ghost and the same in beginning was the Word the Word was the Word with God and God was the Word the Spirit of the Father the holy Spirit and the Spirit of the Sonne is the holy Spirit but the holy Spirit of his Spirit is without any diminution or augmentation for that the holy Ghost the Aduocate or Comforter the true God which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne spake by the mouth of the Prophets and descended in the fierie flame vppon the Apostles in the porch of Syon who declared and preached throughout the whole world the Word of the Father which Word was the Sonne himselfe Moreouer the Father is not first in that hee is Father nor the Sonne last in that he is the Sonne euen so the holy Ghost is neither first nor last for they be three persons but one God which seeth and is seene of no man and who by his onely counsell created all things and after that the Sonne of his owne accord for our saluation the Father himselfe being willing and the holy Ghost consenting thereunto descended from his high and heauenly habitation and was incarnate by the holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary which Mary was adorned with a double Virginity the one spirituall the other carnall he was also borne without any corruption the same Mary his mother after her child-bearing remaning a Virgin inspired with great wonder and hidden fire of Diuinity brought foorth without bloud paine or dolors her Sonne Iesus Christ who was a man innocent and without sinne perfect God and perfect man hauing one onely aspect As he was an infant he grew vp by little and little sucking the milk of his mother Mary the Virgin and when he attained to the age of thirty yeares he was baptized in Iordan he walked like other men he was wearie he sweat he was both hungrie and thirstie and all these things he suffered freely and voluntarily working many miracles and by his Diuinitie he restored sight to the blind healed those which were lame cleansed the leapers and raised vp the dead and last of all he was willingly apprehended and taken scourged beaten with buffets and crucified he languished and died for our offences and by his death he ouercame death and the diuell and by his sorrow in his life time hee dissolued our sinnes and bare our griefes and with the Baptisme of his bloud which Baptisme was his death he baptized the Patriarchs and Prophets and he descended into hell where was the soule of Adam and his sons the soule of Christ himselfe which is of Adam which soule of Adam Christ himself took of the blessed Virgin Mary and in the brightnes of his diuinity and strength of his crosse he brake the brazen gates of hell binding Satan in chaines of yron and
elect another Patriarch by the most voyces but it is not lawfull to elect any other than one of Alexandria and one of incorrupt manners and vntainted conuersation who being created they signe their suffrages and giue them into the Legates hands that came for that purpose he foorthwith goeth to Cayre whither when he is come he offereth that creation vnto the Patriarch of Alexandria whose seate is alwaies there to be read And when he perceiueth which of the people of Alexandria they haue elected he foorth-with sendeth the man ordained to such honors with the Legate into Aethiopia who by an old ordonance ought alwaies to be an Eremit of the Order of S. Anthony with whom the Ambassadour goeth straight into Aethiopia where he is receiued of all men with great ioy and honor in which busines somtimes is spent a yere or two in al which time precious Iohn doth dispose of the reuenues of the Patriarke according to his pleasure Now the chiefest office of the Patriarch is to giue orders which none but he can either giue or take away but he can bestow vpon none either Bishopricke or other Church-benefice this onely belongeth to precious Iohn who dispenceth of all things according to his will And the Patriarch beeing dead he whose power and yerely reuenues is the largest is made heire of the whole substance of all his goods Moreouer the office of the Patriarch is to proceed to excommunication against the stubborne the obseruation whereof is so strict as the punishment of perpetuall steruing to death is inflicted vpon the offenders Indulgences he giueth nor granteth none neither bee any interdicted the Sacraments of the church for any offence whatsoeuer be it neuer so hainous but onely for homicide the name of the Patriarchship in our speech is called Abunna but he which now executeth the office is called Marcus which was the proper name giuen him in Baptisme he is a man of an hundred yeares of age or aboue And you must note that we begin our yeare in the Kalends of September which day alwaies falleth vpon the vigill of Saint Iohn Baptist the other festiuall dayes as the Feast of the Natiuity of our Lord Easter and the rest bee celebrated with vs at the same times they be in the Roman Church And this I may not obscurely passe ouer as though it were not so that Saint Philip the Apostle did preach the Gospell and faith of our Sauiour Iesus Christ our Lord in our countrie Now if you desire to know of the name of our Emperour he is fully perswaded that hee was euer called precious Iohn and not Presbiter Iohn as is falsly bruted abrode for in one speech it is written with characters that signifie Ioannes Belull that is as much to say as precious or high Iohn and in the chaldaean tongue it is Ioannes Encoe which beeing interpreted doth signifie precious or high Iohn Neither is hee to be named Emperour of the Abyssini as Matheus hath vntruly declared but Emperour of the Aethiopians and Mathew beeing an Armenian could not throughly vnderstand our matters especially those which appertained vnto faith and Christian Religion and therefore he related many things in the presence of the most prudent and most potent king Emanuel of happy memory which with vs are nothing soe and this hee did not with a desire to speake vntruths for hee was a good man but for that hee was not throughly instructed in matters concerning our religion The succession of his Kingdomes and Empire doth not alwaies descend vpon the eldest sonne but vnto him vpon whome the father pleaseth to bestow it And hee which now gouerneth the Empire was his fathers third sonne which hee merited and obtayned by an awfull and holy reuerence to his father for when his father lay a dying he commanded all his sonnes to sit downe vpon his throne which all the rest of his children did sauing he and he refused saying God for bid that so much should be attributed vnto me that I should sit in my Lords chaire whose deuotion when his father saw hee indued him with all his Kingdomes Empire he is called Dauid the power of whose Empire as well ouer Christians as Ethnickes is large and ample wherin be many Kings and petty Kings Earles Barons and Peeres and much Nobility all which be most obedient to his command In all whose dominions there is no mony vsed but such as is brought from other places for they giue and receiue siluer and gold by weight wee haue many citties and great townes but not such as we see here in Portugall the reason whereof for the most part is that precious Ioan liueth alwaies in campes and tents which custome is vsed for this purpose that the nobility may continually excercise themselues in military affaires And this I may not omit to tell you that wee bee compasled about on all sides with the enimies of our faith with whom we haue many and euer prosperous conflicts which victories we attribute to gods diuine assistance written lawes we haue none in vse amongst vs neither be the complaints of those which sue others expressed in libells or writings but by words which is done least by the couetuousnesse of Iudges and counsellors controuersies should be protracted And this more I thinke sit to shew you that this Mathew was not sent by Dauid our Emperor vnto the most inuincible and potent King Emanuell of happy memory but by Queene Helena the Emperors wife surnamed the hand of Mary who at that time by reason of Dauids nonage tooke vpon her the gouernment of the Kingdomes being a woman without doubt most prudent and holy And the same Helen as shee was excceeding well learned writ two bookes in the Chaldean tongue one of the which is called Enzera Chebaa that is to say praise God vpon the Organes and instruments of Musicke in which booke shee disputeth very learnedly of the Trinitie and of the virginity of Mary the mother of Christ The other booke is called Chedale Chaay that is to say the sonne beame contayning very acute disputations of the law of God All these things concerning our faith religion and state of our country I Zaga Zabo by interpretation the grace of the father both Bishop and Preest and Bugana Raz that is Captaine Knight and Veceroy of the Prouince haue declared which I could not deny at your request my most deere Sonne in Christ Damianus nor yet any other man desiring to be instructed there in neither is it lawfull to deny it for two causes the first whereof is for that I am commanded by my most mighty Lord Precious Iohn Emperor of the Aethiopians to satisfie euery one that demandeth of me concerning our faith religion and prouinces that I should conceale nothing but faithfully declare vnto them the truth of al things both by words and writing the other reason is for that I deeme it very fitting and labour well spent that our names customes and ordinances and
law to bee purged by offering vp a Ramme The flesh of which oblations whether they were publicke or priuate the Priests did eate in the Temple one measure containing a peck of the finest flower was allowed for the oblation of a Lambe for a Ramme two and for a Bull three There was also allowed Oyle which was powred vppon the sacrifice A Lambe was publickly sacrificed euery morning and euening and vppon euery seuenth day which was called their Sabbaoth and which by their law they held most holy there were double sacrifices offred vpon their Altars In the beginning of the month were offered for reconciliation two Oxen seauen yearling Lambes one Ramme and one Kidde to which were added two Kiddes more the one whereof was sent out of the bounds of the Citty and there offered as a satisfaction for the sinnes of the multitude and the other was burned skinne and all in the purest place of the suburbes of the Citty The Priests gaue a Bull sanctified for that purpose and a Ramme for a whole burnt sacrifice There was also other sacrifices mingled with ordinary ceremonies and holy dayes such was the fifteenth day of the month which the Macedons called Hyperueretheus and vppon the returne of Autumne they fixed their Tents or Tabernacles and keeping that day holy offered yearely whole burnt offerings the dooers thereof vppon the moneth Xanthicus which is Aprill carryed in their hands the boughes of Myrrh Willow Palmes and Peach tree where-vppon the yeare tooke his beginning vppon the day of the full Moone the sunne then entring into the signe Aries And because at that time the people of Israel were deliuered out of the land of Egipt they sacrificed the misticall Lambe and celebrated the feasts of vnleuened bread or sweete bread in the full Moone some few dayes after vpon which dayes were euer burned for a whole burnt sacrifice two Bulls one Ramme and seauen Lambes wherevnto was added one Kidde for satisfaction for their sinnes in the second day of Sweete-bread were offered the first parts of their fruites and a measure of Oyle and in the beginning or springing of their fruites a Lambe for a whole burnt sacrifice Their dayes of Penticost also were certaine which time they called Asarthan that is to say Quinquagesima or the fifteeth day and then they offered leauened bread made of drie meale two Ewe lambes two Calues and two Rammes for a whole burnt offering and two Kiddes in recompence of their misdeeds The Heathen writers disagree from the Ecclesiasticall concerning the Iewes and Moses their Captaine for Cornelius Tacitus in the one and twentith Booke of his Diurnalls attributing the departing of that people out of the land of Aegipt not to Gods diuine will and power but to necessity writeth thus of them The scabbe and noysome itch beginning in Aegipt saith hee Bochâ—ris the Aegiptian King desired a remedy in the Temple of his god Hamon where hee was admonished to purge his kingdome and to banish those people meaning the Iewes which were hatefull to their gods into other countries Wherevpon they beeing expulsed and a great multitude of them which had the scabbe least sitting together in waste and desolate places most of them beeing almost blinde with weeping Moses one of those which were banished among the rest admonished them not to expect any helpe of goddes or men but onely to relye and commit them-selues wholy to him as their guide and Captaine wherevnto they assented and agreed and so beeing vtterly ignorant what would become of them tooke their iourney at aduentures wherein aboue other things they wanted water and that they watching all night in the open fields not farre from destruction saw a flocke of wylde Asses going from feeding and sitting downe vpon a rocke ouer-growne with thick woods these Moses pursued and tooke and therevpon and to the end that he might for euer bee assured of that people he gaue vnto them new lawes and ceremonies contrary to all other nations for those things which wee hold for holy they account as prophane and allow of those things which with vs are poluted They hollowed and worshipped within their houses the picture of a beast the sight whereof expelled both thirst and error and sacrificed a Ramme in despite of the god Hamon they offer also an Oxe in derision of the god Apis which the Aegiptians worship vnder the forme of an Oxe They abstaine from Swines flesh for auoyding the scabbe because that beast is dangerous for that disease They rest vppon the seuenth day because that day brought end to their labours and yeelding to slouthfulnesse the seuenth yeare also is spent in Idlenesse the honor whereof is by others attributed to Saturne by reason of hunger and fasting their bread is altogether vnleauened these lawes how euer they were brought in are there defended and though mercy and firme faith are in great request amongst them yet they carry deadly hatred against all other nations They bee seperated in their banquets and seuered in their beds They are much giuen to lust and yet they abstaine from the company of women of other nations but hold nothing vnlawfull amongst them selues They ordained circumcision of their priuities that by that difference they might bee discerned from others and the first lesson they learne is to contemne the gods The soules of those which were slaine in battell or by punishment they suppose to be eternall They haue the like regard of Hell and perswasion of Heauenly things on the other side the Aegiptians worshippe diuers beasts and wrought Idols but the Iewes in their hearts and minds acknowledge but one onely God accounting those prophane which faine or pourtray the images of their gods in the forme of men These and many other things hath Cornelius Tacitus and Trogus in his seauen and thirty booke written of the Iewes Three sects of the Iewes were seuered and distinguished one from another by their vsuall manner of liuing which were the Pharasies the Sadducees and the Esseians The Pharasies liued very austerely and sparingly instituting new traditions by which they finished and abolished the traditions of Moyses They carried in their forheads and vpon their left arme certaine frontlets and papers wherein was written that decalogue which the Lord sayd thou shalt haue as it were hanging betwixt thine eyes and in thy hand and these they called Philacteries of the Greeke word Philatein which signifieth to fullfill the law These also fastned the edges of their vestures to the rest of their garments with thornes that beeing pricked therewith as they went they might remember Gods commandements They thought all things to bee done by GOD and by destiny and that to doe or neglect things that were lawfull and iust consisted in the will of man but yet that in all things fate was a furtherer whose effects they essteemed to proceed from the motion of the Heauenly bodies They would neuer contradict their elders nor superiours They beleeued the general iudgement that al
by certaine women asfigned to that businesse he answereth in the middle of the people and all men to whom he speaketh ought to listen vnto him kneeling vpon their knees when how long soeuer his speech be and so diligently to attend his words as they misconster not his meaning in any point for it is not lawfull for any to alter the Emperours words nor in any sort to contradict or gaine-say the sentence hee pronounceth hee neuer drinketh in any publick assembly nor yet any other Tartarian Prince vnlesse some doe sing and play vnto him vppon a harpe before hee drinke and men of great worth when they ride are shadowed with a certaine fanne or curtaine fastned to a long speare and caried before them which custome is said to be vsed also by the women And these were the customes and maner of liuing of the people of Tartary about two hundred yeares sithence The Georgiani whom the Tartarians ouercame much about that time were worshippers of Christ obseruing the custome of the Greeke Church they dwelt neere vnto the Persians and their dominion extended a length wayes from Palestine to the Caspian hilles they had eighteene Bishopricks and one Catholicke or vniuersall Bishop who was insteed of a Patriarch at the first they were subiect to the Patriarch of Antioch the men be very warlike their Priests heads bee shauen round and the lay-men foure square some of their women were trained vp in the warres and serued on horseback The Georgians hauing disposed their armies and entering into the battell were wonte to carouse a gourd as bigge as ones fist filled full of the best wine and then to set vpon their enimies with greater courage The Cleargie bee much addicted to vsury and symonie there was mutuall and perpetuall enmity betwixt the Armenians and them The Armenians were Christians also vntill the Tartarians after they had subdued the Georgians ouer-came them likewise but they disagreed in many things from the faith and approoued fashion of the true Church they knew not the day of our Lords natiuitie for they obserued no feasts nor no vigils nor yet the foure Ember weekes they feasted not vpon Easter Eue alledging that Christ rose from the dead about the euening of that day they would eate flesh vpon euery Friday betwixt the feasts of Easter and Penticost yet they fasted much beginning their fast so strictly and precisely in Lent as they would neither vse oyle wine nor fish vpon Fridayes and Wednesdayes throughout the whole Lent holding it a greater sinne to drinke wine on those dayes then to lye with a strumpet in a brothell house Vpon Mondayes they abstained wholy from all meates vpon Tuesdayes and Thursdayes they did eate once and receiued no sustenance at all vpon Wednesdayes and Fridayes but vpon Saterdayes and Sundayes they would eate flesh and refresh themselues well They would not celebrate the office of the Masse throughout all Lent but vpon Saterdaies and Sundaies nor vpon Fridayes throughout the whole yeare for thereby as they were of opinion they brake and violated their fasts Infants moreouer of the age of two months and all others whatsoeuer were indifferently admitted to their communion and they put no water into the Sacrifice In the vse of Hares Beares Choughes and such other like creatures they imitated the Iewes as well as the Greekes they celebrated their Masses in glasse and wodden Chalices and some hauing no paraments nor Priest-like vestiments at all some of them also wore Miters belonging to Deacons or Subdeacons both Clergie and Lay-men allowed of vsury and Symony as well as the Georgians the Priests exercised themselues in Diuinations and Negromancie they vsed more drinking then lay men and all of them had or might haue wiues but after the death of one wife as well lay-men as the clergy men were prohibited to marry againe the Bishops gaue liberty to any to put away their wiues that were sound in adultery and to marry an other they beleeued not that there is a purgatory and obstinately denyed that there was two natures in Christ The Georgians report that they erred in thirty articles from the right path and diameter of Christian religion Of Turcia and of all the manners lawes and ordinances of the Turkes CHAP. 11. THat country which is now called Turcia or Turkie hath vpon the East the greater Armenia and extendeth to the Cilicke sea vpon the North it is bounded with the Euxine sea Aitonus calleth it Turquia it consisteth of many Prouinces as Lycaonia wherein Iconium is the chiefe towne Cappadocia where Cesaria is chiefe citty of the Prouince Isauria where Seleucia is head Licia now called Briquia Ionia now called Quiscum wherein standeth the citty of Ephesus Paphlagonia where Germanopolis and Lenech where Trapezus be chiefe cities All this vast country which is now called Turcia is not inhabited by one onely people but by Turkes Greekes Armenians Sarrasins Iacobitans Nestorians Iewes Christians all of them for the most part liuing after the lawes and institutions which that false Prophet Mahomet a Sarrasin ordained for the people of Arabia in the yeare of our Sauiour Christ 631. This Mahomet some say was an Arabian some a Persian but whether he was it is doubtfull but his father was certainly a worshipper of euill spirits his mother an Ismaelite and therfore not ignorant in the true law now whilst his father and mother instructed him in both their lawes they distracted the boy and made him doubtfull and wauering betwixt both so as being trained vp in both religions when hee grew of mans estate he followed neither of them but being a very crasty fellow of a subtill wit and long conuersant with Christians he framed and inuented out of both those lawes a religion most dangerous and pernicious to all mankinde First he affirmed that the Iewes did very ill in denying that Christ should be borne of a Virgin seeing that the Prophets men of wonderfull sanctity and integrity of life indued with the spirit of God did long before prophesie and soreshew that it should be so and that hee was to bee expected on the other side he condemned the Christians folly in beleeuing that Iesus the deerest friend of God borne of a Virgin would suffer reproches punishments of the Iewes Martinus Segonius Nouomontanus hath written thus of the Sepulcher of Christ our King and Lord. The Sarrasins and Turkes saith he by the ancient preaching of Mahomet laugh the Christians to scorne which attribute any honor to that Sepulcher affirming that the great Prophet Christ proceeded from the spirit of God that he was voide of all earthly blot or sinne and that hee he shall come to be iudge of all people but that they may approach vnto his true Sepulcher they vtterly deny because his glorious body conceiued by the diuine spirit was altogether impassible thus much hath Segonius written more to the same purpose which the Mahometans are wont to
yet of that validity estimation as the people of euery village yeeld there obedience to their parish Priest the parish Priest to the Deane the Deane to the Bishop the Bishop to the Archbishop the Archbishop to the Primate or Patriarch the primate or Patriarch to the Legate the Legate to the Pope the Pope to general councels and general councels only vnto God 4 The fourth Sacrament is the most holsome Sacramēt of the body bloud of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ euery priest that is duly called ordained according to the rules of the Church and intendeth to consecrate may by obseruing the vsual forme of words vsed in the consecration make the true body of Christ of a peece of wheaten bread and of wine his right and perfect bloud And this Sacrament the same Lord Iesus Christ in the night before he suffered his bitter passion did celebrate with his disciples consecrating it and ordaining that it should euer after be celebrated and eaten in remembrance of him It behoueth euery one that receiueth this Sacrament to bee strong in faith that he may beleeue and credit these thirteene things following First that he beleeue the transmutation or transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and bloud of Christ Secondly that though this be done euery day yet is not the body of Christ thereby augmented Thirdly that the body of Christ is not diminished though it be eatē euery day Fourthly that though this Sacrament be deuided into many parts that yet the whole and intire body of Christ remaineth in euery little particle Fiftly that though it be eaten of wicked malicious men yet is not the Sacrament thereby defiled Sixtly that to those which receiue it worthily as they ought it bringeth saluation eternal damnation to those which receiue it vnworthily Seuenthly that when it is eaten it conuerteth not into the nature property of him that eateth it as other meate doth but rather conuerteth the eater into the nature of the Sacrament rightly that being eaten it is taken vp into heauen without hurt Ninthly that in euery little forme of bread and wine is comprehended the great and incomprehensible God and Man Christ Iesus Tenthly that one and the same body of Christ is receiued and taken at one moment in diuers places of diuers men and vnder a diuers forme Eleuenthly that the substance of the bread being turned into the true body of Christ and the substance of the wine into his bloud the natural accidents of bread and wine doe yet remaine and that they are not receiued in forme of flesh and bloud Twelfthly that vnto those that eate it worthily it bringeth twelue great commodities which are expressed in these verses following Inflammat memorat substentat roborat auget Hostin spem purgat reficit vitam dat vnit Confirmat fidem minuit fomitemque remittit The effect whereof is that the hoast inflameth remembreth sustaineth strengthneth and augmenteth our hope It purgeth refresheth quickneth and vniteth It confirmeth our faith and mitigateth and vtterly quencheth in vs all concupiscence Lastly that it is wonderfull good and profitable for all those for whom the priest specially offereth it as a sacrifice be they liuing or dead and that therefore it is called the communion or Sacrament of the Eucharist In the beginning of Christian religion yet in some places there was consecrated at one time such a loafe of bread as being afterwards cut into small mamocks by the priest and laid vpon a sawcer or plate might well serue all the communicants that were present at the sacrifice and at that time did Christians communicate thereof dayly And afterwards they were limitted to receiue it only vpon sundaies but when the Church perceiued that this sacrament was not taken euery sunday so worthily and with such due obseruation as was sitting it was ordained that euery Christian man of perfect reason vnderstanding should with all diligence he could and with his best preparation both of body and soule receiue the same thrice a yeere or at the least euery yeere once at Easter as also when hee found himselfe in any danger of death as a ready preparatiue against al perils by which name it is often called 5 Matrimony which is a lawfull coniunction of man and wife instituted and ordained by the law of God the law of nature the law of nations is the fift Sacrament and the holy fathers in Christian piety haue commanded that but one marriage shall be solemnized at one time and that it shal not be done in secret but publikely either in the Church or Church-porch but most commonly in the Church-porch where the priest meeting the parties that are to be married first asketh of the man and then of the woman whether they be willing to be contracted who answering that they are content and agreed which is a thing most necessary in that Sacrament he taketh them by the right hands ioyning them togither in the name of the blessed and indeuided trinity in vnity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost hee admonisheth and exhorteth them that being euer mindefull of this vnion and holy communion they neuer after forsake one an other but to liue in mutual loue honor and obedience one to an other that they should not desire one an others company for lust but for procreation of children and that they should bring vp their children honestly carefully and in the feare of God this done he marrieth them with the ring and sprinkleth holy water on them and then putting on his stole which is thither brought him he leadeth them into the church and causing them to kneele humbly before the Altar there blesseth them if they were not blessed before the woman when she is married hath her haire tied vp with a red fillet or headband and a white veile ouer it without which veile or head couer it is neuer lawful for her after that time to goe abroad or to be in the company of men There be twelue impediments that hinder marriage before it be solemnized and dissolue it after it is contracted that is to say the error or mistaking of either party the breach of some condition kindred a manifest offence disparity of religion violence or forcible rauishment from their parents holy orders breach of reputation publike defamation affinity and dissability to performe the act of matrimony 6 The sixt Sacrament of the church is penance which is giuen by Christ as a second repaire of our shipwrake and euery Christian man is bound vndoubtedly to belceue that this Sacrament consisteth of these foure things to wit repentance for sins past cannonical confession absolution and satisfaction for he that will be partaker of this Sacrament must first of al repent be sorrowful in his very soule that through his grieuous and heinous sins hee hath lost that purity and innocency which he once had either by the Sacrament of Baptisme or by this Sacramēt formerly
other for that the whole world is the vniuersall Temple and open Sanctuary of God And that those which build and erect Churches Monasteries and Oratories do goe about to restraine and limit Gods power and Maiesty That Preests Vestiments Ornaments for the Altar Palls surplices Chalices Patines and such other like vessells are trifles and trash of no moment and that the Priest hath power to consecrate the body of our Lord at all times and in euery place and to minister it to those which desire it and that it is sufficient onely to prouonce the words of consecration That we ought not to pray to Saints to be intercessors for vs vnto Christ and that it is lost time that is spent in singing or saying the Canonicall houres That no dayes should be kept holy from labour but the Lords day only that no feast daies should bee celebrated in honour of the Saints and that by the institutions of the Church fasting is of no merit The report also is that the Boemian Priests do minister the Sacrament of the body of our Lord vnto infants and to all others indifferently vnder both formes which is a greater sacrifice than that which is vsed in the Church of Rome and one George Poggebratius is saidt o be the Author of this Ministration One Picardus comming out of France infected this nation with this monstrous and abhominable madnesse for hee hauing intised a great number of the baser sort both of men and women to bee his followers instructed them to goe naked and as the author of all licentious liuing called them Addamites by whose instructions venery was openly practised without difference of kindred or allyance and many other most horrible offences some of which sect are said to remayne as yet for there bee some Bohemians which bee therefore called Gruebenhamer which choose out for the excercising of their religion vautes and hollow caues in the ground and when their Priest according to their custome hath pronoūced this part of Genesis crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram that is increase and multiply and replenish the earth instantly they put out all their lights and fall to their lechery in the darke euery man with the woman hee first lighteth vpon without respect of age or kindred and when they haue finished their busiesse they light their lights againe and goe euery one into his owne place and so bee their ceremonies ended This execrable custome of that damnable sect is not much different frō those feasts called Bacchanalia which are first celebrated in Hetruria and afterwards in Rome by women in the night time who hauing pampered them-selues with wine and banketting accompanied with men in secret corners without difference or respect either of kindred or age whereby grew such confusion as oftentimes the mothers were defiled by their owne children and many other enormous villanies were perpetrated and done which they tooke their beginning as from the warehouse of all wickednesse The ringleaders of this preposterous celebration were first cut of at Rome when Quintus Martius Philippus and Posthumius Albinus were consulls as Sabellicus reporteth in his first Aenead and seauenth booke but this irreligious impiety and horrible heresie of the Boemians could not bee extirpated and rooted out in the raigne of foure Kings Veneceslaus Sigismundus Albertus and Vladislaus although they opposed them-selues against it with all their force and power Of Germany and of the customes of the Germaines CAP. 12. GERMANY is the largest nation of all Europ it lieth farre North and is deuided from France with the riuer of Rheyne from Rhetia and Pannonia with the riuer Danubius from Sarmatia and Dacia with certaine hills but more with the feare which one nation hath of the other and vpon all other sides it is inclosed with the ocean But the limits of Germany at this day exceed these bounds extend further comprehending vnder that name Rhetia Vindelitia Norica the vpper Pannonia the Alpes part of Illiria euen to the gates of the Citty of Trent All the country of Belgia in like sort which was heretofore vnder the French gouernment and all about the riuer of Rheyne are vnited to the Germaines imbracing both their law and language and forgetting or not daring or else scorning to call themselues French The Heluetians likewise by little and little haue almost lost both their name and speach and become perfect Germaines Germany challengeth as her own a great part of transalpine France besides all these the souldiers of Germany haue within the space of three hundred yeares brought vnder their subiection the Prutenia barbarous and cruell nation waining them from the worshiping of Idols to their owne language and the Christian religion this country therefore as now it is compared vnto what it was before it will appeare that it hath added more to it selfe from forraine nations then was formerly comprehended in his owne limits All Germany was once deuided into two parts wherof that part which is nearest vnto the Alpes was called the higher Germany the other the lower which lieth northward and towards the Ocean this partition doth yet continue and the higher part is now called Alemania as some thinke of a certaine lake or riuer called Alemanus and each of these parts consisteth of sundry Prouinces for the higher Germany going vpwards from the riuer Moganus which runneth along by Franconia containeth Dauaria Austria Styria Athesis Rhetia Heluetia Sueuia Alsatia and the Prouince of Rheine vnto the citty Mentz in Almania The inferior or lower Germany hath in it Franconia a good part wherof towards the South is held to be in high Germany Hassia Lotharingia Brabant Gelderland Zeiland Holland Frysland Flanders Westphalia Saxonie Dacia Peninsula Pomeranià Liuonia Prussia Sletia Morauia Boemia Mysnia Marchia and Thuringia Germany although some parte thereof seemed better than other was first as Cornelius Tacitus writeth for the most part ether ouer-growne with woods or rouer-flown with waters being more base and barren to wards France and more subiect to stormes and tempests towards Noricum Styria Pannonia so that it yeelded neither fruite nor grayne onely it bred good store of cattell but such as were both little and low gold and siluer it affordeth none and therefore as a poore and base county it was dispised and very little regarded But surely Cornelius was either much deceyued or else the country is much altered from what it then was for Germany at this day is so pleasant and so plentifull of all things so beautified strengthened and addorned with famous Citties strong Castels and stately buildings as it is nothing inferior either to France Spaine or Italy for the heauens smyle vpon them the fields affords them store of fruites the Sunne solaceth him selfe amongst her hills shee hath whole mountaines of vynes woods at wil and all kinde of graine in abundance being watred on all sides with Rhene Danubius Moganus Albis Neccharus Sala Odera and with many
for he expected not their comming but certified mee that hee could not stay their comming for that your custome is to create a new chiefe Gouernour of the Fleete once euery three yeares in which meane time hee that was newly created came thither and this was the cause that the Embassadors staied longer then was needfull But now I send my Messages by Christopher the brother of Licontius whose name at his baptisme is Zoga Zabo which is as much to say as the grace of the Father and hee shall manifest my desires before you In like manner I send Francis Aluarez vnto the Pope of Rome who in my name shall yeeld my obedience vnto him as is fitting O Sir King my brother giue eare and attend indeuor to embrace that friendship which your Father opened betwixt vs and send your Messengers and Letters often vnto vs for I greatly desire to see them as from my brother for so it should be seeing wee are both Christians And seeing the Moores which be wicked and naught accord and agree together in their sect And now I pretest I will neuer hereafter admit any Embassadors from the Kings of Egypt nor from other Kings which send Embassadors vnto me but from your highnesse which I much desire should often come for the Kings of the Moores account me not their friend by reason of our disagreement and disparitie in religion yet they faine friendship that by that meanes they may more freely and safely exercise merchandise in our kingdomes which is very profitable vnto them for they carry great store of gold wherof they be very greedy out of my kingdoms though they be but hollow friends vnto me and their commodities bring me but little pleasure but this hath beene tollerated because it hath been an ancient custome of our former Kings and though I make no warres vpon them nor vtterly ouerthrow them and bring them to destruction yet in this I am to be borne withall lest if I did so they should violate and pull downe the holy Temple which is at Ierusalem wherein is the sepulcher of our Sauiour Christ which God hath suffered to be in the power of the wicked Moores and also least they should make leuell with the ground other Churches which be in Egypt and Syria And this is the cause why I doe not inwade and subdue them which thing greatly irketh me and I am the rather perswaded so to doe seeing I haue no bordering Christian king to assist me and to cheere and incourage my heart in that or the like enterprise And therefore my selfe O King haue no great cause to reioyce of the Christian Kings of Europe vnderstanding that they agree not together in one heart but that warres bee very rife amongst them Bee you all of one Christian-like minde for you ought all of you to bee content of a firme peace amongst you And certainly if any of my neighbouring Christian Kings were ioyned with me in an amiable league as they ought I would neuer depart from him one houre And of this I know not well what I should say or what I should do seeing they seeme to be so ordained by God Sir send your Messengers more often vnto mee I beseech you for when I looke vpon your letters then mee thinkes I behold your countenance And surely greater friendship ariseth betwixt those wich bee farre distant then those which dwell neere together by reason of the great desire wherewith they bee delighted for he which hath hidden treasures though he cannot see them with his eyes yet in his heart hee euer loueth them most ardently as our Sauiour Iesus Christ saith in the Gospell where thy treasure is there is thy heart also And in like manner ought you to make mee your treasure and to cowple your heart sincerely with mine O my Lord and brother keepe this word for you bee most prudent and as I heare much like vnto your Father in wise-dome which when I vnderstood I forthwith gaue praise vnto God and laying aside all griefe conceiued ioy and said Blessed is the wise sonne and of great estimation the sonne of King Emanuell which sitteth in the throne of his fathers kingdomes My Lord beware then faint not seeing thou art as strong as thy father was nor shew thy forces to be weake against the Moores and Gentiles for by the assistance of God and thine owne vertue thou shalt easily vanquish and destroy them neither shalt thou say that thou hadst small power left thee by thy father for truely it was great inough and God shall euer bring thee helpe I haue men money and munition in aboundance like the sands of the sea and the starres of heauen and we ioyning our forces together may easily destroy the rudenes and barbarousnes of the Moores And I desire nothing else of you but skilfull men which bee able to instruct my souldiers to keepe their orders and rankes in battell And thou O King art a man of perfect age King Salomon tooke vpon him the gouernment of his kingdome when he was but twelue yeares of age yet of great power and more wise then his father And my selfe likewise was but a childe of eleuen yeares of age when my father Nav departed this life and being entred into my Fathers seate by Gods ordinance I obtained greater wealth and forces then euer my Father had for in my power bee all the borderers and Nations of the Kingdome Wherefore both of vs ought to giue incessant thankes vnto God for so great benefites receiued Giue care vnto mee my brother and Lord for this at one word I desire of you that you will send vnto mee learned men that can carue images imprint bookes and make Swordes and and all kinde of weapons for the warres head Masons likewise and Carpenters and physitions that haue skill to make medicines and cure wounds I would also haue such as can drawe gold into thin plates and bee able curiously to carue and ingraue gold and siluer and such likewise as haue knowledge to get gold and siluer from out the veines of the earth and to worke in all manner of mettall mines Besides these I shall much esteeme of such as can make couerings for houses of leade and will teach others how to make tiles of chalke or clay To conclude I shall haue vse of all manner of Artificers and especially of such as can make Gunnes Helpe mee therefore I pray you in these things as one brother should helpe another and so God will helpe you and deliuer you from all euill God will heare thy prayers and petitions as hee hath receiued holy sacrifices at all times as first of all the sacrifices of Abell and of Noe when hee was in the Arke and that of Abraham when hee was in the land of Madian and that of Isaac when hee departed from the Ditch or Trench of the Oath and that of Iocob in the house of Bethlem and of Moses in Aegypt and Aaron in the Mount and
redeeming thence Adam his sons Al these things Christ did wherfore he was replenished with diuinity and that diuinity was with his soule also with his most holy body which diuinity gaue vertue to the crosse which diuinity he euer had yet hath commune with the Father in Trinity Vnity nor did that Christ while he walked vpō the earth euer want his diuinity for the least twinckling of an eye After this he was buried and the third day the same Iesus Christ the Prince of resurrection Iesus Christ the chiefe of the Priests Iesus Christ the King of Israel arose againe with great power and fortitude and after all things were fulfilled which the holy Prophets fore-shewed hee ascended with great glorie triumph into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the Father and he shall come againe in glorie carrying his crosse before his face and the sword of Iustice in his hand to iudge both the quicke and the dead of whose kingdome shall be no end I beleeue one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church I beleeue one Baptisme which is the remission of sinnes I hope for and beleeue the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen I beleeue in our Ladie the blessed Virgin Mary a Virgin I say both in spirit and flesh who as the mother of Christ is the charity of all people the Saint of Saints and Virgin of Virgins whome I do worshippe all manner of wayes I beleeue the sacred wood of the crosse to bee the bed of the sorow of our Lord Iesus Christ the son of God which Christ is our saluation by whome wee be saued a scandall to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentils But we preach and beleeue the strength of the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ euen as S. Paul our Doctor hath taught vs. I beleeue S. Peter to be the rocke of the lawe which law is founded vpon the holy Prophets the foundation and head of the Catholike and Apostolike Church both east and west where euer is the name of our Lord Iesus Christ the power of which Church Peter the Apostle hath and the keyes of the kingdome of heauen with which he can shut and open loose and bind and hee shall sit with the other Apostles his fellowes vpon twelue seats with honor and praise with our Lord Iesus Christ who in the day of Iudgement shall pronounce the sentence vpon vs which day to the Saints shall be cause of ioy but to the wicked griefe and gnashing of teeth when they shall bee cast out into the burning flames of hell fire with their father the Diuell I beleeue that the holy Prophets and Apostles Martyrs and Confessors were the right imitators of Christ whom with the most blessed Angels of God I worship honor in like maner also do I imbrace affect as their followers Also I beleeue that vocall and auricular confession of all my sinnes is to bee made to the priest by whose prayers through Christ our Lord I hope to obtain saluation Moreouer I acknowledge the B. of Rome to bee the chiefPastor of the sheep of Christ yeelding obedience vnto all Patriarks Cardinals Archb. Bishops of whom he is head as vnto the Ministers of Christ himselfe This is my faith and law and of al the people of Aethiopia that be vnder the power of Precious Iohn which faith the loue of Christ be so confirmed amongst vs as with the help of our Sauiour I shall neuer deny it neither by death fire nor sword which faith all we shall carry with vs in the day of iudgment before the face of the same Lord Iesus Christ Now hauing gone thus farre I will expresse the discipline doctrine and law which the Apostles in their holy books of Councels and Canons which we call Manda Abethylis haue taught vs and of those bookes of the ordonances of the Church there be 8. all which were compiled by the Apostles when they were assembled together at Ierusalem wherof making great inquiry of many Doctours after I came into Portugall I found none that did remember them The obseruatiōs which the Apostles prescribed vnto vs in these bookes be these following First that we ought to fast euery wednesday in remembrance of the Iewes Councell for vpon that day they consulted and decreed amongst themselues that Christ shold be killed and that we shold fast euery Friday vpon which day Christ Iesus was crucified and died for our sins and vpon these two dayes we are commanded to fast till the Sun-setting They also inioyned vs to fast with bread water the forty daies of Lent and to pray seuen times in the day and night By those edicts also we be bound to celebrate our sacrifice vppon Wednesdayes and Fridayes in the euening because at that time our Lord Iesus Christ yeelded vp the ghost vpon the holy Crosse They willed also that vpon Sundaies we should al assemble together in the holy church at the third houre of the day from the Sun rising to reade and heare the bookes of the Prophets and that after that we should preach the Gospell and celebrate Masse Moreouer they appointed nine festiuall daies to be celebrated in memorie of Christ to wit the Annunciation the Natiuity the Circumcision the Purification or Candlemas his Baptisme Palm sunday vnto the octaues of good Friday as we term it which be 12. dayes the Ascension also and the Feast of Penticost with their holy dayes And by the precepts of these bookes we eate flesh euery day without any exception from the Feast of Easter vnto Penticost neither bee we bound to fast in all this time vnto the octaues of Penticost which thing we do for the more honour reuerence of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ They will vs also to celebrate the day of the death assumption of the Virgin Mary with all honor Moreouer besides the precepts of the Apostles one of the Precious Iohns surnamed The seed of Iacob ordained that besides these dayes euery thirtith yere 3. dayes should be celebrated in honor of the same blessed Virgin he also commanded one day in euery moneth to be celebrated for the Natiuity of our Sauior Christ which is euer the 25. day of the month in like manner he appointed one day in euery moneth to be kept holy in honor of S. Michael Furthermore by the cōmandement of the Apostles Synods wee celebrate the day of the Martyrdom of S. Stephen and of other Martyrs We he bound also by the institution of the Apostles to sollemnize two dayes to wit the Sabbath and the Lords day in which daies it is not lawfull for vs to do any manner of businesse no not the least trifle The Sabbath day we obserue for this cause for that God hauing perfected the Creation of the world rested vpon that day which day as it was his will it should be called the Holy of Holies so if that day should not be reuerenced
Synai where the Lord spake vnto Moyses saying Moyses Moyses put off thy shooes from thy feet because the ground wherevpon thou standest is holy ground and this Mount Synai is the mother of our Churches from whom they tooke their beginning as the Apostles did from the prophets and the New Testament from the Old Furthermore it is not lawfull for Lay-men or Clergy or for any other person of what condition soeuer hee bee after hee hath receiued the blessed Sacrament of the Altar to spit or cast from the morning till the sunne setting and if any doe spit hee is seuerely punished Also in memory of Christs Baptisme wee be all euery yeere baptised vpon the feast day of the Epiphanie of our Lord and this we doe not that we beleeue that it pertaineth to our saluation but for the laude praise and glory of our Sauiour neither doe wee celebrate any other feast more solemly or bountifully with shewes plaies and ceremonies then wee doe this because vpon this day the holy Trinity did first manifestly appeare when our Lord Iesus Christ was baptised in the riuer of Iordan when the holy Ghost descended vpon his head in forme of a Doue and a voice proclayming from Heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased which holy Ghost appearing in forme of a white Doue appeared in shew and figure of the Father and Sonne in one Diuinity In like manner Christ was seene of the holy Prophets in many similitudes formes and likenesses first in forme of a white Ram for the preseruation of Isaack the Sonne of Abraham And in like manner hee named Iacob Israel and Iacob Iudas the Lions whelpe to whom hee gaue power ouer his other brethren saying thou didest rise vp my sonne to the prey and when thou didest rest thou didest lie still like a Lion and Lionesse who shall raise him vp Hee also manifested himselfe to Moyses in Mount Synai in forme of a flame of fire hee shewed himselfe to the holy Prophet Daniel in similitude of a Rocke hee appeared also to Ezechiell the Sonne of Man and to Isaias in likenesse of an infant he declared himselfe to King Dauid and to Gedeon like a frost vpon a fleese of wool and besides these similitudes recited hee was seene of his holy Prophets in many other formes and notwithstanding hee was seene in so many sundrie formes yet hee alwaies represented the similitude of the Father and of the holy Ghost And when GOD created the world hee said Let vs make man according to our similitude and likenesse and hee made Adam after his owne similitude and likenesse wherfore wee say that the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three countenances in one similitude and diuinity Wee haue receiued circumcision euer from the time of Queene Saba which wee obserue vntill this day The proper name of this Queene Saba was Maqueda who was a worshipper of Idoles after the manner of her auncestors into whose eares when the fame of the wisdome of Solomon was entred shee sent a certaine wise man vnto Ierusalem to finde out the truth and to certifie her of the wisdome of that King who beeing returned and shewing the truth vnto her shee sodainely prouided her selfe to take her iourney towardes Ierusalem and when shee was thither come besides many other things which King Solomon taught her shee learned the law and the prophets and returning into her country hauing obtained libertie to depart in her iourney shee brought forth a sonne which was gotten by a King whom she called Meilech and him the Queene brought vp with her selfe in Aethiopia vntill hee was 20. yeers of age and then sent him back vnto Solomon his father that of him he might learne vnderstanding and wisdom desiting by her letters that he would consecrate and make his Sonne Meilech King of Aethiopi a before the Arke of the couenant of the will or testament of the Lord and that from thence-forth women should gouerne no more in Aethiopia as then the custome was but that the male children should lineally succeed in the Kingdome When Meilech came to Ierusalem he easily obtained of his father his mothers requests for Meilech was called Dauid whom when he was sufficiently instructed in the law in other disciplines his father Solomon determined to send him back to his mother decked in gallāt attire and furniture fit for a King and the more to shew his bounty he gaue vnto him noble followers companions and the sonnes of great men who should serue him as their King Moreouer he decreed to send with him Azarias the high priest the sonne of Zadoch the high priest likewise which when Azarias vnderstood he exhorted Dauid that he would intreat liberty of his father for him to sacrifice for good successe in their iourney before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord which beeing obtained of Solomon Azarias as sodainely and as secretly as he could caused tables to be hewen and squared like vnto the tables of the Testament of the Lord and when they were perfected he went to sacrifice and in the time of sacrifice hee priuily and very cunningly stole the true tables of the couenant of the Lord from the Arke and set in there places the counterfeit tables which hee brought with him without the priuity of any man butonly God and himself This declaration wee Aethiopians receiue as most holy and most approued as by the History of the same King Dauid which is most pleasant to read doth appeare the volume of which History is full as thicke as all Saint Paules Epistles When Dauid was come into the borders of Aethiopia Azarias entred into his tent disclosed and reuealed vnto him that which thetherto hee had kept secret to himself that is to say that he had the Tables of the couenāt of the Lord which whē Dauid vnderstood he ran hastily to the tent where Azarias had the tables of the couenāt of the Lord and there in imitation of King Dauid his grand-father he began to daunce for exceeding ioy before the Arke wherein the tables were which when the people saw and vnderstanding the matter they all of them in like manner exulted with mirth and great ioy And then Dauid passing through much part of Aethiopia came lastly to his mother who forth-with yeelded vp into his hands the gouernment of all the prouinces laying vpon his shoulders the whole care of the Kingdome And from that time euen vntill this day being almost the space of two thousand and sixe hundred yeeres the Kingdome of Aethiopia hath lineally descended from male heire to male heire and since that time wee obserue the law of the Lord and circumcision as before is said and likewise since that time hitherto the offices which Solomon ordained for his sonne Dauid for the guiding of his Court are kept and obserued in the same order and families as they were at that time neither hath the Emperor himselfe power to assigne others of other kinreds to
not forthwith to be admitted but they will that hee first come vnto the gate of the Church and there to heare Sermons and the words of our Sauiour Christ that before he be incited and brought as it were by stelth vnto the faith hee may know the yoke of the law which when hee hath done hee may be called halfe a Christian although he be not baptised as the Ghospel teacheth he that beleeueth and is baptised shal bee saued and hee which beleeueth not shall bee damned And our custome is that women with child before they be deliuered should be confessed and that then they should receiue the Lords body and those which doe not this as also the fathers of those children which compel not their wiues to doe it bee accounted wicked and euill Christians Moreouer you must vnderstand that confirmation and chrisme or extreame vnction of oyle bee not accounted Sacraments nor bee in any vse with vs as I see they bee heare by the custome of the Romane Church Also by Moyses lawes and the ordinance of the Apostles it is not lawfull for vs to eate vncleane meates and this wee doe for the full obseruation of the law and the Scriptures which consist of one and foure score bookes in both Old and New Testament that is to say forty and sixe bookes of the Old Testament and thirty fiue of the New which expresse number of bookes of the Scriptures wee haue by computation from the Apostles themselues from which bookes of the Old and New Testament it is not lawful for vs to ad or diminish any thing no though an Angell from heauen should indeauour to perswade vs therevnto And hee which dare to attempt any such thing ought to be reputed as accursed Wherefore neither the Patriarcke nor our Bishops by themselues nor in their councels doe thinke or suppose that they can make any lawes thereby any one may bee bound to a mortall or deadly sinne for in those bookes of councels it is ordained by the holy Apostles that wee should confesse our sins and what penance wee ought to take according to the heinousnesse of each sinne is there set downe They instruct vs also how we should pray fast and doe deedes of charity and this is very familiar in vse amongst vs that as soone as wee haue committed any sinne we forthwith runne to the feete of the confessor and this is vsed both of men and women of what estate or condition soeuer they bee of And as oft as wee bee confessed we receiue the bodie of our blessed LORD in both kindes in sweete or vnleauened wheaten bread and if wee should bee confessed euery day wee should likewise euery day receiue the most blessed and reuerent Sacrament and this custome is common as well to the Clergie as to Lay people And the Sacrament of the Altar is not kept with vs in Churches as it is heere amongst the people of Europe Neither doe those which be sick receiue the Lords body vntill they begin to waxe strong and recouer there helth and this is done because all men both Lay and Clergy doe vsually receiue it euery weeke twice and all which bee willing so to doe come vnto the Church for it is ministred to none but in the Church not so much as to the Patriarch or to Prestor Iohn himselfe We alwaies vse one consessor and doe neuer take any other vnlesse he bee absent and at his returne wee goe to him againe and the confessors by there power they haue from the Church giue vs absolution of all our sinnes reseruing no case to the Bishops or Patriarcke though it bee neuer so heinous Moreouer the Priests may not heere their confessions to whom they bee confessed themselues Both priests also and Munkes and all Ecclesiasticall Ministers with vs liue by their owne labour for the Church neither hath nor receiueth any tithes Yet it hath reuenewes and lands which both Clerkes and Monkes digge and till either by there owne or other mens labour and other almes haue the none but such as bee freely offered in the Churches for the buriall of the dead and other Godly matters neither is it lawfull for them to begge in the streetes nor to extorte or wrest any almes from the people In our Churches also is euery day onely one Masse celebrated which we account as a sacrifice nor is it lawful by our old ordinances to solemnize more then one in a day for this Masse we take no hire nor reward and in the ministery thereof the Sacrament of the Altar is not shewed as heere I perceiue it is And with vs all Priests Deacons and Sub-deacons and those which come vnto the Church receiue the bodie of our Lord and wee say no Masse for the remission and forgiuenesse of soules departed but the dead bee buried with crosses and Orizons in a certaine place and ouer the dead bodies wee chiefly amongst other praiers recite the beginning of Saint Iohns Ghospel and the day following the buriall of the corpes wee offer almes for him which wee doe vpon certaine daies after vpon al which daies we keepe funerall bankets and thus far I haue spoken of our faith and religion But now for that after our comming into Portingal we had many and often disputations and contentions with diuers Doctors especially with our Maisters Didacus Ortysius Bishop of Saint Thomas Isle and Deane of the Kings Chappel and with Peter Margalhus concerning the choise and difference of meates it shal not be vnfitting to say something of that matter First you must vnderstand that wee obserue a difference of meates out of the Old Testament which difference is appointed by the word of GOD it selfe which word was afterwards borne of the Virgine Mary and walked and was conuersant with his Disciples and that word of God I haue alwaies accounted an euer liuing whole and inuiolated word neither did that mouth which heeretofore forbad to eate of vncleanesse say afterwards in any part of his Gospell that wee should eate And whereas it is said in the Gospell that which entereth in by the mouth defileth not the man but such things as proceed forth of the mouth hee pronounced not this speech for because hee would breake that which before hee had appointed but that hee might refute the superstition of the Iewes which taxed and blamed the Apostles because they did eate meate with vnwashed hands for neither the Apostles at that time that they liued with our Lord Iesus Christ did euer vse any vncleane things or tasted of those things which bee forbidden in the law nor yet did any of the Apostles transgresse the law nor can it bee prooued by any of our writings that the Apostles at those times which followed our Lords passion when they beganne to preach the Gospell did either eate or kill any vncleane things and yet it is true that Paul sayd eate of euery thing that commeth into the shambles making no question for conscience sake and
after that if an Infidell call you to supper and that you will goe eate of all things which be set before you making no question for conscience sake and againe if any one shall say this is sacrificed to Idols eate not of it because of him that shewed you and for conscience sake c. All these things Paul speaketh to please those which were not yet confirmed in the faith because there arose many disputations and contentions betwixt those and the Iewes for the appeasing whereof he did more easily yeeld vnto them and conforme himselfe vnto their will which were not throughly confirmed in the faith And this hee did not that he would breake the law but that by gratifying others in releasing them from ceremonies hee might thereby winne them to the faith The same Apostle saith Let not him that eateth despice him that eateth not let not him that eateth not condemne him that eateth because hee which eateth eateth to the Lord and hee which eateth not eateth not to the Lord wherefore it is very vnworthily done to reprehend strangers that bee Christians so sharply and bitterly as I haue beene oftentimes reprehended my selfe both for this matter and for other things which belonged not to the true faith but it shal be better and more standing with wisdome to sustaine such Christians whether they bee Greekes Americans or Aethiopians or of any other of the seuen Christian Churches in charity and imbracings of Christ and to suffer them to liue and be conuersant amongst other Christian brothers without contumelies or reproches for we bee al the sons of baptisme and ioyne together in opinion concerning the true faith and there is no cause why wee should contend so bitterly touching ceremonies but that each one should obserue his owne ceremonies without the hatred rayling or inueighing of other neither is he that hath trauelled into other nations and obserueth his owne country ceremonies therefore to be excluded from the society of the Church Moreouer that which we haue in the Acts of the Apostles to wit how Peter saw Heauen opened a certaine vessel descending like vnto a great sheet bound or closed vp at the foure corners wherein were all kind of foure footed beasts and serpents of the earth and foules of the aire and a voice said vnto Peter arise Peter kil and eate to whom Peter said God forbid Lord for I did neuer eate of any thing commune or vncleane and the voice replied vnto him againe saying that which God hath made cleane doe not thou cal commune or vncleane which words being repeated three times the vessel was againe taken vp into Heauen which done the spirit sent him into Caesaria vnto Cornelius a deu out man and one that feared God with whom when Peter spake the holy Ghost fell vpon all those which heard the word of God and when they had receiued the holy Ghost Peter commanded that all Cornelius houshold should be baptised But when the other Apostles and brethren which were in Iudea heard that Cornelius was baptised they were displeased at Peter that hee had giuen Baptisme and the word of God to the Gentiles saying why wentest thou to men that be not circumcised and didst eate with them but when Peter had declared vnto them the whole vision they were pacified and gaue thankes vnto God saying And therefore hath hee giuen repentance vnto the Gentiles for their saluation And they remembred the word of the Lord which hee spake when he ascended vp into heauen Go throughout all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but hee which beleeueth not shall be damned Then the Apostles began to preach the Gospel through out all the world vnto euery creature in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and the sound of them went throughout all the world And this vision wherein both cleane and vncleane things did appeare we in Aethiopia expound thus That by the cleane beasts was meant the people of Israel and by the vncleane beasts the people of the Gentiles And for this cause be the Gentiles called vncleane for that they bee worshippers of Idols and willingly do the workes of the diuel which be vncleane and whereas the voyce sayd vnto Peter Kill that we interpret in this manner Peter baptize and when it is said Peter eate that is interpreted as if he had sayd Teach and preach the lawe of our Lord Iesus Christ to the people of Israell and to the Gentiles Moreouer it is most certaine that it cannot bee found in any place of the Scriptures that either Peter or the other Apostles did kill or eate any vncleane beast after this vision And also we must vnderstand when the Scripture speaketh of bread he meaneth not meate or corporal nourishment therby but the explication and exposition of Christ his doctrine and of the Scriptures And surely it were well done for all teachers and preachers of this sheet which was shewed vnto Peter to teach high and great matters and not pettie or light things and such as do seeme little to appertaine vnto saluation nor thereby cunningly to hunt after this document as though it should be conuenient or lawfull for vs to eate vncleane things seeing no such thing can bee gathered out of the Scriptures for what is the cause that the Apostles in their bookes of Councels haue taught vs not to eate beasts that be strangled suffocated or killed ' of other beasts or bloud because the Lord loueth cleannes and sobriety and hateth gluttony and vncleannesse And our Lord also greatly loueth those that abstaine from flesh but much more those that fast with bread and water and herbes as Iohn Baptist the Eremite did beyond Iordane who did euer eat herbes and S. Paul the Eremite who remained in the wildernesse foure score yeares euer fasting and S. Anthonie and Saint Macarius and many other their spirituall children which did neuer tast flesh Therefore my brethren we ought not to despise and inueigh against our neighbors because Iames saith Hee which detracteth his brother or condemneth his brother detracteth the law and condemneth the law Paul also teacheth That it were better for euery one to liue contented with their owne traditions then to dispute with his Christian brother of the law and againe Not to know more than is behoofull but to be wise vnto sobrietie and vnto euery one as God hath diuided the measure of faith wherfore it is vndecent to dispute with our brethren of the law or of the difference of meates because the meate doth not commend vs to God especially seeing Paul the Apostle saith We shall neither abound if we do eate nor want if we do not eat And therfore let vs seek those things which be aboue and the celestiall food and leaue off these vaine disputations Al these things which I haue written concerning Traditions I haue not done to breed disputation but that as