of Rhodes Scicilia Corsica Sardinia and of some few besides So far hath that most cruel enemy of mankinde preuailed by bringing in such diuersity of manners such hatefull and damnable superstitious abuses in ceremonies and sacred things that whilest euery nation contendeth by strongest arguments to prooue that the GOD which they worship and adore is the true and great GOD and that they onely goe the way of eternall happinesse and all others the by-path that leadeth to perdition Whilest also euery sect indeauoureth to aduance and set forth themselues it insueth that each one persecuting other with mortall enmity and deadly hatred it is not onely daungerous to trauell into forraine nations but in a manner vtterly bard and prohibited which I perswade my selfe is the cause that the names of bordering nations beeing scarce knowne to their neerrest neighbors whatsoeuer is either written or reported of them is now accounted fabulous and vntrue the knowledge whereof notwithstanding hath euer beene reputed so pleasant so profitable and so praise-worthy as it is most manifest that for the loue and desire thereof onely without other cause at all very many forsaking father and mother wife and children countrie and kin and that which is more neglecting their owne health haue aduentured through great difficulties and daungers care and troubles long and tedious iourneies into forraine nations onely to furnish themselues with experience So as it is vndoubtedly true that not in these daies onely but almost from the beginning of the world All those haue bin generally esteemed men of greatest authority wisdome and learning and by open consent haue beene elected and chosen Maisters and Gouernours Councellors and Iudges Captaines and Controllers who hauing sometimes trauelled strang countries haue knowne the manners of many people and cities for euer as those auncient Philosophers of Greece and Italy which were first founders of sundry sects wherin they instructed their Disciples Schollers as namely Socrates of the Socratick sect Plato of the Academicke Aristotle of the Peripatick Antisthines of the Cynick Aristyppus of the Cyrenaicke Zeno of the Stoicke and Pithagoras of the Pithagoricke As also those old law-giuers Minos and Rhodomanthus to the men of Creete Orpheus to those of Thrace Draco Solon to the Athenians Licurgus to the Lacedemonians Moses to the Iewes Zamolxis to the Scythians and many others which wee see haue set down to their people diuers prescript ceremonies ciuil disciplines inuented not of those seueral sects disciplines and lawes within their city walles but learned and brought them from the Caldeans themselues beeing the most wise men of the world from the Indian Philosophers the Brackmans Gymnosophists and from the Aegiptian Priests with whom sometimes they were conuersant To conclude wee plainely perceiue that those most renowned worthies Iupiter of Creete who was reported to haue measured the world fiue times ouer and his two sonnes of like disire and successe Dionysius surnamed Bacchus and valiant Hercules and Theseus his imitator Iason with the rest of the Greekes which went with him for the golden Fleece wether-beaten Vlisses and Aencas the outcast of Troy Cyrus Darius Xerxes Alexander the Great Hanibal the Carthaginiā Mithrydate king of Pontus expert in the language of fifty nations the great Antiochus and innumerable other Romane Princes and Gouernors the Scipios the Marii the Lentuli Pompey the Great Iulius Caesar Octauian Augustus the Constantines Charles Othones Conrades Henries and Frederickes haue by their warlike expeditions into forraine nations purchased vnto themselues an euerlasting fame and immortal memory Wherefore seeing there is so great pleasure and profit in the knowledge of countries and of their manners and also seeing it is not in euery mans power nor yet lawfull for many causes for euery one to trauel and behold lands far remote thou maist good gentle reader as wel by reading comprehend vnderstand the most renowned customes of al nations and the seueral sytuation of each country expressed in this booke and that as readily with as much pleasure as if taking thee by the hand I shold lead thee through euery nation one after an other faithfully relate vnto thee in what place and vnder what kind of gouernment each nation haue liued heretofore and now doe liue Nor would I haue thee distasted or carried away for that by some too seuere reformer it may bee obiected and laide in my teeth that I haue produced for new and for mine owne a matter written long agoe and heretofore handled of no lesse then a thousand Authors and that I haue vsed only their words without alteration But if thou diligently marke my purpose thou shalt find that in imitation of that liberal houshoulder to whom Christ in the Gospell compared euery learned scribe I haue presented thee my kinde guest with some things as well out of mine owne braine as wholy extracted from the hidden treasure of my bookes and not onely with borowed and vnknowne stuffe but with sundry new dainties of mine owne deuising Farewel and what euer thou findest herein accept in good part To the Reader in commendation of this worke NOt Soline Pliny Trogus nor Herodotus of worth Not Strabo best Geographer that Cretish Isle brought forth Not true historian Siculus nor yet Berosus sage Nor any other writer else within this latter age Not Siluius after Pius Pope the second of that name Nor yet Sabellicus whose workes deserue immortal fame In volums large doe touch so neere the state of th' viniverse As doth the Author of this booke in sewer words reherse For here each part of Asiae soile distinctly you may find Th' Arabians Persians and the Meades the Scythians the Inde The Sirian and Assirian and all the Parthians race The Getes and Dacians Europs Scythes the people ecke of Thrace The Sauromates and those which in Pannonia doe remaine The Germaine the Italian the French and those of Spaine The Irish and the British Isles of Islands all the best And Affricke nations al which first old Affrican possest The Aethiops and the Carthage men and those of Aegipt-land And al the people that doe dwel on the dry Libian sand And many more inhabitants of diuers Isles beside And where the sect of Mahomet most chiefly doth abide What ample large and spatious lands doe honor Christ their head And through what kingdomes of the world his faithfull flocke are spread FINIS The manners lawes and customes of all Nations LIB 1. The true opinions of Diuines concerning mans originall CAP. 1. WHen the diuine Maiestie vpon the first day of Creation had finished this great and wonderfull Architecture of heauen and earth which of his beauty and elegant forme is called the world and all things contained within the compasse thereof vpon the sixt day hee created man of purpose that hee might haue all other things in full fruition and be Lord and Gouernour ouer them and making him the noblest of all other Creatures
receiued his griefe must be so hearty effectual as he must thereby assuredly hope to bee reconciled againe vnto God then must he humbly acknowledge and make verball recitall vnto some reuerent priest his confessor as vnto the vicar and minister of God of al thse sins offences as were causers of the losse of that innocency stirred vp the wrath of God against him then let him firmly beleeue that such power and authority is giuen by Christ vnto his priests ministers on earth that they can cleerely absolue him from al such sins as he confesseth is heartily sory for Lastly for a satisfaction amends for al his sins let him with alacrity cheerefulnes vndergo do whatsoeuer his confessor shall enioyne him beleeuing most stedfastly that he is absolued from al his sins as soone as the priest hath pronounced the words of absolution 7 The seuenth and last Sacrament is the Sacrament of extreame vnction which is ministred with oyle which for that purpose is yeerely consecrated and hallowed in euery Diocesse by the bishop himselfe vpon the thursday before Easterday as the holy Chrisine is cōsecrated by the priest This Sacrament according to the councel of the holy Apostle Saint Iames the institutiō of Pope Felix the 4. is ministred only to such as are at the point of death of ful age and not then neither vnlesse they desire it and by the prescript form repeating of the words of the Sacramēt often inuocation of the Saints those parts of the body being annointed which are the seats of the fiue sences seeing hearing tasting smelling and touching and are the chiefest instrumēts in offending as the mouth eyes eares nose hands and feet the holy fathers haue bin euer of this opinion and firme beleefe that he which is so anointed receiueth it worthily is not only thereby remitted purged frō al his light and venial sins but is either sodenly restored to his former health or else yeeldeth vp his spirit in more tranquility and peace of conscience The festiual daies which were cōmanded to be obserued in The festiuall dayes which were commanded to be obserued in the Church throughout the yeare begin with the Aduent of our Lord Iesus Christ In which by the institution of Saint Peter in the month of December the continuall exercise of fasting and prayer was commanded for full three weekes and a halfe together before the feast of the Natiuity of our Lord with vs called Christmas which with all ioy and solemnity is celebrated all the last eight dayes of December The yeare is deuided into 52. weekes the weekes into twelue months and euery month for the most part into thirty dayes vpon the first day of Ianuary the Church celebrateth the circumcision of our Lord according to the law of Moses Vpon the third day after is represented vnto vs how our Sauiour Christ by the adoration of the three Kings and his beeing Baptised of Iohn in the riuer Iordane laid the foundation of the new law vpon the second of February is shewed how his imaculate mother shewing her selfe obedient to the ceremonies of the Iewes presented her sonne Iesus in the Temple and was purified in memory whereof there is on that day a solemne procession vsed by the Church and all the tapers and wax lights bee then hallowed Vpon the 25. day of March is represented vnto vs the Annuntiation of the birth of Christ to the Virgin Mary by the Angel and how he was conceiued in her wombe by the inspiration of the holy ghost at which time is commended vnto vs also the remembrance of the forty daies which our Sauiour when he liued here on earth amongst vs vouchsafed to fast willing vs likewise to fast that time after his example then to celebrate his passion and death which willingly he offered himselfe to suffer to enfranchise and redeeme vs from the thraldome and slauery of the diuell Vpon the last day of which feast which often falleth out in Aprill is solemnised the greatest of all feasts how Christ hauing conquered death descended into hell where after hee had ouercome the Diuell he returned aliue againe to his Disciples and in a glorified body appeared vnto them In May is solemnized his Ascension into Heauen by his owne vertue in the sight of al his Disciples at which time by the ordinance of Saint Mamertine Bishoppe of Vienna it was instituted that throughout the whole Christian world Pilgrimages and processions should bee vsed vpon that day from one Church to an other In Iune and sometimes in May is the feast of the comming of the Holy Ghost who being before promised was on that day infused vpon all the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ appearing vnto them in the forme of fiery tongs by vertue whereof they spake and vnderstood the languages of all nations The eight day after is the feast of the blessed Trinity and then out of the first decretal of Pope Vrban the sixt the feast of Corpus Christi was instituted and with great solemnity generally celebrated the fifth day after Trinity Sunday as a perpetual memoriall of the most wholesome Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ by him bequeathed vnto vs in his last supper vnder the formes of bread and wine and continually of vs to be seene and eaten after his departure vpon the fifteenth day of Iuly wee are put in minde by a new festiuity of the departure of the blessed Apostles according to their seueral alotment the twelfth yeare after the assention of our Lord into heauen to preach the Gospell vnto all nations of the world The death of the Mother of Christ is celebrated the fifteenth day of August and her natiuity the eight of September How being presented in the Temple she continued in the dayly seruice of God from three yeares of age till shee was maryageable is shewed the one and twentih day of nouember vpon the eight day of December the Church reuerenceth her immaculate conception of her long barren parents And the second of Iuly how passing ouer the Mountaines shee visited her Cosin Elizabeth There are likewise holy-daies dedicated to the memory of the twelue Apostles of whom some were martirs some confessors and some Virgins as namely the twenty foure of February to Saint Mathias the twenty fiue of Aprill to Saint Marke the Euangelist on which day Saint Gregory ordained the litanies called the greater litanies to be said To Saint Philip and Iacob the elder the first of May to Saint Peter and Paul the twenty nine of Iune the twenty foure day of which moneth is dedicated to the natiuity of Saint Iohn Baptist the twenty fiue of Iuly to Saint Iames the younger to Saint Bartholemew the twenty foure of August to S. Mathew the twenty one of September the twenty eight of October to S. Simon and Iude the last of Nouember to Saint Andrew the twenty one of December to Saint Thomas and the twenty seauen
of the same month to the Euangelist Saint Iohn the next day before Saint Iohns day is dedicated to Saint Seeuen the first Martir and the next after to the blessed Innocents the tenth of August to Saint Lawrence the twenty three of Aprill to Saint George To Saint Martin and S. Nicholas onely of all the confessors are dedicated particular feasts to the one the sixt of December to the other the eleuenth of Nouember the twenty fiue of nouember to Saint Katherne the Virgin and to Saint Mary-Magdalen the second of Iuly They haue likewise appoynted one day to be kept Holy and dedicated to all the blessed Angells in the name of Saint Michells feast the Arch-Angell and the first of Nouember as a generall feast and common solemnity to all the Saints and elect of God Furthermore vpon euery seuenth day called by the name of Sunday they haue commanded all Christians as the Iewes did on their Sabboth to abstaine from all seruile labours which day they must onely spend in the seruice of God and hearing of Masse in the Church to heare the Gospell and precepts of faith explained and taught by the Priests in their Sermons and to pray and make satisfaction to God for all such offences whereby wee haue cause to feare that wee haue in the other sixe dayes any way prouooked the wrath of God towards vs. In times past euery fift day was in this manner kept holy but least wee should seeme to leane vnto the custome of Idolaters who on that day did sacrifice to Iupiter it was otherwise determined Moreouer the Priests and people did vse euery Sunday and Thursday before Masse to goe on procession about the Church and then the Priests sprinckled holy water vpon the people and this ceremony did Pope Agapite institute in remembrance of the Ascention of Christ in that glorious day of his resurrection which is celebrated with a perpetuall festiuitie Sunday after Sunday as it were by so many Octaues all the yeare about All the Cleargie and people by the institutions of the Church were wont to watch all those nights which went before the principall solemne feasts but in respect of sundry enormous scandalls and crimes committed in the darke by lewde people vnder pretext of watching that vse was taken away and prohibited and insteed thereof the day immediatly before euery such solemne feast was commanded to bee fasted which fasting dayes doe yet retaine the name of Vigils The ancient Fathers haue determined that the Church shall represent vnto vs foure things in her yearly seruice from Septuagesima sunday so called of the seauenty dayes included between that Easter the Church representeth vnto vs the fast of our Lord Iesus Christ his passion death and buriall and besides these the miserable fall of our forefathers as also those grosse errors of mankinde through which being drawne from the knowledge and worship of the true God they haue fallen to the prophane worship of Idols and malicious diuels together with the slauish and intollerable seruitude which the people of Israel were subiect vnto vnder Pharoa King of Egipt for which cause the bookes of Exodus and Genesis are read in the seruice of the Church which all that time weareth a mourning habite both in her seruice and ceremonies from the Octaues of Easter till the Octaues of Whitsuntide the Church celebrateth the Refurrection and Ascention of Christ and the comming of the Holy Ghost and withall the redemption and reconciliation of mankind to God the Father by his sonne Christ of all which the Reduction of the children of Israell to the land of Promise was a figure wherfore the bookes of the New Testament are then read and all things expresse mirth and reioycing From the Octaues of Whitsunday till Aduent which is twenty weekes and more wee are appointed to celebrate the miracles and conuersation of our Sauiour Christ whilest hee liued amongst vs in the world as likewise that long peregrination of mankinde from generation to generation since the redemption of the world euen to the last day thereof Wherefore in respect of the multitude of vncertainties through which wee are tossed like a ship in the raging sea the Church exceedeth neither in ioy nor sadnesse but to the end that we should walke warily and be able to resist all turbulent stormes she readeth for our instruction and hartning diuerse bookes of the New and Old Testament Moreouer from the time of Aduent to the feast of the Natiuity wee are put in minde of the time betwixt Moses and the comming of the Messias in which interim mankinde beeing assured of their saluation by him out of the law and Prophets did with most ardent desire expect his comming and future raigne ouer them for which cause they haue caused the Prophets to be read and this time to be fasted that the Church being instructed in the one exercised by the other should both worthily and ioyfully as it were with one continuall solemnity celebrate the natiuity of Christ her Sauiour which alwayes falleth the weeke after Aduent till Septuagessima receiuing him into the world with all deuotion and with condigne ioy and exultation accepting the first apparance of their saluātiō The Oratories or Temples which are vsually called Churches they would not suffer to be erected without licence of the Bishop of the Diocesse whose office is after all things necessary for the buildings bee prepared and the place where it shall stand agreed vpon to blesse the first corner stone of the foundation to put on it the signe of the crosse and to lay it Eastward towards the Sunne rising which done it is lawfull for the workemen to lay on lime and to goe on with their building This Church is to bee built after the forme of mans body or of a crosse The Quire in which the high Altar is to bee placed and where the Clergie doe sing whereof it is so called must represent the head and it is to bee built towards the East and to bee made rounder and shorter then the rest of the building and because the eyes are placed in the head it is therefore to be made more lightsome and to be seperated from the body of the Church with barres as it were with a neck adioyning herevnto must stand a steeple or more properly two on eyther side one insteed of eares and in these ought bells to be hanged to call and summon the people by their sound to diuine seruice The lower part of the building must be euery way so disposed as that it may aptly expresse and represent the armes and feete and the rest of the body with a conuenient length and breadth There ought to bee also a priuate roome with partitions which is vsually built vnder one of the Turrets hauing a doore opening into the Quire in which the holy Vessels ornaments and other necessaries belonging to the Church may bee kept This priuate roome is called the Vestery There must bee two rowes of pillars
haue little belles hanging about their horse neckes they haue a very ill fauoured and clamerous kinde of speech for when they sing they howle like Wolues and when they drinke they shake their heades and they drinke very often and for the most part vntill they bee drunke for to bee drunke they account a great commendations vnto them They neither dwell in Citties nor Townes but in the fields vnder tents and Tabernacles after the auncient custome of the Scythians They bee for the most part all shepheards and heardsmen In Winter they lie in the plaine and champion grounds and dwel vpon the hilles in Sommer liuing there vpon the profits of the pastures They make themselues mansion places in manner of tents or pauillions either of little sprouts or twigges or else of cloath sustained vp with small timber in the middle whereof they make a rounde window which serueth both to giue light and to let out the smoke and they make fires for all vses the men take great delight in shooting and wrestling They bee wonderfull good huntsmen and be armed from the toppe to the toe when they goe a hunting and when they see any wilde beast they presently inclose him in rounde about on euery side and stopping and hindering him with dartes kill him and so take him by that meanes bread they haue none and therefore they haue no vse of bakeing neither doe they vse any towelles napkins nor table-clothes They beleeue that there is one God and that hee is the maker and author of all things visible and inuisible yet doe they not worship him with any ceremonies or religious rites but rather making themselues certaine Idoles either of cloth or of silke in the forme of men and placing them vpon each part of their Pauilions pray vnto them to bee defenders of their Cattell and giuing them great reuerence offer vnto them of the milke of al their sheepe and Cattel and before they begin eyther to eate or drinke any thing they set part thereof before those Idoles what beast soeuer they kill to eate they lay his heart in a platter all night and in the morning boyle it and eate it they worshippe also and doe sacrifice vnto the Sunne the Moone and the foure elements and most religiously adore Cham their King and Lord esteeming him to bee the Sonne of God and to him the doe sacrifice and attribute so much honor as they suppose him to be the worthiest man in all the world nor will the suffer any one els to bee compared vnto him all other people they do so much contemne and despise and thinke them-selues so farre excelling others in wisdome and goodnesse as they scorne to speake vnto them but dryue them from them with rebukes and disdaine They call the Pope and all Christian men dogges and Idolaters because they worshippe stockes and stones they bee much giuen to Diuilish and Magike arts and obseruing dreames haue their wise men to expound and interpret them who do aske and receiue answeres of their Idols for they perswade them-selues that GOD hath conference with their Idolls and therefore they doe all things by Oracles they obserue certayne tymes and especially when the change of the Moone is yet they doe worshipppe nor honour no one time beefore another eyther by Feasting or Fasting but esteeme of all alike The Tartarians bee so much giuen to coueteousnesse and auarice as when any one of them seeth a thing that hee hath a desire to if hee may not haue it by the good will of the owner hee taketh it by force so it bee not belonging to one of their owne country men supposing it lawfull so to doe by the commandement and ordinance of their Kings for they haue this power giuen them by Canguista and Cham their first Kings that what Tartarian soeuer or Tartarian seruant shall finde vpon the way any horse or meete any man or woman not hauing the Kings pasport or letters of safe-conduct hee may challenge them to him-selfe and euer after vse them as his owne They will lend no mony to those that want but for an excessiue and intollerable gayne as taking a penny for tenne pence for euery monthes vse and vsury vpon vsury if the payment bee deferred and they molest and greeue those which bee tributary vnto them with such payments and exactions as it was neuer reade of any nation that did the like It is incredible to bee reported how they couet and extort as if they were lords of all but giue nothing not so much as an almes to beggars yet in this they are to bee commended that they exclude and put backe noe guest that commeth to them to dinner or supper but rather inuite them and giue them to eate very curteously and charitably They bee of a very vncleane diet for they haue neither table-clothes nor napkins as is sayde neither doe they wash their hands bodies nor apparell They make no bread for they eate none neither doe they eate hearbes or any kinde of graine but the flesh of all beasts as dogges cattes horses and rattes and to shew their barbarous cruelty and desire of reuenge they some-times rost or broyle the bodies of their captiue enemies vpon the fire and in their sollemne bankets teare and deuour them with their teeth like wolues and sauing their bludds power it into a potte and drinke it and some-times also they drinke milke the country yeeldeth noe wine but what is brought to them from other places and that they drinke most greedily they eate the vermine from one anothers heads or other places in eating whereof they vse to say these words sic inimicis nostris faciam this wil I doe vnto our enemies It is accounted a great offence that eyther meate or drinke should bee spoiled and therefore they throw not their bones to dogges before they haue taken out the marrow they be so sparing and niggardly as they will eat no beast while he is whole and sound but when they bee lame or begin to languish either through age or some other infirmity They bee exceeding frugall and thrifty and content with a little insomuch as they will drinke in the mornig a bole or two of milke and some-times neither eate nor drinke more of all the day after The men and women bee almost apparelled alike for the men weare shallow Miters vpon their heads made blunt before and a taile or labell hanging downe behind of a hand bredth in length and as much in bredth and that they may stay vpon their heads and not bee blowne of with the winde they haue strings sowed to them about the eares and those they tie vnder their chins The maried women weare vpon their heads a certaine round cappe made like a basket of a foote and a halfe in length and plaine vpon the toppe like a barrell wrought eyther of party-coulered silke or of Peacocks fethers and adorned about with great store of golde and precious stones vpon the rest
nostrils with earth moystened with his spittle thirdly giuing him his name after which he shall be called he marketh him with the signe of the crosse vpon his breast and backe with hallowed oyle fourthly inuocating the name of the blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost in whose name all other Sacraments are ministred three times he dippeth or ducketh him into the water or else powreth water vpon him three times in forme of a crosse fiftly dipping his thomb into the holy Chrysme he signeth his fore-head with the signe of the crosse sixtly hee couereth him with a white garment and seuenthly and lastly putteth into his hands a burning candle It was ordained by the Agathon Councell that Iewes before they were baptized shold be instructed in the Christian faith nine moneths and fast forty daies and that they should refuse all their substance make free their bond-seruants and put from them their children if they had any such as were circumcized after the lawe of Moses and fo◠those causes it is no maruell that the Iewes bee so hardly induced to receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme 2. The second Sacrament is Confirmation which is giuen onely by the Bishop in the Church before the altar to children of fourteene yeares of age or vpwards and if it may be while they be fasting in this manner All the children which come to be confirmed beeing there present with their god-fathers the bishop hauing said a prayer ouer each of them dips his thombe into moist Chrisme signing euery one of their foreheads with the signe of the crosse In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and for their better remembrance and to the end they should not require this Sacrament againe he giueth euery one a blow vpon his right cheeke and then the Godfathers for feare least the moist vnction should runne off or be wiped away through negligence or carelessenesse bind their foreheads with a linnen cloth which they bring with them for that purpose and that cloth they may not put off vntill the seuenth day after And such force haue the holy fathers attributed to this Sacrament as if a man dislike of his name he tooke in his Baptisme in taking of this Sacramēt he may haue it changed into an other name by the Bishop 3. The third Sacrament is the Sacrament of holy orders which in the primitiue Church was likewise ministred by the Eishop and that only in the month of December but now it is ministred at six times in the yeer appointed for that purpose that is to say vpon the Saterdaies of al those 4. feasts called Ember weekes which were ordained for that end vpon the Saterday called Sitientes which is the Saterday before passion Sunday vpon the eue of the blessed Passouer and then to men only and to such whose condition of life bability of body quality of minde is sufficiently knowne and approued There be seuen orders of Priests or according to some nine all of which as the holy fathers haue euer bin of opinion haue imprinted in their hearts by their holy orders such special caracters of grace as they be euer after held holy sanctified which be singing men or organists doorekeepers readers Exorcists Priests Ministers or Acolits Subdecōs Deacons Priests Bishops yet it is held to be but one Sacrament not many by reason of the finall office which is to consecrate the Lords body Euery one of these nine orders of Priests hath his peculiar office in the Church ornaments allowed him by the Toletan councel to distinguish him from the rest for the doore keepers or sextons are to defend and keepe the Churches and to open shut them and therefore a key is giuen vnto them when they be ordained to the readers that haue power to read the old Testament and holy histories is giuen a booke the office of Exorcists is to dispossesse such as bee possessed with euil spirits and haue a booke giuen vnto them wherein be contained those exorcismes for a marke to signifie that office The office of the Acolites is to set the candlesticks vpon the Altar and to light the tapers as also to set in redinesse the vyoles or pots of water to carry them away when masse is done and therefore be they manifested by carrying a candlesticke with a taper in it and an empty vial or cruet The Subdeacons are to take the oblations to handle the chalice and patin and make them ready for the sacrifice and to administer wine and water to the Deacons in the vials and therefore the Bishop giueth them a chalice and a patin and the Archdeacon cruets ful of wine water and a towel The Deacons proper function is to preach the word of God to the people and to be assistant to the priests in the holy misteries of the Church and to them is giuen the booke of the New-Testament a stole cast crosse ouer one shoulder like a yoake The power of the priests is to consecrate the Lords body to pray for sinners and by enioyning them penance to reconcile them againe vnto God and therefore is he honored with a chalice ful of wine a patin with the hoast vpō it a stole hanging on both shoulders and the linnen garment called Castula What is giuen to Bishops at their consecrations you haue heard before and they be euer ordained consecrated about three of the clocke on the Lords day at the celebration of the office of the masse before the reading of the Gospel by three other Bishops whereof the Metrapolitan to be one who doe it by laying there hands and a booke vpon his head In the primitiue Church there was little difference betwixt Bishops and other priests for al of them by common consent did ioyne together in the gouernment of the Church til such dissentions grew among them as euery one would call himselfe not of Christ but rather of him by whom he was baptised as one of Paule an other of Apollo a third of Cephas And therefore for the auoiding of schismes maintayning an vniformity in the Church the holy fathers though it necessary to establish a decree that al which should euer after be baptised shold he called by one general appellation Christians of Christ and that euery Prouince should bee gouerned by one Priest or more according to the quantity bignesse who for their grauity and reuerence should be called Bishops and they should gouerne and instruct both lay people clergy that were vnder their charge not after their owne wils and pleasures as was vsed before but according to the prescript rules canons and ordinances of the Church of Rome and holy Councels and then by the permission furtherance of good and holy Princes all Kingdomes throughout the Christian world were deuided into Diocesses the Diocesse into Shires and Counties and they againe into seueral parrishes which good and godly ordinance both for clergy and laytie is
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
able to brooke the sea willingly opposing thēselues to all dangers of the sea which be so many as they bee oftentimes in extreame hazard in stormes and tempestuous wether to be cast away This people as Sabellicus writeth in his first booke and 7. Aenead is yet so proud rebellious and reuengefull as they haue much exercised the Romanes in warres to their no little preiudice Their chiefe victuals at this day is flesh milke and drinke made of barley Of Tuscia and of the ancient manners of the Tuscans CAP. 20. TVSCIA a famous country in Italy was so called of their sacrifices as some suppose for the Greeke word Thuein doth signifie to sacrifice or else of the latine word Thus which signifieth Frankincense by reason that Frankincense is much vsed in sacrifices Other ancient Writers are of opinion that it was called Tuscia of Tusculus the sonne of Hercules It was once called Tyrrhenia but whether it was so called of Tyrrhenus the sonne of Atis or of the sonne of Hercules and Omphales or as some others affirme of the sonne of Telephus who conducted Colonies into that country it resteth doubtfull and vncertaine Dionysius will needes haue it to be called Tuscia of those circles made without the walles of citties for men to solace themselues in called Tyrses which is a manner of building the Tuscanes much vse The Romanes call the people of this nation sometimes Tuscans and sometimes Hetruscanes but the Greekes call them Tyrrheni The ancient wealth of this people is well declared by the name of their sea stretching all along by the side of Italie and also by the confines of their country extending from the Tuuscane to the Adriaticke sea and in a manner to the top of the Alpes so that it is manifest that all that compasse of ground that lyeth betwixt the Alpes and Appennine was once inhabited by the Vmbri who were thence eiected by the Tyrrheni and the Tyrrheni by the French the French were likewise displaced by the Romans and the Romaines by the Longobards who lastly left their name vnto that nation so as for as much as concerneth their name all those which were called Latini Vmbri and Ausones were once called by the Greekes by this generall name Tyrrheni There be some hold opinion that the citty Tyrrhena is that which is now called Rome These people of Tyrrhenia were of an exceeding strength of large dominions and erected many stately and rich citties they were also very strong by sea insomuch as they were lords thereof so long till the Italian sea had lost his name and was by them called the Tyrrhen sea They be able likewise to make an infinit army of footmen fit for the warres and they were the first that inuented the trumpet which is so necessarie an instrument for the wars and by them is called Tyrrhenum They giue and ascribe many honors and titles of dignity vnto their Captains conductors of their armies as Lictors or Sergeants to go before them to do execution vpon offendors litle drayes or carts made like chariots with chaires of estate which they called Praetextae and Officers called Fasces that carry bundels of rods before them an Iuorie scepter and many other things besides they may haue porches or galleries annexed to their horses for their seruants and attendants to sit and repose themselues in which kind of building was afterwards imitated by the Romanes and by them bettered translated into they Common-wealth The Tuscans be great schollers and much giuen to diuinity but more to the studie of naturall Philosophie wherein and in the interpretation of the thunder and lightning and in the art of Southsaying they excell all others so farre as at this day they be admired throughout all the world and their wise-men much sought vnto Moreouer they be very expert in their sacrifices insomuch as the Romaines which haue euer beene very studious and carefull not onely to maintaine and vphold but to increase and augment the true and sincere Religion did send yearely by the decree of the Senate vnto the Tuscanes ten of their chiefe Princes and Magistrates sons there to be instructed in their manner of sacrificing From thence came vnto the Romanes that vaine and idle talke of euill spirits And from thence likewise came the celebration of the Feasts of Bacchus which by the consent of all good men due punishmēt inflicted vpon the first authors and inuentors is now vtterly rooted out of Italy as a thing most pernitious and hurtfull The ground in this countrie is sufficient fruitfull yet by their studie or industrie it is much amended They eate vsually twise a day and then they fare very daintily and feed liberally vsing to couer their tables with curious carpets and fine table cloths distinguished and set with flowers cups of gold of sundrie fashions to drinke in and great store of ministers and seruants to attend vppon them which are not all slaues but many of them free-men and cittizens This people is generally more superstitious then warlike Of Galatia in Europe and of the old customes of that country CAP. 21. GALATIA a spatious countrie in Europe lyeth as Diodorus Siculus writeth beyond that part of France called Celtica and extendeth South-ward to the Ocean and the shore adioyning and to the hil of Hircinia in Germany and from the bounds of Ister or Danubius vp vnto Scythia It was so called of Galatis the sonne of Hercules and of a certaine woman of Celtica it is inhabited of many sorts of people and lyeth very farre Northward and therefore so cold in the winter as all their waters be frozen ouer and the ice so exceeding thicke as whole armies with horses chariots and munition may safely passe ouer the riuers without perill Galatia hath many great riuers running through it some taking their beginning from deepe standing pooles and some from springs issuing out of rockes and mountaines whereof some disburthen themselues into the Ocean as the Rhene and some into the sea called Pontus as Danubius and some others into the Adriaticke sea as Eridanus which is also called Padus or Po and all these riuers be so congealed and frozen ouer all winter as all passengers may securely go ouer them especially if chaffe or straw be throwne vpon the ice for slipping By reason of this violent coldnesse the countrey is vtterly and altogether destitute both of oyle and wine in stead whereof they make a certaine drinke of barley which they call Zitum they vse also to drinke a certaine water or meath wherein they wash or steepe their honey combes They take great delight in drinking wines buying it of merchants and drinking it without putting any water to it and they be so weake brainde that a little of it will ouercome them and make them drunke and then they be either lion drunke and fall a raging or swine drunke and goe to sleeping This their inordinate desire of wine maketh many Italians in hope of gaine to
eldest sons of the Kings of England for the time being and now lastly and but lately by our dread soueraigne Lord King Iames vnto Henry Fredericke his eldest son the hopefull issue of a happie father borne certes as euidently appeareth in his minority to bee a perfect mirror of chiualry for the aduancement of our country and common wealth and the subuersion of his enemies The Inhabitants of Wales though they bee much improued yet do they not equall the English in ciuility nor their soile in fertility Their whole Country consisteth of twelue shires that is to say Anglesea Brecknocke Cardigan Carmarden Carnaruon Denbigh Flint Glamorgan Merionneth Mongomerry Pembroke and Radnor-shire and foure bishops Seas to wit the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids the Bishoppricke of Landaffe the Bishopprick of Bangor and the Bishoppricke of Saint Asaphe They haue a language peculiar to themselues yet do they liue vnder the self same lawes the Englishmen do but for because that part of the Island is far remote from London the Kings seat and chiefe tribunal of Iudgement where the lawes are executed and pleas heard for all the Realme and by reason of their different language the King by his commission maketh one of his nobles his deputy or lieutenant vnder him to rule in those parts and to see the peace maintained and Iustice ministred indifferently vnto all This gouernor is called the Lord president of Wales who for the ease and good of the country associate with one Iudge and diuers Iustices holdeth there his Tearmes and Sessions for the hearing and determining of causes within VVales and the Marches This Court is called the Court of the councell of the Marches of VVales the proceedings whereof are in a mixt manner betwixt our common law and ciuill law England accounting Cornwall for one though much differing in language is deuided into 41. parts which are called counties or shires the seuerall names whereof are these following viz. Berck-shire Bedford-shire Buckingham-shire Bishoppricke of Durham Cambridge-shire Cornwall Cumberland Cheshire Devon-shire Dorcet-shire Darby-shire Essex Glocester-shire Huntingdon-shire Hertford-shire Hereford-shire Hampt-shire Kent Lincolne-shire Lecester-shire Lancaster-shire Middle-sex Monmoth-shire Northumberland-shire North-folke Northampton-shire Nottingham-shire Oxford-shire Rutland-shire Richmond-shire Sussex Surrey Suffolke Somerset-shire Stafford-shire Shrop-shire Wilt-shire Westmore-land Worcester-shire Warwicke-shire Yorke-shire Euery shire is diuided either into Hundreds Lathes Rapes or Wapentakes and euery of those into sundry parishes and Constable-weekes and ouer euery shire is one principall gouernor called the Lieutenant of the shire and a Sheriffe to collect money due vnto the King and to account for the same in the Exchequer as also to execute his writs and processes and for the more particular peace of each seuerall part of the country there be ordained in euery Countie certaine of the worthiest and wisest sort of Gentlemen who are called Iustices or conseruators of the peace vnder whom high Constables Coroners petty cōstables headboroughs and tything-men haue euery one their seuerall offices England moreouer is diuided into two ecclesiasticall prouinces which are gouerned by two spirituall persons called Archb. to wit the Archb. of Canterbury who is primate and Metrapolitan of all England and the Archb. of Yorke and vnder these two Archb. are 26. Bishops that is to say 22. vnder the Archb. of Canterbury and 4. vnder the Archbishop of Yorke In the Prouince of Canterbury are these Diocesses bounded as followeth 1 2 The Diocesses of Canterbury and Rochester which haue vnder them all the County of Kent 3 The Diocesse of London which hath Essex Middlesex and a part of Hartford shire 4 The Diocesse of Chitchester which hath Sussex 5 The Diocesse of Winchester which hath Hamptshire Surrey and the Iles of Wight Gernsie and Iersey 6 The Diocesse of Salisbury which hath Wiltshire and Barkshire 7 The Diocesse of Excester which hath Deuonshire and Cornwall 8 The Diocesse of Bath and Wels which hath Somerset shire onely 9 The Diocesse of Glocester which hath Glocestershire 10 The Diocesse of Worcester which hath Worcester shire and a part of Warwicke shire 11 The Diocesse of Hereford which hath Herefordshire and a part of Shropshire 12 The Diocesse of Couentrie and Liechfield which hath Staffordshire Derbyshire and the rest of Warwickeshire with some part of Shropshire 13 The Diocesse of Lincolne which hath Lincolneshire Leicestershire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the rest of Hartfordshire 14 The Diocesse of Ely which hath Cambridgeshire and the I le of Ely 15 The Diocesse of Norwich which hath Northfolke and Suffolke 16 The Diocesse of Oxford which hath Oxfordshire 17 The Diocesse of Peterborow which hath Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire 18 The Diocesse of Bristow which hath Dorcetshire And to these are added the foure Bishopprickes of WALES viz. 19 The Bishop of S. Dauids 20 The Bishop of Landaffe 21 The Bishop of Bangor 22 The Bishop of S. Asaph In the Prouince of Yorke are these foure Diocesses comprehended within these limits following viz. 1 The Diocesse of Yorke which hath Yorkeshire and Nottinghamshire 2 The Diocesse of Westchester which hath Chesshire Richmondshire a part of Flintshire and Denbighshire in Wales 3 The Diocesse of Duresme which hath the Bishoppricke of Duresme and Northumberland 4 The Diocesse of Carlile which hath Cumberland and Westmerland And to these are added the Bishoppricke of Sodor in the I le Mona The whole number of Parish Churches and impropriations in all these seueral Diocesses are reckened about 131209. Hauing thus diuided the whole kingdome of England into shires and Bishops seas it resteth to say something of the Citties and Corporations whereof there be so many and that so goodly and so well gouerned by sundry Orders of Officers as I thinke but few countries in Christendome go beyond it of all which London the Metrapolitan citty of the Iland is most famous both for the great concourse of strangers that continually flocke thither from all parts of the world some for merchandize some for manners as also for the conueniencie of the place being situated vpon the famous riuer of Thames beautified with rare sumptuous buildings both of Prince and Peeres who for the most part keepe their resiance in or neare vnto the same as being the only place of Parlament and holding of pleas for the whole Realme And for the great multitude of Students and practitioners in the lawes which there keepe their Termes of pleading foure times in the yeare which set together is about one quarter during which time the Iudges and all other Courts keepe their Courts and Sessions and at other times is vacation and ceasing from execution of the lawes These Iudges Sergeants and other Students and practitioners of all sorts haue their lodgings and dyets in 14. seuerall houses whereof two are only for Iudges and Sergeants and are therefore called the Sergeants Innes the next foure are the foure famous houses of Innes of Court the onely receptacle of Gentlemen students and Councellors the other eight
be inferior houses to the Innes of Court furnished with Atturneys Solicitors and young Gentlemen and Clerkes that are to liue and study there for a space as probationers before they be thought fit to be admitted to the Innes of Court which eight houses be called the Innes of Chancery This citty and suburbes is diuided into sixe and twenty wards and about an hundred and twenty Parishes The chiefest Magistrate there vnder the King is the Lord Maior vnder whome are diuers inferior Officers ouer euery seuerall company and ward who do all of them attend the Maior when he takes his oath in such seemely maner as he that beholds their stately Pageants and deuises their passage by water to Westminster and backe againe their going to Paules the infinit number of attendants of Aldermen and all sorts of people their rare and costly banquets and all their forme of gouernement surely I suppose he will hold opinion that no citty of the world hath the like This superficiall commendation of this renowned citty of London shall suffice for all and therefore I will passe ouer the rest in silence for that there is no one thing worthy memorie in any cittie or towne of the whole Realme that the like or better is not to bee found in the citty of London the Vniuersities onely excepted which are the nurse-gardens and Seminaries of all good arts and sciences And of these there be two Oxford and Cambridge which consisting of sundry Colledges and Hals erected and founded by godly and deuout founders and benefactors and endowed with large rents and reuenewes for the maintenance of poore schollers who are there maintained and instructed in learning of all sorts and beeing next vnto London the two VVorthies of our kingdome and in truth the most famous Vniuersities in Christendome I thinke it not amisse omitting to speake any thing of the cittizens and towns-men or the diuided gouernement betwixt them the Vniuersities to recite in particular the names of the Colledges and Hals in both Vniuersities their founders benefactors and the times of their seuerall foundations First therfore of Oxford without addition of superiority for that as the Prouerbe is As proud goes behind as before there be contained in that Vniuersitie besides nine hals viz. Glocester hall Broad-gate S. Mary hall Albaine hall VVhite hall New Inne Edmund hall Hart hall and Magdalin hall which differ from the Colledges for that the Colledges haue lands to maintaine their Societies which the hals in Oxford do want and therefore though al scholer-like exercises bee there practised as well as in the Colledges yet in respect of the want of maintainance they do in part resemble the Ins in court sixteene Colledges that is to say 1 Vniuersitie Colledge founded by Alured king of the Saxons in the yeare of our Lord 872. 2 Baylyoll Colledge founded by Iohn Baylyoll king of the Scots in the yeare of our Lord 1263. 3 Martin Colledge founded by Walter Martin bish of Rochester in the yeare of our Lord 1273. 4 Excester Colledge and Hart hall founded by Staphelâ—n bishop of Excester in the yeare of our Lord 1316. which said Colledge was much augmented by Sir VVilliaÌ„ Peeter Secretary to king Henry the eight in the yeare of our Lord 1566. 5 Oriall Colledge founded by Adam Browne brought vp in the Vniuersity of Oxford by king Edward the second in the yeare of our Lord 1323. 6 Queenes Colledge founded by Robert Eglesfield Chaplin to Philippe king Edward the thirds wife in the yeare of our Lord 1349. 7 New Colledge founded by Willyam VVicham bishop of VVinchester in the yeare of our Lord 1375. 8 Lincolne Colledge founded by Richard Flemming Bishop of Lincolne and increased by Thomas Rotheram Bishop of the same Diocesse in the yeare of our Lord 1420. 9 All Soules Colledge founded by Henry Chechelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in the yere of our Lord 1437. 10 Magdalin Colledge and Magdalin Hall founded by VVillyam VVainflet Bishop of Winchester and Chancelor of England in the yeare of our Lord 1456. 11 Brazen-nose Colledge founded by VVillyam Smith Bishop of Lincolne in the yeare of our Lord 1513 and lately increased by Doctor Nowell Deane of Paules 12 Corpus Christi Colledge founded by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester in the yeare of our Lord 1516. 13 Christs Church founded by Cardinall Wolsey in the yeare of our Lord 1526. and indowed with lands by king Henry the eight 14 S. Iohns Colledge founded by Sir Thomas White Maior of London in the yeare of our Lord 1557. 15 Trinity Colledge founded by Sir Thomas Pope Knight in the yeare of our Lord 1566. 16 Iesus Colledge founded by Hugh Price Doctor of the ciuill Law There is another Colledge now in building the foundation wherof is alreadie laid by M. Waddam of Merryfield in Somersetshire CAmbridge was first a common schoole founded by Sigebert king of the East English in the yeare of our Lord God 637. since which time it hath beene so increased and augmented that at this day it is equall to Oxford it consisteth reckoning Michaell house and Kings hall for two which haue beene since added to Trinity Colledge of eighteene Halles Colledges the Halls hauing lands belonging to them as well as the Colledges for there is no difference there betwixt Halles and Colledges but in name onely sauing that the Colledges haue more lands then the Hals and therefore maintaine more Schollers then the hals do the names of the houses and by whome and when they were founded and augmented is as followeth 1 Peter-house founded by Hugh Bishop of Ely in the yeare of our Lord 1280. 2 Michaell house founded by Sir Henry Stanton Knight one of the Iudges of the common Bench in the yeare of our Lord 1324. 3 Trinity hall founded by William Bateman in the yeare of our Lord 1354. 4 Corpus Christi Colledge founded by Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster in the yeare of our Lord God 1344. 5 Clare hall was first called Scholer hall and afterwards the Vniuersitie hall and being burnt with fire was afterwards re-edified by Elizabeth daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Leicester in the yeare of our Lord God 1326. and by her called Clare hall 6 Pembroke hal founded by Mary Countesse of Pembroke in the yeare of our Lord 1343. 7 Kings hall repaired by king Edward the third in the yeare of our Lord 1376. 8 Kings Colledge founded by king Henry the sixt in the yeare of our Lord 1441. 9 Queenes Colledge founded by Margaret wife to king Henry the sixt and finished by Elizabeth wife to K. Edward the fourth in the yeare of our Lord God 1448. 10 Katherine hall founded by Doctor Woodlabe Prouost of Kings Colledge in Cambridge in the yeare of our Lord 1459. 11 Iesus Colledge founded by Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeare of our Lord 1504. 12 Christs Colledge founded by Queene Margaret Grandmother to King Henry the eight 13 Saint Iohns Colledge founded by the sayd
Queene Margaret in the yeare of our Lord God 1506. 14 Magdalin Colledge founded by the Lord Audley in the yeare of our Lord 1509. and enlarged by Sir Christopher Wrey Lord chiefe Iustice of England 15 Trinity Colledge founded by k. Henry the 8. for the inlarging whereof he added thereunto Michael house and Kings hall and made therof one Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1546. so as now the names of Michaell house and kings hall is almost worne out of memorie 16 Gonvel and Caius Colledge first founded by one Gonvell about the yeare of our Lord 1348. and perfected by Iohn Caius Doctor of Phisicke and by him called Gonuell and Caius Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1557. 17 Emanuell Colledge founded by Sir Walter Mildmay in the yeare of our Lord 1588. 18 Sidney-Sussex Colledge founded by Francis Sidney Countesse of Sussex for the erecting whereof she bequeathed at her death fiue thousand pounds it was begun in the yeare of our Lord 1597. Now hauing thus farre spoken of the Country in particular it resteth to say something with like breuity of the seuerall sorts of people that inhabite the same their proceedings in courses of law as well spirituall as temporall and their seuerall Courts The whole number of English men may therefore be diuided into these foure ranckes or degrees of people that is to say Gentlemen or Noblemen Cittizens Yeomen and artificers or labourers Of Gentlemen or Nobility there be two sorts to wit the king himselfe the Prince Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts and Barons And this sort of Gentlemen are called Nobilitas maior and the second sort of Gentlemen or Nobility which are also called nobilitas minor consisteth of Knights Esquires and priuat Gentlemen into which ranke of gentry are added Students of the lawes and schollers in the Vniuersities next vnto the Gentry are cittizens whose fame and authority for the most part extendeth no further than their owne citties and boroughes wherin they liue and beare rule sauing that some few of them haue voices in our high Senate of Parlament The third order or degree are the Yeomanrie which are men that liue in the country vppon competent liuings of their owne haue seruants to do their businesse for them serue vpon Iuries and Inquests and haue generally more employment in the gouernement of the common-wealth then citizens haue And the last and lowest sort of our people are artificers or labourers which though they be rude and base in respect of our gentry yet are they much improoued and bettered by conuersing with Gentlemen cittizens and yeomen so as if those authors were now liuing that haue written so contemptuously of all estates of our people vnder the degree of gentry and saw the ciuilitie now generally practised amongst most of vs they would not for some few of the rascalitie censure and condemne all as base and ignoble All these seuerall sorts and degrees of people in our kingdome may more briefly bee deuided into two Orders or ranckes that is to say the Nobilitie and the Commons vnder the title of Nobilitie are comprehended all the Nobilitas maior together with the Bishops that haue place in the vpper house of Parlament and by the commons are meant the nobilitas minor cittizens yeomen and labourers who by common consent elect from amongst them Knights and Burgesses to possesse the lower house of Parlament who haue their voices there in the name of the whole multitude of commons for the making and establishing of lawes ordonances and statutes The Parlament therfore is the highest most absolute Sessions or iudiciall Senate in the whole kingdome consisting of the King himselfe and the Lords spirituall and temporall in their own persons which is the higher house and the whole body of the commons represented by the Knights and Burgesses lawfully elected and those are called the lower house In this high Court of Parlament are such new lawes made and ordained and such old statutes abrogated and annihilated in part or in all as are agreâ—â— vppon by consent of both houses and confirmed by the King so as whatsoeuer is there decreed and constituted is inuiolably to be obserued as established by the generall assembly of the whole kingdome There be three manner of wayes by one custome of England whereby definitiue iudgements are giuen by act of Parlament by battell and by great assise The manner of giuing Iudgement in the Parlament in matters depending betwixt Prince and subiect or partie and party concerning lands and inheritances is by preferring of billes into the houses of Parlament and by the allowance or disallowance thereof but such billes are seldome receiued for that the Parlament is chiefly summoned and assembled for the setling and establishing of matters for the good of the King and common-wealth not to busie themselues in priuate quarrels The triall by battell likewise though it bee not vtterly abrogated and altogether annihilated yet is it quite growne out of vse at this day So as the most vsuall manner of Iudgement is by the verdict of twelue men lawfully impaneled and sworne to giue a true verdict concerning the matter in question be it for life or land or any thing tending to the hurt or good of any subiect whatsoeuer These twelue men ought to be Legales homines as wee terme them that is men of good quality fame and abilitie and they are to giue their verdict according to their euidence before a lawfull Iudge in their Sessions at termes and times vsually appointed for those purposes And for that there be many suites of diuers natures therefore bee the trials therof in diuers courts and before diuers Iudges whereof the chiefest bench or tribunall seate of Iudgement is the Kings bench so called for that the Kings of England haue sat there theÌ„selues in person and this Court is chiefly for pleas of the Crowne the Iudges whereof bee called Iustices of the Kings bench and they be commonly foure or fiue in number whereof one is head and therfore called the Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings bench and by that place he is also Lord Chiefe Iustice of England Next vnto the Kings bench is the Court of Common pleas which is for all matters touching lands and contracts betwixt partie and partie and of this Court be likewise foure or fiue Iudges the chiefest whereof is called the Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common-pleas and this court may well be called the Common-pleas as being the chiefest place for the exercise of the Common law And there may none plead at the Common pleas barre but Sergegeants at the law onely wheras in all other Courts councellors that be called to the barre may plead their Clyents causes as well as Sergeants The third Court for practise of the common law is the Exchequer where all causes are heard that belong to the Kings Treasury The Iudges of this Court are the Lord high Treasurer of England the Chancelor of the Exchequer the Lord chiefe Baron and
three or foure other Barons which be called Barons of the Exchequer Besides these three Courts of the common law and the court of the Councell for the Marches of Wales whereof I haue spoken before there is a Court for the North part of England which is likewise called the Councell hauing a President Iustices and assistants as in the Councell of Wales and the same forme of proceeding And for the more ease and quiet of the subiect the King by his commission sendeth the Iudges and Barons of the Exchequer twise a yeare into euery seuerall County of the countrie as well to see the lawes executed against malefactors as for the triall and determining of causes depending betwixt partie and party These two Sessions are vsually called the Assises or Goale deliuery and their manner of proceedings is by Iurors who are to giue their verdicts according to euidēce And for because the time of these Iudges commission is ouer short to determine all matters that may arise in halfe a yeare the Iustices of peace in their seuerall Counties haue their Sessions likewise which be kept foure times in the yeare and be therefore called the quarter Sessions in which Sessions are heard and determined all pettie causes for the more ease of the Iudges in their circuits And for the better maintenance of peace in euery part of the Realm there be diuers other petty Courts as county Courts hundred Courts towne Courts Leets Court Barons and such like all which hold plea according to the course of the common law Next vnto these Courts of common law is the Court of Star-chamber which is the court of the kings Councell therin sit as Iudges the L. Chancelor as chiefe the L. Treasurer and the rest of the priuy Councel both spirituall and tēporall to gether with the chiefe Iustices of both benches And in this court be censured all criminall causes as periurie forgerie cousenage ryots maintenance and such like The court of Wards and Liueries is next which is a court of no long continuance being first ordained by Henry the 8. the matters that are determinable in that court are as touching wards and wardships and the Iudges are the Master of the wards and liueries the Atturney of the court of wards and other officers and assistants Then is there the Admirals court which is only for punishment of misdemeanors done at sea the Iudges of which court be the Lord high Admirall of England and a Iudge with other officers The Duchie court which is a court for the determining of matters depending within the Duchy of Lancaster wherein be Iudges the Chancelor of the Duchie and the Atturney And a late erected court called the court of the Queens reuenues for the deciding of controuersies amongst the Queenes tenants Next vnto these are the courts of Equity which are the Chancery and the court of Requests The court of Chancery which is commonly called the court of conscience is chiefly for the mitigation of the rigor of the cōmon lawe wherein the Lord high Chancelor of England is chiefest Iudge and moderator to whom are ioyned as assistants the M. of the Rolles and certaine graue Doctors of the ciuill law which are vsually called Masters of the Chancery The court of Requests is much like to the Chancery and is chiefly for the kings seruants the Iudges wherof are the Masters of Requests which bee alwaies reuerent men and well seen in the ciuill law and one of them is euer attendant on the King to receiue supplications and to answer them according to the Kings pleasure Hauing thus passed ouer the seueral courts of common law the courts of Equity and those which are of a mixt nature betwixt the common ciuill law I wil only name the spirituall courts the chiefest wherof are these The first and most principal is the conuocation of the Clergy which is a Synod of the chiefest of the Clergie of the whole Realme held only in Parlament time in a place called the Conuocation house where cannons are ordained for church-gouernment And this court may be called a generall Councell next vnto which are the particular Synods of both Prouinces Canterbury and York and are called prouinciall Synods Then is there the Archb. of Cāterburies court called the Arches the court of Audience the Prerogatiue court the court of Faculties the court of Peculiars with many other courts in each seuerall Dioces In all which courts what matters are there handled their Iudges and assistants and all their whole manner of proceedings I leaue to the report of such as are better acquainted in those courts And thus much may suffice for the present estate of our country as it is now in the ninth yeare of the raigne of our dread Soueraign Lord K. Iames the first whome God graunt long to rule and raigne ouer vs. OF IRELAND HIBERNIA an Iland bordering vpon Brittaine on the North and West side and much about halfe as big as Brittaine was so called according to some ab hyberno tempore that is to say of the winter season The ground there is so exceeding rancke and the grasse so pleasant and delicious withall that their beasts in Sommer time will kill themselues with feeding and supersluosly grazing if they be not driuen from pasture some part of the day This Island breedeth neither spider nor toade nor any other venimous or infectious creature nor will any liue that are brought thither out of other Countries but dye instantly as soone as they do but touch this Countries soyle Bees there be none the aire is very temperate and the earth fruitfull and yet be the people exceeding barbarous vnciuill and cruell For those which prooue vanquishers in their battels swill and drinke vp the bloud of their slaine enemies and then defile and gore their owne faces with it And whether they do right or wrong it is all one vnto them When a woman is deliuered of a male child the first meate she giueth him shee putteth into his mouth with her husbands sword point signifying by that manner of feeding and also praying after her countrey fashion that the child may dye no other death but in the field amongst his enemies Their greatest gallants adorne the hilts and pummels of their swords with beasts teeth which bee as white as Iuorie and brought thither out of other countreys And their chiefest delight and greatest glorie is to be souldiers Those which inhabite the hilly and mountainous part of the countrie liue vppon milke and apples and are more giuen to hunting and sporting then to husbandrie The Sea betwixt England and Ireland is very raging vnquiet and troublesome all the yeare long and but in summer hardly nauigable Yet do they sayle ouer it in boates or whirries made of Ozier twigs and couered with Oxe hides or buffe skins they abstaine from meate all the while they are vpon the seas And this sea according to the opinion of the best writers is in breadth one hundred and twenty
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
with great honor and religion it would seeme to be done directly against the will and commandement of him who had rather that heauen and earth should perish then his word especially seeing Christ himselfe came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it wherfore we obserue that day not in imitation of the Iewes but at the bidding of our Lord Iesus Christ his holy Apostles the grace of which Iewes is translated vnto vs Christians And vpon this sabbath day Lent excepted wee euer eate flesh which vse is not obserued in the kingdome of Bernagues and Tygri Mahon the naturall people of which two kingdomes by an ancient custome eat flesh vpon the sabbath daies and Sundaies in Lent now wee celebrate the Lords day as other Christians do in memory of Christs resurrection but we know that the Sabbath day is to be obserued and kept holy by the books of the law and not by the Gospell and yet notwithstanding we be not ignorant that the Gospel is the end of the Law and of the Prophets And vpon these two daies we beleeue that the soules of the godly departed which remaine in Purgatorie bee not there tormented which rest God hath granted vnto those soules vpon these most holy daies vntill the end of their punishments due for their offences in this world being determined they be deliuered thence for the diminishing of which paines and to extenuate shorten the time of their punishments we beleeue that almes deedes done for the dead be very profitable vnto those souls which liue in purgatory To the remission of which soules the Patriarke giueth no Indulgence for that we beleeue doth belong vnto God only and to the constitution of the time of their punishment neither doth the Patriark allow any daies for Indulgēces By the reading of the Gospel we be only bound to keep 6. precepts which Christ explaned with his owne mouth I was an hungred saith he and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drink I was a stranger you tooke me in naked and you clothed me sicke and you visited me I was in prison and you came vnto me Which words Christ will onely pronounce in the day of Iudgement because the law as Paul witnesseth sheweth vnto vs our sins which law Christ Iesus excepted no one can keepe And Paul also saith that we be all borne in sinne for the transgression of our mother Eua and for her curse and malediction and the same Paul further saith that wee die through Adam and liue through Christ which Christ of his aboundant mercy hath giuē vnto vs these six precepts to the end that we might be saued when hee shall come in his Maiesty to Iudge both the quick the dead by which words and commandements in that fearefull and terrible day of Iudgment hee will pronounce and shew vnto the good euerlasting glory and to the wicked fire and eternall damnation And wee reckon but only fiue deadly sinnes as they terme them which wee gather out of the last Chapter of the Reuelation where it is sayd For without shal be dogs and inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies It is ordained by the holy Apostles in their bookes of councels that it is lawful for the Clergy to mary after they haue attained to some knowledge in diuinity and being once maried they be receiued into the order of priests into the which order none is admitted before hee accomplish the age of 30. yeeres neithey bee any bastards by any meanes allowed to enter into that most holy order these orders be giuen by no other but by the Patriarch onely where the first wife of a Bishop or Clercke or Deacon is dead it is not lawful for them to mary an other vnlesse the Patriarch dispence therewith which sometimes for a publike good is granted to great men nor is it lawful for them to keepe a concubine vnlesse they wil refuse and put themselues frō saying seruice which if they once do they may neuer after meddle in ministring diuine matters and this is obserued so strictly that those priests which haue beene twise married dare neuer take in their hands so much as a candle that is consecrated to the Church and if any Bishop or Deacon be found to haue any bastard child hee is depriued from all his benefices and from his holy orders his gods if he decease without lawful heires come vnto Prestor Iohn and not to the Patriarch and the warrant that we haue that our priests may marry is taken out of Saint Paul who had rather that both Clergy and Laity should marry then burne And he also saith that a bishop ought to be the husband of one wife and that he should be sober and irreprehensible and in like manner would he haue Deacons and further that Ecclesiasticall persons should haue their proper wiues by lawfull marriage euen as secular people haue but Munckes mary not at all and both Lay men and Clergy haue but one wife a peece and matrimony is not contracted before the gates of the holy Church but in the priuate houses of those that beare most sway at the bridall wee haue haue also receiued from the ordinance of the Apostles that if a priest bee found in addultery or committing manslaughter or theft or bearing false witnesse he shal be depriued and put from his holy orders and punished like other malefactors againe by the institution of those Apostles if any person either Ecclesiastical or Lay doe lie with his wife or bee polluted in sleepe hee commeth not into the Church for the space of foure and twenty houres after nor is it lawfull for menstruous women to come into the Church vnlesse vpon the seuenth day after their sicknesse and then to haue all their garments throughly washed which they wore during the time of their monthly disease and they themselues purged from all filth A woman also that bringeth forth a man child must not come into the Church till after the fortith day and if she brought forth a woman child then shee must not come into the Church till after the eighteeth day This is our custome founded vpon the ancient law and also vpon the Apostolicke law which lawes ordinances and precepts wee obserue as diligently in al points as possible may bee Moreouer we bee prohibited that neither swine nor dogs nor other such beasts shall enter into our Churches Also wee may not goe to the Church but bare footed neither is it lawfull for vs to laugh walke or talke of prophane matters in the Church nor once there to spit hawke or him because the Churches of Aethiopia bee not like vnto that land where the people of Israell did eate the Paschall lambe departing from Egipt in which place God commanded them to eate it with their shooes on and girded with their girdles by reason of the pollution of the earth but they bee like vnto Mount
execute those offices of the court the women likewise by the commandement and decree of the same Maqueda be circumcised shee being induced therevnto by this reason that euen as men haue a fore-skinne that couereth their yards in like manner haue women a certaine kernelly flesh which is called Nympha arysing vp in the middle of their priuy partes which is very fit to take the character of circumcision and this is done both to males and females vpon the eight day and after circumcision the men children be baptised vpon the fortieth day and the women children vpon the eighteeth day vnlesse any sicknesse or infirmity hapneth which may cause it to bee done sooner but if any children be baptised before the time appointed it is not lawfull to giue them sucke of their mothers milke but onely of their nurses vntill their mothers bee purified and the water wherein they bee baptised is consecrated and blessed with exorcismes and that very same day wherein children bee baptised they receiue the blessed bodie of our Lord in a little forme of bread wee receiued baptisme almost before all other Christians from the Eunuch of Candace Queene of Aethiopia whose name was Indich as it is said in the Acts of the Apostles which together with circumcision which wee had at that time as before is sayd wee obserue most holily and Christian like and by Gods assistance euer shall obserue nor doe we obserue or admit of any thing but of those onely which are expressed in the law and the prophets and in the Gospell and in the bookes of the councels of the Apostles and if wee receiue any things besides those they bee onely obserued for the time for that they seeme to appertaine to the gouernment and peace of the Church and that without any bond of sinne Wherefore our circumcision is not vncleane but the law and grace is giuen to our father Abraham which hee receiued of God as a signe not that either he or his children should be saued through circumcision but that the children of Abraham should be known from other nations And that which is inwardly vnderstood by the signe or mistery of circumcision wee doe highly obserue that is that wee may bee circumcised in our hearts neither doe wee boast of circumcision nor therefore thinke our selues more noble then other Christians nor more acceptable vnto God with whom is no acception of persons as Paul saith who also sheweth vs that wee bee not saued through circumcision but by faith because in Christ Iesus neither circumcision nor the cutting off the foreskinne preualeth but the new creature but Paul preached not to destroy the law but to establish it who was also baptised and beeing of the seed of Beniamin hee also circumcised Tymothy who was become a Christian his mother beeing an Hebrew and his father a Gentile knowing that God doth iustifie circumcision by faith and the fore-skinne by faith and as he himselfe was made all to all that hee might saue all To the Iewes hee was as a Iew that thereby hee might winne the Iewes and to those which were vnder the law hee was as one vnder the law although hee was not vnder the law to the end hee might gaine those which were vnder the lawe and to those which were without the law hee was as one without the law although hee was not without the law of GOD but vnder the law of Christ that hee might get those which were without the law and hee became weake that hee might gaine those which were weake which he did to shew that we bee saued not by circumcision but by faith And therefore when he preached to the Hebrewes hee spake vnto them in diuers speeches like an Hebrew saying God heretofore spake many waies and in many manners to our fathers in the prophets shewing vnto them out of the same prophets that Christ was of the seed of Dauid after the flesh Moreouer he preached vnto them that Christ was with our fathers in the tents in the Desert and that he led them into the Land of promise by the hand of Iosua And Paul also testifieth in the same place that Christ was the chiefe of priests and that hee entred into a new tent which is the Sanctum sanctorum The holy of holies and that with the sacrifice of his bodie and bloud hee abolished the bloud of goates and bulles whereby none that killeth them shall bee iustified and so hee spake sundry waies to the Iewes and also suffering himselfe to bee worshipped of his people by many ceremonies in a holy and vncorrupted faith Moreouer those children with vs bee accounted halfe Christians which here I vnderstand in the Romane Church bee called Paganes who because they die without baptisme ought to bee called halfe Christians because they be children of the sanctified bloud of parents baptised and of the holy Ghost and of the bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ by which three Testimonies all Christians bee so reputed because there bee three things which giue testimony in earth the spirite water and bloud as Saint Iohn witnesseth in his first canonicall Epistle the Gospell also saith a good tree bringeth forth good fruite and an euill tree bringeth forth euill fruite and therefore the children of Christians are not like vnto the children of the Gentiles and of the Iewes and of the Moores which bee withered trees without any fruit but the Christians bee elected in their mothers wombes as holy Ieremias the prophet and Saint Iohn Baptist were Furthermore the children of Christian women are elected and consecrated by the communication and imparting of the body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ for when women great with child do take the most blessed body of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the infant in the wombe receiuing nutriment is thereby sanctified for euen as the child in the mothers wombe conceiueth either sorrow or ioy according as the mother is affected so also is it nourished by the mothers norishment and as our Lord saith in his holy Ghospell if any one eate my body and drinke my bloud hee shall not tast of eternall death and againe if any one eate of my body and drinke my bloud hee shall remaine with mee and Paul the teacher of the Gentiles saith the vnbeleeuing husband is iustified by the beleeuing wife the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the beleeuing husband otherwise your children should be vncleane but now they bee sanctified which if it bee so that the children of an vnbeleeuing mother bee sanctified by the saithfulnesse of the father then be they much more holy that bee borne of faithfull fathers and mothers for which cause it is farre more holy to call children before they bee christned halfe Christians then Pagans and the Apostles also haue said in their bookes of councels that al which beleeue and be not baptised may iustly bee termed halfe Christians who also say in the said bookes if Iew Moore or Gentile will receiue the faith hee is
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
Abraham and his seed The Israclites lawes ordained by Moses Moses lawes The manner of the Iewes oblations The opinion of Heathen writers concerning the Iewes Three sectes of the Iewes The Pharises The Saduces The Esseians Media why so called The confines of Parthia Foureteene kingdomes vnder the Parthians The Confines of Persia and why so called The Persian gods The Persians create their Kings all of one family The discription and bignesse of India Fiue thousand Cities and 〈◊〉 walled townes in India The long liues of the Jndians The Jndians haue neither written lawes nor learning Their Kings are committed to the keeping of women The people of India once deuided into seauen orders The first was the order of Philosophers The second order of husbandmen The third order is of sheepheards Artificers the fourth order The fifth of of soudiers Tribunes in the sixth order The common Councell the seuenth order No slaues amongst the Jndians The Padae kill their friends when they be sicke The Cymnosophists The people called Cathiae Monstrous and prodigious people The Cathaeians Scythia why so called The Scythians delight in humane slaughter The Scythian gods How the Scythians bury their kings The Massagetae The Seres in Scythia The Tauro-Scythians The Agathirsi The Neuri The Anthropophagi The Melanchlaeni The Budini The Lyrcae The Argyphaei The Issedones The scituation of Tartaria Tartaria why it is so called Tartaria aboundeth with cattaile Foure sorts of Tartarians Canguista first King of Tartaria How the Tartarians are apparrelled Some Tartarians are Christians but very bad ones How the Tartarlans elect their Kings The Georgians a kinde of Christians The Armenians were Christians likewise till they were vanquished by the Tartarians The limits of Turkie Turkie inhabited by people of sundry nations Mahomet his parentage Sergius the Munck a helper of Mahomet Mahomets lawes compounded of diuerse sects The manner of the Turkes warfare Three sorts of footmen Friday a solemne holy day with the Turkes VVhereof the Clergie be so called The Creed The 10. Commandements The seuen Sacraments The festiuall dayes throughout the yeare Europe why so called The limits of Europe The commendations of Evrope The discription of Greece Thermopilae The Region of Greece Athens and why so called Dracoes lawes to the Atheninians The citty of Athens diuided into societies by Solon The councellin Areopagus A strange law for women Mony dowries forbidden Against slaunderers The punishment for adultery A law for the maintenance of souldiers children A law for the benefit of Orphanes and VVards The original of the Athenians Their inuentions The three lawes made by Cecrops against women How the Athenians bury those which are slaine in the warres Marathron is a city not far from Athens Lycurgus law giuen to the Lacedemonians Eight and twenty Elders elected Democratia Olygarchia or gouernment of the Tribunes The diuision of their land by the Olygarthy The vse of money prohibited and iron money made Men called their wiues their mistresses Maides exercises Old men that had young wiues permitted young men to lye with theÌ„ The manner of electing officers Lycurgus exild himself voluntarily The discipline of Creete No venimous creatures in Creete No King admitted that hath children because their Kingdome shal not be hereditary The King that offendeth is famished to death The diuision and bounds of Russia One seed time yeeldeth three haruests Russia aboundeth with Bees VVood turned â—nto stone The Russians cannot indure to call their Gouernor a King but a Duke as a name more popular Many Russians make themselues bondmen Lithuania is full of moores and fennes Samogithia The limits of Hungaria The limits of Boemia The ancient limits of Germany Germany deuided into superior and inferior Germany why so called The punishmeÌ„t for murder Drunkennesse a commendation amongst the Germaines The Germains were great dicers The later manners of the Germanes The Germains diuided into foure sorts of people whereof the first is the Clergie The second order is of the Nobilitie The third order is of cittizens Citizens deuided into two sects The fourth order is of husbandmen The limits of Spaine Saxony why so called The Saxons deuided into noble-men free-men libertines and slaues Merccury obserued as a god by the Saxons A Temple in Alberstade de dicated to our Lady The Saxons immoderate drinkers The bounds of VVestphalia Secrete Judges ordained by Charles the Great ouer the VVestphalians Franconia why so called The bounds of Franconia The fertility of Franconia The Princes of Franconia The Bishop of Herbipolis one of the Princes of Franconia The limits of Sueuia Sueuia why so called There may no wines bee brought into Suevia Much cloth made in Sueuia Bauaria why so called The bounds of Bauaria Bauaria heretofore gouerned by Kings but now by Dukes The lawes vsed in Bauaria which they receiued when they receiued Christianity The manner how the Carinthians elect their Duke A seuere punishment against theeues The discription of Stiria Italy first called Hesperià and then Ocnotria Italy why so called The length of Jtaly Jtaly deuided into many Prouinces The hill Apenine deuideth Italy into two parts The praise of Jealy Italy the nurse of all nations The commendations of Rome The stature and complexion of the Italians and how they differ Three sorts of Cittizens Three orders of Free-men The Dictator their chiefest officer Three sorts of Citties How Romulus disposed the cittizens of Rome into sundry orders and degrees The ground deuided into thirty equall parts The office of the Patritij How the Patritians and Plebeians behaued themselues one towards another The Centumviri elected which were after called Senators of Rome The election of three hundred yong men called Celeres The office of the King The office of Senators The priuileges of the Plebeians The office of Celeres The Milites elected The lictores ordayned â—â—wes made by Romulus VViues made equall to their husbands Jt was Death for a woman to drincke wine VVhat power parents had ouer their children Numa Pompilius and his lawes The Feciales ordained The people deuided into sunday bands called Classes and centuries The first Classis The second Classis The third order or Classis The fourth Classis The fift and last degree The Kings put downe and Senators ordained The Dictator elected Tribunes of the people ordained The Decemviri created and Consuls put downe The two Censors created A Praetor ordained The manner of celebration of the games called Ludi Circenses Jnterludes how they began How the Romanes deified their Emperors The apparel of the Italians Galatia why so called The bounds of Gallia Gallia why so called The diuision of France The seuerall prouinces of Gallia Belgica The French men a factions people The office of the Druides The Equites an other sort of people Husbands had power to kil their wiues The latter customes of the French Capricorne ruleth in France The Parlament of France The 12. Peeres of France The commendations and riches of Spain and her bounds Spaine why so called The bounds of Portugall England also called great Brittaine England once called Albion The Saxons once Lords of England Anglia why so called The compasse of England England the first Christian Island London the chiefe city The auncient manners of the Britans Scotland denided from England Of Scotland Stowes Annal Anno Eliz. primo Syllura The Jsles called Eubudes The Island called Thyle now called Jsland The Gymnesiae or Baleares Of the Jsland found out by Iambolus They haue a time prefixed how long to liue An admirable herbe A rare beast Seuen other Jslands Of Taprobane The conclusion of the booke Of the Thyni Of the Aritonâ— Of the Dardani Of the Gelactophagi Of the Iberi Of the Vmbrici Of the Celtae Of the Pedalij Of the Telchines Of the Tartessij Of the Lucani Of the Samnites Of the Limyrnij Of the Sauromatae Of the Cercetae Of the Mosyni Of the Phryges Of the Lycij Of the Pisidae Of the Ethiopians Of the Buaei Of the Basuliei Of the Dapsolybies Of the Ialchleueians Of the Sardolibies Of the Alitemij Of the Nomades Of the Apharantes Of the Baeoti Of the Assirij Of the Persae Of the Indi Of the Lacedemonij Of the Cretenses Of the Autariatae Of the Triballi Of the Cusiani Of the Cij Of the Tauri Of the Sindi Of the Colchi Of the Panebi The stature and disposition of the Barbarians The age of the Barbarians The Barbarians neglect all worldâ—y things All Barbarians go naked
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