created by Moses to minister serue Aaron in al y e sacrifices to beare the arke and tabernacle the holy vessels and pitche the campe and were discharged of al extreme affayres Nexte them were chosen the ministers whiche dyd make redye the sacrifice as Calues Oxen shepe with suche other thynges at the coÌ„maundement of the Leuites these we may cal subdeacons Certeyne other were elected to light the tapers and lampes named accolytes The Sextyns or porters were appointed to kepe out all prophane and vnclene people And readers to preache and reade the law and prophetes on their sabboth daies There were moreouer chaunters syngers to syng the Psalmes in the temple whom Dauid and Asaph did institute Coniurars were ordeyned by Salomon to driue euil spirites out of men Al these offices went by succession neither was one promoted froÌ„ one to another Thus was the leuitical priesthod appointed whiche was but a signe shadowe of thinges to come that is Christ in whoÌ„ resteth the perfection and coÌ„plete fulfillyng of the lawe The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Of our priesthod howe it is double what laiyng on of handes meaneth CHRIST Iesus our sauiour whiche was kyng priest after the order of Melchisedeche in the newe testament hath instituted among vs a priesthod to offre and do the functions of this newe law And it is of two kyndes or sortes The one is a spirituall priesthod to offre spiritual sacrifices in this kynde Christ offered and gaue vp him selfe a consummate oblacion for the sinnes of the whole world as Peter saieth Christ died ones for our synnes he beyng righteouse for vs vnrighteous that he might gyue vs vp to God mortified as touchyng the fleshe but liuyng in the spirite OF this priesthode bee all christen menne whiche after the example of Christe muste offer our praiers thankes gyuyng and oure bodies mortified wee bee all of the degree of this kyngly presthode as Peter and also Ihon in the Apocalipse dooe beare witnesse THE seconde priesthode is a ministery that Christe did ordain foloyng the ordre of the lawe that wee might haue our teachers to enstructe vs in the Gospell as the Iewes had their scholemasters in the lawe He did elect twelue bishoppes whom he called by a newe name Apostelles bicause thei wer appoincted to bee embassadoures into all partes of the worlde with the mightie woorde of his power the glad tidynges of his Gospell He assigned also .lxx. disciples to whoÌ„ he gaue the charge and office of preachyng teachyng whiche in steade of AaroÌ„s sonnes should be emong vs as inferior priestes and sâ—â—oures of congregacions and of these beganne the ordre of our Priestes as our bishoppes had their originall of the Apostelles As for the Apostelles and disciples whiche wer ministers and disposers of the misteries of GOD had no other maner of consecratyng but onely the vocacion and eleccion of Christe into the office And so was Mathias chosen in the Actes into y e roume of Iudas so wer the seuen deacons chosen to minister too the poore people of the congregacion And Titus did chose in euery toune and citee of Crete priestes by the laiyng on of handes whiche was a maner of admission withoute any further ceremonies wherby authoritie was gyuen them ouer the congregacion and boldnes to execute ernestely his office with the assistence of the holy ghoste And therefore in the beginnyng of the churche when a bishoppe was consecrated there was vsed no other rites or amabges but onely the people to whoÌ„ the eleccion of the bishop belonged should praie and after the senioures or priestes by laiyng on their haÌ„des admitted hym too that degree Of these Peter was called chief and first bicause bothe of his auncientie and also for somuche as he was firste elected A bishoppes roume is not somuche an honour as it is an heuye burden not so muche a laude as a lode For his deutie is not onely to weare a mitre and crosear but also to watche ouer the flocke of the Lorde vigilantly to teache with the woorde diligently with example honestly and in all thynges too go afore theim vprightly and leade them in the waie of trueth that thei maie folowe the patron of his Godly lyuyng and there as it were in a myrroure beholde howe thei oughte too refourme and confourme their lyuyng And this office of the bishopricke deacons wer instituted by the scripture onely for priestes in y e primatiue churche bishops wer al one BVT the bishoppes of Rome folowyng the shaddowes of the olde abrogate lawe of the Hebrues haue ordained a swarme of diuerse other orders as porters or sextens reders exorcistes accollites subdeacoÌ„s deacons pristes bishoppes archebishoppes as a certain degree one aboue another wherby thei should assend to the highest dignitie Caius bishoppe Rome did begyn the orders firste yet some saie Iginius did ordayne those degrees long afore Caius tyme. And I graunte well that Iginius mighte bee the first diuiser of theim afterwarde Caius accoÌ„plished the worke brought it to a finall consuÌ„macion THE office of a priest as Christe ordained it was too teache baptise and minister the Sacramente of the alter and thankes gyuyng bynd and lose and iudge of doctrynes Therefore lette theim take hede that admit suche too bee priestes as cannot perfourme the deutie of the ministery For many suppose if thei can mumble vp a paire of Matyns and saye Masse thei bee perfecte priestes The .v. Chapiter ¶ The maner of shauyng priestes crounes who maie noâ— be prieste what age he muste bee of THE common and generall badge of al Priestes is y e shauen croune wher by the Clergie is desseuered from the Layitee and bee putte in remembraunce by it how thei ought all together to relinquishe and dispise all carnall pleasure and worldely treasure and ensue after heauenly thynges whiche bee eternall This as Beda writeth grewe into a custome and was decreed by a constitucion to the entente that the thyng whiche was before approbrious might growe to honour and comelines For Peter what time he preached at Antioche was scorned and mocked bycause of his balde hedde or shauen croune and it was a contumeliouse thyng bothe emong the Romaynes and Lumbardes too bee shauen I thynke the originall cause of it did proceade of the ceremonies of the Nazarees which wheÌ„ thei had liued loÌ„g tyme as Iosephus telleth verie deuoutly thei shaued their heddes and sacrificed the heire in the fire too God whereby thei sygnified that thei did dedicate theim selfes wholy to liue in a Godly perfeccion Samuel was a Nazaree and Samson also I suppose that this rite of the Nazarees came oute of Egipte where the Priestes were customably shauen in token of sorowe and heuinesse for the deathe of their God Apis. And thei were also shauen daily bycause thei
should bee withoute filth in their quoridian sacrifices THE significacion of the priestes crounes is to declare that thei ought to reiecte terrene and yearthely substaunce reseruyng to theimselfes only a compitente sufficience Anacletus first forbad priestes to haue beardes or long side heire Siricius decreed that all those men that were twyse maried or wedded a widdowe should bee no prieste Anastasius coÌ„maunded that none that was lame or maymed should bee admitted to bee a priest Bonifacius instituted that no manne could bee a priest afore he wer thirty yeres olde for that was the age of pristes in the olde lawe But the counsail of Laterane thought it sufficient if he were xxv yeres olde after the example of the Leuites whiche at that age ministred in the tabernacle Anacletus also appoyncted that euery Bishoppe should bee stalled and consecrated of their other auncient bishoppes ¶ The .vi. Chapiter ¶ Who diuised Parishes and Dioceses the order of Cardinalles Notaries and Chamberlaynes AFTER that the priesthod was ordaigned bothe least the cure should bee ouer greate and also that euery manne mighte know what his charge was and how farre his office extended Dionisius y â— yere of our lorde cc.lxvii deuided bothe in Rome and other places churches churcheyardes and parishes to curates and dioceses to bishoppes and commaunded that euery manne should bee contented with his prescript bondes But a fore that Euaristus appoinâ—ted titles of cures to y e priestes in Rome whose dutie was to christen all that wer coÌ„uerted from Paganisme to christeÌ„ religion and resorted thither to receiue the faith and to bury the dedde And afterwarde Marcellus decreed that there should bee .xxv. in number THESE bicause thei wer y e chief priestes in Rome and had the prerogatiue afore the rest wer named Cardinalles and of them without doubt the ordre of Cardinalles sprong first whiche for somuche as thei were in daiely presence with the bishoppe of Rome that then had the primacie of christendome wer had in great reputacion and reuerence And Innocencius the fourth of that name whiche was aboute the yere of our lorde M twoo hundred fiftie and foure willyng to augmente and auaunce their dignity commaunded by decree that from thencefurthe thei should ryde when thei came to the bishoppes palace and were a redde hatte wherby was mente that thei oughte to bee in arâ—dinesse too auenture theimselfes for the lawe of religion and spende their bloudde in Christes cause And Paulus bishoppe ordained that thei should haue scarlet roabes or kittelles This order standeth of three sortes for some bee bishoppes and be in numbre sixe The Cardinalles of Hostia Sabine Portua Tuculane Praenestine and Albane the other were either priestes or deacons albeeit in no certain or speciall numbre But there is another order in Roome of Notaries whiche were appoyneted by Iulius the firste of that name too write the actes of all godly martyrs and confessoures and registre theim for a perpetual example of constante verteous liuyng Albeeit I thinke it rather to bee the inuencion and diuise of Clemente whiche ordained seuen Notaries too enrolle the notable deedes of Martyres And Antherius after did more firmely ratify it Also Leo the firste a godly and well disposed manne seyng the people repaire thither from all partes of the worlde for pardon appoyncted certain officers of the priestes whom he named Chamberlaynes too kepe the toumbes and sepulchres of the Apostelles and Martyres that thei perceiuyng the holy reuereÌ„ce aboute the Apostelles graues mighte bee more enflammed with deuocion BVT all suche offices bee nowe peruerted and turned froÌ„ that godly purpose to vain worldely ostentacion and pompe bee redy marchandise in Rome the promocions be so great ⧠The .vii. Chapiter ¶ The prerogatiues of the bishoppe of Roome and his eleccion ONE special prerogatyue and preuiledge of y e bishopp of Rome is y t he maie chaunge his name if it seme to hym not very pleasaunte too his earâ—s As if it bee a malefactor he maie call his name Bonifacius if he bee a coward he maie be called Leo for a carter Vrbanus and for a cruell manne Clemens This was the ordinaunce of Sergius and thei saie thei dooe it after the example of Christe whiche chaunged Simon Bariona his name into Peter And of this it came too passe that euery bishoppe when he was elected chose the name of one of his predicessoures THE bishoppe of Rome is also borne on mennes shulders whiche custome came of the eleccion of Stephanus the seconde whom the people for his greate vertue and godlinesse with muche ioye of the eleccion bare on their shulders The maner of the pompe of bearyng was admitted but the counterferryng and folowyng of his vertue and syncere liuyng was omitted Albeeit it mighte spryng of a gentle custome that was â—mong the Romaines that euery riche manne or highe potestate should bee borne of hâ—s seruauntes in a bed THE authoritee too chose the bishoppe of Rome belonged firste too the Emperoure of Constantinople the deputie of Italy till the tyme of the Emperour Constantyne whiche licenced the Cardinalles and the people of Rome to elect hym This was aboute the yere of Christ cccccc foure score fiue A fewe yeres after Gregory the thirde with other his successoures when thei were vexed by the Lumberdes seyng thei could not haue redy helpe of the Emperoure of CoÌ„stantinople required aide of Charles Marcelâ—e Pippin and Charles the great kyng of Fraunce For whiche benefites Leo the thirde made and denounced Charlemayne Emperoure and gaue hym authoritee to ratify and confirme the eleccioÌ„ of the bishop of Rome but Nicolas y e secoÌ„d restrayned the eleccion onely too the Cardinalles whiche custome remaineth at this daie THE greate possessions that the bishoppes of Rome hath contrary to the example of Christe whose vicars thei name theimselfes and Peters pouertie their predecessoure wer gyuen them by Charles and Lewes emperoures And yet notwithstandyng all that large benignitee and kyndenesse shewed too hym and his auncetoures Ihon the twelfe made Otho kyng of Germany Emperoure and afterward Gregori the third a Germaine borne bycause too gratifie the Emperoure his countree manne decreed that the bishoppes of Magunce Treuerence and Colyne the Merques of Brandbrough the countie Palatyne Duke of Saxone and Kyng of Boemie should haue ful power to chose the Emperoure Aboute the yere of our Lorde one thousande and twoo THVS the bishoppes of Roome haue been enhaunced in worldly power that thei thynke theimselfes equall with Princes Kynges and Emperoures But as it was falsely vsurped so shall it by the woorde of GOD bee roted out and extirped as an vnprofitable tree The .viii. Chapiter ¶ The deuidyng of Priestes into suÌ„dry degrees a maner of sweryng and excomunicacion GREGORY surnamed the greate where afore tyme Priestes and chiefe Priestes were
calendes of Ianuary a preseÌ„t to Augustus Caesar although he were absent Whiche custome remayneth in England for the subiectes send to their superiours and the noble personages geue to the kynges some great gyftes and he to gratifye their kyndenesse doeth liberally rewarde them with some thyng again But I commende more the maner of the Italians for there the richest and most noble geue to the poore inferiours it is a significacion of good prosperous fortune of al the whole yere then folowyng THE vse of dauÌ„syng Liuie saieth came from the Hetruscanes to Rome whiche we exercise muche on holye daies as they did not without slaunder of our religion and hurte and damage of chastitee as for maskes they be so deuilishe that none honesty can be pretended to coloure them Zacharias bishoppe of Rome made a decree against it but that auaileth nothyng At the calendes of Maie the youthe aswell menne as women are wonte to go a maiyng into the feldes and bryng home boughes floures to garnishe their houses and gates and in some places the churches whiche fashion is deriued of the Romaynes that vse the same to honor their godesse Flora with suche ceremonies whom thei named godesse of fruites THE christenmas lordes that be coÌ„monly made at the natiuitee of our lorde to whom all the housholde and familie with the master him self must be obedient began of the equabilitie that the seruauntes had with their masters in Saturnus feastes that wer called Saturnalia wherin the seruauÌ„tes haue like autorite with their masters duryng the tyme of the sayde feastes And this furnishyng of our bellies with delicates that we vse on fastingham tuiesday what tyme some eate tyl they be enforsed to forbeare all again sprong of Bacchus feastes that were celebrated in Rome with great ioy and deliciouse fare AND oure Midsomer bonefyres may seme to haue comne of the sacrifices of Ceres goddese of corne that menne did solemnise with fyres trusting therby to haue more plenty and aboundance of corne And the disguisyng and mummyng that is vsed in christenmas tyme in the Northe partes came out of the feastes of Pallas that were done with visars and painted visages named Quinquatria of the Romaynes The .iii. Chapiter ¶ The maner of annoyntyng priestes kynges them that be christened confirmed or sore sicke WHAT TYME Moses had buylded the tabernable he was coÌ„maunded to make a confection of holy oyntmeÌ„t wherwith bothe y e worke the vessels priestes and also kynges whiche be called to that office or dignitie ought to be enoyled So that it came to passe that the annoyntyng was the very token difference wherby kynges were knowen among the Hebrues as y e Emperours in Rome were knowen by their purple robes Aaron and his sonnes were the fyrst annoynted priestes and Samuel enoyled Saul fyrst kyng ouer Israel and so consequentely it grewe into a custome that priestes kynges were annoynted By whiche thyng is signified that they be specially fauored of God and like as oyle lyeth a lofte on the water or other liquore so the offyce of a Priest and dignitie of a Prince surmouÌ„teth all other degrees of ministers both y â— in actiue and also contemplatiue lyfe Siluester bishoppe of Rome ordayned fyrst that al that were christened churches and chalices should be annoynted with oyle Our oyle that is nowe vsed is made of oyle Oliue and natural Balme Fabianus commaunded that it should be renewed euery Maundy thurseday Clemente the fyrste ordayned that all children and other that were christened should be annoynted agayne with Crisme and he instituted also the sacrament of Confirmacion supposyng that no manne were a perfect christen manne yf that rite and ceremonye were by negligence omitted For this cause that the holy Ghost might more plentyfully be geuen to them by the handes of the bishop This thyng beganne of the example of the Apostles whiche sent Peter Iohn into Samarie to lay their handes on them that they might receyue the holy Ghost It is onely ministered by a byshoppe in this wyse fyrst he asketh the name of the child then maketh the signe of the crosse in his forehed with the Câ—isme saiyng I signe the with the token of y e crosse and confirme the with the crisme of saluacion In the name of the father the sonne and the holye ghost y t thou maye be replenished with the holye spirite and haue euerlastyng life sobeit And then he smiteth the cheke of the child softely but if it be of a great age he geueh a sharpe stroke that he may remembre that misterie saiyng peace be with the. Felix the fourth did institute that suche aswere in extremes should be enoyled folowyng the example of the Apostles whiche as Marke witnesseth cured manye diseases by annoyntyng them and saint Iames speaketh of a like thing in his Epistle The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ The beginnyng of mariage of priestes when it was forboden with other lawes touchyng mariage MOSES the minister of God amonst the Israelites whiche were desirouse to augmente and amplifie their issue ordayned that all menne indifferently as well priestes as laie people should take wifes least the debarryng theim from Matrimonie might bee occasion of greater enormitie and inconueniencie emong theÌ„ Albeeit bycause of the dignitie of the order of priesthode he made restraint that thei should mari none that was taken prisoner bonde woman or deuorsed from their former housebandes and the bishoppes might not bee maried but too maydes As concernyng our priesthod Siluester the first after the texte of sainct Paule commaunded that a prieste should mary but one wife and after to liue sole alone As Paule had a wife as maie appeare in his Epistles too the Philippians and Corinthians And Clement bishoppe of Alexandria and Ignatius whiche was in Paules time witnesse thesame PETER and Philip had wifues and doughters whom thei bestowed honestly in mariage to housebandes And sainct Peter seyng his wife led to death for the profession of Christe with greate reioyce of her constancie saied wife remembre the lorde This ordre the Grekes and all the Easte partes of Christendome vse whiche would not consent to the counsail of Nice wherein it was propounded that the priestes should forsake their wifes And namely Panutius the holy and chaste bishoppe that came out of the borders of Egipte withstoode that decre very earnesty Siricius the first forbade the priestes of the West parties and deacoÌ„s to mary the yere of our Lorde thre hundred thirty and seuen He instituted also that he that either wedded a widdowe or tooke a second wife could not be made priest Pelagius the second enforsed the subdeacons to forsake their wifes And Gregorius bicause he thought it violent to deuorce theim ordained that from his tyme none should bee subdeacon on lesse he vowed chastitee before Notwithstandyng the lawes afore made toke no
clothes The white coloure was thought fittest for the dedde bicause it is clere pure and syncer and leaste defiled and when the tyme of their wepyng was expired thei put on their other vestures Of this ceremonie as I take it the Frenche quenes toke occasion after the death of their housebandes the kynges too weare onely white clothyng and if there bee any suche widdowe she is commonly called the white quene The Iewes ended their mournyng after .xxx. daies and Englishe men kepe the same rite The mournyng garmentes for the moste parte bee altogether of blacke colour and thei vse to weare theim a whole yere continually onlesse it bee bicause of a generall triumphe or reioysyng or newe magistrate chosyng orels when thei bee toward mariage But the custome of mournyng is no other thyng then mere supersticion specially if womeÌ„ or men haue a â—ouryng loke and a laughyng herte For all suche lameÌ„tacioÌ„ helpeth nothyng the dedde corps or solle of the deceased and disquieteth sore the liuyng THE maner of washyng ded bodies and specially of noble men and anoyntyng theÌ„ was receiued of our auncetrie whiche vsed to washe the bodies of the dedde and it was the office of theim that wer nerest of his kyndred to dooe it Solle Masse daie that is the second daie of Nouember was begon by Odilo that was Prouoste or Prouinciall of the Monkes of Cluniacenses order vpon the occasion that he heard about Aetna the mouÌ„tain of Sicilie oftentymes great wepyng lamentacion criyng whiche he supposed to bee the yellyng of eiuill spirites that bewailed bicause the solles of dedde menne wer taken from theim by the peticions and sacrifices of wel disposed christen people therfore he perswaded his coueÌ„te in the tyme of Ihon bishop of Rome to make a generall obite of all solles the daie next after the feast of al sainctes Aboute the yere of our lorde M and twoo our fathers receiued it as a godly institucioÌ„ full of pitiful charitee thus by processe of this Monkes supposicion sprong muche vain supersticion ⧠The .viii. Chapiter ¶ Of the seuenth daie thirty daie old maner of buriall hallowyng chalices priestes garmentes with other thynges HORATIVS the Poete and Seruius write that the Romaynes vsed customably y e nynth daie after the buriall to renewe the sacryfices and solemne rites of the funerall whiche thei named in latyne Nouemdialis of this we in our religioÌ„ haue gathered the fashion of kepyng the seueÌ„th daie with exequies and other ordinary oblacions And in England the custome is to kepe the thirty daie or moneth mynde with like Obites as were dooen on the buriall daies Or els it mighte seme that this kepyng of the seueÌ„th daie was brought vp after thesame sort emong vs as in mariages thei vsed in old tyme to renewe their vowes the seuenth daie For like as that daie was the soleÌ„ne beginnyng of encreasyng the issue of mankynde so thesame daie of burial is or should be the complet finishyng and ende of euery thyng The Massiliens in Fraunce passed and spente the daies of their burialles with priuate oblacions and feastyng of their kinsefolke without any maner lameÌ„tacion or sorowe whiche thyng the Englishe at this daie vse commonly to dooe In burials the old rite was that the â—ded corps was borne afore and the people folowed after as one should saie we shall dye and folowe after hym as their laste woordes to the coarse did pretende For thei vsed too saie when it was buried on this wise fare well wee come after thee and of the folowyng of y e multitude thei were called exequies Albeeit thei vsed at kynges and noble mennes funeralles to goo afore with tapers â–ª whiche custome we kepe still CHALICES wherin the bloud of Christe is consecrated were at the first of woode and that was the institucioÌ„ of the Apostles whiche would preuent all occasioÌ„ of auarise in priestes but Zepherinus afterward commaunded that thei should consecrate in a vessel of glasse NotwithstaÌ„dyng in processe that custome was broken And Gratianus decreed y t thei should saie Masse and consecrate with chalices of siluer or golde orels if those mighte not bee gotten in chalices of tynne albeit some referre this to Vrbane the firste Sextus the firste commaunded that the corporaces should bee of linen clothe onely and that of the finest and purest and he forbade that any laye manne should handle the hallowed vessels and namely womeÌ„ wer inhibited The hallowyng of priestes vestures and altare clothes with other ornameÌ„tes of the churche and the diuersitee of vestures of sundry orders was taken out of the Hebrues priesthod vsed in our churche fyrst by Steuen bishop of Rome fyrst of that name For at the beginnyng priestes in their massyng vsed rather inwarde vertues of solle then outward apparel of the body whiche is rather a gloriouse gase then any godly edifiyng Sabinianus decreed fyrst that the people should be assembled together to heare seruice at certayne houres of the day by ringyng of belles And Iohn the .xxii. ordeined that belles should be tolled euerye daye thrise in y e euenyng that then euery maÌ„ should say thrise the Aue maria The vse of belles came fyrst of the Hebrues wher y e high priest or bishop had in the skyrtes of his vppermoost vestures litle belles to ryng when he was in the holy place within y e vaile And euen the vayle hangynges candelsteckes with other vessels that we vse in the churche came also of theyr ceremonies The baners that be hanged abroad in the easter tyme may be vsed to declare the triumph of Christ ouer death the deuil and hel were taken of the heathen whiche in their victories did beare baners to declare signifye y e coÌ„quest of their enemies The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Of vowes goyng barefoote Letanies praiyng for them that neese crossyng the mouth when men yawne WHen we be brought into any extreme calamytie or dauÌ„gerouse adueÌ„ture y t can by no mans power or prouision bee releued the vrgent necessytie coÌ„strainyng vs we fal to praiers and vowes makyng as when we promise to set vp caÌ„dels Images of waxe or siluer w t other lyke supposyng therby to obteine remedy of our grief This custome was borowed of the Hebrues whiche vsed to make suche vowes to God diuerse other couÌ„tries of the GeÌ„tiles vsed y e ryte to their false gods In like maner goyng barefoote was taken vp of the Iewes fashion whiche in their sickenes other misfortunes were woÌ„t to pray coÌ„tinually .xxx. dayes forbeare wyne shaue their heare and after go barefoote to the temple make oblacion This maner of vowe was so ernestly vsed in the tyme of y e emperour Nero when Florus was president of Iurye y e Bernice sister to kyng Agrippa went her selfe barefote to the teÌ„pte of Hierusalem to obteine some
displeased then he sayd to them Why doate you so can y e byrde whiche knoweth not of her owne death tel vs the casual aduentures of oure iourney For if she had had any fore knowledge she wold not haue comon hether to haue bene kylled of me Castyng of lottes Numerius Suffusius deuised fyrst at Prenest The expouÌ„dyng of dreames Plinie ascribeth to Amphiction but Trogus assigneth it to Ioseph sonne to Iacob Clement sayeth the Telmessians fouÌ„d it But al these were inueÌ„ted to seduce men with supersticious errour and for the commoditee of them that vse it ⧠Here endeth the abrydgement of the fyrst booke ¶ The fyrst Chapiter ☞ The original of lawes and who made the fyrst lawes LAVVE IS a constant and perpetuall good thyng without whiche no house no cytie no countre no state of meÌ„ no naturall creature not the worlde it selfe can coÌ„sist ferme and stable For it obeyeth God and al other thinges ayre water laÌ„d man be in obedience to it Chrisippus calleth it a knowledge of all diuine and humayne matters coÌ„maundyng equitee and expulsyng wickednes and wrong ¶ There be of lawes three kyndes one natural that is not onely appropried to man but also it concerneth al other lyuely thynges either in the yearth sea or ayre As we perceiue in all kyndes of liuyng creatures naturally a certayne familiaritee of male and female procreacion of issue and approcliuitee to norishe the same the whiche ê“cedeth of a natural law engraffed in the heartes of euerye of them nature her selfe that is God was auctour of this ¶ The second is named the law that al men vse generally through all the worlde as to shewe a man the way to communicate to men the commoditee of the elementes water and fyre to this kynde apperteineth the lawe of armes and it is called in Latyne Ius gentium Ciuile lawe is the pryuate lawe of euery countree or cytie as of the Romaynes Lacedemoniens and Atheniens This coÌ„sisteth in decrees of princes statutes and proclamacions The chiefe principal lawes were promulgate by God confyrmed after the moost depured and perfect maner that natural equite could deuise or coÌ„ceyue and be in stable constance and subiecte to no transmutacion After the example of these man hath inueÌ„ted lawes to defende preserue good men and to punishe kepe euyll persons in offyce and good order Suche lawes Ceres made fyrst as Diodorus supposeth but other thiÌ„ke it was Rhadamanthus afterward other in diuers couÌ„tries deuised and ordeyned lawes as in Athens Draco and Solon in Egypte Mercurie in Crete Minos in Lacedemony Licurgus in Tyre TharaÌ„des in Argos Phoroneus in Rome Romulus in Italy Pythagoras or after y e mynde of Dionisius the Archadians that were vnder Euander as their souereigne lorde and chiefe capitayne Not withstandyng the very true authoure of lawes was God whiche fyrst planted in vs the law of nature and in ê“cesse of tyme when that was corrupte by Adam and his posteritee he gaue by Moses the lawe writen to reduce vs agayne to oure fyrst state and true instincte of nature whiche was afore all other as Eusebius declareth ¶ The .ii. Chapiter ¶ Who ordeyned the fyrst gouernaunce of a coÌ„minaltie tyranny with other constitucions THE administracion of a common weale is after thre sortes as Plato deuideth it Monarchie where one ruleth Aristocratie when the best menne gouerne Democratie or popular state where the coÌ„mon people haue a stroke in rulyng the publyke weale Principalitee or a kyngdome was fyrst begonne by the Egyptians whiche could lyue no while without a kyng or rular there reigned fyrst as Herodotus sayeth Menes and theyr maner was to chose him among the Priestes of their religion if it fortuned that any straunger obteyned the realme by conquest he was compelled to be coÌ„secrated priest and so was the election legittimate when he was kyng priest The Diademe that was the token of the honoure royal had it beginnyng by Liber Bacchus The Atheniens fyrst ordeyned the state of a publike weaâ—e that was gouerned by the whole commons as Plinie thynketh albeit they had also kynges whereof Cecrops Diphyes which reigned in Moses time was the fyrst For as Iustine wryteth euery cytie and nacion had at the beginnyng a kyng for theyr chiefe gouernour whiche attayned to y e dignitee by no ambicion or fauoure but by a syngular wyt and sober modestnes and reigned with suche loyaltee that he seamed onely in tytle a kyng in deede a subiecte Ninus kyng of y e Assyrians contrary to the olde ryte and custome of an ambicious desyre that he had to beare rule fyrst arrogantly vsurped thempyre of al Asia except Inde As coÌ„cernyng the institucion of the common wealth where the coÌ„mon do all thynges notwithstaÌ„dyng the mynde of Plinie I suppose it beganne among the Hebrues whiche were ruled by a popular state many yeares afore that Athens was builded The fourme of polycie whiche is gouerned by the best as y e Romaynes common wealth was I can not well tel where it had it original oneles I should assigne it to the Thebanes whiche in the tyme of Ninus ruled the Egiptians whose rule because the valiant and noble bare the auctoritee was called a power or potencie whiche was the thre thousand C.lxxxv yere of the worlde Plinie writeth that after Theseus Phalaâ—is was the fyrst tyrante whereby it appereth that he thinketh Theseus was auctour of tyranny but NeÌ„roth of the Image of Noe not long after the flud vsed tyranny ¶ Bondage as Plinie taketh it begaÌ„ne in Lacedemonye and was theyr inuencion neuerthelesse I finde that it begaÌ„ne among the Hebrues had the original procedyng of Chanaan y e soÌ„ne of Cham whiche because he had laughed his father Noe to scorne as he lay dissolutely wheÌ„ he was droÌ„ke was punished in his sonne Chanaan with penaltee of bondage and thraldome a thyng to them very straunge and to his posteritee greuous ¶ The ordre of manumission in olde tyme was in this maner the lorde or maister toke the bondmaÌ„ by the head or some other part of his body saiyng I wyl this felowe be free put him furth of his haÌ„des The couÌ„cel of the Areapagites whiche were called so of the court or strete of Mars were instituted by Solon to iudge of life and death their custome was to vse suche seueritee and entegritee in iudgemeÌ„t that they hearde all causes and matters in the night not in the day to the entent they should haue no occasion to regarde the parties but onely haue their eye and respecte earnestly to the thyng that was brought afore theÌ„ Voyces whiche be vsed and occupied in consultacions iudgemeÌ„tes and elections were fyrst ordeined by Palamedes ⧠The .iii. Chapiter ¶ The .iii. maner of regimentes in Rome the beginnyng of ornamentes royal with other matters perteinyng to a
Abraham Grecians lerned in Egipt Atlas Seth his posteritie Astrologie Two pyllers preserued Astrologie froÌ„ the fludde Eclipse of y e Sunne and Moone Endymion perceiued the course of the Moone Pythagoras obserued the day sterre Archemedes deuised the sphere The wyndes Aeolia Foure wyndes Andronicus Images of wyndes Wethercorkes Fanes Nilus surundeth Egypte Prognosticacion of pleÌ„tie and scarsnes Egiptians found Geometrie Hebrues after Iosephus mynde found Geometrie Abraham taught the Egiptians Contentes of Geometrie Measures weightes Nombers Maner of rekenyng yeres Countyng by nayles Letters to counte with Figures of Arithmetike Inuentours of Phisike Apollo god of medicines Pluckyng out of tethe Obseruyng of diete was beginnyng of Phisicke Thre partes of Phisike Hippocrates reduced it to an arte Archagathus the first Phisician in Rome Marcus Cato banished Phisicians out of Rome The maner of the Egiptians in their deseases Eueri desease had a sundry Phisician famous Phisicians Herbes were create for man Herbe called Balin Hechwal Parthians Chiron was authoure of medicines salues CeÌ„tauro was found by Chiron Asclepiades abholished Phisike Moly Panace Detany Cancer Selandyne Sauery Maioram Yuie Lettyng of blodde Rue Organye zoroastres found Magike Thessaly vsed Magike Hostanes wrote bohes of Magike Driuyng out of spirites Charmes Eleazar driueth out spirites Magi. NegromaÌ„tie Pyromantie AeÌ„romantie Geomantie Chiromantie Two kyndes of prophiciyng Natural Artificial Beholdyng the bowels of beastes Fedyng fliyng and chitteryng of birdes Mossolanus letteth the Augurie Castyng lottes Dreame readyng Lawe Thre lawes Natural Ius gentiuÌ„ Ciuile lawe Law makers Ceres Mercury Minos Licurgus Phoroneus Romulus God was the true authour of lawes Moses promulgated the fyrst lawes in writyng The maner of rulyng the coÌ„mon welth Monarchie Aristocracie Democratie Kyngdome beganne in Egypt Democratie beganne in Athens Fyrst kynges howe they behaued them selfes Ninus dyd enlarge his empyre Hebrues ordeyned Democratie Aristocratie Theseus first tyrante Nemroth â–ª Bondage The order of manumission Ariopagites iudged in the night Geuyng of voyces Kynges of Rome Consuls in Rome Dictator first in Rome Elymnetae The space of the dictators offyce The tyme of denouncyng the dictatour Decrees Tribunimilitum Democratia beganne in Rome P. Licinius a man of the commons L. Sylla C. Marius Royal ornamentes Taxes or subsydes Prisons fetters stockes Egyptians fouÌ„d the yere Thales Diuerse diuisions of the yere The great yere Romulus ordered the yere Marche April Numa added to the yere Ianuary February Iulius Cesar made the yere perfecte Leape yeare bissextus Monthes Daies of euery month Calendes Nones Ides Prime Houres Horus Sol. Mercurius Trismegistus appointed xii houres Dials Bedel denouÌ„ced noone M. Valerius Messala ordeyned a dial in Rome Water dyal Clockes Sand dial Strikyng of the clockes Sundry diuision of daies Partes of the night Bokes Pisistratus made the first booke Athens made many bookes Ptolomeus lybraries Aristotle had the fyrst lybrary Asinius Pollio F. Feltrius Printyng Iohn Cuthenbergus found Printyng Men wrot in plates of lead Paper Paper Parchement Diuerse maner of Paper Arte of memory Men of great memory Mars authoure of chiualrie Tubalcain Staues Palamedes array Watches Wardyng Watche wordes Helmettes Swerdes Speares Targettes Haberion Shyldes Leggeharnes Iauelynes Dartes Iustyng speares Morespikes Polaxes Huntyng staues Bowe and shaftes Sithes Crosebowes Quarrelles Boltes Brakes and slynges Cranes or Vernes Rammer Sough Gunnes What yere guÌ„nes were found Reclaymyng of horses Brydels byâ—â—es Waggons Chariotes Fightyng on horsebackes Plaies or shewes Corilus Exercises vsed in the Olimpiades The rewarde of the victors Nemei Pyrthus daunce Naked games Funeral plaies Wrestlyng Dyce Tables Tennys Chesse Xerxes Talus Canis Chaunces Venus Chius Senio Chaunce bone Vulturcii Hercules Basilicus Odde euen Palamedes Lupercalâ—a The rites of these feastes Circences Saturnalia Sweardâ— plaâ—ers Truse Truse for yeres Houres Lâ—ages Cryes Iacob made a leage with Laban Iehosuah w t Gabaonites The Romaynes leage The Scythians leage Barceans leage Triumph Camillus Posthumius Tubertus The offering of the Lacedemonians Garlondes Bacchus Moses Pausias Wynter gaâ—landes Crounes of brasen plate Corona triumphalis Muralis Naualis Obsidional Ciuilis Pericles Garlandes of Sinamome Cuppes were crouned Oyntmentes Athiopus dispised oyntmentes Oyntmentes might not be solde Golde Cadmus found gold Syluer Yron Leade Brasse Tonges Leuer Stithe Meltyng brasse Harpe Smythesforge Idei Dactili Sotheryng of yron Tubalcain Fyre Pyrodes stroke fyre out of flinte Matches Smityng fyre with wood Belowes Candels Mony Lydians Sycles Golde in Rome Phedon Syluer was coyned in Egina Ianus coynes of brasse Seruius Tullius Lokyng glasses Sydon Rynges Prometheus Rynges of yron Rynges serued to seale letters A man might haue but one ryng Rynges were worne on the left hand Knightes ware rynges for a differeÌ„ce Glasse Nitre Amber Vermilon Mirrhe Christal Images Hercules The Archadians maner An oracle Prometheus made ymages Ceres ymage of brasse â–ª Leontinus gorgias made him selfe an ymage of golde M. Attilius made the first ymage in Rome of golde Phidias Augustus seale Paintyng Polygnotus The beginnyng of paintyng Cleophantus inuented colours Pensyl Potters crafte Debutades worker of clay Mummius destroyed Corinth Demaratus Mouldes Potters frame Husbandry Dionisius Triptolemus Cain Men liued by acornes Ceres Corne sowyng Bakyng and grindyng Dungyng land Yokyng oxen Plough InstrumeÌ„tes of husbandry Siues and sarces Wyne Icarus Oresteus Aruntes brought into Fraunce Noe planter of the vyne Wyne tauernes Deleiyng of wyne Oliue oyle Makyng chese Gargorus Gatheryng of honye Chery trees Adam named beastes Hiperbius Abel Swyne was most coÌ„meÌ„ded in sacrifices Eatyng of fleshe Priestes of Egypte Egges Mylke Bankettes Huntyng Fishyng Salte Pecocke Pultries Beastes that be badges Lynnen Arachne Knittyng nettes Spinnyng Weuyng Fullers craft Dâ—yng wolle Spindels Arrise clothe Vso Apparel Adam made the fyrst coat of lether Shomakers craft Enbrodryng Mantyle Motleys Sylke Spinnyng and weuyng of sylke Pamphila Purple colour Hercules Tyro Houses Making walles of houses Pallas inuented buyldyng Brykeworke Blessyng of houses Tyle slate Stone delues Fyrst pillers Marble Gates of marble Mamurca pinned his house with marble Grauers in marble Occasion of making cities Cecropia Argos Diospolis Walles Towers Enochia Babilon Tentes Temples Pithius Salomon Egyptians Pittes Isaac digged pittes Moses Laborinthes Foure laborinthes Crete Dedalus Lemnos Porsena Piramides The greatest spire Chemis made The cause of makyng the spires Mausoleum Artemesia Rites of buriyng Massagetes Albanes ThrarieÌ„s fashion Women of Inde The Romaines burned their dedde bodies Sylla Deifiyng of the emperour Herodian Commendacions Solon Women had commendacions in Rome Obelisti Broches Metres Sothis Ramises Prolomeus Pheron Augustus Cesar remoued twoo The maner of writyng in egipte Emblemes A Bee Goshauke Sanctuaries Neuewes of Hercules Moses Romulus Calauria Egipte Sanctuaries in Englande Theatres Dionisius Coueryng of scaffoldes Ediliâ— Caius Curio Amphitheatres Iulius Cesar buylded an Amphitheatre The vse of the Amphitheatre Sand was strawen in the Amphitheatre Circus Circus Maximus First iustyng in Rome Bathes pryuate CommoÌ„ Bathes Notable bathes Carpentars arte Sawe Chippe Axe Plomlyne Wymble Glewe Squire Lyne Shaue Compasse How y e sawe was