done or passed any matter of importance touching the state of the Realme so much is it respected both within the Realme and abroad This Court of Parliament was first ordayned by Philip the faire King of France The second Parliament is at Bordeaux for the Countries of Guyen Gascoine Zaintonge Perigort part of Poictou and others and was first ordained by Charls the seventh The third Parliament is at Roven for the Dukedome of Normandy first made exchequer by Philip the faire and afterwards continuall Parliament by Lewes the twelfth The fourth Parliament is at Tholouze first ordained for certaine times in the yeare by Philip the faire and afterwards made continually by Charles the seventh for the Countrey of Langueâ—oc The fift Parliament is at Grenoble for the Countrey of Daulphine instituted by Lewes the eleventh The sixt Parliament is at Dijon for the Dukedome of Burgundy it was likewise ordayned by the said Lewes the eleventh The seventh Parliament is at Aix for the Earledome of Provence appointed by Lewes the 12. The eight Parliament is at Renes in Britaine ordayned by Henry the second Of all these Parliaments Paris Parliament is the chiefe and certaine cases are reserved to bee judged onely at the Parliament of Paris Of the Oystridge THE Oystridge is found especially in Affrica his head is covered with small haires his his eyes be grosse and blacke his neck is long his bill is short and sharpe his feete hath as it were a by partite hoofe Pliny saith that hee exceedeth the height of a man on horseback and that his Wings helpe him little But with his Nailes which are like Hoofes hee taketh stones and throweth against those which persecute him Hee doth digest whatsoever hee devoureth be it never hard Hee is of a marvellous foolishnesse for if he hath once hidden his head under a bush hee thinketh himselfe safe and not to bee seene It is said to be a simple and forgetfull thing and that as soone as it hath brought forth egs it forgetteth them untill the yong commeth forth which is thought to bee easily done because they leave the egges in the warme sand so that the yong may soone be hatched the which the males doe feed and cherish when they are brought forth When hee seeth that hee cannot avoide taking he casteth stones against his followers and many times hurteth them His Nest is commonly found in the Sand well made with Bulwarkes and Bankes to keepe away raine from the yong Of the Empire of Cathay THE Empire of Cathay is ruled by the great Cham. With this Nation one man may have many Wives and when the Husband dyeth every wife pleadeth her owne cause before the Judges and sheweth her merits so that which of them soever is adjudged to have been the most officious and dearest wife to her husband shee in her best apparrell and all her Jewels as though shee had gotten the victory of the other goeth willingly and merrily unto the heape of Wood where her husband shall be burnt and lying downe by his carcasse and embracing it the fire is kindled and so she is burnt with her husband the other of his wives after this live in great shame and obloquy They match not together for Wealth or Nobility but for excellency of beauty and procreation sake The people of Cathay have this opinion that they thinke no other Nation to see with both eyes but themselves they are perswaded also that they excell all other in subtilty of Arts and Sciences It is a white kinde of people without beards of small eyes and lacking true piety and due obeisance to God for some of them worshippe the Sunne some the Moone others certaine Images of mettals and other some an Oxe so that they be full of monstrous superstition The Emperour keepeth his Court at his Citty called Cambalu which is the noblest Mart in that part of the World for there is almost never a day throughout the yeare but that a thousand Cart-loads of Silke almost are changed and brought there amongst Merchants The Emperour keepeth in his Court twelve thousand Horsemen to keepe his body Their order of watching is thus One Captaine with three thousand gardeth the King within the Palace for 3 dayes and so doth another other 3 dayes following and thus they keep their courses When the Emperour sitteth downe to meate he hath his principall and greatest Queen on his left hand and his children which be of royall blood on his right hand in a lower place No Man that â—itteth downe in this Hall drinketh or is served in any other vessell but of Gold the Princes and Noble-men that serve the King at his meate cover their mouths with most fine silke clothes lest they should breath upon the Kings meate or drinke and when the Emperour taketh the pot to drinke all the Musitians begin to make great melody and the other ministers bend their knees The thirteene Cantons of Swisserland THe inhabitants of Helvetia or Swisserland after they had emancipated themselves from the yoake of the Empire and expelled the Nobility of the imperiall faction beganne to make Leagues and Confederacies one towne with another to fortifie themselves by that meanes against forraigne invasions if any happened And in processe of time within little more then an hundred yeares are increased to the number of 13 which they call Cantons by which the whole Countrey of Swisse is governed and defended And here according to their antiquity I place them the first that confederated together and gave example to the rest were Vri Swits Vndervard Villages and these three by little and little have drawne to their Faction all the rest that follow Lucerne Zurich Citties Glaris Zug Villages Berne Fribourg Soulleurre Baste Schaffouse Citties Appensel Village whereof 7 professe the Romish Religion viz. Vri Swits Vndervard Zug Lucerne Fribourg and Soulleurre the rest are Zuinglians which diversity of Religion hath caused dissention and mortall Warres of late yeares among them although they be all sworne together to defend their Liberty against Strangers The twelve Peeres or Paires of France IN the Realme of France to be a Peere is the greatest dignity under the King for that in many things they have almost equall Authority with Kings for Peere in the French tongue signifieth equall But because it may bee too prolixe a matter to speake of their Prerogatives it shall suffice to number them and each of their offices at the sacring or coronation of a new King These ancient Peeres are twelve in number whereof six are of the Clergy and sixe are Lay-men the six of the Clergy with their Offices at the Coronation are the Archbishop and Duke of Reins which hath his accustomed charge to oynt and consecrate the King the Bishop and Duke of Lacon whose office is to bring the holy Ampoule or divine water wherwith the King is annointed the Bishop and Duke of Langres whose office is to bring the Scepter and the hand of Justice the Bishop and
the World 3634 and before Christ 320 yeares after whose death it was divided among the Prefects which in his life-time he had appointed in divers Countries by which division Seleucus was King of Syria Ptolomeus of Egypt Antigonus of Asia Cassander of Macedonia and Greece all which Countries were after subdued by the Romans The fourth Monarchy or Empire was of the Romans founded by Iulius Caesar in the yeare of the World 3914 after the building of Rome 706 yeares and before Christ 47 yeares This Monarchy flourished about the space of 470 yeares till that after the death of Theodostus the great it was divided by his two Sonnes into two Empires Arcadius was Emperor of Constantinople which Empire endured though afterwards much diminished by the invasions of barbarous Nations untill the yeare of our Lord 1453 and then was quite lost by Constantine and conquered by Mahomet second King of Turkes Honorius was Emperour of Rome which Empire shortly after in the yeare of our Lord five Hundred Seventy five and about the ninth Moneth of the Reigne of Augustus was utterly ruinated and spoyled by Othacar King of Gothes And long after in the yeare of our Lord Eight Hundred and one it was restored by Charles the great and by him united to the Crown of France and by his successours translated into Germany where it yet remaineth as a shadow onely or representation of the greatnesse and majesty of the ancient Roman Empire How the Torneyments and Iustes beganne first in Saxony HEnry Duke of Saxony in the yeare of our Lord 931 beeing assaulted and incombred much with Infidels and Heathen Nations made an assembly of a great multitude of the Nobility to assist him in his Warres against the Saracens wherein he had so good successe that triumphantly he had the victory over them Thus after hee had given the repulse to the Infidels considering what a number of the Nobility he had dayly exercising themselves in Martiall acts thought it meet that after the end of his long and great Warres to recreate them with â—ome honest and pleasant exerâ—â—se Hee had compassion over â—hem because some of them â—â—habiting amongst Cittizens â—hould bee occupied with civill â—usinesse and not in the exerâ—â—se of noble and honourable paâ—imes meete for such personaâ—es as they were and therefore â—e prescribed certaine articles â—ccording to the which they â—hould live and if they did transâ—resse them that they should be â—unished in the open Torniaâ—ent these articles were twelve â—n number The first whosoever of the Nobility should say or doe aâ—y thing against the Holy faith â—â—e should be restrained from the Torneyment and if under â—he colour or excuse of the Noblenesse of any of his ancestors â—ny doth presume to enter the lists or the Torneyment let him with shame be driven away The second whosoever comming of noble blood doth attempt any thing against the royall Majesty of Caesar let him be punished openly in the Torneyment and of this article was the Authour Conradus a Prince of Palatine The Duke of Franconia was the Authour of the third which is this Whosoever comming of a noble house betrayeth has Lord or forsaketh him or exciteth to fly away in an Army without any necessary cause or slayeth his innocent companions let him have punishment in the open Torneyment The Duke of Sueneland made the fourth after this sort Whosoever comming of Noble Parentage doth violate or defame by words or deeds Virgins or Women let him be openly corrected in the Torneyment The fift Article the Duke of Bavaria made in this manner If any of the Nobility bee apprehended or reproved to have corrupted or falsefied the Seale or to have violated his Oath or hath beene noted of infamy let him as unworthy bee kept from the Torneyment The sixt is if any Noble-man did either secretly or openly slay his wife or bed-fellow or had helped by his counsell or deede to the destroying of the Lord the law of the Torneyment should take place against him The seventh if any did spoile and rob Churches Chappels Widdows or Wards or kept by force that which was theirs from them wheras they were rather to be helped and maintaâ—â—ned that he should bee duely corrected for it The eighth If any noble man were become an enemy to another and did not maintaine hâ—â— cause by lawfull order or by martiall law but would 〈◊〉 his adversary by robberies 〈◊〉 by destroying of his goods especially his Wines and Corne whereby the Common-wealth is endamaged let him be tormented in the Torneyment The ninth If any did presume to make any alteration or sâ—â— any heavy burden upon others otherwise then of ancient times were used howsoever it were done c. that hee should have his correction in open Torneyment The tenth If any were convict of Adultery c. in like â—anner let him be amended The eleventh Whatsoever Noble-man doth not live as a Noble-man should doe c. in â—â—ke manner let him bee puniâ—hed The twelfth Hee that will â—e at the Torneyment not comâ—ing of noble parentage or â—annot prove his Nobility in â—ure descents hee may not â—nter into the exercise of the Torneyment Thus in a briefe summe you â—ay see the manner of the Torâ—eyment in Saxony The eight Parliaments of France THE chiefe and generalleâ— Justice of the Realme 〈◊〉 France is continually kept 〈◊〉 eight Citties wherein are Palaâ—ces made expresly for the puâ—â—pose and this generall kinde oâ— Justice is divided into eigâ—â— parts according to the eigâ—â— Citties and every of them aâ—â— called Parliaments which diffeâ— very little from our Tearmâ—â— but whereas these are but fouâ— times in a yeare those are conâ—tinually kept each of them haâ—ving instead of our Lord Chanâ—celour a chiefe President The first and chiefest of thesâ— Parliaments is that of Pariâ— called the Court of the Peereâ— of France and to the equitâ— â—nd judgement of this Parliaâ—ent many forraigne Kings and â—rinces have submitted themâ—â—lves in matters of greatest imâ—ortance as to the most veneâ—ble and chiefest Senate of Juâ—â—â—ce in the world Such were â—â—e Emperour Frederick the seâ—â—â—nd called Barberossa King 〈◊〉 both Scycils when he subâ—itted himselfe to the judgment 〈◊〉 this Court of Parliament as â—uching all the controversies 〈◊〉 his Empire and Kingdomes â—hich he had against Pope Inâ—â—cent the Fourth Philip Prince 〈◊〉 Tarente and the Duke of â—urgundy who submitted themâ—â—lves to this Parliament for â—â—e controversie betwixt them â—â—on the expences of the recoâ—ery of the Empire of Constanâ—â—nople The Duke of Lorraineâ—bject â—bject to the Empire and the Lord Guy of Chastillon who submitted themselves to the judgement of this Court as concerning the limitation of their lands and possessions the Daulphin of Vienna and the Earle of Savâ—y submitted themselves to the judgement of this Parliament concerning the suite betwixt them for the homage of the Marquisat of Saluces Moreover without the consent of this Parliament it hath not beene seene that the Kings of France have
and not much unlike unto Conyes saving that their eares are shorter and their tailes be long almost 8 inches in length their â—ore-teeth bee long and sharpe â—nd if they be provoked they â—ite cruelly their thighes bee â—hort and very hairy under the â—elly they have feet somwhat â—â—ke unto bears with long claws wherewith they dig and underâ—ine and make very deepe caâ—erns and holes they will eate â—f bread flesh fish apples or â—ard egges and when any such thing is offered unto them they take it with their former clawes and sitting on their buttocks after the manner of Apes they feede and eate They bee delighted much with white meats as Milke Cheese and butter and if they get any bread dipped in milke they eate it up every bit and making a noyse with their chaps like unto Swine when they feede upon sosse When they play together they barke and jarre like unto whelpes They be much giveâ— to sleepe and when they are waking they be alwayes given either to play or to doe somâ—â—thing as to gnaw with theâ—â— teeth or to scrape with theâ—â— clawes or else they carry 〈◊〉 their mouths something froâ— place to place especially suâ—â— soft and tender things as may good for their nests as Hay Straw Linnen and such like and they fill their jawes so full therwith that they be not able to receive any more If the cloth which they carry be of greater proportion then their mouthes can hold then they drag it behind them on the ground Some of them have gray haires and some have red When they live thus wilde upon great hills and mountaines and are minded to goe seeke their prey and food one of them standeth in an high place to warne them that be abroad seeking their preyes if any feare or enemy bee at hand and if hee perceiveth any body comming then he barketh at whose noise all the other catch as much hay as they can and come running away and this is strange which they use Somtimes one and sometimes another lyeth downe upon his backe and as much Hay as may be laid upon his Brest and Belly hee claspeth and keepeth fast with his feete and then another of his fellowes getteth him by the tayle and draweth him with his prey into his nest and this provision they make for their nests to sleep the better in Winter When they see a man or beast passe by the mountains they barke and jarre and straight wayes all the other take that for a warning to runne to their nests About Autumnâ— they hide themselves in their nests the which they make so close that no Ayre nor Water may scarre them they lye hidden and sleepe all the whole winter yea sixe or seven monthâ— without any meate rowlinâ— themselves round like unto a Hedge-hog the inhabitants observe and marke the place of their nests and dig the earth untill they come unto them where they finde them so oppressed with deepe sleepe that they carry them and their nests to their houses and there doe they not wake from sleepe if it be Winter except they bee heate by some great fire or warme beames of the Sunne There bee commonly found in one nest 7 9 or 13. Where any of them be kept tame at home and be restrained from scraping under-mining the earth there â—hey heap up and carry to their nests every rag or piece of garment which they get and thereâ—n they wrap themselves up and â—leepe all the Winter Their â—lesh is much desired of woemen great with Childe and of those that have paine and griping in the guts and of such as desire to be provoked to sleepe And many that have beene troubled with the collicke annointing their bellies with the fat and grease of this Mouse have found great ease Of the Vnicorne SOme say the Unicorne is like unto a Coalt of two yeares and a halfe old In his forehead there groweth an horne which is blacke in the length of two or three cubits his colour is tawney like a Weasell his heaâ— like an Hart his neck not long his maine very thine hanginâ— onely upon the one side hâ— shankes be small and thinne thâ— hoofes of his former feet be dâ—â—vided like an Oxe and almost representing a Goats foot Of his hinder feete his outward part is hairy and rough The King of Ethiope hath some store of these beasts this beast is not commonly taken alive Some travailers have examined these Countries of the Unicorne but never saw any onely there is a beast which very much resembleth him and most thinke it onely to be a beast which is commonly called a Rynocheros which hath beene seene The three seuerall Crownes of the Emperours of Rome THe first Crowne is of Silver when he is crowned at Aquisgrane for the Realme of Germany and is kept at Aix the Chappell The second Crowne is of Iron when he is crowned at Millain for the Realme of Lombardy and is kept at Modene a little town not far from Millain And the third is of Gold when hee is crowned at Saint Peters in Rome for the Empire of Rome where it commonly remaines being kept with 3 severall keys by the 3 severall Arch-Bishops and the keys one of Iron one of Silver and the other of Gold Septem-Viri or the seven Electors of the Emperour of Germany THe election of the Emperours of Germany is in this sort the seven Princes Electors called septem Viri meete early about sixe of the clock in Romaneo there they consult untill nine from thence they goe in solemne order into St. Bartholmews wherof there be 3 Ecclesiasticall and 4 Temporall the 3 Ecclesiastical that is to say the Archbishop of Ments called the Arch-chancellor of high Germany being the first next the Arch-Bishop of Collen called the Arch-chancellour of Italy and then follows the Archbishop of Tryers called the Arch-chancellor of France all in their state be-fitting so great a Majesty Then the foure temporal that is to say the Marquesse of Brandenburg great Chamberlaine of the Empire with a massy key of Gold then the Duke of Saxony Lord high Marshall beareth the Sword before the Emperorâ— then the Count Palatine of Rhine Carver to the Emperour and likewise Arch-sewer in carrying the Plate to the table then the King of Bohemia Taster or else Cup-bearer to the Emperour for the tryumph These are the only Electors of the Emperour and after some other Ceremonies they descend from their seats and there before the audience take a solemne oath one after another in these words following I Doe sweare upon this Evangelist before mee that with all my faith which I owe unto God my diligence and care which I owe unto the Empire without former reward or future hope of greater Honour that I will chuse with all Faith and truth a iust and a fit man for the Kingdome of ROME as much as in mee lyeth After this oath is ministred unto the 7 Princes Electors severally one after another they