Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	good_a	king_n	power_n	4,538	5	4.8909	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16282	The manners, lauues, and customes of all nations collected out of the best vvriters by Ioannes Boemus ... ; with many other things of the same argument, gathered out of the historie of Nicholas Damascen ; the like also out of the history of America, or Brasill, written by Iohn Lerius ; the faith, religion and manners of the Aethiopians, and the deploration of the people of Lappia, compiled by Damianus a ̀Goes ; with a short discourse of the Aethiopians, taken out of Ioseph Scaliger his seuenth booke de emendatione temporum ; written in Latin, and now newly translated into English, by Ed. Aston.; Omnium gentium mores, leges, et ritus. English. 1611	Boemus, Joannes, ca. 1485-1535.; Góis, Damião de, 1502-1574.; Nicolaus, of Damascus.; Léry, Jean de, 1534-1611. Histoire d'un voyage fait en la terre du Brésil.; Scaliger, Joseph Juste, 1540-1609. De emendatione temporum.; Aston, Edward, b. 1573 or 4.	1611 (1611)	STC 3198.5; ESTC S102777	343,933	572

come into the Senate or Councell house and many were so deeply touched with that indignitie as they would violently procure their owne deaths rather then indure such disgrace Their Kings were elected for their worth and Nobility and their power and authority was not altogether free but limitted and restrained the worthiest souldiers and men of greatest valour and such as could effect more by their good examples then by all their force and authority were ordained leaders and conductors of their armies There was none had power to chastice beat or punish an other but the Priests only for they held that reuengment belonged only vnto the gods whose ministers the Priests were They would pourtray the Images of their gods and carry them with them into the warres as a speciall incouragement to fight And their friends and kinsfolke likewise were placed neere vnto the battell that in their presence they might either atchieue a glorious victory or end their dayes with honor and their parents wiues and children were eye-witnesses of their valor and prowesse and euer as any of them that fought were wounded they were brought vnto their mothers and wiues and other friends that were lookers on who were euer readie and willing to heale and cure them and to supply the soldiers with victualles exciting and encouraging them to fight manfully through which exhortations as some haue written the battell hath renewed and begunne a fresh when the souldiers were almost spent and wearied out for they esteemed their women to be of great sanctitie and prouidence and therefore their Councels were not to be contemned nor their aduises despised Vppon certaine dayes they vsed to sacrifice men vnto Mercurie and beasts to Mars and Hercules and they were generally giuen to sorcerie and witch-craft Trifling and pettie causes were managed and decided by the Rulers and Magistrates of the citties but all great businesses and difficult affaires were handled by the whole body of the city in generall They would neuer begin any busines but when the Moone was either in the change or in the full and they reckened their computation not by the dayes but by the nights They came armed into the Councell-house to decide controuersies and to maintaine the right of causes and hee vppon whose side the sentence passed and was conmended had a Iaueling shaken and brandished against him which manner of sentence giuing they accounted to be most honorable and againe those whose causes were nought were condemned by the Iudges frownes and sterne lookes All traytors an● turne-coates and such as fled to the enemie were hanged Sluggards dastards and such infamous persons and those that had any noysome disease were laid vpon a hurdle and dragged till they were dead No Magistrate would execute any publike or priuate businesse but when he was armed there was great emulation amongst them about their diet and they were incredibly giuen to affectation for he carried the greatest credit and estimation amongst his friends and neighbours that was best attended and accompanied with young gallants when hee went abroad about any businesse If the Prince that was Generall or Leader of the armie departed out of the field without victorie he liued in discredite and infamie all his life time after for the Prince fighteth only for victorie and the other Noblemen for the safetie of the Prince They would oftentimes take occasion to make warres without cause giuen onely because they could not indure to liue quietly and peaceably For they held it a point of sloth and sluggishnesse to get their liuing by their labors if they might get it by warres though it cost them their liues if they had no warres the valiantest men of them all spent their times wholy in eating drinking and sleeping committing both houses and husbandrie to the care and guidance of old men and women So as it seemeth strange to see two such contrarie dispositions in one people to be both louers of idlenesse and yet enemies to peace and quietnesse Their dwellings were in villages and euery one in seuerall houses their apparell short cassockes or souldiers coates buttoned together with claspes or pinned with thornes and the richer sort were knowne and distinguished from others by their clothes for they wore their coates so close to their skins as you might plainely perceiue the perfect proportion of each lim and member and the selfe same fashion of apparell which serued men was worne by women likewise Most part of the Germaines which dwelt towards the East and North side of the countrie contented themselues with one wife a peece some few excepted which had many and the wife was not indowed by the husband but the husband by the wife nor was their dowers of such dainties as were onely fit to make them fine and gay but of such things as they had most vse of as yokes of oxen horses with their furniture shields swords Iauelings and such like The women were wonderful chast and modest and their lookes nothing want on to procure allurements they frequented no banquets nor common feasts so as though the nation were very populous there was few women found offending in adulterie but if any were thereof conuicted her owne husband would pull her headlong out of his house starke naked before her neighbours and friends and whip her round about the towne nor was there any place for pardon for such lasciuious strumpets no not their youth beautie nor riches could any whit priuiledge them or reconcile them to their husbands It was not tolerable for any one to scoffe at vice for thereby they thought they both corrupted others and were corrupted themselues And as euery woman had but one bodie and one life so should she haue but one husband nor ought she to haue any idle cogitation or wanton desire as if shee more regarded the act of matrimonie then her husbands loue so as more good was done by their manners and examples then in other places by wholesome strict lawes Yong men were not very prone to lust especially when their youthfull dayes drew to an end and maides were not married til they were of good yeares that they might bee more strong and able to beare children Murder was punished with a certaine number of cattell which the murtherer must giue to al the dead mans friends as a satisfaction for his death They were very desirous to diet together and to keepe good hospitalitie accounting it an vnhonest and vndecent part to forbid any one their houses or tables Rewards were willingly taken and giuen nor would they vpbraide any one with that they had giuen nor thinke themselues in any matter beholding for what they receiued They would spend whole nights and dayes in drinking and carowsing esteeming and accounting it a credit to be drunken and oftentimes after their gluttonie and gormandize they would brall and fall out one with another exchanging ill words and sometimes blowes whereof oftentimes insued mayming and murder They consulted of all serious

chap. 19 Of Tuscia and of the ancient maners of the Tuscans ch 20 Of Galalia in Europe and of the old customes of that country chap. 21 Of Gallia and of the ancient customes and later ●●nners of the Frenchmen chap. 22 Of Spaine and of the manners of the Spaniards chap. 28 Of Lusitania and of the manners of the Portugals chap. 24 Of England Scotland and Ireland and of many other Ilands and of the maners customes of the Inhabitants chap. 25 Of the I le of Taprohane and the customes of that people cha 26 FINIS Lib. 3. NIcholas Damascen of the manners and customes of sundry nations fol 472 Certaine things of America or Brasill gathered out of the writings of Iohannes Lerius fol. 483 The faith religion and manners of the Aethiopians and the deploration of the people of Lappia compiled by Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall wherein is contained A letter of Damianus a Goes a Knight of Portugall to Pope Paul the third fol. 503 A letter of Helena the grandmother of Prestor Iohn Emperor of Aethiopia to Emanuell King of Portugall written in the yeare 1509. fol. 512 The letters of the most renowned Dauid Emperor of Aethiopia to Emanuell King of Portugall written in the yeare 1521. Paulus Iouius beeing Interpretor fol. 517 The letters of the same Dauid Emperor of Aethiopia to Iohn the third of that name King of Portugall in the yeare 1524. fol. 526 The letters of the same Emperor to the Pope of Rome in the same yeare 1524. the same Paulus Iouius beeing Interpretor fol. 533 Other letters from the said Emperor to the Pope the same yeare fol. 540 The faith and religion that the Aethiopians hold and obserue fol. 546 The depl●ration of Lappia f. 581 The si●uation of Lapp a. fol. 585 A short discourse of the Aethiopians taken out of Scaligers seuenth booke De emendatione temporum fol. 588 FINIS The cause why he writ this booke The cause why people inhabited neere together The earth recouered from hir first rudenes and barren nesse and made fertile The earth compared to Paradise The true God forgotten Plurality of gods which god was worshipped in each seueral country Jesus Christ reduced the world from error The large Countries of the Mahometans The diuersitie of worshipinge is the seminarie of distention The Greeke Philosophers first glory The law-giuers first authority The Caldeanes the wisest men in the world VVhy the world is so called The originall and appellation of Adam Paradice The fertilnesse of the earth why i● was restrained Cain the first begotten of Adam The generall deluge and how long it continued Noah sent his children and kindred to inhabite other countries The cause of the variety of toungs and manners The exile of Cham. Men liued like beasts The Sunne and Moone worshipped The Moone called Isis the Sunne Osyris the Ayre Iupiter the Fyre Vulcan the Sky Pallas and the Earth Ceres Arabia the mother of many Colonies The issue of Sem and Japhet VVhy the worship of the true God remained with so few The two-fold opinion of the Philosophers concerning the world Light things tend vpwards and heauie things downewards The naturall creation of liuing creatures The barbarous manner of liuing of the first people The diuersitie of toungs how it came Men made wiser by danger Necessitie the the mistresse of labours The first men were the Aethiopians The earth deuided into three parts Affrick deuided from Asia Europ deuided from Affricke Asia deuided from Europe The scituation and qualitie of Affricke The incommodities of Affrick Affrick inhabited by home-bred people and strangers The people of Affrick made more ciuill by Hercules The qualitie of the soyle of Affrick The fruitfulnesse of the ground The wonders of Affrick VVhat kind of beasts are bred in Affrick Two Aethiopias One Aethiopia is now called India The qualitie of Aethiopia The Aethiopians were the first people The gods first worshipped in in Aethiopia VVhat letters the Aethiopians vsed The election of their Kings The obedience of the Ethiopians The apparell of the Ethiopians Their exercise Meroê was once the Kings seate Gold accounted baser then brasse The Aethiopian armor The religion of the Ethiopians The authority of the Priests Their gods The new customes of the Aethiopians or Indians Prestor Iohn King of that Aethiopia which is in Asia Their Priests marry once and no more Saint Thomas held in great reuerence The power of the Ethiopian Kings VVhat weapons be vsed in their wars The punishment for adultery Husbands assigne dowers for their wiues Mahomet worshipped in Libia The denomination and description of Aegipt The Aegiptians had their beginning from the Aethiopians The Aegiptian women do the offices of men and men the offices of women Their manner of funerals Circumcision vsed by the Egiptians The cleannesse of the Priests Beanes an vncleane graine with the Egiptians The Aegiptians wine The Aegiptians salutations VVollen garments contemned Many ceremonies vsed in Christian religion borrowed from the Egiptians VVhat seruants attended vpon their Kings The Priests prasied the good Kings dispraised the bad The Egyptians simple diet The Kings safety much regarded How the Egyptians be wayle their dead Kings that were good How their Kings be buried The auncient gouernment of the Egiptians Their common-wealth consisteth of three sorts of people husbandmen shepheards and labourers How their iudgments were giuen The chiefe Iudge weareth the signe of Truth about his neck The lawes of the Egiptians against periurd persons Against salse accusers A law against parents that murdered their children A law against Pariacides Offenders in the warres punished with shame A law against adultery and fornication Bocchoris their law maker Mens bodiesnot liable to their debts The law against theeues Their marriaages The small cost bestowed in bringing vpchildren Musick disalowd of the Egiptians How the Egiptians cure the diseased The Aegiptians worship diuers sorts of creatures The strange kind of burials amongst the Egiptians The bodies of dead parents giuen to their creditors The Adrimachidae The Nasamons The Masagetae The Nasomans and their marriages How the prophesy The Garamantes The Macae The Gnidanes The Machlyes and Auses The Atlantes The Pastoritij The Maxes The zabices The zigantes All these people of Libia be Sauadge people The Trogloditae The Rhisophagi The Ilophagi and Sparmatophagi The Cyneci The Acridophagi The Cinnamini The Ichthiophagi Men free from all passions of the minde Patient people The Amazons most warlike women Asia why so called Arabia deuided into three parts The Arabians lye with their owne mothers and daughters No horses in Arabia The Garraei The Nabathaei Panchaia aboundeth with Frankinsence Iupiter was banished into Panchaia The great Temple in Panchaia Hony wine made of dates The Assyrians botes Their apparell Virgins that be mariageable be sold to their husbands A law excluding Phisitions and how they cured the sick The officers amongst the Assyrians The limmits of Palestine Iudaea or Palestine called also Canaan Canaan promised to

were chosen of purpose to be Arbitrators and indifferent vmpires betwixt the power of the Kings and the force of the multitude to the end that neither the one should rebel through contumacie and stubbornesse nor the other oppresse by reason of their gouerment and greatnesse of these Seniors or elders according to Aristotle there were eight and twenty who were euer assisting and aiding the Kings carefully prouiding that neither the gouernment of the people should be of two great force nor that the Kings should tyrannize ouer the commons and that all the rest of the multitude should be made acquainted with whatsoeuer was decreed by this order Many yeeres after this vnto the gouernment of the people was added the power and authority of the Ephori or Tribunes which were Protectors of the liberties and benefits of the commons against the power of the Nobles which kinde of gouernment in the Greeke tongue is called Oligarchia that is the gouernment of a few and this manner of gouernment was purposely ordained as a bridle or restrainte vnto the administration of the Kings and Elders when they seemed ouer violent and outragious towards the commons and was annexed vnto the other in the hundreth yeere after the death of Lycurgus when Theopompus raigned in Lacedemonia One institution ordained by the Olygarchia or Protectors of the cōmons was the diuision of their grounds for those Protectors perswaded the multitude of the commons that euery one should yeeld vp al the grounds they formerly had in their possession occupation that thē to each one shold be distributed an euen equal portion For their opinion was that euery Citizen should contend to excell others in vertue and vnderstanding and not in riches and ryoting The whole land was therefore deuided into nine and thirty thousand parts the fields adioyning to the City and belonging to the Citty into nine thousand and the rest of the land which lay in the country and was occupied by farmers was three times as much more so that euery portion was such as would yeeld seuenty measures of corne caled Medimni yeerely to a man and to a woman twelue Lycurgus was once in a minde to make like diuision of all moueable goods but fearing the enuy that for that cause might insue for many seemed to take it discontentedly hee forbore to doe it yet he vtterly tooke away all vse both of siluer and gold from amongst them and brought in iron money and stamping it crosse wise like the letter X commanded that it should be of little value whereby all occasion of stealing was auoided and to the end that the iron whereof that money was coyned should not be desired for other purposes he caused it when it was burning and glowing hote to be quenched with vineger that being thereby mollified and softned it might serue to no other vse This done he reiected all arts as things meere vnprofitable and friuolous which were then easie to be reiected for the vse of siluer and gold being once prohibited the artificers departed thence of their owne accord considering that iron coyne would stand them in no steed in other places After this that he might vtterly extirpate and roote out of the City all ryotting and excesse he instituted publike feasts wherein he commanded that both poore and rich should sit and eate together in one place and at one table without difference or exception of persons And if any came to that diet in that publike place so gallant and gorgeous that his queasie stomake would not serue him to eate with such companions or that he would not be pleasant at his meate hee was chidden and reuiled of all those that sat at the Table with him as an vnthrift and a waster by which ordinance all pompe and sumptuousnesse was vtterly auoided at this institution the great and welthy men beganne to grudge and repine and were so much incensed against him as in a rage they violently rushed vpon him and strooke out one of his eyes with a staffe wherevpon hee ordained that no Spartane whatsoeuer should euer after that time come to meate with any staffe or other weapon This their manner of dyeting together they called Philias which is as much to say as friendship for doubtlesse it was an argument of publike friendship and great humanity and might well be tearmed Phiditia that is fellowship or fraternitie besides that by this their dyeting together they were very much giuen to sparingnesse and parsimony Those which by reason of their sacrifycing or hunting were absent from their meales were permitted to dine and sup at home but all others ought to bee there present all excuses set apart and euery one allowed for the vpholding and maintaining of this common diet yeerely a certaine measure full of fine meale or flower called Medimnum eight measures called Corus full of wine fiue pounds of cheese and two pound and a halfe of figs. Children also frequented this common banquetting place as the schoole or vniuersity of temperature and all ciuil discipline for there they accustomed to commune and confer together soberly ad discreetly their they learned to iest and bourd pleasantly and merily and to quippe and taunt one an other without scurility or offence The Spartans in their wiuing and accompanying with women by reason of their continuall warres regarded not chastitie so much as procreation and increase of issue and the husbands were so louing and obsequious to their wiues as they would call them their mistresses Maides practised and exercised themselues in running wrestling throwing stones slinging and darting that flying and shunning idlenesse and all womanish nicenesse they might bee thereby more strong and lustie and better able to indure the paines of child-bearing in doing which excercises they went naked like boies in sight of all men and would daunce and sing at solemne feasts in the presence of young men which nakednesse was neither inconuenient nor dishonest for they were couered with shamefastnesse without the least touch of impudency or wantonnesse and hereof insued a towardnesse and naturall aptnesse in the women of Laconia for any action They which liued single and were neuer married were excluded from those publike games and exercises of naked virgins and the more to disgrace them were constrained to goe naked themselues about the market place in the winter season least they should haue as much honour and estimation with young men as those had which were married The marriageable virgins were maried or rather stolne away perforce and the bride being conducted into her chamber sheared the haire of her head close to the skin and then the bride-groome going in to her vnlooseth her girdle and accompanieth with her in the night time onely without once seeing her in the day time before he hath got her with child The care and regard of their children and issue was committed to worthie men and it was lawfull for any old man for cause

matters touching both warre and peace amidst their banquets deeming their iudgements more acute and themselues more carefull at that time then at any other and more fit to vndergo any notable enterprise The people were plaine and simple without craft dissimulation or cunning and easily drawne to lay open and discouer the very secrets of their hearts They would call to mind the day after what they had done before considering of the matter more deliberatly when they knew not how to alter it shewing then what their intent was when they could not be deceiued They drunke a corrupt drinke made of barly in stead of wine but those which dwelt nere vnto great riuers had wine brought them out of other countries their meat was simple and grosse as wild apples new dow thicke milke or clottered Creame but their drinke was much more immoderate They delighted to behold and see young men naked amongst swords and speares and other militarie weapons belonging to warre and to see how finely and nimbly they could deliuer themselues out of the danger of them the often practise whereof made them skilful and their agilitie and skill was a great ornament vnto them They were so exceedingly giuen to dicing as when they had lost all that euer they had they would aduenture their owne liberties vppon one chance at dice and if they lost they would willingly become slaues and suffer themselues though neuer so strong and lustie to be bound and sold like beasts They diuided the yeare into Winter Spring and Sommer making no recknning of Autumne by reason of their scarcitie of wine and fruites In their Funerals they made little shew of sorrow by weeping and outward lamentations but the dolor and griefe of their hearts continued long and women onely bewayled the dead it being enough for men to remember them And these in times past were the customes of the Germaines and their manner of liuing But how much they bee altered from what they then were as well as other nations may bee gathered by this their present estate for now the whole state and condition of the Germaines consisteth of foure sortes of people the first sort or Order is the Clergie which be of two sorts likewise that is to say secular Priests and religious persons both of them beeing indowed with great and large rents reuenues and riches and held in great honour and estimation wirh the people both for that they offer sacrifice vnto God extoll the prayses of the Saynts and haue cure of soules as also for that they vnderstand the Scriptures and holy Writ bee able to interpret and expound them and leade a single life for those which haue not all these good parts in them are despised and contemned of the vulgar sort of people And euery order of religious persons haue their garments made of their owne fashion very decent and comely The secular or lay-Priestes weare loose Coates for the most part black or russet and linnen myters on their heads not very high crowned but sticking close about their eares And when they go abroad they cast about their neckes for decencies sake a broade lace either of silk or linnen which hangeth downe on each side their shoulders Vpon their shooes are pumps they weare Pantofles or Sandals putting them off euer when they come home Most of them liue very idlely bestowing little time in obtaining learning but spending all the after-noones in gaming and drinking The inferiour Priests if any one iniure them complaine vnto their Bishoppe and sometimes to the Court of Rome whereby they worke their owne security and condigne punishment is inflicted vpon the offenders The second estate or condition is of the Nobilitie wherof there bee many degrees as Princes Earles Barons and Knights which is the lowest degree of that Order the Princes excell all the other degrees as well in dignitie and bloud as in power and strength as hauing very large lands and ample possessions The Earles Barons and other Nobles liue dispersed abroade in the countrie some in one place some in another flowrishing like so many flowers in a greene field But that which is very strange worthy to be obserued in the Nobilitie is this that both Princes Earls acknowledge a soueraignty yeeld their obedience vnto the Emperor so oft as necessitie or the Emperour himselfe requireth it and yet the Knights say that they be exempted and that they will not serue any one nor suffer those which be vnder thē to serue but for wages and stipend yet notwithstanding they acknowledge and say that the Romaine Emperour is their Soueraigne Lord and Gouernor The Nobilitie in generall thinke it a great discredit vnto them and a blemish vnto their kindred and house to exercise merchandize or any mechanicall art or to take a wife from among the common people or that is their inferiour or to liue in a strange citty like towns-men for they skorning all company and commerce with cittizens liue freely with their wiues and families in stately castels strong holdes and beautifull pallaces situated some vppon mountaines some in woods and some in champion countries Some of the Nobles frequent the Courts of Kings and great Princes and follow the warres and some others liue at their owne houses vppon their Rents and reuenues They be much giuen to hunting affirming that by continuall custome and their auncient libertie they only are allowed to hunt and all other interdicted and depriued of that pleasure for for a priuate man to hunt either hares ro-buckes kids hynd-calues or stagges in some place is punished with the losse of his eyes and in some other places with the losse of his head but it is lawfull for euery one that can to take such wild beasts that be noysome and hurtfull Moreouer they fare daintily and be sumptuously cloathed as well men as women both at home and abroade beeing decked and adorned with gold siluer and silkes of sundry colours When they walke abroad they are attended with a troupe of their friends and familiars and they may easily be knowne and discerned from the common-people onely by their gate it is so graue and demure They neuer go farre from home but on horse-backe for to take a iourney on foot they account a great dishonor vnto them and a plaine demonstration of pouertie but if they stand in want of any thing they will straine courtesie to take it from others either priuily or by force They seldome go to law with any one for iniuries done vnto them but rather gather a troupe of their friends together and reuenge themselues either by fire sword or rapine therby compelling the wrong-doers to make what satisfaction they thinke good They be proude turbulent and couetous practising how to get Church-mens goods by deceit and wracking their slaues and clownes of the country with an vnrelenting authoritie It is almost incredible to be spoken how they vexe pill and poll those miserable and vnfortunate caytiues

surely Germany were an hundred times more happie if those Centaures worse then Dionysius and Phalaris were either vtterly expelled the land or at the least their tyranny and power so restrained abridged as they might be inforced to liue priuate like vnto the Nobility in Heluetia The 3. estate or order of the Germaines is of citizens and towns-men and of these some be onely subiect to Caesar and some to other Princes and Prelates of the church Those which yeld obedience to the Emperor haue many priuiledges lawes and customes common to themselues and euery yeare by the voyces of the cittizens is one chiefe magistrate elected who for his yeare hath a soueraign authority ouer them all and hee of himselfe hath power to punish any one of the same order with death When an offence is cōmitted the offendor is brought before the magistrates elected where beeing sette in councel the accuser is called for who hauing set downe his accusation the defendant hath free liberty to plead for himselfe and when both parties be heard at large the Iudges proceed to sentence which is not by any course of law for that these manner of magistrates be ignorant of the lawes but as they be induced by reason and as the custome hath beene afore-time in like cases the like forme of Iudgement is vsed in ciuill causes likewise sauing that in ciuill and criminall causes the party accused may appeale vnto Caesar which offenders in other causes may not doe In euery Imperiall Citty bee two sorts of Citizens the one of Gentlemen the other of Plebeians the Plebeians or comminalty of the city be occupied in trading and keeping shops but the Gentlemen which bee also called Patritians liue only vpon their patrimony reuenewes in as good fashion as the Nobility or Knights of the country do if any of the comminalty wax so rich that he either by custome or commerce will intrude himselfe into the society of Gentlemen he is notwithstanding his wealth discarded their companies whereof it proceedeth that each of these orders of Citizens haue for many yeeres continued in there owne estate without alteration And yet for all this the administration and gouernment of their commonwealth is commune and permitted as well vnto the Plebeians as Patritians so as the communalty is no way in subiection to the gentility but euery one hath his owne substance in safety with free liberty not transgressing their lawes to liue as they list and Iustice is ministred for the most part throughout al the whole country by men which haue little learning or none at al for in euery City and in many townes likewise bee elected 12. Iudges which be such as be most notorious for vprightnesse and integrity of life not respecting whether they be learned or no which twelue must of necessity take vpon them the office of Iustice and Iudgement for which they expect no other wages nor reward but onely honour and they be so diligent in performing their duties therein that for the common good they will not sticke to neglect al priuate affaires and businesse whatsoeuer be they neuer so vrgent to obserue the times appointed for Iudgment and hearing of causes And they bee all of them sworne to minister Iustice vnto euery one according to right and equity from whose sentences in times past they would neuer appeale esteming it a great indignity vnto them to contradict the decrees of such men as executed their offices gratis but now adaies appeales be vsuall which were the more tollerable a great deale if the Iudges to whom the appeales be made would in their Iudgements obserue the customes of the former Iudges but their doinges are so little regarded that their sentences though neuer so iust and vpright be retracted and wholy altered onely because they seeme to repugne their written lawes whereby the Iudges of the former rancke are vndeseruedly taxed of ignorance their good indeuours reprooued and blemished and the parties to bee releeued oftentimes oppressed which kinde of Iudgement how corrupt it is themselues may easily perceiue Furthermore the Citizens liue and accord together very familiarly and friendly meeting and assembling themselues sometimes in publicke places sometimes in priuate houses where they spend their time some in buying and selling some in conferrence one with an other some in feasting and banquetting and some in gaming and disporting in all which sundry actions can hardly be discouered any deceite or contention They be very curteous and affable for at all times and in all places bee they men or women so often as they meete together so often doe they salute one an other Vpon working daies they be very frugall and sparing both in their diet and apparell but vpon festiuall daies they will goe more gallantly and far more daintily Those which labour eate foure times a day and playmen but twise the mens apparell for the most part is wollen and the womens linnen and each of them so much differrent one from an other both in collour and fashion as you shall hardly finde one man or one woman apparelled like an other for they be so new fangled as they will fall into euery new fashion imitating the Italians but more vsually the French men from whom now of late yeeres the men haue gotten their broad nosed shooes their coates with wide hanging sleeues cut and wouen cappes which they call Pyrethia And not long since they wore shooes with sharpe snoutes short coates cloose to their bodies and hoods with tayles or flappes behinde This sparingnesse in apparel heretofore vsed by men is now descended vnto women and by them practised for whereas they were wonte to weare many kerchers vpon their heads which made their heads seeme great by reason of their many folds of linnen they now weare but one onely They bee also more modest in all their other clothes then heretofore they haue beene in a manner vtterly reiecting gold siluer and pearles and all sumptuous garding of their garments with rich furres and silkes I need not speake of their long traines carried vp behind them which though they were common bee now onely worne of the Nobility and the women be now so decent and comely cloathed as they cannot iustly bee reprehended for any thing they weare sauing that some womens gownes bee ouer wide and to much hollowed about the necke In their funerals and celebration of their friends obites they be attired in blacke and their time of lamentation is thirty daies within which space they doe sacrifice for them three times the first day the seuenth day and the thirtith day They be so deuout and religious a people that euery artificer before he begin his worke wil goe to the Church and heare masse yea both men and maide seruants be by their masters compelled therunto for they hold it a beastly and hatefull thing for any one to neglect his seruice to God either for idlenesse or for any businesse whatsoeuer In giuing almes they be