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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71305	Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.	Purchas, Samuel, 1577?-1626.	1625 (1625)	STC 20509_pt3; ESTC S111862	2,393,864	1,207

some that they worshipped the Lord of Heauen and Earth There were some that sought not to leaue their lawfull Sonnes to bee their Heires because they thought them not fit for Gouernment but choose the wisest and best man that they could finde and left the Kingdome vnto him This Kingdome in old time was diuided into many small Kingdomes vntill by little and little it was vnited It is some foure hundred yeeres as I said before since a Tartar King possessed it whollie and two hundred since a Bonzo or Religious man of China recouered it This Mahumetan Tartar King left some tokens of himselfe in things that he did Hee left in Nanquin certaine Mathematicall instruments of Copper the like whereof for goodnesse peraduenture are not in all Europe at least not better The Chinese Bonzo which expelled him out of the Kingdome was a very valiant and wise man and there bee many Histories of his wisedome and sentencious sayings and iudgement in hard matters and the manner and forme of Gouernment which hee ordayned in this Kingdome which continueth inuiolable doth greatly declare the same Hee made new Offices and gaue new Names to all of them An vsuall thing when one house beginneth to Raigne to change all euen the name of the King as also of all Offices and also of many Cities I omit the diuision of the Gouernment into so many heads and so good distribution that it seemeth and so the Chinois say it is like to continue thousands of yeeres so that no man of the same Kingdome is able nor hath any power to make any Rebellion of importance For those which in former time reuolted were the Vice-royes of the Prouinces and other great Mandarins in whose power were the Gouernment the Souldiers and the treasure But hee diuided it in such sort that those which had power ouer the Souldiers should haue no money at all neither should the pay of the Souldiers depend vpon them and those which keepe the Treasure must haue no superintendencie and dominion ouer the Souldiers Others which were mightie and rich hee impouerished and diuided their Authoritie and Reuenues among many and so there is no man that can call himselfe Great I remember that I had read in a Booke set out in the Spanish tongue of the great power of certayne Captaynes and because the King did not trust them hee sent one of his house to will them to come vnto him All which relation with many other things which hee reporteth of the prouidence of the King how hee diuideth his Authoritie among diuers Princes is not so in truth neither in truth neither is there any apparence thereof neither haue the Captayne 's much authoritie neither are they very rich for though they haue many people yet the gouernment of them is diuided into diuers heads so that they can hardly assemble to raise any Rebellion especially because they remaine alwayes in the Kingdome and neere about the King The Reuenue of this King without doubt is exceeding great and vntill wee haue gotten it out of their Bookes wherein euery thing is set downe very particularly I will not presume to publish the same not as though I knew not that it is so since whilest a man knoweth more of this Kingdome he doubteth lesse Yet because I feare for all this that it will bee hard to make one beleeue the same which knoweth it not of a certainty making the Accounts not very large his Reuenues are one yeare with another an hundred Millions in Siluer Gold Rice and an infinite number of other things although the greatest part is Siluer And he that considereth the greatnesse of the Kingdome and that euery man payeth Tribute to the King of their Persons Lands Trees and other things without carrying any Tribute out of the same that which I speake wil not seeme excessiue But as his Reuenue is very great so his Expenses are many For those which in this Kingdome doe liue at the Kings charge are many to wit all the Mandarins to whom the King giueth Wages all the Souldiers all the Kinsfolkes of the King his Eunuches and an infinite number of people whereby his charges are exceeding great although alwayes there remayneth a good deale for him to lay vp and there is no doubt but hee hath it in store in exceeding great quantitie Many small Kingdomes round about acknowledge the King of China and pay him Tribute as Corea and others whose names I know not on this Northerne part and on the side of Malaca and Macao many others And sometimes on these Northerne parts they trouble him somewhat in robbing and killing of people It may be that your Worship or some bodie else may demand why the King of China being so great subdueth not these small Kingdomes that lye about him to deliuer himselfe of trouble I answere that he wanteth no abilitie but I will say one sure thing a Paradoxe to the people of our Europe which is That neither the Chinois nor their King doe seeke nor dreame of dilating their Empire more then it is And this their resolution is such that although they would giue them all these Kingdomes they would not take them much lesse if they were farther off For they hold it for one of the greatest miseries especially the Mandarins graue sort of people to go out of their Kingdome to any other part There is one of the best Examples hereof that may be giuen which fell out of late and that was that as by the danger which might grow to his Kingdome if the people of Iapon should winne the Kingdome of Corea which is joyned to China by the mayne Land as they began to doe the Chinois ayded the Coreans with many men and the people of Iapon by the death of their King called Quabacondono did wholly aband●n it The Kingdome remayned in the power of the Chinois and so continued two or three yeares After which they wholly gaue it ouer without any other greater respect then that there were none that were willing to goe thither to gouerne it nor that the King had any need to annexe it vnto his Estate And without doubt it seemeth that he would doe the like with any other although they would put it into his hands And touching those Kingdomes which pay him Tribute there is no great account made whether they come or no and their continuall comming is more for the profit of those which come then that the King doth desire it And therefore the Philippine Ilands which in former times paid Tribute to the Kings of China were made none account of when they ceased to pay it This King hath one lawfull Wife as other men haue in choice whereof they haue regard to nothing else but to her good qualities and externall beautie for there is no Nobilitie to be sought for Besides her hee hath a great number of Concubines chosen after the same manner

thing Also betweene these wals the Riuer runneth which I spake of and to passe from one to another there are many faire Bridges of Marble made of very great stones betweene these wals was one of the two fourth parts of the House on which the fire from Heauen fell downe within these few yeares and consumed it and with the blowes of the stones which fell downe many verie great Houses were broken downe to the ground as sometimes I beheld my selfe and they remayned with many signes of fire on them They say that when this fire fell from Heauen the King commanded his Sonne to kneele downe and beseech The Heauen to be mercifull vnto him for he himselfe was too wicked and that the Heauen would not heare him Within these wals are many Lodgings of the grauest Eunuches who like Fellowes of Colledges liue many in one House euerie one hauing his priuate Chamber Heere betweene these wals are Mounts and Groues and other recreations whither the King repaireth to recreate himselfe And the space of these wals is very great for when I went to the Palace to teach the Eunuches which were in that place to trimme the Clocke I passed before I came to their Lodging eight great Palaces and on the other side there were many more The Lodgings of the Eunuches vsually are low and bad for the Kings Seruants yet very necessarie Next after this followeth the third wal where the King dwelleth with his Wiues and Children and those which where his neerest seruants whereinto no man entreth but they And therfore albeit I haue heard that it is a very beautiful thing very much worth the seeing as in very deed it sheweth to be yet I cannot giue any Relation of any thing concerning the same in particular Only this I say that when I was in the House of the Eunuches that were the Mathematicians I went sometimes vp into a Towre from whence I might see the tops of the Houses the Groues and Orchards and me thought that I neuer in my life saw so great a frame of Building although I haue seene many in mine owne Countrie And therefore there are alwaies a great number of Officers of all Offices some making new Buildings and others repayring the old The King neuer goeth abroad especially this King and his Ancestors some one time and no more vnto a Temple which they haue builded to The Heauen and the Earth where euerie yeare they offer Sacrifice And therefore I know not with what pompe hee goeth abroad But like as in his seruice he hath no men of qualitie it cannot bee such as our Kings vse in their going to Church There is a barbarous custome among the Kings that when the Prince is aduanced to the Kingdome within a short time after all the rest of the old Kings Sonnes are to depart out of the House to certaine places appointed for them which vnto the third Generation are serued like Kings but they neuer come more in the presence of their Father Mother nor elder Brother and therefore there is great lamentations of their Mothers at their departure The Posteritie of these doe alwaies remayne as Kinsmen and with the name of the Kings Kinsmen To all these which are very many the King giueth sufficient mayntenance which is no great matter They neuer beare Office and deale with other people and marrie with them without doing themselues much good or none at all in being the Kings Kinsmen nor purchase any speciall authoritie thereby Other Kinsfolkes of the King married with the Sisters Daughters or Cousins of the King or Queene although they haue sufficient to liue vpon yet haue they exceeding small authoritie and haughtinesse And herein nor in any thing may they compare with the Mandarins Here came to visit vs one married with the Sister of this King that is now in a Chaire with three or foure Boyes to wait on him Another came oftentimes married with the Sister of the Wife of the Prince that is to inherit on Horse-backe with one Boy only attending on him and hee entreth into the Examinations that hee may proceed Doctor and become a Mandarin So litle is the benefit that groweth vnto them by the Consanguinity or Affinity of the King which are joyned vnto him thereby Here the time faileth me though neither matter nor desire to giue contentment to your Worship and the rest of my most deare Fathers and Brethren neither doth nor shall euer faile me And therefore if I shall vnderstand that they take this in good worth I will giue Relation of that which shall fall out here by the helpe and grace of our Lord to whom I humbly beseech all of them to commend mee I send here withall two Maps of this Kingdome of China which came to my hand after I had written this Letter and Relation I sought to translate all that which is contayned in the China Letters which is all the Rent which euery one of these Prouinces payeth to the King of China and to make a description of all the Houses which euerie Prouince hath and how many people and many things else But your Worship may beleeue that by no meanes I had leysure and therefore I send you only the figure and another yeare if it please our Lord God I will send you the same with the declaration thereof All the rundles and squares which are therein are Cities or Fortresses of many Inhabitants both of them walled about There is no Towne here set downe that it is not walled the others are many more The Riuers are well distinguished The great lines are the limits of the Prouinces the other small lines and of little circuit are the Iuridisdictions of some one principall Citie We print here another Map of all the World of our manner with C●●nish Letters which be●●use wee want time to declare the Letters I send not till the next yeare which then we will send if our Lord grant vs life I send you many other Papers that your Worships may see the fashion of the Letters of these people of China and what Characters wee committed to memorie From Paquin beeing the Court and Royall Citie of the King of China the ninth of March 1602. CHAP. VII A Discourse of the Kingdome of China taken out of RICIVS and TRIGAVTIVS contayning the Countrey People Gouernment Religion Rites Sects Characters Studies Arts Acts and a Map of China added drawne out of one there made with Annotations for the vnderstanding thereof §. I. Of the Name Scite and Greatnesse the Tributaries Commoditie Arts Printing Seales Inke Pencill-pennes and Fannes THis vtmost Empire in the East hath beene made knowne to Europe by diuers appellations as that of Ptolemey Sina that later of Marcus Paulus the Venetian Cathay and that most vsuall receiued from the Portugals which call it China I doubt not also that this is the Region of the Hippophagi or Hors-eaters a meat there as common

tooke an house in the chiefe situation of this Citie all that which they gaue vs at the Kings cost in that place which was sufficient for our sustentation after wee were gotten out they gaue vs the same allowance in like manner Many Mandarins of this Court heard great fame of vs and of our things and vnderstanding that we were come out of that place b●gan to come in great numbers and concourse with much honour and respect courtesie and presents to visite vs and to enquire diuers things which they desired to know For the fame that went of vs that wee knew all Countries and the things and customes of the World and the materiall and spirituall things of Heauen was great and therefore euery one came to enquire that which hee desired And though our knowledge be but little in comparison of the knowledge which is in our Countrey yet being compared with theirs of China which knoweth nothing of the world saue their owne Kingdome which by a common name thy call The World of God and of the things of Heauen nothing and of other things little it was somewhat and was sufficient to send them home amazed and alwayes with a desire to returne They saw a very faire and great Map of the world which wee brought with vs and we shewed them how bigge the world was which they thought to bee so little that they imagined that there was not so much more in all the same as their Kingdome And they looked one vpon another and sayd wee are not so great as we imagined seeing heere they shew vs that our Kingdome compared with the world is like a grayne of Rice in comparison of a great heape They also thought that there was no other Writing nor no other Bookes in the world but theirs and when they saw ours which at the least they saw in outward appearance to bee much better then their owne they were astonied and put out of their errour doing vs alwayes more and more honour and chiefly they were astonied when wee shewed vnto them certayne things in the Mathematickes which they knew not giuing Clockes to certayne persons which for this end we made of purpose and by these and other meanes and principally by discoursing with them of Morall vertues whereof they write speake and haue many Bookes and of Gods matters there ranne so great a fame that the greatest Mandarins of all this Kingdome which are the greatest persons ne●t the King sought to conuerse with vs and to seeke our friendship and so many sent vs presents and others came to visite vs with great numbers of people others with much courtesie inuited vs to their houses so that in foure moneths space wee had gotten the greatest Mandarins of Pequin to be our friends and readie to fauour vs is all things And he which at this time particularly doth fauour and honour vs i● the President of that Audience which hath the charge of vs and at the first approoued vs so that wee remayne Inhabitors of this Citie with all libertie that wee can desire to deale with all such as are willing to heare the things that belong to our holy Law and their saluation And by this good successe our Lord hath made vs forget all that is past And though it bee true that hitherto wee haue gotten no dispatch nor resolution of the King yet wee content our selues in that hee letteth vs stay heere although he neuer grant vs more For albeit by this our Iourney we haue not obtayned all that wee desired yet we hope that this our firme abode heere shall tend greatly to the seruice of our Lord and the good of this Mission They bee commonly of good vnderstandings so that easily they fall into reason and are capable they haue not in the gouernment of this Kingdome any thing that forbiddeth them to follow what Law they list nor any Law nor Obligation which is contrarie to our holy Law They haue none which effectually and with authoritie doth exhort them vnto other Lawes and with-draw them from the truth For the Bonzi which are dedicated for this purpose to Idols are in the common conceit of all men the most base contemptible and worst people in all China whose least care is to exhort them to any thing more then to giue them somewhat and thus they doe not onely not exhort them to follow Idols but also with their bad manner of liuing perswade them as wee haue often heard of men of good iudgement that it is not good to serue them since their Ministers bee such And so in this matter of worshipping of Idols though there be many that worship them and haue many of them and vse their Ministers for their Funerals and other things yet with very small affection and deuotion thereunto we easily make them say that they are naught and that it is not fit to worship them Yet though these things and others which I 〈◊〉 doe helpe them with ease to follow the Law of God the counterpois is great and commonly it weigheth downe the ballance on that side For first because the matter of Strangers is so odious in China and the dealing with them so suspicious one sort because they disdayne it as the Princes who albeit they now conceiue better of vs yet to learne of Strangers and to receiue a Law which is not of their owne meanes they hardly perswade themselues others for feare as the base people The second difficultie and perhaps the greatest i● a naturall obliuion that all this Nation hath of another life and of immortalitie and of saluation or condemnation of the Soule and not onely an obliuion but also an auersion from all these things wherein wee haue likewise found them to differ from all other Nations And it is a thing to be noted that since it is a thing so naturall to Man to reuerence some God either false or true and to feare or loue him and to conceiue or imagine what shall follow after this life Those Chinois which on the other side are of so good capacities in humane things and so wittie therein bee as though they were depriued thereof for they are almost all Atheists not knowing nor worshipping neither false nor true God nor neuer thinking what shall follow after this life And those which a man would thinke are most bound hereunto which are the Learned men are they which haue least knowledge hereof yea rather one of the chiefest things that they commend is not to beleeue any thing that concerneth another life Hell nor Paradise which they wholly place in this life The Bookes which they studie from their Child-hood doe them much hurt which are of certayne Philosophers aboue two thousand yeeres old whom they esteeme little lesse then if they were their God to whom euery yeere they offer Sacrifices of whom they hold so great an opinion that they thinke not that any thing

Cities but liued together in Companies and peaceably and gouerned by some of the ancientest among them that they were lothsome in their feeding and liued on the flesh of such beasts as they tooke that they had no knowledge of Corne or Bread were cunning and skilfull Archers making their Bowes of a gentle and flexible kind of Wood and that their Arrowes were headed with sharpened stones or fish bones with those they killed wilde beasts which are exceeding plentifull in those places that they sowed also with bones of fishes seruing them for Needles their thred being made of the sinewes of certaine small beasts and so they sew together the Furres wherewith they cloath themselues the Furrie side in Summer turned outward and in Winter inward That they couered their Houses with the Skins of Elkes and such like beasts little esteemed among them Finally these Messengers of Oneeko searched curiously into euery matter and returned home stored with costly Furres Now when as Oneeko vnderstood by their report that which he so much longed to know he together with certayne others of his Friends continued his Trafficke into those Countreyes for diuers yeeres together by meanes whereof the Oneekos grew very mightie and bought great Possessions in all parts Those that dwelled neere vnto them beeing ignorant from whence all this wealth arose greatly wondred at it For the Oneekos builded Churches in some of their Villages Yea afterward they erected in the Towne of Osoil vpon the Wichida where at that time they dwelt an exceeding faire Church which was raysed from the very foundations of hewen stone Finally they knew no end of their goods Now among the Russes it goeth for a common Prouerbe that Hee which hath no friends in Court is scarce to be accounted in the number of the liuing For most commonly it happeneth that they that excell others in any thing are presently enuyed and falsly accused in the Princes Court where if they haue not a friend to succour them they are forth-with without hearing the cause oppressed yea and vtterly ruined For which cause the Oneekos beeing growne to much wealth as is said got into the fauour of one of the greatest in the Court which was Borisodanoua Brother to the Wife of the Emperour Pheodor Euanowich then reigning to whom also he succeeded in the Empire Vnto this Boris the Oneekos determined to reueale the whole matter who first presenting him with gifts after the custome of the Countrey prayed him to grant them hearing in a matter which they had to deliuer for the benefit of the whole Empire Boris presently liftning to this Petition receiued them with extraordinary kindnesse and after they had declared vnto him the situation of the Countreyes of Samoiedia and Siberia then what they had seene and obserued therein and how great Riches might thence arise vnto the Empire of Moscouia Boris presently grew into an ardent desire to set forward this businesse entertayning them as his Children and gracing them to the vttermost of his power procuring them from the Emperour a most ample Priuiledge by which it was ordayned That they should for euer enjoy the Lands which they possessed and might dispose of them vnto their Heires at their pleasure And farther if it happened they were abiding in the Citie of Moscua he tooke them into his owne Sled which among the Moscouites is the greatest kind of honour especially being offered by principall Noblemen such as then was Boris a man of the greatest power and in whom the chiefe authoritie of the Empire rested Boris pondering these things attentiuely signified the whole matter to the Emperour to whom it was very pleasing And not sleeping about the matter employed therein certayne Captaynes and Gentlemen of small abilitie of his owne followers commanding them to prepare themselues to goe to that Iourney in company of such as the Oneekos should appoint vnto them and that they should apparell themselues gallantly and like vnto Ambassadors adding further certayne Souldiers and Presents of small value to be distributed among the people to which they should come enioyning them further to note diligently all Passages Riuers High-wayes Woods and what else they should meete with in their trauell as also to commit to memorie the names of them that at their returne they might make a faithfull and true report thereof adding further that they should intreat the people with all courtesie and that they should seeke out some conuenient place for building of Castles and Fortresses and that in any case if it were possible they should bring backe with them into Moscouia some of the Inhabitants of those Countryes These Messengers being sufficiently furnished with all things necessary for the Iourney namely Apparell Weapons Money and Presents departing from the Moscua not long after came to the Riuer Wichida and to the Oneekos who also sent some of their owne people with them Assoone as they were arriued into those parts they began to performe what was giuen them in charge shewing freely all tokens of courtesie vnto the barbarous people and carefully obseruing who were of greatest authoritie among them to whom they vsed reuerence and gaue gifts such as were of small and almost no value to themselues but which seemed so precious vnto the other that when the Moscouites were comming a farre off towards them they would stay for them with great dancings and clapping of their hands and cast themselues downe at the feet of the Giuers being so gallantly attyred accounting them altogether as Gods The Moscouites vsing the Samoieds for their Interpretors which had continued certayne yeeres in the Villages of Moscouia to learne their Language began to discourse with the Barbarians concerning their Emperour of Moscouie whom they wonderfully extolled and made him little lesse then an Earthly God enterlacing other things with all whereby those people were stirred vp to wish that they might behold these things with their eyes These their desires were pleasing to the Moscouites who signified that they were likewise well contented therewithall Adding that they would leaue certayne pledges among them which during the Samoieds abode in Moscouia might learne their Language And by this meanes they drew vnto their purpose the good will of many of the people on the West-side of Obi who of their owne accord subjected themselues to the authoritie of the Moscouites and suffered them to lay a Taxation vpon them promising yeerely of euery head not excepting the Boyes that were but yet learning to handle the Bow two skinnes of Sables which to themselues were of no value but esteemed of the Moscouites as precious as Iewels These they promised to deliuer to such a Treasurer as the Empero●r should ordayne Neither did they faile to performe the same After this the Messengers passed ouer the Riuer Obi and trauelled beyond it almost two hundred leagues toward the East and North-east hauing seene by the way many wild beasts of strong shapes most cleere Fountaynes

who being void of all discipline liue infamous to themselues and grieuous and troublesome to their common Countrey in slothfull and filthy idlenesse inuerting and changing that order instituted by God himselfe The care of which thing if the Magistrate would yet vndertake surely many should fare the better The second meanes and way of preuenting pouertie was a Law or Edict concerning those who desired to be admitted into a Reppe or become Citizens of Reppes For none was to be receiued into a Reppe vnlesse hee had first gone vnto the solemne assembly of that Reppe and desired that he might be admitted which they might not iustly denie vnlesse to one conuicted of theft or otherwise of some other crime or so poore that therefore hee was vnfit for the Reppes and that hee could not sustaine himselfe and his family without the common almes of the beggars But if any could not be present at this assembly hee was bound to intreat leaue of cohabitation of fiue inhabitants hauing lands of their owne and next vnto him whom hee was about to goe vnto If any of honest fame and rich in abilitie would notwithstanding goe into the Reppes without demanding leaue he retayned his habitation but yet was excluded from the Law and priuiledges of the Reppes But if any wicked and dishonest person had thrust himselfe in without leaue although he had lawfully hired void and emptie land from the Lord and Owner therof the same was to be expelled by force Titulus de Reppis cap. 48. To the same purpose appertaineth that Edict concerning seruants taken out of the Rep. cap. 47. of the same The third Statute against pouertie was concerning the restitution of priuate losse in the title recited before cap. 47. whereof an example shall bee giuen first in houses by chance consumed by fire and those of foure sorts For if a Store-house Kitchin Bed-chamber or Bed and Chappel had been burned the losse receiued was to be valued within fourteene dayes by fiue of the next neighbours as well of the house it selfe as of the most necessary things contained therein as of the prouision of victuals apparell and houshold-stuffe daily vsed onely properly belonging to the Master of the family excluding other mens goods as treasures and other things more precious because a man might bee a sufficient Citizen of Reppes without these Then the halfe part of the losse valued by the whole Reppe was to bee restored within an appointed time by Subsidies contributed in common according to the abilitie of euery Inhabitant Another example of this liberalitie enioyned by the Lawes is concerning Cattle destroyed by the Murren or Rot for if the fourth part of any mans Cattle or more dyed the losse likewise being valued within fourteene dayes after the Murren ceased was to bee releeued by common supplies for the halfe part as the former was But concerning both there was a caution added that this benefit should not be performed the fourth time least any thing through too much carelesnesse and retchlesse negligence should procure damage to himselfe De Reppis cap. 47. 48. The other part of the Office of the Reppagogi was imployed about the care of the poore concerning the maintaining of such with certaine contribution of almes as were now become beggers either through sicknesse or age or other casualties not in their owne power and also concerning the excluding of others who should not appertaine vnto the almes and diuers cases thereunto belonging This almes was either priuate or publike Priuate for the which a law was made concerning the receiuing of the beggers into the number of their family by their kindred or cousins one or more inabled by a certaine increase of wealth limitted by law and to bee maintained by certaine lawes according to the degree of hereditarie succession For as any was next to the inheritance of the begger if hee possessed goods so was hee accounted the first that should sustaine him But the next degree failing or the same being poore or not hauing wherewith to maintaine himselfe and his besides that begger that necessitie was imposed vpon the second or third degree of kindred c. to be releeued Publike almes was as often as the kindred or cousins of the beggar failed they liued by the helpe and reliefe of the Reppes euery one was to bee maintained in his Repp whereof there are prescript constitutions of lawes to wit what beggars should belong to what Repp and what not and concerning the driuing away and expelling of them by processe of law who appertaine not thereunto Therefore the Reppagogi partakers of a publike Office limited with these bounds proclaimed assemblies Some surely both in time and place standing or ordinary others not standing or extraordinary that is to say as often as any new matter came pertaining to their charge to bee determined Also priuate men might call extraordinary assemblies to wit they who had any cause worthy of an assembly and iudgement But the signe and token of hauing an assembly after the thousand yeere when they had now sworne to the Christian Faith peraduenture before Iupiters Hammer and battle Axe Hamor pors was according to the religion of that time a woodden Crosse which euery Inhabitant carryed to his neighbour at the day place and occasion of the assembly proclaimed of which signe intermitted or neglected a certaine penaltie was inflicted There therefore the Reppagogi concerning the matters appertaining to their charge consulted according to equitie and right determined them and punished the guiltie There the guiltie person if the iniury were priuate was cited into the Court of Iustice by him that was iniured euen without publike authoritie which also wee reade was vsed by the Spartanes but if the iniury were publike or if the partie iniured in a priuate offence would not cite the guiltie person or could not then was hee cited by some of the Rappagogi Priuate men also had libertie and power to sue the Reppagogi negligent in their Office or otherwise iuiurious where a penaltie of money fell to the Citizens of the Reppes all which and other things here belonging are handled in codice legum de Reppagogijs cap. 43. And concerning the inferiour Magistrates that is to say the Reppagogi onely to wit the first species of the Ciuill Magistrate Now followeth the superiour Magistracie which is distinguished into Gouernours of Prouinces and Iustices They were each of them Gouernours in euery Prouince which before I called Thirds to wit of euery Tetrade executing as well the publike Offices of the Courts of Iustice as of holy mysteries or they were Interpreters of the Law and matters of Religion although afterward the interpretation of the Law belonged more to the Iustices As with the Romanes the Aediles also vsurped part of the Praetorian Iurisdiction Among the ancient Hebrewes also the High Priests also among the Romanes the High Priests were sacrificers Whereupon Horatius carm lib. 3. Ode 23. Victima Pontificum secures ceruice tingit

These Gouernours therefore in that they had the charge of holy Mysteries were Priests in that they had to doe with the Court of Iustice and Iudgement they were Iudges we call them Noble-men in this place and the state of the Common-wealth gouerned by their ouersight an Aristocratie The same are called by our Country-men Godar and Hoffsgodar from the Church or Temple which is Hoff as it were Ouer-seers of the Church and their Office or Dignitie was called Godord to wit their name being next deriued from their Ethnick gods which they called God that euen by the name it selfe they who almost represented the Name and Office of the Gods might bee put in minde of the Vertues Wisdome and Iustice c. requisite in such a Gouernour And that they might shew themselues such I suppose the same place was appointed to iudgements of the seate of Iustice which was ordained for Sacred Mysteries to wit at the foresaid Temples And also therefore because the place of holy Mysteries was religiously thought fitter for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the taking of good counsell whereof there is especiall vse in the Court of Iustice. Moreouer the Prouinciall Gouernours had their two-fold assemblies as the Rappagogi had yeerely or ordinary meetings and proclaimed or extraordinary any necessitie requiring those former assemblies containing many dayes vid. Ka●pb cap. 8. Torn Log. and that as it is likely assembled by some signe of holding a meeting as we haue already said of Reppagogies which surely what it was in times past is not well knowne vnlesse it were that which afterwards and yet remaineth in vse the forme of a Noruegian axe of Wood carried about after the same manner among the prouinciall Citizens as we said a little before of the woodden crosse This token of the Iudiciall Court is called Bod in our language which signifieth a message Moreouer euery one paid some yearely tribute or reuenue to the Temples whereof the Guardian or Ouerseer of the Church was the Collector for speaking of holy mysteries pertaining to the Church I call euery Noble man so To him also came the penaltie of the Temple and Court of Iustice prophaned who likewise ought to maintaine the Temple or keepe it in reparations at his owne charge Lastly the necessity and specially care to amend and make good whatsoeuer damage done vnto the Prouince or to foresee and preuent it being imminent vsing the helpe of the Prouincials lay wholly vpon him so that for the destroying of Theeues and publique Robbers you may finde some who were prodigall of their owne life Contrarily it is a lamentable case how at this day we see it euery where come to passe where they make a great conscience to condemne a notorious Theefe by the Law or any other conuicted once or twice of any capitall crime much more to put him to death These are the Gouernours of Prouinces The Nomophylaces or Iustices follow The Nomophylax was the other kinde of the superiour Magistrate somewhat later then these of which sort in the whole auncient Citie of Island for we yet describe it at one and the same time there was onely one who of pronouncing or deliuering the Law was called Logmann and Logsogumann For the Commonwealth began not suddenly but by little and little to be framed therefore the Prouinciall Lawes were first of the like meaning though peraduenture not euery where the same before they had them compact and gathered into one body which when they attained for the custody and preseruation of the same they admitted trustie and wise men whom I call Nomophylaces and whose Office I shall very well describe in the words of D. Nicolaus Cragius declaring the Office of the Spartan Nomophylaces The Office of the Nomophylaces saith D. Cragius Li. 2. cap. 6. de Repub. Lacedaem was as we perceiue by the matter it selfe to haue charge of the custody and preseruation of Lawes for the benefit of the Common-wealth and that they should not suffer them to be abolished changed or taken away by any Moreouer they indeuoured that the force of the Lawes might not grow out of vse or the memory thereof be forgotten but they compelled the Magistrates to the often obseruation of them and execution of their dutie And further we may thinke these very men were the interpreters of Lawes if peraduenture any thing doubtfully set downe or hardly vnderstood should come in disputation This Cragius writeth the same which I doe of ours adding this that they had some manner of authority in their power together with the rest of the Nobility of changing renewing Lawes and also inlarging them as it were Orators and Counsellours the consent of the people being added Therefore the Nomophylaces or chiefe Iustices tooke nothing away from the forme of an Aristocratie but were as hath beene said before Interpreters and preseruers of the Law armed with publique authority for this purpose in whose power also the custody of the Booke of the Lawes remained But I dare proceede no further with our Author in his Law Suites and Courts lest I be therein detained with Demurs and tedious delaies I am a Traueller and howsoeuer I haue not so much for Island as for the knowledge of the Arctoan antiquities waded thus farre I will not tire the Reader further but remit the more curious to the Author himselfe who hath added much of their Lawes and a whole Booke of their auncient Grands and another of their Kings both here omitted The Kings of Norway began to haue dominion in Island A. 1261. diuers immunities reserued which Kingdome descending vpon Margaret by her was linked with that of Denmarke and so hath continued aboue 200. yeares ENGLISH NORTHERNE NAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES RELATIONS OF GREENELAND GROENLAND THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE AND OTHER ARCTIKE REGIONS WITH LATER RVSSIAN OCCVRRENTS THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. I. A Voyage set forth by the Right Worshipfull Sir THOMAS SMITH and the rest of the Muscouie Company to Cherry Iland and for a further discouerie to be made towards the North-Pole for the likelihood of a Trade or a passage that way in the Ship called the Amitie of burthen seuentie tuns in the which I IONAS POOLE was Master hauing fourteene men and one boy A.D. 1610. THE first of March 1609. I wayed at Black-wall and went to Grauesend The third day I went downe to the Noore-head The ninth wee wayed and put out to Sea blessed bee God and by the fifteenth day I was in the Bay of Rosse on the Coast of Norway in Latitude 65. degrees at what time the wind came Northerly and blew extreame fierce with great store of Snow and Frost The sixteenth day wee had the like weather and winds so that wee could not maintaine a mayne-course and we lost some of our Beere The seuenteenth day we had Snow and all the Beak-head was so laden with Ice that it seemed a firme lumpe and the wind at North which blew so fierce that we could

words following Through the will of the almightie and without beginning God which was before this world whom we glorifie in the Trinitie one onely God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost maker of all things worker of all in all euery where fulfiller of all things by which will and working he both liueth and giueth life to man that our onely God which enspireth euerie one of vs his onely children with his word to discerne God through our Lord Iesus Christ and the holy quickning spirit of life now in these perillous times established vs to keepe the right Scepter and suffer vs to raigne of our selues to the good profit of the land to the subduing of the people together with the enemies and the maintenance of vertue And so the Metropolitan blessed and laid his crosse vpon him After this he was taken out of his chaire of Maiesty hauing vpon him an vpper roabe adorned with precious stones of all sorts orient pearles of great quantity but alwayes augmented in riches it was in weight two hundred pounds the traine and parts thereof borne vp by six Dukes his chiefe imperiall Crowne vpon his head very precious his staffe imperiall in his right hand of an Vnicornes horne of three foote and a halfe in length beset with rich stones bought of Merchants of Ausburge by the old Emperour in Anno 1581. and cost him 7000. Markes sterling This Iewel Master Horsey kept sometimes before the Emperour had it His Scepter globe was carried before him by the Prince Boris Pheodorowich his rich cap beset with rich stones and pearles was carried before him by a Duke his sixe Crownes also were carried by Demetrius Iuanowich Godonoua the Emperours vnckle Mekita Romanowich th● Emperors vnckle Stephen Vasiliwich Gregorie Vasiliwich Iuan Vasiliwich brothers of the bloud royall Thus at last the Emperour came to the great Churchdoore and the people cried God saue our Emperour Pheodor Iuanowich of all Russia His Horse was there ready most richly adorned with a couering of imbrodered pearle and precious stones saddle and all furniture agreeable to it reported to be worth 300000. markes sterling There was a bridge made of a hundred fiftie fadomes in length three manner of waies three foot aboue ground and two fadome broad for him to goe from one Church to the other with his Princes and nobles from the presse of the people which were in number infinite and some at that time pressed to death with the throng As the Emperor returned out of the Churches they were spred vnder foot with cloth of Gold the porches of the Churches with red Veluet the Bridges with Scarlet stammelled cloth from one Church to another and as soone as the Emperor was passed by the cloth of gold veluet and scarlet was cut taken of those that could come by it euery man desirous to haue a piece to reserue it for a monument siluer and gold coine then minted of purpose was cast among the people in great quantitie The Lord Boris Pheodorowich was sumptuously and richly attired with his garments decked with great orient pearle beset with all sorts of precious stones In like rich manner were apparelled all the family of the Godonouaes in their degrees with the rest of the Princes and nobilitie whereof one named Knez Iuan Michalowich Glynsky whose roabe horse and furniture was in register found worth one hundred thousand markes sterling being of great antiquitie The Embresse being in her Pallace was placed in her chaire of Maiesty also before a great open window most precious and rich were her robes and shining to behold with rich stones and orient Pearles beset her crowne was placed vpon her head accompanied with her Princesses and Ladies of estate then cried out the people God preserue our noble Empresse Irenia After all this the Emperour came into the Parliament house which was richly decked there he was placed in his royall seat adorned as before his sixe crownes were set before him vpon a Table the Bason and Ewre royall of gold held by his knight of gard with his men standing two on each side in white apparell of cloth of siluer called Kindry with scepters and battle-axes of gold in their hands the Princes and nobility were all placed according to their degrees all in their rich roabes The Emperour after a short Oration permitted euery man in order to kisse his hand which being done he remoued to a princely seate prepared for him at the table where he was serued by his Nobles in very princely order The three out roomes being very great and large were beset with plate of gold and siluer round from the ground vp to the vauts one vpon the other among which plate were many barrels of siluer and gold this solemnitie and triumph lasted a whole weeke wherein many royall pastimes were shewed and vsed after which the chiefest men of the Nobilitie were elected to their places of office and dignitie as the Prince Boris Pheodorowich was made chiefe Counsellour to the Emperour Master of the Horse had the charge of his person Lieutenant of the Empire and warlike engins Gouernor or Lieutenant of the Empire of Cazan and Astracan and others to this dignitie were by Parliament and gift of the Emperour giuen him many reuenewes and rich lands as there was giuen him and his for euer to inherite a Prouince called Vaga of three hundred English miles in length and two hundred and fiftie in bredth with many Townes and great Villages populous and wealthy his yearely Reuenew out of that Prouince is fiue and thirtie thousand Markes sterling being not the fifth part of his yeare Reuenue Further he and his house be of such authoritie and power that in forty dayes warning they are able to bring into the field a hundred thousand Souldiours well furnished The conclusion of the Emperours Coronation was a peale of Ordnance called a Peale royall two miles without the Citie being a hundred and seuenty great pieces of brasse of all sorts as faire as any can be made these pieces were all discharged with shot against bulwarkes made of purpose twentie thousand hargubusers standing in eight ranks two miles in length apparelled all in veluet coloured silke and stammels discharged their shot also twise ouer in good order and so the Emperour accompanied with all his Princes and Nobles at the least fiftie thousand horse departed through the Citie to his palace This royall coronation would aske much time and many leaues of paper to be described particularly as it was performed it shall suffice to vnderstand that the like magnificence was neuer seene in Russia The Coronation and other triumphs ended all the Nobilitie officers and Merchants according to an accustomed order euery one in his place and degree brought rich presents vnto the Emperour wishing him long life and ioy in his kingdome The same time also Master Ierom Horsey aforesaid remaining as seruant in Russia for the Queens most excellent Maiestie was called for to the Emperour

as he sate in his Imperiall seat and the-also a famous Merchant of Netherland being newly come to Mosco who gaue him selfe out to be the King of Spaines subiect called Iohn de Wale was in like sort called for Some of the Nobilitie would haue preferred this subiect of the Spaniard before Master Horsey seruant to the Queen of England whereunto Master Horsey would in no case agree saying hee would haue his legges cut off by the knees before hee would yeelde to such an indignitie offered to his Soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie of England to bring the Emperour a present in course after the King of Spaines subiect or any other whatsoeuer The Emperour and the Prince Boris Pheodorowich perceuing the controuersie sent the Lord Treasurer Peter Iuanowich Galauyn and Vasili Shalkan both of the Counsell to them who deliuered the Emperour backe Master Horseys speech whereupon he was first in order as good reason admitted and presented the Emperour in the behalfe of the English Merchants trading thither a present wishing him ioy and long to raigne in tranquilitie and so kissed the Emperours hand he accepting the present with good liking and auouching that for his Sisters sake Queene Elizabeth of England he would be a gracious Lord to her Merchants in as ample manner as euer his Father had beene and being dismissed he had the same day sent him seauentie dishes of sundry kinds of meats with three carts laden with al sorts of drinks very bountifully After him was the foresaid subiect of the Spanish King admitted with his present whom the Emperor willed to be no lesse faithfull seruiceable vnto him then the Queen of Englands subiects were had been then the King of Spains subiects shold receiue fauor accordingly All these things thus in order performed prayses were sung in all the Churches The Emperour and Empresse very deuoutly resorted on foote to many principal Churches in the Citie and vpon Trinitie Sunday betooke themselues to a progresse in order of procession to a famous Monasterie called Sergius and the Trinitie sixtie miles distant from the Citie of Mosco accompanied with a huge armie of Noblemen Gentlemen and others mounted vpon goodly Horses with furniture accordingly The Empresse of deuotion tooke this iourney on foote all the way accompanyed with her Princesses and Ladies no small number her Guard and Gunners were in number twentie thousand her chiefe Counsellor or Attendant was a noble man of the bloud Royall her Vncle of great authoritie called Demetri Iuanowich Godonoua All this progresse ended both the Emperour and Empresse returned to Mosco shortly after the Emperour by the direction of the Prince Boris Pheodorowich sent a power into the Land of Siberia where all the rich Sables and Furres are gotten This power conquered in one yeere and a halfe one thousand miles In the performance of this warre there was taken prisoner the Emperour of the Country called Chare Sibersky and with him many other Dukes and Noble men which were brought to Mosco with a guard of Souldiers and Gunners who were receiued into the Citie in very honourable manner and doe there remaine to this day Hereupon the corrupt Officers Iudges Iustices Captaines and Lieutenants through the whole Kingdome were remooued and more honest men substituted in their places with expresse commandement vnder seuere punishment to surcease their old bribing and extortion which they had vsed in the old Emperours time and now to execute true iustice without respect of persons and to the end that this might be the better done their lands and yeerly stipends were augmented the great taskes customes and duties which were before laid vpon the people in the old Emperours time were now abated and some wholly remitted and no punishments commanded to be vsed without sufficient and due proofe although the crime were capitall deseruing death many Dukes and Noble men of great Houses that were vnder displeasure and imprisoned twentie yeeres by the old Emperour were now set at libertie and restored to their lands all prisoners were set at libertie and their trespasses forgiuen In summe a great alteration vniuersally in the gouernment followed and yet all was done quietly ciuilly peaceably without trouble to the Prince or offence to the Subiect and this bred great assurance and honour to the Kingdome and all was accomplished by the wisedome especially of Irenia the Empresse These things being reported and carried to the eares of the Kings and Princes that were borderers vpon Russia they grew so fearfull and terrible to them that the Monarch of all the Scythians called the Crim Tartar or great Can himselfe named Sophet Keri Alli came out of his owne Countrie to the Emperour of Russia accompanied with a great number of his Nobilitie well horsed although to them that were Christians they seemed rude yet they were personable men and valiant their comming was gratefull to the Emperour and their entertainment was honourable the Tartar Prince hauing brought with him his wiues also receiued of the Russe Emperour entertainment and Princely welcome according to their estates Not long after one thousand and two hundred Polish Gentlemen valiant Souldiers and proper men came to Mosco offering their seruice to the Emperour who were all entertayned and in like sort many Chirkasses and people of other Nations came and offered seruice And as soone as the report of this new created Emperour was spred ouer other Kingdomes of Europe there were sent to him sundrie Ambassadors to wish him ioy and prosperitie in his Kingdome thither came Ambassadors from the Turke from the Persian the Bogharian the Crim the Georgian and many other Tartar Princes There came also Ambassadors from the Emperour of Almaine the Pole the Swethen the Dane c. And since his Coronation no enemie of his hath preuailed in his attempts It fell out not long after that the Emperour was desirous to send a message to the most excellent Queene of England for which seruice he thought no man fitter then Master Ierome Horsey supposing that one of the Queenes owne men and subiects would bee the more acceptable to her The summe of which message was That the Emperor desired a continuance of that league friendship amitie and intercourse of traffique which was betweene his Father and the Queenes Maiestie and her Subiects with other priuate affaires besides which are not to bee made common Master Horsey hauing receiued the Letters and Requests of the Emperour prouided for his iourney ouer Land and departed from Mosco the fift day of September thence vnto Otuer to Torshook to great Nouogrod to Vobskie and thence to Nyhouse in Liuonia to Wenden and so to Riga where he was beset and brought forthwith before a Cardinall called Rageuil but yet suffered to passe in the end From thence to Mito to Golden and Libou in Curland to Memel to Koningsburgh in Prussia to Elbing to Dantzike to Stetine in Pomerland to Rostock to Lubeck to Hamborough to Breme to Emden and by

Bamba where he kept himselfe in the Mountaines by reason of the rough and difficult accesse and there the Successors Inguas remayned vntill Amaro who was taken and executed in the market place of Cusco to the Indians incredible griefe and sorrow seeing iustice done vpon him publiquely whom they held for their Lord. After which time they imprisoned others of the Linage of these Inguas I haue knowne Don Charles grand-child to Guaynacapa and sonne to Polo who was baptized and alwayes fauoured the Spaniards against Mangocapa his brother when the Marquesse of Canette gouerned in this Country Sarritopaingua went from Vilcabamba and came vpon assurance to the Citie of Kings where there was giuen to him the Valley of Yucay and other things to whom succeeded a daughter of his Behold the succession which is knowne at this day of that great and rich Familie of the Inguas whose raigne continued aboue three hundred yeeres wherein they reckon eleuen Successors vntill it was wholly extinguished In the other Linage of Vrincusco which as we haue said before had his beginning likewise from the first Mangocapa they reckon eight Successors in this sort To Mangocapa succeeded Cinchoraca to him Capac Yupangui to him Lluqui Yupangui to him Mayraca paest Tarcogumam vnto whom succeeded his sonne whom they name not to this sonne succeeded Don Iean Tambo Maytapanaça This sufficeth for the originall and succession of the Inguas that gouerned the Land of Peru with that that I haue spoken of their Lawes Gouernment and manner of Life ALthough you may see by the Historie written of the Kingdome succession and beginning of the Mexicans their manner of Commonweale and Gouernment yet will I speake briefly what I shall thinke fit in generall to bee most obserued whereof I w●ll discourse more amply in the Historie The first point whereby wee may iudge the Mexican gouernment to bee very politike is the order they had and kept inuiolable in the election of their King for since their first called Acamapach vnto their last which was Moteçuma the second of that name there came none to the Crowne by right of succession but by a lawfull Nomination and Election This election in the beginning was by the voice of the Commons although the chiefe men managed it Since in the time of Iscoalt the fourth King by the aduise and order of a wise and valiant man called Tlacael there were foure certaine Electors appointed which with two Lords or Kings subiect to the Mexican the one of Tescuco and the other of Tucuba had power to make this election They did commonly choose young men for their Kings because they went alwayes to the warres and this was in a manner the chiefe cause why they desired them so They had a speciall regard that they should bee fit for the warres and take delight and glorie therein After the election they made two kindes of feasts the one in taking possession of the Royall Estate for the which they went to the Temple making great ceremonies and sacrifices vpon the Harth called Diuine where there was a continuall fire before the Altar of the Idoll and after some Rhetoricians practised therein made many Orations and Speeches The other feast and the most solemne was at his Coronation for the which hee must first ouercome in battell and bring a certaine number of Captiues which they must sacrifice to their gods hee entred in triumph with great pompe making him a solemne reception aswell they of the Temple who went all in procession sounding on sundrie sorts of instruments giuing Incense and singing like secular men as also the Courtiers who came forth with their deuises to receiue the v●ctorious King The Crowne or royall Ensigne was before like a Myter and behinde it was cut so as it was not round for the forepart was higher and did rise like a point The King of Tescuco had the priuilege to crown the King of Mexico In the beginning when the Mexicans were but poore and weake the Kings were very moderate in their expenses and in their Court but as they increased in power they increased likewise in pompe and state vntill they came to the greatnesse of Moteçuma who if he had had no other thing but his house of Beasts and Birds it had beene a proud thing the like whereof hath not beene seene for there was in this house all sorts of fish birds of Xacamamas and beasts as in an other Noahs Arke for Sea fish there were Pooles of salt-water and for Riuer fish Lakes of fresh-water birds that doe prey were fed and likewise wilde beasts in great abundance there were very many Indians imployed for the keeping of these beasts and when he found an impossibilitie to nourish any sort of fish fowle or wilde beast he caused the Image or likenesse to be made richly cut in precious stones siluer or gold in marble or in stone and for all sorts of entertainments he had his seuerall Houses and Palaces some of pleasure others of sorrow and mourning and others to treat of the affaires of the Realme There was in this Palace many Chambers according to the qualitie of the Noble men that serued him with a strange order and distinction THe Mexicans haue beene very curious to diuide the degrees and dignities amongst the noble men and Lords that they might distinguish them to whom they were to giue the greatest honor The dignitie of these foure Electors was the greatest and most honorable next to the King and they were chosen presently after the Kings election They were commonly brothers or very neere Kinsmen to the King and were called Tlacohecalcalt which signifies Prince of darts the which they cast being a kinde of armes they vse much The next dignitie to this were those they doe call Tlacatecati which is to say Circumcisers or Cutters of men The third dignitie were of those which they called Ezuahuacalt which signifies A shedder of bloud All the which Titles and Dignities were exercised by men of warre There was another a fourth intituled Tlilancalqui which is as much to say as Lord of the blacke house or of darknesse by reason of certaine Inke wherewith the Priests anointed themselues and did serue in their Idolatries All these foure Dignities were of the great Counsell without whose aduise the King might not doe any thing of importance and the King being dead they were to choose another in his place out of one of those foure Dignities Besides these there were other Counsels and Audiences and some say there were as many as in Spaine and that there were diuers Seates and Iurisdictions with their Counsellors and Iudges of the Court and others that were vnder them as Corrigidors chiefe Iudges Captaines of Iustice Lieutenants and others which were yet inferior to these with a very goodly order All which depended on the foure first Princes that assisted the King These foure onely had authoritie and power to condemne

to death and the rest sent them instructions of the Sentences they had giuen By meanes whereof they gaue the King to vnderstand what had passed in his Realme There was a good order and settled policie for the Reuenues of the Crowne for there were Officers diuided throughout all the Prouinces as Receiuers and Treasurers which receiued the Tributes and Royall Reuenues And they carried the Tribute to the Court at the least euery moneth which Tribute was of all things that doe grow or ingender on the Land or in the water aswell of Iewels and Apparell as of Meat They were very carefull for the well ordering of that which concerned their Religion Superstition and Idolatries and for this occasion there were a great number of Ministers to whom charge was giuen to teach the people the custome and ceremonies of their Law Hereupon one day a christian Priest made his complaint that the Indians were no good Christians and did not profit in the Law of God an old Indian answered him very well to the purpose in these termes Let the Priest said he imploy as much care and diligence to make the Indians Christians as the Ministers of Idols did to teach them their ceremonies for with halfe that care they will make vs the best Christians in the world for that the Law of Iesus Christ is much better but the Indians learne it not for want of men to instruct them Wherein he spake the very truth to our great shame and confusion THe Mexicans gaue the first place of honour to the profession of Armes and therefore the Noble-men are their chiefe Souldiers and others that were not noble by their valour and reputation gotten in warres came to Dignities and Honors so as they were held for Noble-men They gaue goodly recompences to such as had done valiantly who inioyed priuiledges that none else might haue the which did much incourage them Their Armes were of Rasors of sharpe cutting flints which they set on either side of a staffe which was so furious a weapon as they affirmed that with one blow they would cut off the necke of a Horse They had strange and heauy Clubs Lances fashioned like Pikes and other manner of Darts to cast wherein they were very expert but the greatest part of their combate was performed with stones For defensiue armes they had little Rondaches or Targats and some kinde of Morions or Head-pieces inuironed with feathers They were clad in the skinnes of Tigres Lions and other sauage beasts They came presently to hands with the Enemie and were greatly practised to runne and wrestle for thir chiefe manner of combate was not so much to kill as to take Captiues the which they vsed in their sacrifices as hath beene said Moteçuma set Knight-hood in his highest splendor ordayning certaine militarie orders as Commanders with certaine markes and ensignes The most honorable amongst the Knights were those that carried the crowne of their haire tied with a little red Ribband hauing a rich plume of feathers from the which did hang branches of feathers vpon their shoulders and rolls of the same They carried so many of these rolls as they had done worthy deeds in warre The King himselfe was of this order as may be seene in Chapultepec where Moteçuma and his sonnes were attyred with those kindes of feathers cut in the Rocke the which is worthy the sight There was another order of Knight-hood which they called the Lions and the Tigres the which were commonly the most valiant and most noted in warre they went alwayes with their Markes and Armories There were other Knights as the Grey Knights the which were not so much respected as the rest they had their haire cut round about the eare They went to the warre with markes like to the other Knights yet they were not armed but to the girdle and the most honorable were armed all ouer All Knights might carry gold and siluer and weare rich Cotton vse painted and gilt vessell and carry shooes after their manner but the common people might vse none but earthen vessell neither might they carry shooes nor attire themselues but in Nequen the which is a grosse stuffe Euery order of these Knights had his lodging in the Pallace noted with their markes the first was called the Princes lodging the second of Eagles the third of Lyons and Tigers and the fourth of the grey Knights The other common officers were lodged vnderneath in meaner lodging● if any one lodged out of his place he suffred death THere is nothing that giues me more cause to admire nor that I finde more worthy of commendations and memory then the order and care the Mexicans had to nourish their youth for they knew well that all the good hope of a Common-weale consisted in the nurture and institution of youth whereof Plato treates amply in his bookes De Legibus and for this reason they laboured and tooke paines to sequester their children from delights and liberties which are the two plagues of this age imploying them in honest and profitable exercises For this cause there was in their Temples a priuate house for children as Schooles or Colledges which was seperate from that of the yong men and maides of the Temple whereof we haue discoursed as large There were in these Schooles a great number of children whom their fathers did willingly bring thither and which had teachers and masters to instruct them in all commendable exercises to be of good behauiour to respect their superiours to serue and obey them giuing them to this end certaine precepts and instructions And to the end they might be pleasing to Noblemen they taught them to sing and dance and did practise them in the exercise of warre some to shoote an Arrow to cast a dart or a staffe burnr at the end and to handle well a Target and a Sword They suffered them not to sleepe much to the end they might accustome themselues to labour in their youth and not be men giuen to delights Besides the ordinary number of these children there were in the same Colledges other children of Lords and Noblemen the which were instructed more priuately They brought them their meate and ordinary from their houses and were recommended to ancients and old men to haue care ouer them who continually did aduise them to be vertuous and to liue chastely to be sober in their diet to fast and to march grauely and with measure They were accustomed to exercise them to trauell and in laborious exercises and when they see them instructed in all these things they did carefully looke into their inclination if they found any one addicted vnto warre being of sufficient yeares they sought all occasions to make triall of them sending them to the warre vnder colour to carrie victuals and munition to the Souldiers to the end they might there see what passed and the labour they suffered And that they might abandon all feare they were laden