Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
heaven_n holy_a lord_n spirit_n 6,929 5 4.9769 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

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

There are 11 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

twy-light Mattins in the morning and their houres at the first third sixt and ninth houre of the day and that all this if it be possible should be done in the Church humbly kneeling or standing before the Altar with their faces towards the East The Lords prayer and the Apostles Creed were then vsed to be sayd as they are now at this day Saint Hierome at the instance of Pope Damasus distributed and digested the Psalmes by the dayes assigning to euery houre his proper Psalmes and their number as nine at nocturns vpon holy dayes and 12. vpon working daies for the laudes at Mattins fiue fiue at euen-song and at all other houres three and it was chiefly he that disposed and set in order the Gospels Epistles all other things which as yet be read out of the old new Testament sauing only the hymnes Damasus diuiding the Quire of singing men into two parts appointed them to sing in course the Anthemes written by S. Ambrose Bishop of Millaine added Gloria Patri to the end of euery Antheme The Toletan Agathon Councels allowed the lessons hymnes which be read before euery houre The prayers grails tracts alleluias offertories communions in the Masse anthems versicles tropes and other things sung and read to the honor of God in the office of the Masse as well for the day as night were penned by S. Gregory Gelasius Ambros and diuers others of the holy Fathers not all at once but at diuers times The Masse for so is that sacrifice called was celebrated at the first in that simple furniture and plaine manner as it is now vsed vpon Easter Eue. Pope Celestinus added the Priests manner of entrance to the altar the Gloria in excelsis was annexed by Telesphorus the hymne which begins et in terra was composed by Hillarie Bishop of Poictiers and was afterwards by Symachus ordained to be sung The salutations taken out of the booke of Ruth which the priest pronounceth 7. times in the Masse by saying Dominus vobiscum were appointed by Clement Anacletus Gelasius disposed the rest to the offertory in the Order they be now vsed except the Sequentiae which are said after the Masse and these Nicholas added the Apostles Creed which Damasus annexed vnto them out of the Constantinopolitan councell The Sermon which is preached to the people by the priest or deacon standing in a pulpit vppon holy-daies was rather vsed by tradition after the examples of Nehemias or Esdras then instituted by any other in which Sermon the people that be present at Masse bee admonished to communicate as in duty they are bound and that they should imbrace mutual loue that they should be purged from their sins not be polluted with vices when they receiue the Sacrament of the altar and for that cause he concludeth his Sermon with the publike confession of sinners he declareth moreouer vnto them the contents of the old and new Testament and putteth them in mind of the ten Commandements the twelue Articles of our beleefe the seuen Sacraments of the Church the liues and Martyrdomes of Saints the holy-dayes and fasting daies instituted and ordained by the Church the vices and vertues and all other things necessarie for a Christian to know Pope Gregory added the Offertory to the Masse and Leo the Prefaces Gelasius and Sixtus the greater and lesser Canons and Gregory the Lords prayer out of the Gospell of Saint Mathew Martial Saint Peters Disciple instituted that Bishoppes should giue the benediction and Innocentius that inferior Priests should offer the Pax Agnus Dei was adioyned by Sergius the Communion by Gregorie and the Conclusion in these wordes Ite missa est Benedicamus Domino or Deo gratias was inuented by Pope Leo. The twelue Articles of our Faith which the holy Apostles haue commanded euery one not onely to acknowledge but most constantly to beleeue be these following The first that there is one God in Trinitie the Father Almightie Maker of heauen and earth the second That Iesus Christ is his onely begotten Sonne our Lord the third that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary the fourth that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried the fift that he descended into hell and the third day rose againe from the dead the sixt that he ascended into heauen and that there hee sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty the seuenth that he shall come againe in glorie to iudge both the quicke and the dead the eight that there is a holy Ghost the ninth that there is a holy Catholike Church the tenth that there is a Communion of Saints and remission of sinnes the eleuenth that there is a resurrection of the flesh and the twelfth that there is an eternall life after death in another world The tenne Commandements which were written with the finger of God and deliuered by the hands of his seruant Moses to the people of Israel and which he willed vs to obserue and keepe be these following The first to beleeue that there is one God the second not to take the name of God in vaine the third to keepe holy the Sabbath day the fourth to honour our fathers and betters the fift to do no murther the sixt not to commit adulterie the seuenth not to steale the eighth not to beare false witnesse the ninth not to couet other mens goods and the tenth not to desire another mans wife nor any thing that is his The seuen Sacraments of the Church which bee included in the last fiue Articles of our faith and which the holy Fathers haue commanded vs to beleeue be these following First Baptisme and this Sacrament heretofore as it was established by a canonicall sanction was not ministred vnto any vnlesse vpon very vrgent necessitie but vnto such as were afore-hand well instructed in the faith and sufficiently catechised and examined thereof seuen sundrie times to wit vpon certaine dayes in Lent and vppon the vigils of Easter and Penticost beeing the vsuall times for consecration in all Parishes But this Sacrament beeing aboue all the rest most necessarie vnto saluation and least any one should depart out of this life without the benefit thereof it was ordained that as soon as an infant was borne he should haue God-fathers procured for him to be his witnesses or sureties and that then the child beeing brought by his God-fathers before the church doore the Priest standing there for the purpose should demand of the child before he dippe him in the holy Font whether he will forsake the Diuell and all his pompes and whether he stedfastly beleeue all the Articles of the Christian faith and the God-fathers affirming on his behalfe the Priest bloweth three times in the Infants face and when he hath exorcized and catechized him he doth these seuen things in order vnto the child first he putteth hallowed salt into his mouth secondly hee annointeth his eyes eares and
redeeming thence Adam his sons Al these things Christ did wherfore he was replenished with diuinity and that diuinity was with his soule also with his most holy body which diuinity gaue vertue to the crosse which diuinity he euer had yet hath commune with the Father in Trinity Vnity nor did that Christ while he walked vpō the earth euer want his diuinity for the least twinckling of an eye After this he was buried and the third day the same Iesus Christ the Prince of resurrection Iesus Christ the chiefe of the Priests Iesus Christ the King of Israel arose againe with great power and fortitude and after all things were fulfilled which the holy Prophets fore-shewed hee ascended with great glorie triumph into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the Father and he shall come againe in glorie carrying his crosse before his face and the sword of Iustice in his hand to iudge both the quicke and the dead of whose kingdome shall be no end I beleeue one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church I beleeue one Baptisme which is the remission of sinnes I hope for and beleeue the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come Amen I beleeue in our Ladie the blessed Virgin Mary a Virgin I say both in spirit and flesh who as the mother of Christ is the charity of all people the Saint of Saints and Virgin of Virgins whome I do worshippe all manner of wayes I beleeue the sacred wood of the crosse to bee the bed of the sorow of our Lord Iesus Christ the son of God which Christ is our saluation by whome wee be saued a scandall to the Iewes and foolishnesse to the Gentils But we preach and beleeue the strength of the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ euen as S. Paul our Doctor hath taught vs. I beleeue S. Peter to be the rocke of the lawe which law is founded vpon the holy Prophets the foundation and head of the Catholike and Apostolike Church both east and west where euer is the name of our Lord Iesus Christ the power of which Church Peter the Apostle hath and the keyes of the kingdome of heauen with which he can shut and open loose and bind and hee shall sit with the other Apostles his fellowes vpon twelue seats with honor and praise with our Lord Iesus Christ who in the day of Iudgement shall pronounce the sentence vpon vs which day to the Saints shall be cause of ioy but to the wicked griefe and gnashing of teeth when they shall bee cast out into the burning flames of hell fire with their father the Diuell I beleeue that the holy Prophets and Apostles Martyrs and Confessors were the right imitators of Christ whom with the most blessed Angels of God I worship honor in like maner also do I imbrace affect as their followers Also I beleeue that vocall and auricular confession of all my sinnes is to bee made to the priest by whose prayers through Christ our Lord I hope to obtain saluation Moreouer I acknowledge the B. of Rome to bee the chiefPastor of the sheep of Christ yeelding obedience vnto all Patriarks Cardinals Archb. Bishops of whom he is head as vnto the Ministers of Christ himselfe This is my faith and law and of al the people of Aethiopia that be vnder the power of Precious Iohn which faith the loue of Christ be so confirmed amongst vs as with the help of our Sauiour I shall neuer deny it neither by death fire nor sword which faith all we shall carry with vs in the day of iudgment before the face of the same Lord Iesus Christ Now hauing gone thus farre I will expresse the discipline doctrine and law which the Apostles in their holy books of Councels and Canons which we call Manda Abethylis haue taught vs and of those bookes of the ordonances of the Church there be 8. all which were compiled by the Apostles when they were assembled together at Ierusalem wherof making great inquiry of many Doctours after I came into Portugall I found none that did remember them The obseruatiōs which the Apostles prescribed vnto vs in these bookes be these following First that we ought to fast euery wednesday in remembrance of the Iewes Councell for vpon that day they consulted and decreed amongst themselues that Christ shold be killed and that we shold fast euery Friday vpon which day Christ Iesus was crucified and died for our sins and vpon these two dayes we are commanded to fast till the Sun-setting They also inioyned vs to fast with bread water the forty daies of Lent and to pray seuen times in the day and night By those edicts also we be bound to celebrate our sacrifice vppon Wednesdayes and Fridayes in the euening because at that time our Lord Iesus Christ yeelded vp the ghost vpon the holy Crosse They willed also that vpon Sundaies we should al assemble together in the holy church at the third houre of the day from the Sun rising to reade and heare the bookes of the Prophets and that after that we should preach the Gospell and celebrate Masse Moreouer they appointed nine festiuall daies to be celebrated in memorie of Christ to wit the Annunciation the Natiuity the Circumcision the Purification or Candlemas his Baptisme Palm sunday vnto the octaues of good Friday as we term it which be 12. dayes the Ascension also and the Feast of Penticost with their holy dayes And by the precepts of these bookes we eate flesh euery day without any exception from the Feast of Easter vnto Penticost neither bee we bound to fast in all this time vnto the octaues of Penticost which thing we do for the more honour reuerence of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ They will vs also to celebrate the day of the death assumption of the Virgin Mary with all honor Moreouer besides the precepts of the Apostles one of the Precious Iohns surnamed The seed of Iacob ordained that besides these dayes euery thirtith yere 3. dayes should be celebrated in honor of the same blessed Virgin he also commanded one day in euery moneth to be celebrated for the Natiuity of our Sauior Christ which is euer the 25. day of the month in like manner he appointed one day in euery moneth to be kept holy in honor of S. Michael Furthermore by the cōmandement of the Apostles Synods wee celebrate the day of the Martyrdom of S. Stephen and of other Martyrs We he bound also by the institution of the Apostles to sollemnize two dayes to wit the Sabbath and the Lords day in which daies it is not lawfull for vs to do any manner of businesse no not the least trifle The Sabbath day we obserue for this cause for that God hauing perfected the Creation of the world rested vpon that day which day as it was his will it should be called the Holy of Holies so if that day should not be reuerenced
Synai where the Lord spake vnto Moyses saying Moyses Moyses put off thy shooes from thy feet because the ground wherevpon thou standest is holy ground and this Mount Synai is the mother of our Churches from whom they tooke their beginning as the Apostles did from the prophets and the New Testament from the Old Furthermore it is not lawfull for Lay-men or Clergy or for any other person of what condition soeuer hee bee after hee hath receiued the blessed Sacrament of the Altar to spit or cast from the morning till the sunne setting and if any doe spit hee is seuerely punished Also in memory of Christs Baptisme wee be all euery yeere baptised vpon the feast day of the Epiphanie of our Lord and this we doe not that we beleeue that it pertaineth to our saluation but for the laude praise and glory of our Sauiour neither doe wee celebrate any other feast more solemly or bountifully with shewes plaies and ceremonies then wee doe this because vpon this day the holy Trinity did first manifestly appeare when our Lord Iesus Christ was baptised in the riuer of Iordan when the holy Ghost descended vpon his head in forme of a Doue and a voice proclayming from Heauen This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased which holy Ghost appearing in forme of a white Doue appeared in shew and figure of the Father and Sonne in one Diuinity In like manner Christ was seene of the holy Prophets in many similitudes formes and likenesses first in forme of a white Ram for the preseruation of Isaack the Sonne of Abraham And in like manner hee named Iacob Israel and Iacob Iudas the Lions whelpe to whom hee gaue power ouer his other brethren saying thou didest rise vp my sonne to the prey and when thou didest rest thou didest lie still like a Lion and Lionesse who shall raise him vp Hee also manifested himselfe to Moyses in Mount Synai in forme of a flame of fire hee shewed himselfe to the holy Prophet Daniel in similitude of a Rocke hee appeared also to Ezechiell the Sonne of Man and to Isaias in likenesse of an infant he declared himselfe to King Dauid and to Gedeon like a frost vpon a fleese of wool and besides these similitudes recited hee was seene of his holy Prophets in many other formes and notwithstanding hee was seene in so many sundrie formes yet hee alwaies represented the similitude of the Father and of the holy Ghost And when GOD created the world hee said Let vs make man according to our similitude and likenesse and hee made Adam after his owne similitude and likenesse wherfore wee say that the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three countenances in one similitude and diuinity Wee haue receiued circumcision euer from the time of Queene Saba which wee obserue vntill this day The proper name of this Queene Saba was Maqueda who was a worshipper of Idoles after the manner of her auncestors into whose eares when the fame of the wisdome of Solomon was entred shee sent a certaine wise man vnto Ierusalem to finde out the truth and to certifie her of the wisdome of that King who beeing returned and shewing the truth vnto her shee sodainely prouided her selfe to take her iourney towardes Ierusalem and when shee was thither come besides many other things which King Solomon taught her shee learned the law and the prophets and returning into her country hauing obtained libertie to depart in her iourney shee brought forth a sonne which was gotten by a King whom she called Meilech and him the Queene brought vp with her selfe in Aethiopia vntill hee was 20. yeers of age and then sent him back vnto Solomon his father that of him he might learne vnderstanding and wisdom desiting by her letters that he would consecrate and make his Sonne Meilech King of Aethiopi a before the Arke of the couenant of the will or testament of the Lord and that from thence-forth women should gouerne no more in Aethiopia as then the custome was but that the male children should lineally succeed in the Kingdome When Meilech came to Ierusalem he easily obtained of his father his mothers requests for Meilech was called Dauid whom when he was sufficiently instructed in the law in other disciplines his father Solomon determined to send him back to his mother decked in gallāt attire and furniture fit for a King and the more to shew his bounty he gaue vnto him noble followers companions and the sonnes of great men who should serue him as their King Moreouer he decreed to send with him Azarias the high priest the sonne of Zadoch the high priest likewise which when Azarias vnderstood he exhorted Dauid that he would intreat liberty of his father for him to sacrifice for good successe in their iourney before the Arke of the couenant of the Lord which beeing obtained of Solomon Azarias as sodainely and as secretly as he could caused tables to be hewen and squared like vnto the tables of the Testament of the Lord and when they were perfected he went to sacrifice and in the time of sacrifice hee priuily and very cunningly stole the true tables of the couenant of the Lord from the Arke and set in there places the counterfeit tables which hee brought with him without the priuity of any man butonly God and himself This declaration wee Aethiopians receiue as most holy and most approued as by the History of the same King Dauid which is most pleasant to read doth appeare the volume of which History is full as thicke as all Saint Paules Epistles When Dauid was come into the borders of Aethiopia Azarias entred into his tent disclosed and reuealed vnto him that which thetherto hee had kept secret to himself that is to say that he had the Tables of the couenāt of the Lord which whē Dauid vnderstood he ran hastily to the tent where Azarias had the tables of the couenāt of the Lord and there in imitation of King Dauid his grand-father he began to daunce for exceeding ioy before the Arke wherein the tables were which when the people saw and vnderstanding the matter they all of them in like manner exulted with mirth and great ioy And then Dauid passing through much part of Aethiopia came lastly to his mother who forth-with yeelded vp into his hands the gouernment of all the prouinces laying vpon his shoulders the whole care of the Kingdome And from that time euen vntill this day being almost the space of two thousand and sixe hundred yeeres the Kingdome of Aethiopia hath lineally descended from male heire to male heire and since that time wee obserue the law of the Lord and circumcision as before is said and likewise since that time hitherto the offices which Solomon ordained for his sonne Dauid for the guiding of his Court are kept and obserued in the same order and families as they were at that time neither hath the Emperor himselfe power to assigne others of other kinreds to
of all men you haue already begun to cure the calamities where with the Church is dayly oppressed and with your care and industrie so to effect it that all the whole world may obey and beleeue in one onely Christ and imbracing the true beleefe may be obedient vnto you as vnto Peters successor and to your admonitions in all things which pertaine to the saluation of their soules which when you haue brought to passe wee will say that by your meanes the Prophesie of one sheapheard and one flock is fulfilled the true commendations whereof when you haue obtained which of the Popes may bee deemed so famous as your self either in honor happinesse or merit or to whom with so much right may wee yeeld the triple Crownc as to your selfe For the obtaining whereof although the times be otherwise very vnfortunate yet haue you many occasions ministred vnto you I call the times vnfortunate by reason of those calamities which in Europe are by your selfe to be cured for of none be we more strongly resisted then of the enimie that liueth at our elbow but let vs now omitte to speake of those troublesome cares which wee bee well assured are euer in your minde and come to other matters more calme and temperate which carry great hope that as it were an other new world imbracing the faith of Christ may acknowledge your holinesse Maiestie and Empire Wherefore if you shall so handle these businesses that the Church both in Aethiopia and Europe hauing you her gouernour and protector may escape and auoide all perill and shipwrack and arriue into the hauen of saluation wee shall then sing in your praise that Propheticall Canticle contained in the Booke of Wisdome viz. I will passe through all lower parts of the earth I will behold all those that sleepe and illuminate all those that trust in the Lord behold I haue not laboured for my selfe onely but for all those that seeke the truth Now at length is the time wherein wee trust that this Prophesie will bee fulfilled by you behold here the Aethiopians a large and spacious nation and most desirous of Christ whose Emperor a man of great sanctitie desiring the amity and friendship of the Christian Princes of Europe hath sent his Embassadors vnto you and to the mighty and inuincible Kings of Portugall by whom as by his letters doth appeare hee doth not onely couet Christian friendship and charity betwixt him-selfe and the Princes of Europe but also perceiuing the bitter discords and dissentions that continually raigne amongst them doth most deuoutly and feruently admonish and exhort them to Christian peace and concorde a matter whereof all of vs may bee ashamed for now the Queene of Saba riseth vp and calleth vs into iudgment reprehending our faults Christs Prophesies bee now fulfilled And those which hee elected are by little and little fallen out of his fellowship and his commandements and promises are come vnto those which were teputed Ethnicks and strangers vnto Christ for the Emperour of Aethiopia with all the kingdomes vnder his dominion as by this our declaration shall appeare couet nor desire nothing more then to liue vnder your discipline neither is hee ignorant by the doctrine of the Apostles which hee hath deuided into eight bookes that the gouernment and principallity of all the Bishops of the world belongeth and is due to the Bishop of Rome whom plainly and godlyly hee is willing to obey desiring of him to be well and holily instructed in the institutions and ordinances of the Church of Christ for which purpose he coueteth with great desire to haue learned mē sent vnto him and not contented there-with to the end that the memory of his desires may remaine to all posterity hee intreateth that the truth of this matter may bee recorded and registred in the Popes Annals that so his Epistles and most godly requests may bee inlightned by the Ecclesiasticall history and that those which shall bee borne hereafter may know at what time and vnder what Pope these things were done And I nothing doubt but that your holinesse hath already sent or forthwith will send vnto him learned men and skilfull in the Scriptures and well instructed in other artes by whose learning and industry and also by the preaching and labour of many others already sent thither by the renowned Kings of Portugall Emanuell and Iohn his sonne you will so handle the businesse that all the Christians liuing in Aethiopia and India may by little and little yeeld obedience to the lawes of the Romaine Bishops whom they feare not already to confesse to bee the Vicars of Christ and so they being once by your indeuour ioyned vnto vs by the true religion and gathered together into one fold vnder one shepheard Christ we may perceiue that the mercy of our Lord is confirmed ouer vs that his kingdome indureth for all ages and that his power extendeth vnto all generations and then all flesh shall praise his holy name for euer and euer But least my exhortation may seeme more tedious then is needfull especially vnto him of whose life and doctrine we are and ought all of vs to be imitators I will proceed to my declaration which I will set out more at large that thereby I may more plainly shew vpon what grounds and principles this sacred league and amitie betwixt Prestor Ioan and the Kings of Portugall was established hoping that in declaring those things which bee true and lawfull I may inflame the mindes of the Readers and accite them to those designements whereby the faith of Christ may bee more aboundantly planted preached and reuerenced in all corners of the earth In the yeare from the birth of our Sauiour and redeemer Iesus Christ one thousand foure hundred thirty and three Iohn the first King of Portugal surnamed of famous memory he which freed Portugall from the often incursions and assaults of the Castilians wherewith it was almost made vast desolate departing out of this mortall life of all his other sonnes which hee left behind him his sonne Henry excelled in learning and especially in the study of Mathematickes who for the great desire hee had to know the motion of the heauens liued a single life and for that hee might more deepely and accurately meditate and consider the course of the starres he liued in a holy promontory called Saint Vincents head which place he chose out for that the heauens bee there for the most part calme and temperate least the clowds interposing themselues betwixt the heauens and his instruments his consideration and iudgment of the course of the heauens might be thereby hindred This Henry to the end he might receiue some fruite of his studies determined to seeke out with his owne ships and at his owne charge that which by often watchings he had found out to be so to wit that the Atlantick Ocean floweth into the Indian and the Indian againe into the Atlanticke and therevpon sending ships thither diuerse times they
and of vnreproueable manners both which I haue knowne by sight These two and Mathew the Ethiopian Embassador sayled towards India vnder the conduct of Lupo Soarez the Viceroy and after his death vnder Viceroy Didaco Lupeza a Sequeira who was Lupos successor with a Nauy well furnished which hee had prepared against the Turkes by whom they were brought to a hauen called Arquicum situated vpon the Erythraean shore vnder the dominiō of Prester Iohn into which hauen the ship ariued vpon the second day of Aprill in the yeare of Christ 1520. In which iourney Edward Galuanus dyed in Camara an Island in the Erythraean sea Rhodericus Limius was placed in his stead who with his fellowes in Embassage set forwards on their iourney from the said hauen of Arquicum towards the Court of Prester Iohn hauing Mathew with them as their guide and companion for that young man Abesynus whom I formerly mentioned was dead before this time And in this iourney Mathew dyed likewise and was buried in a famous Monastery called Bisayn after whose funerals performed they set forwards on their intended iourney and after great trauels infinite labours and many dangers they arriued at the Court of Prester Iohn of whom Rhodoricke with his associates were very honorably receiued and he hauing perfected his businesse and receiued new message was sent backe againe vnto King Emanuell which done hee went to the hauen of Arquicum but found not the Nauy there of whom Ludouicus Menesius was gouernour and which came purposely thither to carry them backe againe for they stayed so long that the ship could no longer expect their comming by reason of the outragious and vehement tempests within those coasts by an admirable secret of nature blow sixe monethes together from one climate and the other sixe monethes from the other At Arquicum hee found letters with the Gouernor of the towne left there by Pretor Ludouicus perporting the death of king Emanuell wherefore he determined to returne againe to Prestor Iohns Court at whose returne Prester Iohn writ letters vnto the Pope of Rome committing them to Francis Aluarez to bee carried to him at Rome All these hauing remained in those prouinces for the space of sixe yeares in the the end together with the Ethiopian Embassador whom Prester Iohn sent anew vnto our King entred into one of the Kings ships at Arquicum which was there laid for the purpose in the moneth of Aprill in the yeare of Christ 1526. and disankering thence sailed towards India and at length by tedious trauels at sea they returned to King Iohn at Lisbon in the moneth of Iuly in the yeare 1527. who retained the Ethiopian Embassador with him touching certaine poynts of his Embassage vnto the yeare 1539. and sent Francis Aluarez vnto Pope Clement the seuenth with letters from Prester Iohn from whom he came as Embassador Which letters the Pope receiued at the hands of the said Francis Aluarez at Bononia in the moneth of Ianuary 1533. In the presence of the Emperour Charles the fift of which letters and of others written to Emanuell and Iohn King of Portugall Paulus Iouius a very learned man was interpretor who hath translated them out of the Portingall language wherein they were written into Latine as here you may see A letter from Dauid the most renowned Emperour of Aethithiopia written to Emanuell King of Portugall in the yeare of our Lord 1521. Paulus Iouius being interpretor IN the name of God the Father as hee alwaies hath beene voyd of all beginning in the name of God his onely sonne who is like vnto him and was before the starres gaue light and before hee laid the foundation of the Ocean who at another time was conceiued in the wombe of the blessed Virgin without the seede of man without mariage for in this maner was the knowledge of his dutie in the name of the holy Ghost the Spirit of sanctity who knoweth all secrets that be where he was before that is of al the altitudes of heauen which is sustained without any pillers or props hee who amplified the earth which before was not created nor knowne through all parts from the east to the west from the north to the south Neither is this the first or second but the vndiuided Trinity in the only eternall Creator of all things of one only councell and one word for euer and euer Amen These letters are sent by Atani Thingil that is to say the incense of a virgin which name was giuen him in baptisme but now at his first entrance into his kingdome he tooke the name of Dauid the beloued of God the piller of faith a kinsman of the tribe of Iuda the son of Dauid the son of Salomon the son of the piller of Sion the son of the seed of Iacob a son of the hand of Mary and the carnal son of Nav Emperour of great and high Ethiopia and of great kingdoms lands and dominions king of Xoa Caffate Fatigar Angote Boru Baaligaze Adea Vangue Goiame where is the head of the riuer Nilus of Damaraa of Vaguemedri Ambeaa Vagne Tigri Mahon of Sabain where Saba was Queene and of Bermagaes and Lord vnto Nobia the end of Egypt These letters I say bee sent from him and directed to the high mightie and inuincible Lord Emanuell who dwelleth in the loue of God and remaineth firme in the Catholicke faith the sonne of the Apostles Peter and Paul King of Portingall and of the Algarbians friend of Christians enemy iudge Emperour and vanquisher of the Moores and of the people of Affricke and of Guiennea from the Promontory and Island of the Moone of the redde sea of Arabia Persis and Armutia of great India and of all places and of those Islands and adiacent Countries spoyler and ouerthrower of the Moores and strange Paganes Lord of Castles high Towers and Walles and increaser of the faith of Christ Peace be vnto you King Emanuell who by Gods assistance destroyest the Moores and with your Nauy your Armie and your Captaines driuest them vp and downe like vnbeleeuing dogges Peace be vnto your wife the Queene the friend of Iesus Christ hand-maide of the virgine Mary the mother of the Sauiour of the world Peace bee vnto your Sonnes who bee as a Table well furnished with dainties in a greene Garden amongst the flourishing Lillies Peace bee vnto your Daughters who are attired with garments and costly ornaments as Princes Palaces bee garnished with Tapestry Peace bee vnto your kinsfolkes which bee procreated of the seede of the Saints as the Scripture saith the sonnes of the Saints be blessed both within doores and without Peace be vnto your Councellors officers your Magistrates Lawyers Peace be vnto the captains of your castles borders and of all matters of munition Peace bee vnto all your Nation and to all your inhabitants Moores and Iewes excepted Peace be vnto all your parishes and to all that be faithfull to Christ and to you Amen I vnderstand
man of that embassage and with him was Francis Aluarez whom for his honesty of life singular religion and iustice I haue held most deere and especially for that being demanded of his faith he answered thereunto very fitly and truely And therefore you ought to exalt him and to call him maister and to imploy him in conuerting the people of Macua and of Dalaca of Zeila and of all the Islands of the red sea because they bee in the bounds of my kingdomes And I haue granted vnto him a Crosse and a staffe in token of his authority and doe you commaunde that these things may be giuen vnto him and that hee may bee made Bishiop of those Countries and Islands because hee well deserueth it and is very fitting to administer that office and God shall doe good unto thee that thou maiest bee alwaies strong against thy enemies and constraine them to prostrate themselues at thy feet I pray God prolong thy life and make thee partake of the kingdome of heauen in the best place euen as I wish for my selfe for with my eares haue I heard much good of you and I see with mine eies that which I thought I should neuer haue seene and God will make all things to goe well with you and your seate shall bee vpon the tree of life which is the seate of the Saints Amen As a young child I haue done what euer you commanded mee and will doe if your Embassadors come hither that we may aid one another by our mutuall forces I shall giue and cause to bee giuen vnto all your Embassadors which shal come hither what euer you will signifie to be done and as you did at Macna at Dalaca and at the ports in the streights of the redde sea that wee may bee prosperously ioyned together both in Councell and action as I doe chiefly desire for when your Forces shall come to those Coastes I will speedily bee with them with my Armie also and because there bee no Christians in the Marches of my Countrie nor any Churches for Christians I will giue vnto your people those lands to dwell in which be neerest vnto the dominion of the Moores for it behoueth that you bring your beginnings to a good end In the meane space send to me learned men and caruers of Images of gold and siluer workers of copper likewise and of Iron of tinne and of lead and Artificers to imprint bookes for the Church in our language and some that can make gold foyle or thin plates or raies of gold and with the same can guild other mettals these shall bee courteously entertained in my house and if they shall desire to depart I will giue vnto them large ample rewards for their labours And I sweare by God Iesus Christ the sonne of God that I will freely suffer them to depart when they please This I most boldly and confidently desire because your vertue is apparant vnto me and your goodnesse well knowne And for that I know you loue me well whereof I am most assured because for my sake you receiued Mathew very honourably and liberally and so sent him backe againe and therfore I couet to desire those things neither be thou ashamed of it for I will truly accomplish and performe all things That which the Father desireth of the Sonne cannot bee denyed and you are my Father and I your Sonne and wee bee coupled and ioyned together and as one bricke is ioyned to another in a wall so we being so to agree together in one heart and in the loue of Iesus Christ who is the head of the world and those which be with him be likened to brickes ioyned together in a wall Letters from the said DAVID Emperour of Aethiopia vnto Iohn the third of that name King of Portugall written in the yeare of our redemption 1524. and interpreted by Paulus Iouius IN the name of God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth and of all things that be made either visible or inuisible in the name of God the sonne Christ who is the sonne and Councell and prophet of the Father in the name of God the holy Ghost the Aduocate of the liuing God equall to the Father and the Sonne who spake by the mouth of the Prophets breathing vpon the Apostles that they might giue thanks and praise vnto the holy Trinity which is euer perfect in heauen and in earth in the sea and in the deepe Amen I surnamed Virgins Frankincense which name was giuen me at my baptisme and now taking vpon me the gouernment of my kingdome I haue also assumed the name of Dauid the deerely beloued of God the pillar of the faith the issue or stocke of Iuda the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Salomon Kings of Israell the sonne of the columne or piller of Sion the sonne of the seed of Iacob the sonne of the hand of Mary and the son of Nav by the flesh send these letters and message vnto Iohn the most high mighty and potent King of Portugall and of the Algarbians the sonne of King Emanuell Peace bee vnto you and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ remaine alwaies with you Amen At that time that the power of the King your father was reported vnto me who made war against the Moores the sons of the abhominable accursed Mahomet I gaue great thankes vnto God for your increase greatnes and for the crown of your conuersation in the house of Christianitie In like manner I tooke pleasure by the comming of your Embassadors which reported vnto me that kings speeches whereby a singular loue knowledge friendship was established betwixt vs vtterly to extirpe driue away those wicked accursed Moores and vnbeleeuing Gentiles which dwell betweene your kingdomes mine But while I was thus ioyfull I heard that your father and mine was departed out of this life before I could dispatch my Embassadors from hence vnto him and therefore my ioy was suddenly turned into sadnes so that in the great sorrow of my heart all the States and Noble men of my Court and Ecclesiasticall Prelates and all which liue in Monasteries and all our subiects wholly made great lamentaion with me so as the pleasure we conceiued of the first message was equalled and extinguished with the sorrow of the last Sir from my first entrance into my kingdomes vnto this present time no message nor messenger hath come vnto me either from the King or kingdome of Portugall but in the life time of the King your Father who sent his Captaines and Gouernours vnto mee with Clearkes and Deacons which brought with them all solemne prouision and apparell for the Masse for which I reioyced greatly and receiued them honourably and shortly after dismissed them that they might returne with honour and peace And after they came to a Hauen of the sea which is within my limits in the redde sea they found not the great Gouernour of the Nauie there whom your father had sent
of Ieson the sonne of Nav in Galgale and of Gedeon in the Coast and of Sampson when hee was a thirst in the land of drought and of Samuell in Rhama of the Prophet and of Dauid in Nacira and of Salomon in the Cittie of Gabeon and of Helias in mount Carmell when hee raised from death the Widdow womans sonne from Rhicha aboue the pit and of Iosaphat in battell and of Manasses when hee sinned and conuerted againe vnto God and of Daniell in the Lyons Denne and of the three brethren Sydrach Mysaach and Abednago on the firy furnace and of Anna before the Altar and of Nehemias which made walles with Zorababell and of Mathathia with his sonnes ouer the fourth part of the world and of Esau vppon his blessing euen so our Lord wil receiue your sacrifices and supplications and will helpe you and stand with you against all persuersnes and ouerth wartnes at all seasons and euery day Peace bee with you and I embrace you with the armes of sanctitie and in like manner I embrace all those which be of your Councell of the kingdome of Portugall Archbishops likewise and Bishops Priests and Deacons and all men and women whatsoeuer The grace of God and blessing of the Virgine Mary the mother of God be with you and with you all Amen Letters from the same most renowned Dauid Emperour of Ethiopia vnto the Pope of Rome written in the yeare of our Lord 1524. and translated into Latine by Paulus Iouius IN the name of God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible in the name of God the Sonne Iesus Christ which is the same with the Father from the beginning of the world and is light of light and true God of true God in the name of the holy spirit of the liuing God who proceeded from God Father These letters I the King doe send whose name the Lyons doe worship and by the grace of God I am called Athani Tinghil that is to say the incense of a virgin the Sonne of King Dauid the sonne of Solomon the sonne of a king by the hand of Mary the son of Nav by the flesh the son of of the holy Apostles S. Peter and S Paul by grace Peace bee vnto you most iust Lord holy mighty pure and sacred Father vnto you which are the head of all Princes and fearest no man seeing no one can speake euill of thee vnto you which are the most vigilant Curate and obseruer of soules and friend of strangers and and peregrines O holy maister and preacher of the faith enemy of all those things which offend the conscience louer of good manners sanctified man whom all men laud and praise O happy and holy Father I yeeld obedience vnto you with great reuerence for you are the peace of all things and deserue all good and therefore it is fitting that all men should shew their obedience vnto you as the holy Apostles command to yeeld obedience to God This truly belongeth vnto you for so also they command vs to worship Bishops Archbishops and Prelats In like manner that we should loue and reuerence you as our father feare you as our King and haue confidence in you as in God Wherefore I humbly confesse and with my bending knees say vnto you O holy father that you are my father and I your son O holy most mighty father why did you neuer send any vnto vs that you might better vnderstand of my life and health seeing you be the sheepheard and I your sheepe For a good sheepeheard will neuer forget his flocke neither ought you to thinke that I dwel so farre remote from your regions that messengers cannot come vnto mee seeing your sonne Emanuell the King of Portugall hath sent Embassadors vnto me very conueniently from his kingdome which is the furthest from vs in the world and if God had spared him life and not incited him so suddenly to heauen without doubt those things which we then had in hand had beene brought to a happy conclusion But now I much desire to bee certified by some trusty messengers of your holinesse health and happinesse for I neuer yet heard any message from your holinesse but something I heard of our owne people who to performe their vows went a pilgrimage into those parts but seeing they went not in my name nor brought with them my letters from you their reports are but an vncertaine beleefe for I questioning with them they said they came from Ierusalem where hauing performed their vowes they went to Rome to visite the Churches of the Apostles vnderstanding that they might easily come to those places which bee inhabited by Christians And surely I take great pleasure in their speeches because in my sweete cogitation I doe behold the similitude of thy holy countenance which seemeth vnto mee like the countenance of an Angell And I confesse that I doe loue and reuerence that image as an Angellicall likenesse but yet were it more acceptable and pleasant vnto mee deuoutely and diligently to consider and view your words and Letters And therefore I most humbly beseech you to send Messengers vnto me with your benediction thereby to cheere and exhilerate my heart for seeing wee agree in faith and religion before all things I desire and intreate that you will set my loue and friendship in the principallest part of your heart as the ring which you weare vpon your finger and the chaine of gold which you put about your neck that so the remembrance of me may neuer be blotted out of your memory for with thankefull words letters frendship is increased it is embraced with sacred peace from whence all humane ioy springeth ariseth for euen as hee that is thirsty greatly desireth cold water as the scripture saith so doth my heart conceiue an incredible ioy from the messengers letters which come to me from the furthest parts of the world neither shall I only reioice to heare from your holines but also I shall be glad to heare certaine newes from all the Kings of Christendome And full as ioyfull as those that in battell doe get the best spoyles And this may bee done with great facility seeing the King of Portugall hath made the whole iourney plaine vnto them who long sithence hath sent his Embassadors vnto vs with strong Armies but neither when my father was liuing nor sithence haue wee receiued any Message or Letters from any other Christian King or from the Pope himselfe although in our treasuries of Monuments and Charters of my great Grand father is preserued the memory of those Letters which Pope Eugenius sent into this Countrie when the King of Kings of all Ethiopia being the seede of Iacob and a King to bee feared had the gouernment of this kingdome The forme of which letters were thus Eugenius the Bishop of Rome to our beloued sonne the King of the seede of Iacob the King of all the kings of Ethiopia and
holy father which art ordained of God to be the consecrator and sanctifier of all nations and the possessor of Saint Peters seate to you bee giuen the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer you either binde or loose vpon earth shall be bound or loosed in heauen as Christ himselfe hath said and as S. Mathew hath written in his Gospell I the King whose name the Lyons doe worship by the grace of God called Athani Tingil that is to say virgins incense which name I receiued in baptisme but now when I first tooke vpon mee the gouernment of the kingdome I assumed vnto me the name of Dauid the beloued of God the piller of faith the kinsman of the stock of Iuda the son of Dauid the son of Salomon the son of the piller of faith the son of the seed of Iacob the son of the hand of Mary the son of Nav by the flesh Emperour of great high Ethiopia and of great kingdomes dominions lands King of Xoa of Caffate of Fatigar of Angote of Baru of Baaligaze of Adea of Vangue of Goiame where is the head of the riuer Nilus of Damaraa Vaguemedri Ambeaa Vague Tigri Mahon of Sabain where Saba was Queene of Bernagaes and Lord vnto Nobia in the end of Egypt All these Prouinces be within my power and many other which now I haue not reckoned nor haue I expressed these kingdomes prouinces in their proper names for pride or vaine-glory but for this cause onely that God may be praised more and more who of his singular benignity hath giuen vnto the kings my predecessors the gouernement of such great and ample kingdomes of the Christian religion and yet surely hee hath made me worthy of a more excellent fauour and grace then other Kings that I might continually deuote my selfe to religion because he hath made me Adell that is the Lord and enemie of the Moores and Gentiles which worship idols I send vnto you to kisse your holines feete after the manner of other Christian Kings my brethren to whom I am nothing inferior neither in religion nor power for I within mine owne kingdomes am the piller of faith neither am I aided with any forreine helpe for I repose my whole trust and confidence in God alone who gouerneth and sustaineth me vp from the time wherein the Angell of God spake vnto Phillip that hee should instruct in the true faith the Eunuch of the mighty Queene Candace the Queene of Ethiopia as shee was going from Ierusalem to Gaza And Phillip did then baptize the Eunuch as the Angell commaunded and the Eunuch baptized the Queene with a great part of her houshold and of her people which hath euer sithence continued Christians remaining for all times after that firme and stable in the faith of Christ And my predecessors hauing no other aid but onely Gods asistance haue planted the faith in very large kingdomes which I my selfe doe likewise daily contend to effect For I remaine in the great bounds of my kingdomes like a Lyon incompassed about with a mightie wood and hedged and inclosed against the Moores that lye in waite for me and other nations which bee enemies to the Christian faith and refuse to heare the word of God or my exhortations But I my selfe being girded with my sword doe persecute and expell them out by little little indeed by Gods diuine helpe which I neuer found wanting which happeneth otherwise to Christian kings for if the limits of their kingdoms be large it may easily be obtained for that one may assist minister helpe vnto another and receiue further helpe by your holines benediction of which I am partaker seeing in my bookes be contained certain letters which long since Pope Eugenius sent with his benediction vnto the king of the seed of Iacob which blessing giuen by his own hands being accepted and taken I do enioy and thereof greatly reioyce And I haue the holy temple which is at Ierusalem in great veneration vnto which I oftentimes send oblations due by our pilgrimes and many more and fatter I would haue sent but that the passages bee hindred by Moores and Infidels for besides the taking away from our messengers our gifts and treasures they will not suffer them to passe freely but if they would suffer vs to trauell I would come into the familiarity fellowship of the Romane Church as other Christian Kings do to whom I am nothing inferior in the christian religion for euen as they belieue I confesse one true faith and one Church and I most sincerely beleeue in the holy Trinity in one God and the virginity of our Lady the virgin Mary and I hold and obserue all the articles of the faith as they were written by the Apostles Now our good God hath by the hand of the most mighty and Christian King Emanuell made the passage open and plaine that we may meete by our Embassadors and that we being Christians ioyned in one faith might serue God with other Christians But while his Embassadors were in my Court it was reported vnto me that K. Emanuel was dead that his son my brother Iohn had the rule of his fathers kingdome wherupon as I was sorrowful for my fathers death euen so I reioyced greatly at the happy entrance of my brother into his kingdome so as I hope that we ioining our power and forces together may make open the passages both by sea and land by the regions of the wicked Moores and greatly terrifying them vtterly expell them from their seates and kingdomes that the way being made fit peaceable christians may freelie come and go to the temple of Ierusalem And then shall I bee pertaker of his diuine loue in the Church of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul And I couet greatly to obtaine the sacred benediction of the Vicar of Christ for without doubt your holinesse is Gods Vicar and when I heare many things of your holines by trauellers pilgrimes that go and come miraculously from our countries to Ierusalem from thence to Rome they breed in me an incredible ioy pleasure but I should bee more glad if my Embassadors could make a shorter cut in their iourneies to bring newes vnto me as my hope is they will once do before I dye by the grace of almighty God who euer keepe you in health and holines Amen And I kisse your holines feet and humbly beseech you to send me your blessing These letters also your holines shall receiue at the hands of my brother Iohn King of Portugall by our said Embassador Francis Aluarez These Epistles translated by Paulus Iouius I haue ioined to this worke for the better knowledge of this historie wherein we haue changed nor altered nothing although in many places they require alteration some few excepted which being badly translated into Spanish out of the Arabian and Abesenicke language did cleane alter the whole order of the Epistles The same Iouius also in his
after that if an Infidell call you to supper and that you will goe eate of all things which be set before you making no question for conscience sake and againe if any one shall say this is sacrificed to Idols eate not of it because of him that shewed you and for conscience sake c. All these things Paul speaketh to please those which were not yet confirmed in the faith because there arose many disputations and contentions betwixt those and the Iewes for the appeasing whereof he did more easily yeeld vnto them and conforme himselfe vnto their will which were not throughly confirmed in the faith And this hee did not that he would breake the law but that by gratifying others in releasing them from ceremonies hee might thereby winne them to the faith The same Apostle saith Let not him that eateth despice him that eateth not let not him that eateth not condemne him that eateth because hee which eateth eateth to the Lord and hee which eateth not eateth not to the Lord wherefore it is very vnworthily done to reprehend strangers that bee Christians so sharply and bitterly as I haue beene oftentimes reprehended my selfe both for this matter and for other things which belonged not to the true faith but it shal be better and more standing with wisdome to sustaine such Christians whether they bee Greekes Americans or Aethiopians or of any other of the seuen Christian Churches in charity and imbracings of Christ and to suffer them to liue and be conuersant amongst other Christian brothers without contumelies or reproches for we bee al the sons of baptisme and ioyne together in opinion concerning the true faith and there is no cause why wee should contend so bitterly touching ceremonies but that each one should obserue his owne ceremonies without the hatred rayling or inueighing of other neither is he that hath trauelled into other nations and obserueth his owne country ceremonies therefore to be excluded from the society of the Church Moreouer that which we haue in the Acts of the Apostles to wit how Peter saw Heauen opened a certaine vessel descending like vnto a great sheet bound or closed vp at the foure corners wherein were all kind of foure footed beasts and serpents of the earth and foules of the aire and a voice said vnto Peter arise Peter kil and eate to whom Peter said God forbid Lord for I did neuer eate of any thing commune or vncleane and the voice replied vnto him againe saying that which God hath made cleane doe not thou cal commune or vncleane which words being repeated three times the vessel was againe taken vp into Heauen which done the spirit sent him into Caesaria vnto Cornelius a deu out man and one that feared God with whom when Peter spake the holy Ghost fell vpon all those which heard the word of God and when they had receiued the holy Ghost Peter commanded that all Cornelius houshold should be baptised But when the other Apostles and brethren which were in Iudea heard that Cornelius was baptised they were displeased at Peter that hee had giuen Baptisme and the word of God to the Gentiles saying why wentest thou to men that be not circumcised and didst eate with them but when Peter had declared vnto them the whole vision they were pacified and gaue thankes vnto God saying And therefore hath hee giuen repentance vnto the Gentiles for their saluation And they remembred the word of the Lord which hee spake when he ascended vp into heauen Go throughout all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but hee which beleeueth not shall be damned Then the Apostles began to preach the Gospel through out all the world vnto euery creature in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and the sound of them went throughout all the world And this vision wherein both cleane and vncleane things did appeare we in Aethiopia expound thus That by the cleane beasts was meant the people of Israel and by the vncleane beasts the people of the Gentiles And for this cause be the Gentiles called vncleane for that they bee worshippers of Idols and willingly do the workes of the diuel which be vncleane and whereas the voyce sayd vnto Peter Kill that we interpret in this manner Peter baptize and when it is said Peter eate that is interpreted as if he had sayd Teach and preach the lawe of our Lord Iesus Christ to the people of Israell and to the Gentiles Moreouer it is most certaine that it cannot bee found in any place of the Scriptures that either Peter or the other Apostles did kill or eate any vncleane beast after this vision And also we must vnderstand when the Scripture speaketh of bread he meaneth not meate or corporal nourishment therby but the explication and exposition of Christ his doctrine and of the Scriptures And surely it were well done for all teachers and preachers of this sheet which was shewed vnto Peter to teach high and great matters and not pettie or light things and such as do seeme little to appertaine vnto saluation nor thereby cunningly to hunt after this document as though it should be conuenient or lawfull for vs to eate vncleane things seeing no such thing can bee gathered out of the Scriptures for what is the cause that the Apostles in their bookes of Councels haue taught vs not to eate beasts that be strangled suffocated or killed ' of other beasts or bloud because the Lord loueth cleannes and sobriety and hateth gluttony and vncleannesse And our Lord also greatly loueth those that abstaine from flesh but much more those that fast with bread and water and herbes as Iohn Baptist the Eremite did beyond Iordane who did euer eat herbes and S. Paul the Eremite who remained in the wildernesse foure score yeares euer fasting and S. Anthonie and Saint Macarius and many other their spirituall children which did neuer tast flesh Therefore my brethren we ought not to despise and inueigh against our neighbors because Iames saith Hee which detracteth his brother or condemneth his brother detracteth the law and condemneth the law Paul also teacheth That it were better for euery one to liue contented with their owne traditions then to dispute with his Christian brother of the law and againe Not to know more than is behoofull but to be wise vnto sobrietie and vnto euery one as God hath diuided the measure of faith wherfore it is vndecent to dispute with our brethren of the law or of the difference of meates because the meate doth not commend vs to God especially seeing Paul the Apostle saith We shall neither abound if we do eate nor want if we do not eat And therfore let vs seek those things which be aboue and the celestiall food and leaue off these vaine disputations Al these things which I haue written concerning Traditions I haue not done to breed disputation but that as
chiefly to be feared c. And in the conclusion of the same letters is mentioned that his sonne Iohn Paleologus which dyed about two yeares before the King of the Romaean Kings was called to the celebration of the sacred Synode And that Ioseph the Patriarch of Constantinople came with him with a great number of Archbishops and Bishops and Prelates of all sorts among whom were the Proctors or Factors of the Patriarckes of Antioch Alexandria and Ierusalem who when they had ioyned themselues together in loue of holy faith and religion the vnity of the Church being ordained and established all the difficulties and troubles of ancient time which seemed erronious contrary to religion were by Gods diuine assistance vtterly taken away abolished which things being rightly established and set in order the Pope himselfe brought great ioy vnto them all This booke of Pope Eugenius wee haue sent vnto you which wee haue kept vncorrupted and wee would haue sent vnto you the whole order and power of the Popes blessing but that the volume of these things would seeme too great for it would exceed in bignes the whole booke of Paul to all the nations he writ vnto The Legates which brought these things vnto vs from the Pope were Theodorus Peter Didymus and George the seruants of Iesus Christ and you shall do well most holy Father to command your bookes to be looked ouer where I suppose some memory of these things which we write of may be found out Wherefore holy father if you will write any thing vnto vs beleeue it confidently that we will most diligently commit it to our bookes that the eternall memory of those things may remaine to our posterity and surely I account him blessed whose memory is preserued in writing in the sacred citty of Rome and in the seate of the Saints S. Peter and S. Paul for these bee Lords of the kingdome of heauen iudges of the whole world And because that this is my beliefe I therfore send these letters that I may obtaine grace of your holines and your most sacred Senate that from thence may come vnto me a holy benediction increase of all good things And I most earnestly beseech your holines to send vnto me some images pictures of the Saints especially of the virgin Mary that your name may be often in my memory that I may take continuall pleasure in your gifts Furthermore I heartily intreate you to send vnto me men learned in the Scriptures workmen likewise that can make images swords and all maner of weapons for the warre grauers also of gold and siluer and Carpenters Masons especially which can build houses of stone and make couering for them of lead and copper wherby the roofes of the houses may be defended And besides these such as can make glasse instruments of musicke and such as be skilfull in musicke those also that can play vpon Flutes Trumpets and pshalmes shall be most welcome deere vnto vs and these workmen I much desire should bee sent me from your Court but if there be not sufficicient store in your court your holines may command them of other Kings who will obey your command most readily When these shal come to me they shall bee honorably esteemed of according to their deserts from my liberality shall be amply rewarded and if any shall desire to returne home he shall depart with liberall gifts whither hee please for I will not detaine any one against his will though I should haue great fruit and benefite by his industry But I must now speake of other matters demand of you most holy father why you exhort not the Christian kings your children to lay aside thir armes and as becommeth brethren to accord and agree amongst themselues seeing they be thy sheepe and thou their sheepheard for your holines knoweth right well what the Gospell commandeth where it is said That euery kingdome diuided in it selfe shall be desolated and brought to ruine And if the Kings would agree in their hearts conclude an assured league and peace together they might easily vanquish all the Mahometans and by their fortunate entrance and sudden irruption vtterly burst and throw downe the sepulcher of that false Prophet Mahomet For this cause holy father indeuour your selfe that a firme peace and assured league of friendship may bee concluded and established amongst them admonish them to be assistant aiding vnto me seeing in the confines of my kingdomes I am on all sides inclosed and incompassed about with those most wicked men the Mahometane Moores for those Mahometane Moores yeeld mutual aid one to another the kings with kings petty kings with petty kings do sincerely and constantly assemble themselues against vs. There is a Moore very neere neighbour vnto me to whom the other bordering Moores minister weapons horses and munition for the warres These be the kings of India Persis Arabia and Egypt which things grieue and molest mee exceedingly euery day when I behold the enemies of the Christian religion ioyned together in brotherly loue and to enioy peace to see the Christian kings my brothers to be nothing at all moued by these iniuries nor to yeeld mee any helpe as assuredly behoueth Christians to doe seeing the impious brood of Mahomet do aid and assist one another neither am I he that for that purpose should require Souldiers prouision for warres of you seeing I haue Souldiers left of mine owne but onely I desire your praiers and orisons wishing also fauour grace with your holines with all Christian Kings my brethren for I must seeke to obtaine friendship of you that I may bee fully instructed and furnished of those things which I formerly desired to the terror of the Moores that my neigbours the enemies of the Christian faith may vnderstand that the kings do fauor aid me with a singular care affection which surely will redound to the praise of vs in common seeing we agree together in one verity of religion and faith and in this councell wee will conforme which shall be firme and absolute with that which shal fall out to be more profitable God therfore fulfill all your desires about the praises of Iesus Christ and of God our Father to whom all men giue praises for euer and euer And you most holy Lord and father imbrace me I beseech you with all the Saints of Iesus Christ which be at Rome into which embracings let all the boderers of my kingdomes and those which dwell in Ethiopia be receiued giue thanks to our Lord Iesus Christ with your spirit These letters your holinesse shall receiue at the hands of my brother Iohn King of Portugall the sonne of the most mighty King Emanuell by our Embassador Francis Aluarez Other letters from the same Dauid Emperour of Ethiopia written to the Pope of Rome in the yeare of our Lord God 1524. and interpreted by Paulus Iouius HAppy and
with great honor and religion it would seeme to be done directly against the will and commandement of him who had rather that heauen and earth should perish then his word especially seeing Christ himselfe came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it wherfore we obserue that day not in imitation of the Iewes but at the bidding of our Lord Iesus Christ his holy Apostles the grace of which Iewes is translated vnto vs Christians And vpon this sabbath day Lent excepted wee euer eate flesh which vse is not obserued in the kingdome of Bernagues and Tygri Mahon the naturall people of which two kingdomes by an ancient custome eat flesh vpon the sabbath daies and Sundaies in Lent now wee celebrate the Lords day as other Christians do in memory of Christs resurrection but we know that the Sabbath day is to be obserued and kept holy by the books of the law and not by the Gospell and yet notwithstanding we be not ignorant that the Gospel is the end of the Law and of the Prophets And vpon these two daies we beleeue that the soules of the godly departed which remaine in Purgatorie bee not there tormented which rest God hath granted vnto those soules vpon these most holy daies vntill the end of their punishments due for their offences in this world being determined they be deliuered thence for the diminishing of which paines and to extenuate shorten the time of their punishments we beleeue that almes deedes done for the dead be very profitable vnto those souls which liue in purgatory To the remission of which soules the Patriarke giueth no Indulgence for that we beleeue doth belong vnto God only and to the constitution of the time of their punishment neither doth the Patriark allow any daies for Indulgēces By the reading of the Gospel we be only bound to keep 6. precepts which Christ explaned with his owne mouth I was an hungred saith he and you gaue me to eate I was thirstie and you gaue me to drink I was a stranger you tooke me in naked and you clothed me sicke and you visited me I was in prison and you came vnto me Which words Christ will onely pronounce in the day of Iudgement because the law as Paul witnesseth sheweth vnto vs our sins which law Christ Iesus excepted no one can keepe And Paul also saith that we be all borne in sinne for the transgression of our mother Eua and for her curse and malediction and the same Paul further saith that wee die through Adam and liue through Christ which Christ of his aboundant mercy hath giuē vnto vs these six precepts to the end that we might be saued when hee shall come in his Maiesty to Iudge both the quick the dead by which words and commandements in that fearefull and terrible day of Iudgment hee will pronounce and shew vnto the good euerlasting glory and to the wicked fire and eternall damnation And wee reckon but only fiue deadly sinnes as they terme them which wee gather out of the last Chapter of the Reuelation where it is sayd For without shal be dogs and inchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies It is ordained by the holy Apostles in their bookes of councels that it is lawful for the Clergy to mary after they haue attained to some knowledge in diuinity and being once maried they be receiued into the order of priests into the which order none is admitted before hee accomplish the age of 30. yeeres neithey bee any bastards by any meanes allowed to enter into that most holy order these orders be giuen by no other but by the Patriarch onely where the first wife of a Bishop or Clercke or Deacon is dead it is not lawful for them to mary an other vnlesse the Patriarch dispence therewith which sometimes for a publike good is granted to great men nor is it lawful for them to keepe a concubine vnlesse they wil refuse and put themselues frō saying seruice which if they once do they may neuer after meddle in ministring diuine matters and this is obserued so strictly that those priests which haue beene twise married dare neuer take in their hands so much as a candle that is consecrated to the Church and if any Bishop or Deacon be found to haue any bastard child hee is depriued from all his benefices and from his holy orders his gods if he decease without lawful heires come vnto Prestor Iohn and not to the Patriarch and the warrant that we haue that our priests may marry is taken out of Saint Paul who had rather that both Clergy and Laity should marry then burne And he also saith that a bishop ought to be the husband of one wife and that he should be sober and irreprehensible and in like manner would he haue Deacons and further that Ecclesiasticall persons should haue their proper wiues by lawfull marriage euen as secular people haue but Munckes mary not at all and both Lay men and Clergy haue but one wife a peece and matrimony is not contracted before the gates of the holy Church but in the priuate houses of those that beare most sway at the bridall wee haue haue also receiued from the ordinance of the Apostles that if a priest bee found in addultery or committing manslaughter or theft or bearing false witnesse he shal be depriued and put from his holy orders and punished like other malefactors againe by the institution of those Apostles if any person either Ecclesiastical or Lay doe lie with his wife or bee polluted in sleepe hee commeth not into the Church for the space of foure and twenty houres after nor is it lawfull for menstruous women to come into the Church vnlesse vpon the seuenth day after their sicknesse and then to haue all their garments throughly washed which they wore during the time of their monthly disease and they themselues purged from all filth A woman also that bringeth forth a man child must not come into the Church till after the fortith day and if she brought forth a woman child then shee must not come into the Church till after the eighteeth day This is our custome founded vpon the ancient law and also vpon the Apostolicke law which lawes ordinances and precepts wee obserue as diligently in al points as possible may bee Moreouer we bee prohibited that neither swine nor dogs nor other such beasts shall enter into our Churches Also wee may not goe to the Church but bare footed neither is it lawfull for vs to laugh walke or talke of prophane matters in the Church nor once there to spit hawke or him because the Churches of Aethiopia bee not like vnto that land where the people of Israell did eate the Paschall lambe departing from Egipt in which place God commanded them to eate it with their shooes on and girded with their girdles by reason of the pollution of the earth but they bee like vnto Mount