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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

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Queene Margaret in the yeare of our Lord God 1506. 14 Magdalin Colledge founded by the Lord Audley in the yeare of our Lord 1509. and enlarged by Sir Christopher Wrey Lord chiefe Iustice of England 15 Trinity Colledge founded by k. Henry the 8. for the inlarging whereof he added thereunto Michael house and Kings hall and made therof one Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1546. so as now the names of Michaell house and kings hall is almost worne out of memorie 16 Gonvel and Caius Colledge first founded by one Gonvell about the yeare of our Lord 1348. and perfected by Iohn Caius Doctor of Phisicke and by him called Gonuell and Caius Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1557. 17 Emanuell Colledge founded by Sir Walter Mildmay in the yeare of our Lord 1588. 18 Sidney-Sussex Colledge founded by Francis Sidney Countesse of Sussex for the erecting whereof she bequeathed at her death fiue thousand pounds it was begun in the yeare of our Lord 1597. Now hauing thus farre spoken of the Country in particular it resteth to say something with like breuity of the seuerall sorts of people that inhabite the same their proceedings in courses of law as well spirituall as temporall and their seuerall Courts The whole number of English men may therefore be diuided into these foure ranckes or degrees of people that is to say Gentlemen or Noblemen Cittizens Yeomen and artificers or labourers Of Gentlemen or Nobility there be two sorts to wit the king himselfe the Prince Dukes Marquesses Earles Vicounts and Barons And this sort of Gentlemen are called Nobilitas maior and the second sort of Gentlemen or Nobility which are also called nobilitas minor consisteth of Knights Esquires and priuat Gentlemen into which ranke of gentry are added Students of the lawes and schollers in the Vniuersities next vnto the Gentry are cittizens whose fame and authority for the most part extendeth no further than their owne citties and boroughes wherin they liue and beare rule sauing that some few of them haue voices in our high Senate of Parlament The third order or degree are the Yeomanrie which are men that liue in the country vppon competent liuings of their owne haue seruants to do their businesse for them serue vpon Iuries and Inquests and haue generally more employment in the gouernement of the common-wealth then citizens haue And the last and lowest sort of our people are artificers or labourers which though they be rude and base in respect of our gentry yet are they much improoued and bettered by conuersing with Gentlemen cittizens and yeomen so as if those authors were now liuing that haue written so contemptuously of all estates of our people vnder the degree of gentry and saw the ciuilitie now generally practised amongst most of vs they would not for some few of the rascalitie censure and condemne all as base and ignoble All these seuerall sorts and degrees of people in our kingdome may more briefly bee deuided into two Orders or ranckes that is to say the Nobilitie and the Commons vnder the title of Nobilitie are comprehended all the Nobilitas maior together with the Bishops that haue place in the vpper house of Parlament and by the commons are meant the nobilitas minor cittizens yeomen and labourers who by common consent elect from amongst them Knights and Burgesses to possesse the lower house of Parlament who haue their voices there in the name of the whole multitude of commons for the making and establishing of lawes ordonances and statutes The Parlament therfore is the highest most absolute Sessions or iudiciall Senate in the whole kingdome consisting of the King himselfe and the Lords spirituall and temporall in their own persons which is the higher house and the whole body of the commons represented by the Knights and Burgesses lawfully elected and those are called the lower house In this high Court of Parlament are such new lawes made and ordained and such old statutes abrogated and annihilated in part or in all as are agre●● vppon by consent of both houses and confirmed by the King so as whatsoeuer is there decreed and constituted is inuiolably to be obserued as established by the generall assembly of the whole kingdome There be three manner of wayes by one custome of England whereby definitiue iudgements are giuen by act of Parlament by battell and by great assise The manner of giuing Iudgement in the Parlament in matters depending betwixt Prince and subiect or partie and party concerning lands and inheritances is by preferring of billes into the houses of Parlament and by the allowance or disallowance thereof but such billes are seldome receiued for that the Parlament is chiefly summoned and assembled for the setling and establishing of matters for the good of the King and common-wealth not to busie themselues in priuate quarrels The triall by battell likewise though it bee not vtterly abrogated and altogether annihilated yet is it quite growne out of vse at this day So as the most vsuall manner of Iudgement is by the verdict of twelue men lawfully impaneled and sworne to giue a true verdict concerning the matter in question be it for life or land or any thing tending to the hurt or good of any subiect whatsoeuer These twelue men ought to be Legales homines as wee terme them that is men of good quality fame and abilitie and they are to giue their verdict according to their euidence before a lawfull Iudge in their Sessions at termes and times vsually appointed for those purposes And for that there be many suites of diuers natures therefore bee the trials therof in diuers courts and before diuers Iudges whereof the chiefest bench or tribunall seate of Iudgement is the Kings bench so called for that the Kings of England haue sat there thēselues in person and this Court is chiefly for pleas of the Crowne the Iudges whereof bee called Iustices of the Kings bench and they be commonly foure or fiue in number whereof one is head and therfore called the Lord chiefe Iustice of the Kings bench and by that place he is also Lord Chiefe Iustice of England Next vnto the Kings bench is the Court of Common pleas which is for all matters touching lands and contracts betwixt partie and partie and of this Court be likewise foure or fiue Iudges the chiefest whereof is called the Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common-pleas and this court may well be called the Common-pleas as being the chiefest place for the exercise of the Common law And there may none plead at the Common pleas barre but Sergegeants at the law onely wheras in all other Courts councellors that be called to the barre may plead their Clyents causes as well as Sergeants The third Court for practise of the common law is the Exchequer where all causes are heard that belong to the Kings Treasury The Iudges of this Court are the Lord high Treasurer of England the Chancelor of the Exchequer the Lord chiefe Baron and
eldest sons of the Kings of England for the time being and now lastly and but lately by our dread soueraigne Lord King Iames vnto Henry Fredericke his eldest son the hopefull issue of a happie father borne certes as euidently appeareth in his minority to bee a perfect mirror of chiualry for the aduancement of our country and common wealth and the subuersion of his enemies The Inhabitants of Wales though they bee much improued yet do they not equall the English in ciuility nor their soile in fertility Their whole Country consisteth of twelue shires that is to say Anglesea Brecknocke Cardigan Carmarden Carnaruon Denbigh Flint Glamorgan Merionneth Mongomerry Pembroke and Radnor-shire and foure bishops Seas to wit the Bishopricke of Saint Dauids the Bishoppricke of Landaffe the Bishopprick of Bangor and the Bishoppricke of Saint Asaphe They haue a language peculiar to themselues yet do they liue vnder the self same lawes the Englishmen do but for because that part of the Island is far remote from London the Kings seat and chiefe tribunal of Iudgement where the lawes are executed and pleas heard for all the Realme and by reason of their different language the King by his commission maketh one of his nobles his deputy or lieutenant vnder him to rule in those parts and to see the peace maintained and Iustice ministred indifferently vnto all This gouernor is called the Lord president of Wales who for the ease and good of the country associate with one Iudge and diuers Iustices holdeth there his Tearmes and Sessions for the hearing and determining of causes within VVales and the Marches This Court is called the Court of the councell of the Marches of VVales the proceedings whereof are in a mixt manner betwixt our common law and ciuill law England accounting Cornwall for one though much differing in language is deuided into 41. parts which are called counties or shires the seuerall names whereof are these following viz. Berck-shire Bedford-shire Buckingham-shire Bishoppricke of Durham Cambridge-shire Cornwall Cumberland Cheshire Devon-shire Dorcet-shire Darby-shire Essex Glocester-shire Huntingdon-shire Hertford-shire Hereford-shire Hampt-shire Kent Lincolne-shire Lecester-shire Lancaster-shire Middle-sex Monmoth-shire Northumberland-shire North-folke Northampton-shire Nottingham-shire Oxford-shire Rutland-shire Richmond-shire Sussex Surrey Suffolke Somerset-shire Stafford-shire Shrop-shire Wilt-shire Westmore-land Worcester-shire Warwicke-shire Yorke-shire Euery shire is diuided either into Hundreds Lathes Rapes or Wapentakes and euery of those into sundry parishes and Constable-weekes and ouer euery shire is one principall gouernor called the Lieutenant of the shire and a Sheriffe to collect money due vnto the King and to account for the same in the Exchequer as also to execute his writs and processes and for the more particular peace of each seuerall part of the country there be ordained in euery Countie certaine of the worthiest and wisest sort of Gentlemen who are called Iustices or conseruators of the peace vnder whom high Constables Coroners petty cōstables headboroughs and tything-men haue euery one their seuerall offices England moreouer is diuided into two ecclesiasticall prouinces which are gouerned by two spirituall persons called Archb. to wit the Archb. of Canterbury who is primate and Metrapolitan of all England and the Archb. of Yorke and vnder these two Archb. are 26. Bishops that is to say 22. vnder the Archb. of Canterbury and 4. vnder the Archbishop of Yorke In the Prouince of Canterbury are these Diocesses bounded as followeth 1 2 The Diocesses of Canterbury and Rochester which haue vnder them all the County of Kent 3 The Diocesse of London which hath Essex Middlesex and a part of Hartford shire 4 The Diocesse of Chitchester which hath Sussex 5 The Diocesse of Winchester which hath Hamptshire Surrey and the Iles of Wight Gernsie and Iersey 6 The Diocesse of Salisbury which hath Wiltshire and Barkshire 7 The Diocesse of Excester which hath Deuonshire and Cornwall 8 The Diocesse of Bath and Wels which hath Somerset shire onely 9 The Diocesse of Glocester which hath Glocestershire 10 The Diocesse of Worcester which hath Worcester shire and a part of Warwicke shire 11 The Diocesse of Hereford which hath Herefordshire and a part of Shropshire 12 The Diocesse of Couentrie and Liechfield which hath Staffordshire Derbyshire and the rest of Warwickeshire with some part of Shropshire 13 The Diocesse of Lincolne which hath Lincolneshire Leicestershire Huntingtonshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire and the rest of Hartfordshire 14 The Diocesse of Ely which hath Cambridgeshire and the I le of Ely 15 The Diocesse of Norwich which hath Northfolke and Suffolke 16 The Diocesse of Oxford which hath Oxfordshire 17 The Diocesse of Peterborow which hath Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire 18 The Diocesse of Bristow which hath Dorcetshire And to these are added the foure Bishopprickes of WALES viz. 19 The Bishop of S. Dauids 20 The Bishop of Landaffe 21 The Bishop of Bangor 22 The Bishop of S. Asaph In the Prouince of Yorke are these foure Diocesses comprehended within these limits following viz. 1 The Diocesse of Yorke which hath Yorkeshire and Nottinghamshire 2 The Diocesse of Westchester which hath Chesshire Richmondshire a part of Flintshire and Denbighshire in Wales 3 The Diocesse of Duresme which hath the Bishoppricke of Duresme and Northumberland 4 The Diocesse of Carlile which hath Cumberland and Westmerland And to these are added the Bishoppricke of Sodor in the I le Mona The whole number of Parish Churches and impropriations in all these seueral Diocesses are reckened about 131209. Hauing thus diuided the whole kingdome of England into shires and Bishops seas it resteth to say something of the Citties and Corporations whereof there be so many and that so goodly and so well gouerned by sundry Orders of Officers as I thinke but few countries in Christendome go beyond it of all which London the Metrapolitan citty of the Iland is most famous both for the great concourse of strangers that continually flocke thither from all parts of the world some for merchandize some for manners as also for the conueniencie of the place being situated vpon the famous riuer of Thames beautified with rare sumptuous buildings both of Prince and Peeres who for the most part keepe their resiance in or neare vnto the same as being the only place of Parlament and holding of pleas for the whole Realme And for the great multitude of Students and practitioners in the lawes which there keepe their Termes of pleading foure times in the yeare which set together is about one quarter during which time the Iudges and all other Courts keepe their Courts and Sessions and at other times is vacation and ceasing from execution of the lawes These Iudges Sergeants and other Students and practitioners of all sorts haue their lodgings and dyets in 14. seuerall houses whereof two are only for Iudges and Sergeants and are therefore called the Sergeants Innes the next foure are the foure famous houses of Innes of Court the onely receptacle of Gentlemen students and Councellors the other eight
and conuenient time This done after he hath washed his body in the company of his greatest states and put on his richest robes he sacrificeth vnto his Gods There custome was that the cheefe Priest when the sacrifices were brought before the Altar and the King standing by praied with a lowde voice in the hearing of the people for the prosperous helth and all good successe of their King that maintaines iustice towards his subiects and more particularly to relate his vertues as to say that he obserued piety and religion towards the Gods and humanity to man then to call him continent iust and magnanimous true bountifull and brideling all his affections and besides that that hee laid more easie punishments vpon offendors then their crimes required and bestowed fauours beyond mens deseruings and holding on this prayer at length he pursueth the wicked with a curse and freeing the King from blame layeth al the fault vpon his ministers which perswade him to doe euill Which done he exhorteth the King to leade a happy life and acceptable to the Gods and also to follow good fashions and not to do those things which euill men perswade him to but such as cheefely appertaine to honour and vertue In the end after the King hath sacrificed a bull to the Gods The Priest recyteth out of their sacred bookes certaine decrees and gests of worthy men wherat the King being mooued ruleth his kingdome holily and iustly according to their examples They haue there times appointed and prefixt not onely when to gather riches and to iudge acording to their auncient lawes but also when to walke when to wash when to lie with their wiues and when euery thing else is to bee done They vsed but simple diet as hauing nothing vpon their tables but Veale and goose they were also limited to a certaine measure of wine that would neither fill their bellies nor intoxicate their braines In a word the whole course of their liues was so modest so temperate as they seemed to be guided rather by a most skilful Phisition for the preseruation of their healths then by a law-giuer It is strange to see after what sort the Aegyptians lead their liues for they liued not as they would themselues but as the law allowed them but it is much more admirable to see how that their Kings were not permitted to condemne others nor yet to inflict punishment vpon any offendor being moued therevnto either through pride malice or any vniust cause whatsoeuer but liuing vnder a law like priuate men thought it no burthen vnto them but rather esteemed themselues blessed in obeying the law for by those which follow their own affections they supposed many things to be cōmitted that might breed vnto themselues both danger damage for though they know they do amisse yet notwithstanding they persist still in error being ouercome either with loue or hate or some other passion of mind whereas those which liue with vnderstanding and aduise offend in few things The Kings vsing such iustice to their subiects did so purchase the good wills of them all as not only the Priests but all the Egiptians were more carefull of their Soueraigne then of their wiues or Children or any other princes else and when one of those good Kings die all men bewayled him with equall sorrow and heauinesse of heart and renting their clothes and shutting vp their Temples frequented not the market nor obserued solemne feastes but defiling their heads with earth for the space of seuenty and two daies and girding themselues about the pappes with fine linnen both men and women walked about together by two hundred and three hundred in a Company renewing their complaints and in a song renumerating the vertues of their King one by one during which time they abstayned from flesh of beasts from all things boyled from wine and all sumptuous fare and also from all manner of oyntments and bathes yea their owne propper beds and all womens companie bewayling for those daies as much as if they had buried their owne children In which meane space all things being prouided for the funerall solemnities vpon the last day they inclosed the corpes in a coffinne and placed it at the entrance of the Sepulcher where vsually was made a breefe narration of all things done by the King in his life time and euery one had then liberty to accuse him that would the Priests stood by commending the Kings good deeds and all the multitude of people that were present at the funerals applauded his praise worthy actions and with bitter exclamations rayled against his misdeeds whereof it hapned that most Kings through the opposition of the people wanted the due honour and magnificence of Burial the feare whereof constrayned them to liue iustly and vprightly in their life times and this for the most part was the manner of liuing of the auncient Kings of Aegypt Aegypt is diuided into many partes euery part whereof is called by the Greeke word Monos and is gouerned by a Praetor or Mayor who hath rule ouer al the people of that Prouince The Aegiptians deuide their tribute or custome money which is payd them by forrainers in three parts the greatest part whereof belongeth to the colledge of Priests which are of great authority with the inhabitants both in regard of their seruice to their gods as also for their doctrine where-with they instruct others and part of this portion they bestow in ministring their sacrifices and the rest to increase their priuate estates for in no case would the Aegiptians haue the worship of their gods omitted nor doe they thinke it fit that they that be ministers of common councell and profit should want things necessary to liue vpon for the Priests in all weighty businesses bee assistant to the King both by their labour and councell as well in regarde of the knowledge they haue in the starres as by their sacrifices foretelling things to come Moreouer they shew out of their sacred volumnes the actes and gests of worthy men by which the Kings may know in their designes how things are likely to succeed and it is not so with the Aegiptian Priests as it is with the Greekes that one man or one woman should haue charge of their sacrifices but there bee many that bee conuersant about the worship and honour of their gods which leaue the same charge of holy misteries to their children they be all of them freed and discharged from tribute possesse the second place of honor and estimation after their King The second portion of the tribute money commeth to the Kings which serueth them for the wars for their maintenance and also to reward valiant and worthy men for their prowesse and good seruice by which meanes it commeth to passe that their owne people are vexed with no kind of tribute The Captaines and Souldiours haue the third part to the end that hauing such wages they might haue more
cittie to be sacrificed to Apollo a measure of fine wheate flower called Medimnum containing sixe Modia and a measure of wine called a Laconian quart In the beholding of single combats the Kings preceded and gouerned certaine places hauing for their assistants what Cittizens they pleased And each king might choose two Pitheans which were such as were wont to be sent to Delphos to aske counsell of the Oracle and these did commonly diet with the Kings The Kings allowance when they came not to meales in the vsuall place was two measures full of fine flower called Chaenices or Chaeniae which is much about halfe one of our peckes and a measure full of wine called Cotyla that is as much as Sextarius which is about a pinte and an halfe English but when they were present they had double in quantitie as much of euery thing as all the rest that sate with them The Kings were to determine who should be husbands of orphane maydes whose parents were deceased whether he to whome the father bequeathed her or hee on whome the mother bestowed her they had power also ouer common wayes and ouer such as made adopted sons against the kings minds they had seates in the Councell or Senate-house which consisted of 28. Senatours wherein they might sit at their pleasures but if they would not come thither then two of the Senatours which were most neere and deare vnto them represented their persons and had power to pronounce to voyces or suffrages for the Kings and two other for themselues And such were the honors and dignities giuen to the Kings by the Common-wealth of Sparta while they liued and when they were dead these following First certaine hors-men proclaimed and divulged the Kings death throughout all Laconia the like was done also by certaine women which walked vppe and downe about the cittie striking and beating vpon pots or kettles which done there must of euery house two one man and one woman and both free-borne be stayned soyled and defiled with weeping and lamenting which if they refused to do they were seuerally punished The Lacedemonians vsed the same orders in their Kings Funeralles as the barbarous people of Asia did for in this manner did most of those barbarous people bury their Kings The death of the King beeing thus divulged the cittizens of Sparta summoned all their friends and kinsfolkes out of all the Countrey of Lacedemonia to the funerall And after many thousands both of them and of their seruants as also of the Spartans themselues were there assembled both men and women mingled together they lamented and wept beating and striking vppon their forheads and roaring and howling most bitterly concluded their lamentation with this saying That this last deceased king was the best of all their kings And if any of their kings were slaine in the wars they fashioned and pourtrayed an image like vnto him and laying it vpon a bed very richly furnished spent some ten dayes in the interring thereof during which time there was continual vacation and ceasing from prosecuting lawes and exercising iustice in places iudiciall nor was there any Sessions of Magistrates or Officers in all that time but continuall lamentation and bewayling And in this the Lacedemonians agreed with the Persians for when the Lacedemonian King was dead he which succeeded him pardoned and released euery Spartane of all his debt what euer it was that he owed either to the King or Common-wealth And so likewise in Persia he which was newly created king remitted and forgaue vnto all the Cittizens their tribute which they owed In this also the Lacedemonians imitated the Aegiptians for in Lacedemonia as wel as in Aegipt both Cryers Minstrels and Cookes succeeded their fathers in their arts and occupations so as a Cooke was begott by a Cooke a Trumpetter by a Trumpetter and a Cryer by a Cryer Nor did any intrude themselues into another mans function or calling but perseuered and continued in their fathers trade and vocation Of the I le of Creete and of the customes most common amongst the Cretensians CAP. 4. CREETE which is also called Candy is an Iland-situated in the Mediterranian sea and very famous and renowned for hauing in it an hundred Citties This Iland as Strabo writeth is compassed vppon the north with the Aegean Creetish sea and with the Libican or Africane sea vppon the South it lyeth towards Egila and Cythera vpon the west and hath vppon the East the I le Carpathus which lyeth in the midst betwixt Rhodes and Creete The whole Iland containeth in length two hundred and seuentie myles and fiftie myles in breadth and the circuite or compasse round about the Island is fiue hundred eightie and eight myles The most renowned Citties of Creete be Gortyna Cydonea Cnossus and Minois or Minon which is the Kings seate And of all the hilles in the countrey the hill Ida is most famous as beeing of an exceeding and wonderfull height the length whereof as Apollodorus saith is two thousand and three hundred Stadia and fiue thousand and more in compasse but Artimedorus saith That it is not so much in compasse by a thousand stadia In Creete liue no noysome or offensiue creatures there be neither Serpents nor owles bredde and if any be brought thither from other places they dye instantly There be aboundance of Goates but few or no Deere at all it yeeldeth great store of the best and daintiest wines and produceth an herbe called Diptamus which is a byting and drawing hearbe and by vs called Dittanie Dittander or garden Ginger and the Alunosa which beeing eaten is a present remedie against extreame hunger It bringeth foorth also the poysoned and venimous Sphalangi and a pretious stone called Idaeus Dactylus It was first called Cureta of the Inhabitants of Curetes and now by contraction Creete Some others say it was called Creete of one Cres who was sonne vnto Iupiter king of the Curetes and some of Crete the Nymph who was daughter to Hesperides The people at the first were very rude and barbarous till Rodomanthus reduced them to more ciuilitie and better manners after whome succeeded Minois who adorned and furnished them with more equitie and iustice Plato sayth that the Lacedemonians and other auncient citties of Greece deriued their lawes and ordinances from Creete But the good estate of that nation was ouerthrowne and turned vp-side downe first by the gouernement of Tyrants and afterwards by the robberie and warres of the people of Cilicia For the Cretans were very studious in diuers sciences and desirous of libertie which they esteemed their Summum bonum and supposed they possessed all such things as were not subiect to the wanton lusts and vnlawfull desires of Tyrants They had a great care prouident respect and regard of Concord and Amitie as they be mortall enemies to Discord and Sedition which are the nurses and fosterers of Couetousnesse and vnsatiable desire of riches and therefore the people of Creete in auncient
him at his pleasure but to the end that no one should be ouerthrowne or spoiled by anothers enuie or malice without cause there was this prouision made that the accused might challenge the single combat with one of his accusérs and if he ouercame the other he scaped free and forfeited nothing He that killed his Duke was killed himselfe and all his goods confiscate for euer without redemption and he that stirred vp sedition against him forfeited to the Duke 600. shillings When an armie was conducted into the enemies land the souldiers had no cause to fall out amongst thēselues for prouision for euery one might take what would serue his turn but he which wrangled without cause was forced either to yeeld himselfe to the law of armes in that case prouided or suffer fifty stripes with a truncheon before his Lieutenant And the Lieutenants and Gouernors were to haue a special care euery one with in his limits or county that the souldiers did not spoile prey vppon the enemie before they were commanded by the Duke for if any fault were committed through their negligence they were to make it good If a free-man damnified or wronged another he was constrained to make good as much as the party was hindred and was amerced besides at 40. shil but such offences were death in seruants and their master made restitution for them because they forbad them not the committing of such crimes If a seruant stole or purloyned any thing from the soldiers in the campe and was therof conuicted he lost his hand for that offence and his master notwithstanding restored the value of the goods stolne and a free-man for such a fault was mulcted at forty shillings ouer and aboue the due restitution of the thing stolne If any one were commanded by the king or duke to kill another and he did it the king or duke which commanded him ought for euer after to defend and protect him from danger if the king or duke which was his protector died his next successor did take vpon him the like warrantie and protection of that man If the Duke were so stubborn and rebellious as to contemne and despise the decrees of the king he was depriued of his Duke-dome and was vtterly void of all hope euer to recouer his former estate and dignity If the Duke had a son so froward foolish or arrogant as through the counsell and abetting of lewd and euil persons he went about to depose his father from his gouernment so that his father were yet well able to gouerne to conduct an armie to get vp vpon his horse and to carry armes and was neither deafe nor blind well able to performe the kings command he was dis-inherited and for euer after vncapable of the Dukedome or if his father pleased he was banished to perpetuall euile for offending his father in so high a degree against the law He that by rashnesse indiscretion or drunkennesse bred a scandall in the Dukes Court forfeited forty shillings and was for euer after lyable to make good the value of the inconuenience that arose of that ill example but a seruant for such a fault lost his hand If any thing were found in the Dukes Court and taken vp and concealed one night vnreuealed it was accounted theft and such an offendor forfeited into the Dukes Exchequer fifteene shillings because the Dukes house was accounted a publike house He that detracted or by his ill speeches depraued the Dukes gouernement was punished at fifteen shillings and forced to finish and make perfect all that he was commanded to do that all pleas or suites might be dispatched and ended euery fifteenth day in each seuerall Countie of the countrie for the doing wherof all the free-men assembled together and they which neglected the meeting forfeited fifteene shillings the Iudge to the end hee might do iustice and iudge vprightly had a booke of the law lying open before him which serued as a rule and pattern wherby to iudge of all controuersies And if the inditement were without partialitie and that he iudged vprightly without respect of persons or rewards hee then had and enioyed to himselfe the ninth part of the composition but if the iudgement were partiall or smelled of briberie he forfeited the double value of that which by his false sentence and corruption was payed and was fined moreouer at forty shillings He which killed the Duke payd either vnto his friends or vnto the king for composition 1460. shillings whereof his friends had six hundred And it was euer obserued that the composition for the death of the Duke was three times as much as for the death of any of his friends The Agilolsingi out of which family the Dukes be euer created had the fourth part of the composition and then the Huosi the Trozzi the Sagavi the Hahilingi and the Aennonni had the one halfe of that which remained Hee that killed a free-man payd either vnto the Duke or vnto his parents that was slaine 8. pounds hee that put out a free-mans eye or cut off his hand or foot payed 40. shillings he that lamed him payd 12. shillings and for a maim 20. shillings for a wound 3. shillings for striking out a cheeke tooth or grinding tooth 12. shillings and for euery other tooth 6. shillings They were very strictly forbidden to molest or hurt strangers in so much as he which iniured any of them payd vnto the party grieued the double value of the wrong sustained and besides forseited 8. pounds into the Dukes Exchequer he that slue a stranger forfeted an hundred pounds in gold If a seruant molested or sold a free-man were complained of to the Iudg he escaped not without some great punishment as the losse of hand or eye Libertines which had bin manumitted made free had more easie compositions by the one halfe then those which were free-born All incestuous mariages were there vtterly prohibited so as it was not lawful for any man to marry his first wiues mother his sonnes wife his daughter-in-law his step mother his brothers or sisters daughter his brothers wife or wiues sister and those which offended in any of these points all his goods were confiscate by the Iudge hee that prophaned the Lords day with any manner of worke after the first warning and admonition had fiftie lashes vpon the backe with a whip and if he offended againe the second time he forfeited the third part of all his goods and for the third offence he lost his libertie for it is fitting that he which will not be free vpon that day shold be a slaue for euer after A seruant for labouring vpon the Lords day was beaten but if he held on his course without amendement his right hand was cut off And a stranger for the like fault hauing beene warned aforehand paid 12. shillings He that detained a freeman against his will in seruitude and bondage or forcibly tooke away his inheritance or goods was forced to
made of Cornell trees like vnto their bowes in Scythia and in all the East countrey but of Yew or some other hard wood their Ordinance is caried along with their armies in carts they fight more rather in order one seconding another then in troupes with more courage cruelty then skil or policy although their cunning be sufficient to manage their military businesses Their Embassadors to denounce wars or treate of peace they call Heralds who bee loyall subiects to their Soueraign The French-men be very religious their Bishoppes of mighty power and dignitie and all the Clergie in general of high reuerence veneration in their diuine ceremonies they vse much singing by reason whereof the studie of musicke is in a manner peculiar to that nation Their fashions in their apparell and shooes be much altered in our age for sayth Sabellicus when I was a boy all the Courtiers and Gentlemen of France the Clergie only excepted wore short cloakes with sleeues that would hardly reach to their mid thighes pleated from the top to the bottome and stuffed or quilted about the shoulders Their shooes were tipped on the snoutes with thin horns halfe a foote long such as are pictured in arras and tapestrie and their bonnets which they called Bireta were high and sharpe towards the Crowne but all these auncient fashions be now laid away and new fangles inuented for the shooes they now weare be broad-nosed like a Beares foot and narrow heeled and their garments bee much more loose long then before they were reaching down to the calues of their legges with loose sleeues slit on one side and laced all ouer with lace of diuers colours set on lattise-wise their hats bee for the most part redde and very large but their bonnets called Bireta bee much bigger then their ordinary hats and very vnfitting for their heads butotherwise were it not for these vnhandsome hats no nation could compare with them for neatnesse and gallantnesse in apparell And now of late yeares their maner of attire is much imitated by the Italians who do wholly follow the French fashion manifestly presaging thereby what afterwards came to passe The women be not so variable fickle in following euery new fashion as the men be but keepe their old fashion still Baptista Mantuanus in his booke intituled Dionysius maketh a description of France to this effect Of all the parts of th' Vniuerse faire France is not the least A wide a large and spatious land and equall to the best It east-ward ioynes to Italy and west-ward vnto Spaine And compassed vpon the South with the huge Ocean maine And wholly bounded on the north with famous riuer Rh●i●e With men beasts and all sorts of graine this land doth much abound The earth is fruitfull and the ayre is whol some sweet and sound Not p●stred with such poysonous beasts as is the Lybian coast Nor like the Hyperborean hils still mantled or'e with frest It is not fryde like India pale with Phoebus scorching beames Which barren makes the fattest fields on whom he spreads his gleams Nor is there such extream sharpe cold nor such perpetuall night Like Island and the frigid Zone where Sol scarce shewes his light Nor doth their land lye soakt in fennes like vnto Aegipts soyle But temperate heate and moyst doth yeeld inc●ease with little toyle And a litle after the same Author sayth The Gauls are of a fiery mind and of complexion white Which is the cause they were so cald as diuers Authors write Nature beheld the Paphian Queen when shee gaue them their hew Whereby of colours white and red a perfect vnion grew In dancing playes and pleasant verse consist their chiefest ioyes Most pron● they are to banquetting most prore to Venus toyes Yet be they zealous towards their God and for they are free borne Tabase themselues with seruitude their haughty minds do scorne No lying nor hypocrisie can harbor in their brest But like free men so free of speech all rudenes they detest To hunt fish f●wle the fields and flouds and hils they often haunt Long wars hath so inured them no foes their minds can daunt Their chiefst delight is barbed horse with yerking spur to gall Bowes speares shields swords and Brigandines to them are naturall By day to suffer heate of Sunne to watch in fields all night To beare huge armor on their backes amid their foes to fight To run through dangers swords and pikes t' oppose themselues to death For king or kin or country deare to spend their dearest breath They much delight and there in thinke their honor most doth stand And for the Goate if stars speake truth is ruler of their l●nd From 's influence if we so may iud●e this is th' effect insues A wauering heart vnconstant brest mind greedy still of newes I thinke it not amisse in this place to make some description of the Parlament of France which is the worthiest commendation and greatest ornament belonging to the Court of France by whom or from whence this court of Parlament was first instituted and deriued I can gather no more certaintie by writers than I haue signified before that by all likelihood the Druides were the first authours thereof and that it hath continued euer since though now much differing from what it then was for the Parlament as the Councell of the Druides before was held yearely at Lyons at times appointed by the King in this manner They assembled thither frō each seueral city of the Prouince all such as were skilfull in their lawes and customs beeing thereto chosen aforehand to do equitie and iustice vnto all that would bring their causes before them by way of appeale but because this institution was at the first vncertaine and not well setled the seate of this Court of Parlament was afterwards translated from Lyons and is now established at Paris and certaine Iudges appointed to heare and finally to determine all appeales whatsoeuer of these Iudges there be foure-score which haue annuall stipends out of the Kings Exchequer for their better maintenance They be diuided into foure Courts and euery Court aboue other and each hath his proper Presidents or chiefe Iustices In the first Court or Chamber as they call it sit soure chiefe Iudges or Presidents and thirtie Councellors or Assistants and these heare all complaints controuersies and delayes and set downe what is Law in euery case and if the matters be light or lately begun they end and determine them In the second and third Court or Chamber sit in each eighteene whome they call Aequati as hauing equall authoritie and these be called Councellers of Inquests Inquisitions because they haue the chiefe stroke in Inquisitions and verdicts and of them some be lay and some Clergie-men and each of these chambers or courts hath foure Presidents These when they haue set downe their opinions touching any matter in question some one of the Presidents at certaine times appointed deliuereth their sentence
three or foure other Barons which be called Barons of the Exchequer Besides these three Courts of the common law and the court of the Councell for the Marches of Wales whereof I haue spoken before there is a Court for the North part of England which is likewise called the Councell hauing a President Iustices and assistants as in the Councell of Wales and the same forme of proceeding And for the more ease and quiet of the subiect the King by his commission sendeth the Iudges and Barons of the Exchequer twise a yeare into euery seuerall County of the countrie as well to see the lawes executed against malefactors as for the triall and determining of causes depending betwixt partie and party These two Sessions are vsually called the Assises or Goale deliuery and their manner of proceedings is by Iurors who are to giue their verdicts according to euidēce And for because the time of these Iudges commission is ouer short to determine all matters that may arise in halfe a yeare the Iustices of peace in their seuerall Counties haue their Sessions likewise which be kept foure times in the yeare and be therefore called the quarter Sessions in which Sessions are heard and determined all pettie causes for the more ease of the Iudges in their circuits And for the better maintenance of peace in euery part of the Realm there be diuers other petty Courts as county Courts hundred Courts towne Courts Leets Court Barons and such like all which hold plea according to the course of the common law Next vnto these Courts of common law is the Court of Star-chamber which is the court of the kings Councell therin sit as Iudges the L. Chancelor as chiefe the L. Treasurer and the rest of the priuy Councel both spirituall and tēporall to gether with the chiefe Iustices of both benches And in this court be censured all criminall causes as periurie forgerie cousenage ryots maintenance and such like The court of Wards and Liueries is next which is a court of no long continuance being first ordained by Henry the 8. the matters that are determinable in that court are as touching wards and wardships and the Iudges are the Master of the wards and liueries the Atturney of the court of wards and other officers and assistants Then is there the Admirals court which is only for punishment of misdemeanors done at sea the Iudges of which court be the Lord high Admirall of England and a Iudge with other officers The Duchie court which is a court for the determining of matters depending within the Duchy of Lancaster wherein be Iudges the Chancelor of the Duchie and the Atturney And a late erected court called the court of the Queens reuenues for the deciding of controuersies amongst the Queenes tenants Next vnto these are the courts of Equity which are the Chancery and the court of Requests The court of Chancery which is commonly called the court of conscience is chiefly for the mitigation of the rigor of the cōmon lawe wherein the Lord high Chancelor of England is chiefest Iudge and moderator to whom are ioyned as assistants the M. of the Rolles and certaine graue Doctors of the ciuill law which are vsually called Masters of the Chancery The court of Requests is much like to the Chancery and is chiefly for the kings seruants the Iudges wherof are the Masters of Requests which bee alwaies reuerent men and well seen in the ciuill law and one of them is euer attendant on the King to receiue supplications and to answer them according to the Kings pleasure Hauing thus passed ouer the seueral courts of common law the courts of Equity and those which are of a mixt nature betwixt the common ciuill law I wil only name the spirituall courts the chiefest wherof are these The first and most principal is the conuocation of the Clergy which is a Synod of the chiefest of the Clergie of the whole Realme held only in Parlament time in a place called the Conuocation house where cannons are ordained for church-gouernment And this court may be called a generall Councell next vnto which are the particular Synods of both Prouinces Canterbury and York and are called prouinciall Synods Then is there the Archb. of Cāterburies court called the Arches the court of Audience the Prerogatiue court the court of Faculties the court of Peculiars with many other courts in each seuerall Dioces In all which courts what matters are there handled their Iudges and assistants and all their whole manner of proceedings I leaue to the report of such as are better acquainted in those courts And thus much may suffice for the present estate of our country as it is now in the ninth yeare of the raigne of our dread Soueraign Lord K. Iames the first whome God graunt long to rule and raigne ouer vs. OF IRELAND HIBERNIA an Iland bordering vpon Brittaine on the North and West side and much about halfe as big as Brittaine was so called according to some ab hyberno tempore that is to say of the winter season The ground there is so exceeding rancke and the grasse so pleasant and delicious withall that their beasts in Sommer time will kill themselues with feeding and supersluosly grazing if they be not driuen from pasture some part of the day This Island breedeth neither spider nor toade nor any other venimous or infectious creature nor will any liue that are brought thither out of other Countries but dye instantly as soone as they do but touch this Countries soyle Bees there be none the aire is very temperate and the earth fruitfull and yet be the people exceeding barbarous vnciuill and cruell For those which prooue vanquishers in their battels swill and drinke vp the bloud of their slaine enemies and then defile and gore their owne faces with it And whether they do right or wrong it is all one vnto them When a woman is deliuered of a male child the first meate she giueth him shee putteth into his mouth with her husbands sword point signifying by that manner of feeding and also praying after her countrey fashion that the child may dye no other death but in the field amongst his enemies Their greatest gallants adorne the hilts and pummels of their swords with beasts teeth which bee as white as Iuorie and brought thither out of other countreys And their chiefest delight and greatest glorie is to be souldiers Those which inhabite the hilly and mountainous part of the countrie liue vppon milke and apples and are more giuen to hunting and sporting then to husbandrie The Sea betwixt England and Ireland is very raging vnquiet and troublesome all the yeare long and but in summer hardly nauigable Yet do they sayle ouer it in boates or whirries made of Ozier twigs and couered with Oxe hides or buffe skins they abstaine from meate all the while they are vpon the seas And this sea according to the opinion of the best writers is in breadth one hundred and twenty
English miles The inhabitants of the I le of Sillura retaine as yet their old customes and course of life money they haue none nor no marketting but giue and take one of an other furnishing themselues rather by exchanging one thing for an other then by buying and selling They beleeue in the gods and aswell women as men bee very skilful in predictions and sooth-saying Those which possesse the Iles called Eubudes whereof there be fiue liue altogether on milke and fish not caring for corne nor any kinde of fruites These Islands are seperated one from an other onely by a little riuer and are all vnder the gouernment of one King who possesseth nothing in priuate to himselfe but occupieth all in commune with his subiects Their lawes inforce him to equity and right and least coueteousnesse should diuert him from truth hee learneth Iustice through pouerty as being maintained at the publike charge without hauing any thing proper to himselfe no not so much as a wife in so much as enioying the company of women by turnes with his subiects hee is vtterly depriued of all hope of issue that hee may iustly say are his owne The vtmost Island in the British seas is Thyle wherein in the Sommer solstice when the Sunne is in Cancer there is almost no night and as little day in the winter solstice The Inhabitants in the beginning of the spring liue amongst their cattaile with herbes and milke and in winter with fruites of trees for the Island yeeldeth great store of apples They haue certaine mariages but enioy their women in commune like the Inhabitants of the Eubudes There bee other Islands also in the Mediterranean sea towards the West which of the Greekes bee called Gymnesiae because the people thereof goe naked but of the Romans and by the Inhabitants themselues they are called Baleares of slinging or casting of stones because they bee more expert in that excercise then any other people The biggest of these Islands is the greatest Island that is excepting seuen which are Sicilia Sardinia Creta Eubaea Cyprus Corsica and Lesbos It is distant from Iberia now called Spaine one daies sayling The lesser of them lieth more East-ward and aboundeth with all kinde of cattaile and especially mules which bee greater then other country mules and will bray lowder both of these Islands are fertile and fruitfull and well replenished with people They bee very greedy of wine whereof their country yeeldeth none and in steed of oyle which is also wanting they anoint their bodies with swines grease and masticke mingled together Women there are in farre more estimation then men in so much as if a woman bee taken prisoner they will ransome her with three or foure men Their dwellings are in hollow caues made in steepe rockes which are their onely couering and defence for their bodies And they are so farre out of loue with gold and siluer as they forbid it to bee brought into their Island supposing that by wanting money they are in security from all plots of treason And therefore at such time as they serued in the Carthaginian warres they brought home nothing with them but wine and women which they bought with the money they receiued for pay Their manner of marriages are both strange and prodigious for all the brides family and friends that are present at the nuptials lie with her one after an other according to their age and the bride-groome last of all the forme of burials also is proper to themselues and different from all other people for they dismember and cut the dead bodie into small peeces and put them into a vessel and so couer the vessel with stones Their weapons are euery one a sling and there budgets to put stones in the one hee hangeth about his necke an other hee guirdeth about his waste and the third hee carrieth in his hand their stones are bigger then other men are well able to throw and yet will throw them so strongly that they flie with such violence as if they were shot out of a pecce And with these stones when they assault any citty will they wound and kill their enemies that gard and defend the walles and bulwarkes of the cittie and bre●● their shields and helmets and all other kinde of armor and they will leuell so rightly as they will verie seldome misse the marke they aime at for they bee trained vp in this kinde of excercise from their childhood and therevnto constrained by their mothers who will set a peece of bread vpon a stake for them to throw at and giue them nothing to eate before they haue stroke the bread off the stake with a stone Now hauing entred into the relation of Islands opportunitie is offered to speake somewhat of a new found Island sytuated in the South part of the Ocean sea and of the strange things that are reported to bee in that Island as also of the cause and manner of the finding thereof which was thus One Iambolus being in his youth trained vp as a scholler after the death of his father who was a merchant betooke himselfe to merchandize and sayling into Arabia for spices he with all his partners were surprised and taken by Pyrats and Robbers and one of his fellowes and himselfe beeing by those theeues set into the fields to keepe sheepe were afterwards found and taken away by certaine maritine Aethiopians and by them carried ouer into Aethiopia where for because they were strangers they were assigned to bee a sacrifice and expiation to the gods of that Country for those Aethiopians which liued vpon the sea coast had an ancient custome of sixe hundred yeares continuance which they receiued by Oracle from their gods to expiate and make satisfaction to their gods with two men the manner whereof was this They had a little barke or boate prouided for that purpose that was able to brooke the seas and which two men were able to gouerne and into this vessel they put Iambolus and his companion and victuals for sixe monthes commanding them that according to their Oracle they should direct their ship and saile South ward and that then they should attaine to a fortunate Island the people whereof were maruelous curteous and ciuil florished in great felicity Into which Island if they arriued in safety their owne Country should for six hundred yeeres after enioy perfect peace and happinesse But if through the terror or tediousnesse of the seas they diuerted their course that then as impious and wicked varlets they were causers of great calamities that should fall vpon their region This done and the boate lanched out those maritine Aethiopians are said to keepe that day holy and to doe sacrifice to the seas praying for their good successe and that their expiation may take good effect When Iambolus and his companion were thus committed to the mercy of the sea and had beene long tossed in stormes and tempests after foure monthes sayling they
gates of their houses be neuer shut but stand alwayes open Amongst the Pedalians a people of India not hee which is cheefe in the sacrifice but hee that is most prudent of all those which be present deuineth and they desire nothing of the gods in their prayers but Iustice onely the Praysij or Phrasij succour with sustenance their neighbours afflicted by famine The people called Telchines dwelled first in the I le of Creete and afterwards inhabited the I le of Cyprus also from whence they remooued into Rhodes and inioyde that Iland where they began to bee very malicious and enuious and exercising themselues in Mechanicall Artes and imitating the workes of their elders they were the first that erected the Idoll of Telchinian Minerua which is as much to say as enuious Minerua It is not lawfull amongst the Tartessians for the younger to giue testimony against the elder The people of Lucania excercise iudgement and inflict punishment as well for luxury and sloth as for any other offence what-so-euer and hee which is proved to lend any thing to a luxurious person is fined at the value of the thing lent Amongst the Saunites or Samnites is once euery yeare a publike Iudgement pronounced both of young men and maides and which of the youngmen is adiudged best by the censure of the Iudges shall first make his choyse which of the Virgins hee will haue to his wife and the second to him chooseth next and so of all the rest in order The Limyrnij haue their wiues in common their children be likewise brought vp at their common charge vntill they accomplish the age of fiue yeares and in the sixt yeare they be brought together into one place where all the fathers be assembled to make coniecture whom euery childe doth most resemble which done they assigne vnto euery father the child that is likest vnto him and by that meanes euery one acknowledgeth his owne child as neere as he can and bringeth him vp as his owne whether he be so or noe The Sauromatae or Sarmatae pamper and gorge themselues with meate for the space of three daies together that they may be throughly filled they obey their wiues in all things as their Ladies and Mistresses and noe maide there is admitted to marry before she hath beene the death of som enimy The Cercetae punish all offenders so seuerely as they prohibite them to sacrifice And if any marryner or gouernor of a boate split or runne his shippe or boate vpon a rocke all men that passe by him spit at him in contempt The Mosyni keepe their Kings in strong castles and if any of them be adiudged carelesse of the common-wealth hee is there famished to death The graine which the earth yeeldeth there is equally distributed amongst the people sauing some small part thereof which is reserued in common to releeue strangers The Phryges or Pryges abstaine from al swearing so as they will neither sweare themselues nor constraine others to sweare And if any man amongst them kill a labouring or draught oxe or priuily taketh or stealeth any instrumēt of husbandry he is punished with death They bury not their Priests when they bee dead in the ground but place or set them vpright vpon pillers of stone of tenne cubits high The Lycij attribute more honor to their women then to men and all of them take their names after their mothers In like manner they make their daughters their heires and not their sonnes And if any freeman be conuicted of theft hee is punished with perpetuall seruitude They giue not their testimony in deciding controuersies at an instant but alwaies at the Months end that they may haue time inough to delibrate what testimony to giue The Pisidae at their bankets sacrifice the first of their feasts to their parents as vnto the Gods the protectors of alliance and friendshippe Their sentence for the misusing of things laid to gage is most seuere for hee which is there conuicted deceytfully to put them to other vse then taken in adultery he together with the addulteresse woman are for a punishment led through the citty sitting vpon an asse and that for the space of certaine dayes appoynted The Aethiopians attribute the chiefest honour vnto their sisters and the Kings leaue their sisters children to succeed them in their Kingdomes and not their owne but if there bee no such children to whome the right of succession belongeth then they choose for their King hee that is most indued with valour and comlinesse of personage piety and iustice are much practised amongst them dwelling houses they haue none but liue altogether without doors and when as many times it happeneth much of their goods lieth abroad in the common waies yet they be so true as no one stealeth any thing from them Amongst the Buaei a people of Libia or affricke a man hath dominion ouer the men and a woman ouer the women The Basuliei a people of Lybia when they make wars ioyne their battells in the night and keepe peace all the day The Dapsolybies assemble them-selues together into one place and marry at the same time they be so assembled after the setting of the seauen starres their manner of marrying is thus after they haue banqueted a while their lights or torches for their meetings for this purpose are in the night are put forth and extinguished and then they go vnto the women sitting by themselues in the darke and which of the women any man shal take at aduentures her hee hath to his wife Amongst the Ialchleueians a people of Libya when many corriuals goe about to obtaine the loue of one woman they suppe all together with the father of the woman they desire in mariage where they spend the supper time in taunting and scoffing one another with pleasant quippes and Iests and hee whome the woman doth most arride and best conceiue of hath her to his wife The Sardolybies make no prouision of houshold stuffe but onely of a cuppe and a sword The Alytemij a people of Libia choose the most pernicious Kings they can get but for the rest of the people hee which is most iust is of greatest dignity The Nomades a people of Libia also in their computation of times account by the nights and not by the dayes The Apharantes a people of Libia are not distinguished and knowne by proper names as other people bee they reuyle the Sunne at his rysing because hee produceth and bringeth all euills to light and they account those daughters the best which keepe their virginity longest When any of the Baeotians are become banckrupts and not able to pay their debts they are brought into the common market place and there constrayned to sit together and be couered all ouer with a basket and those which haue this punishment inflicted vpon them are accounted for euer
be inferior houses to the Innes of Court furnished with Atturneys Solicitors and young Gentlemen and Clerkes that are to liue and study there for a space as probationers before they be thought fit to be admitted to the Innes of Court which eight houses be called the Innes of Chancery This citty and suburbes is diuided into sixe and twenty wards and about an hundred and twenty Parishes The chiefest Magistrate there vnder the King is the Lord Maior vnder whome are diuers inferior Officers ouer euery seuerall company and ward who do all of them attend the Maior when he takes his oath in such seemely maner as he that beholds their stately Pageants and deuises their passage by water to Westminster and backe againe their going to Paules the infinit number of attendants of Aldermen and all sorts of people their rare and costly banquets and all their forme of gouernement surely I suppose he will hold opinion that no citty of the world hath the like This superficiall commendation of this renowned citty of London shall suffice for all and therefore I will passe ouer the rest in silence for that there is no one thing worthy memorie in any cittie or towne of the whole Realme that the like or better is not to bee found in the citty of London the Vniuersities onely excepted which are the nurse-gardens and Seminaries of all good arts and sciences And of these there be two Oxford and Cambridge which consisting of sundry Colledges and Hals erected and founded by godly and deuout founders and benefactors and endowed with large rents and reuenewes for the maintenance of poore schollers who are there maintained and instructed in learning of all sorts and beeing next vnto London the two VVorthies of our kingdome and in truth the most famous Vniuersities in Christendome I thinke it not amisse omitting to speake any thing of the cittizens and towns-men or the diuided gouernement betwixt them the Vniuersities to recite in particular the names of the Colledges and Hals in both Vniuersities their founders benefactors and the times of their seuerall foundations First therfore of Oxford without addition of superiority for that as the Prouerbe is As proud goes behind as before there be contained in that Vniuersitie besides nine hals viz. Glocester hall Broad-gate S. Mary hall Albaine hall VVhite hall New Inne Edmund hall Hart hall and Magdalin hall which differ from the Colledges for that the Colledges haue lands to maintaine their Societies which the hals in Oxford do want and therefore though al scholer-like exercises bee there practised as well as in the Colledges yet in respect of the want of maintainance they do in part resemble the Ins in court sixteene Colledges that is to say 1 Vniuersitie Colledge founded by Alured king of the Saxons in the yeare of our Lord 872. 2 Baylyoll Colledge founded by Iohn Baylyoll king of the Scots in the yeare of our Lord 1263. 3 Martin Colledge founded by Walter Martin bish of Rochester in the yeare of our Lord 1273. 4 Excester Colledge and Hart hall founded by Staphel●n bishop of Excester in the yeare of our Lord 1316. which said Colledge was much augmented by Sir VVilliā Peeter Secretary to king Henry the eight in the yeare of our Lord 1566. 5 Oriall Colledge founded by Adam Browne brought vp in the Vniuersity of Oxford by king Edward the second in the yeare of our Lord 1323. 6 Queenes Colledge founded by Robert Eglesfield Chaplin to Philippe king Edward the thirds wife in the yeare of our Lord 1349. 7 New Colledge founded by Willyam VVicham bishop of VVinchester in the yeare of our Lord 1375. 8 Lincolne Colledge founded by Richard Flemming Bishop of Lincolne and increased by Thomas Rotheram Bishop of the same Diocesse in the yeare of our Lord 1420. 9 All Soules Colledge founded by Henry Chechelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in the yere of our Lord 1437. 10 Magdalin Colledge and Magdalin Hall founded by VVillyam VVainflet Bishop of Winchester and Chancelor of England in the yeare of our Lord 1456. 11 Brazen-nose Colledge founded by VVillyam Smith Bishop of Lincolne in the yeare of our Lord 1513 and lately increased by Doctor Nowell Deane of Paules 12 Corpus Christi Colledge founded by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester in the yeare of our Lord 1516. 13 Christs Church founded by Cardinall Wolsey in the yeare of our Lord 1526. and indowed with lands by king Henry the eight 14 S. Iohns Colledge founded by Sir Thomas White Maior of London in the yeare of our Lord 1557. 15 Trinity Colledge founded by Sir Thomas Pope Knight in the yeare of our Lord 1566. 16 Iesus Colledge founded by Hugh Price Doctor of the ciuill Law There is another Colledge now in building the foundation wherof is alreadie laid by M. Waddam of Merryfield in Somersetshire CAmbridge was first a common schoole founded by Sigebert king of the East English in the yeare of our Lord God 637. since which time it hath beene so increased and augmented that at this day it is equall to Oxford it consisteth reckoning Michaell house and Kings hall for two which haue beene since added to Trinity Colledge of eighteene Halles Colledges the Halls hauing lands belonging to them as well as the Colledges for there is no difference there betwixt Halles and Colledges but in name onely sauing that the Colledges haue more lands then the Hals and therefore maintaine more Schollers then the hals do the names of the houses and by whome and when they were founded and augmented is as followeth 1 Peter-house founded by Hugh Bishop of Ely in the yeare of our Lord 1280. 2 Michaell house founded by Sir Henry Stanton Knight one of the Iudges of the common Bench in the yeare of our Lord 1324. 3 Trinity hall founded by William Bateman in the yeare of our Lord 1354. 4 Corpus Christi Colledge founded by Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster in the yeare of our Lord God 1344. 5 Clare hall was first called Scholer hall and afterwards the Vniuersitie hall and being burnt with fire was afterwards re-edified by Elizabeth daughter of Gilbert Clare Earle of Leicester in the yeare of our Lord God 1326. and by her called Clare hall 6 Pembroke hal founded by Mary Countesse of Pembroke in the yeare of our Lord 1343. 7 Kings hall repaired by king Edward the third in the yeare of our Lord 1376. 8 Kings Colledge founded by king Henry the sixt in the yeare of our Lord 1441. 9 Queenes Colledge founded by Margaret wife to king Henry the sixt and finished by Elizabeth wife to K. Edward the fourth in the yeare of our Lord God 1448. 10 Katherine hall founded by Doctor Woodlabe Prouost of Kings Colledge in Cambridge in the yeare of our Lord 1459. 11 Iesus Colledge founded by Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeare of our Lord 1504. 12 Christs Colledge founded by Queene Margaret Grandmother to King Henry the eight 13 Saint Iohns Colledge founded by the sayd