them expediente for their owne behoue ¶ The. vii Chapiter ¶ Of Persia and the maners and ordinaunces of the Persians PErsia a countrie of the easte was so called of Perstus the Sonne of Iupiter and Danae Of whome the chiefe citie of the kingedome also was named Persepolis whiche in Englishe soūdeth Persehoroughe or as we corruptly terme it Perseburie and the whole naciō Persiens This countrie as Ptolomie writeth in his fiueth booke hath on the northe Media on the West Susiana on the easte the two Carmaniaes and on the southe an inshot of the Sea called the Bosome of Parthia The famous cities therof ware Axiama Persepolis and Diospolis By the name of Iupiter thei vnderstode the whole heauen Thei chiefely honour the Sonne whom thei calle Mitra Thei worship also the Mone the planet Venus the fyre the earthe the water and the windes Thei neither haue anltare nor temple nor ymage but celebrate their deuine seruice vndre the open heauen vpon some highe place for that purpose appoincted In doinge sacrifice thei haue no farther respecte but to take awaye the life from the beaste As hauing opinion that forasmuche as the goddes be spirites thei delighte in nothinge but the spiritual parte the soule Before they slea it thei set it aparte by them with a corone vpon the heade and heape vppon it many bittre banninges and curses Some of the nacion notwithstandinge when thei haue slaine the beaste vse to laye parte of the offalle in the fire When thei sacrifie vnto the fire they timbre vp drie stickes together cleane withoute pille or barcke And after what time thei haue powred on neates tallowe and oyle thei kindle it Not blowing with blaste of blowesse or mouthe but makinge winde as it ware with a ventile or trenchour or suche like thinge For yf any manne either blowe into it or caste in any deade thing or any durte or puddle it is deathe to the doer The Persians beare suche reuerence to their floudes that thei neither wasshe pysse nor throwe deade carcasse into them No not so muche as spitte into thē But very reuerentlye honour their water after this maner Comminge to lake mere floude ponde or springe thei trenche out a litle diche and ther cut thei the throte of the sacryfice Being well ware that no droppe of blode sprinckle into the water by As thoughe all water ware polluted and vnhalowed ouer all yf that should happen That done their Magi that is to say men skylfull in the secretes of nature layeng the flesh vppon a heape of Myrtus or Laurelle and tymbryng smalle wandes about sette fyre theron brenne yt And pronouncyng certein curses they myngle oyle mylke and hony together and sprinkle into the fyre But these cursinges make they not against the fyre ne water But against the earthe a greate whyle toguether holding in their hande a boūdle of smalle myrte wandes Their kinges reigne by successiō of one kindred or stocke To whom who so obeyeth not hath his heade armes striken of and so wythout buriall is throwē out for karreine Policritus sheweth that euery king of the Persians buyldeth his howse vpō a greate hille and ther hourdeth vp all the threasure tribute taxe that he receyueth of the people to be a recorde after his deathe how good a husbonde he hath bene for the cōmune wealthe Suche of the subiectes as dwelle vpon the sea coast are taxed to paie money But those that enhabite toward the mydde londe suche cōmodities as the quartre beateth or hath wher they dwelle As apothecary druggues woolle coulours suche like and cateille accordingly He is not permitted any one cause to putte any man to death Neither is it lawfull for any other of the Persians to execute any thyng against any of his house or stock that maie sieme in any wyse cruelle Euery one of them marie many wiues holde many cōcubines also beside for the encrease of issue The king Proclaimeth rewarde vnto him that within one yere begetteth most children Fiue yere aftre thei are begotten thei come not in the fathers sight by a certein ordenaunce vsed emong theim but are broughte vp continually emong the women To the ende that if the childe fortune to dye in the time of his infancie their fathers grief maie be the lesse Thei vse not to marie but in one tyme of the yere toward midde Marche The bridegrome eateth to his supper an apple of that countrey or a litle of the maribone of a Chamel and so without any farther banquettyng goeth to bedde From fiue yeres olde to twentie and fowre thei learne to ride to throwe the Dart◠to shoote and chiefly to haue atongue voide of all vntruthe For their nourituryng and trainyng in good maners thei haue appoincted theim Masters of greate sobrenes and vertue that teache them dieties and pretie songes conteinyng either the praises of their Goddes or of some worthy Princes Whiche sometime thei sing and sometyme recite without note that so thei mighte learne to confourme their liues vnto theirs whose praises thei sieme them selues to allowe To this lesson assemble thei alwaie together at the calle of a Trompette And as thei growe into yeres an accompt is required of thē how well thei haue borne awaie the lessons of their childhode Thei vse to ronne the race to course bothe on horsebacke and on foote at the leadyng of some noble mannes sonne chosen for the nones The field for the race is at least thre mile and thre quarters longe And to the ende that heate or colde should the lesse trouble them thei vse to wade ouer brookes and swimme ouer riuers so to rowme and to hunte the fieldes and to eate drinke in their armour and wette clothes The fruyes that thei eate are akecornes wild Peares and the fruicte of the Terebinthine tree But their daiely foode aftre their ronnyng and other exercises of the bodie is hard Bisquette or a like crustie bread Hortechocques Gromelle sede a litle roste flesshe or sodden whether thei lust and faire water their drincke Their maner of Huntyng is with the bowe or the Darte on horsebacke Thei are good also in the slynge In the forenoone thei plante and graffe digge vp settes stubbe vp rootes make their owne armour or fisshe and foule with the Angle or nette Their children are decked with garnishynges of golde And their chief iuelle is the precious stone Piropus whiche thei haue in suche price that it maie come vppon no deade corps And that honour giue thei also to the fire for the reuerence thei beare there vnto From twentie till fiuetie thei folowe the warres As for byeng and sellyng or any kinde of Lawe prattle thei vse not Thei cary in their warres a kinde of shieldes facioned like a losenge a quiure with shaftes a curtilace On their heades a copintancke enibatled aboute like a turrette and a brest-plate emboussed of skaled woorke The princes and menne of honour did weare a treble
and there to stande without And then the Priest should enquire before the childe be dieped in the Fonte whether it haue renounted Sathan and all his pompe and pride If it beleue certeinely and wholie all the Articles of the Christiane faithe And the Godfathers answeryng yea for it the Prieste breathyng thrise vpon his face exorciseth it and cathechiseth it Aftre that doeth he seuen thinges to the childe in ordre Firste he putteth into the mouth hallowed salt Secondely he mingleth earthe and his spattle toguether and smereth the eyes eares nosethrilles of the childe Thirdly giuyng it suche name as it shall euer aftre bee called by he marketh it on the breast and backe with holie oile aftre the facion of a crosse Fourthly he diepeth it thrise in the Watre or besprinckleth it with watre thrise in maner of a crosse in the name of the holie Trinitie the father the sonne and holie ghost In the whiche name also all thother Sacramentes are ministred Fiuethly weting his thumbe in the holie ointement he maketh therewith a Crosse on the childes foreheade Sixthly he putteth a white garment vppon it Seuenthly he taketh it in the haÌ„de a Candle brennyng The Iewes before thei be Christened by the determinacion of the counsaile holden at Agathone are cathechised that is to saie are scholers as the enstruction of our beleue nine monethes And are bouÌ„d to fast fourtie daies to dispossesse them selues of all that euer thei haue and to make free their bonde men And looke whiche of their children thei haue Circumcised acording to Moses lawe hym are thei bounde to banishe their companie No merueile therfore if thei come so vnwillingly to christeÌ„dome Bishopping whiche the Latines calle Confirmacion a confirming a ratifieng establishyng aucthorisyng or allowyng of that went before is the second Sacramente And is giueÌ„ of the Bishoppe onely before the Aultare in the Churche to suche as are of groweÌ„ yeres and fastyng if it maie be aftre this maner As many as shal be Confirmed come all together with euery one a godfather And the Bishoppe aftre he hath saied one oraison ouer theÌ„ all wetyng his thumbe in the holie oile maketh a crosse vpoÌ„ eche of their foreheades In the name of the father sonne and holie ghoste And giueth hym a blowe on the lefte chieke for a remembraunce of the Sacrament that he come not for it againe The godfathers to the ende the enoilyng should not droppe awaie or by negligence bee wiped awaie clappe on a faire filette on the foreheade whiche thei iudge to be vnlawfully takeÌ„ awaie before the seuenth daie The holie fathers estemed this Sacrament so highly that if the name giuen to the childe at his Christendome fâ—â—med not good the Bisshoppe at the giuyng hereof mighte thaunge it The thirde Sacramente is holie Ordres whiche in the firste Churche was giuen likewise of the Bishoppe onely in the monethe of Decembre But now at sixe seueralle tymes of the yere that is to saie the fowre Saturdaies in the embre wekes whiche ware purposely ordeined therefore vpon the Saturdaie whiche the Churche menne calle Sitientes because the office of the Masse for that daie appoincted beginneth with that woorde and vpon Easter euen This Sacrament was giuen onely to menne and but to those neither whose demeanour and life dispocisioÌ„ of bodie and qualitie of minde ware sufficiently tried and knoweÌ„ Aftre the opinion of some there ware seuen ordres or degrees wherby the holy fathers would vs to beleue that there ware â—â—ueÌ„ speciall influences as it ware printed in the soule of the receiuer wherby eche one for eche ordre was to be compted an hallowed manne Aftre the mindes of other there ware nine That is to saie Musicens whiche encludeth singing and plaieng Doore kiepers Reders Exorcistes Acholites Subdeacon Deacon Prieste and Bishop And for all this it is coÌ„pted but one Sacramente by the reason that all these tende to one ende that is to saie to consecrate the Lordes bodie To euery one of these did the Counsaile of Tolede in Spaine appoincte their seueralle liueries and offices in the Churche The Doorekepers had the office of our Common Sexceine to opeÌ„ the churche dores to take hede to the churche and to shutte the dores And had therfore a keie giuen vnto theim when thei ware admitted to this ordre The Reader in signe and token of libertie to reade the Bible and holie stories had a greate booke giuen him The Exorcistes serued to commaunde euill spicices out of menne and in token therof had a lesse booke giuen them The Acholite had the bearyng and the orderyng of the Tapers Candelstickes and Cruetres at the Altare and therfore had a Candlesticke a Taper and two emptie Cruorettes deliuered hym The Subdeacon mighte take the offring and handle the Chalice and the Patine caâ—ie theim to the Altare and fro the Altare and giue the Deacon Wine and water out of the Cruettes And therfore the Bishoppe deliuereth hym an emptie Chalice with a Patine and the Archedeacon one Cruet full of wine and another full of watre or Chaptres and those againe into Paroches and to set that goodly ordre that yet continueth aswell emong the clergie as the laietie That the parishe should obeie their lawfull Persone the Persone the Deane the Deane the Bishoppe the Bishoppe the Archebishoppe The Archbishoppe the Primate or Patriarche the Primate or Patriarche the Legate the Legate the Pope the Pope the generalle Counsaile the generalle Counsaile God alone For the fourthe Sacramente it is holden that euery prieste rightly priested acordyng to the keies of the Churche hauing an encente to consecrate and obseruynge the fourme of the woordes hathe power of wheaten breade to make the very bodie of Christe and of Wine to make his very bloude Christe our Lorde hym selfe the daye before he suffred kepte it solemply with his disciples and consecrated and ordeined it continually to be celebrated and eaten in the remembraunce of him selfe And about this mattier a man had nede of a great faythe Firste to beleue the breade to be chaunged into the body and the wine into the bloude of Christe Againe thoughe this be done euery daye that yet Christ for all that should growe neuer a whitte the bigger for the making nor the lesse for the eatinge Thirdely that the Sacrament being deuyded into many partes Christ should yet remaine whole in euery cromme Fourthly that thoughe the wicked eate it yet should not it be defiled Fiuethly that it bringeth to as many euyll as receius it death and to the good euerlasting life Sixthly that it tourneth not into the nature of the eater to his nourishemente as other meate dothe but turneth the eater contrariwise into the nature of it selfe And yet being eaten that it is rapte into heauen vnhurte or vntouched Seuenthly that in so smalle a syse of breade and wine the infinite and incomprehensible Christe God and manne shoulde be comprehended Then that one and the self same bodye of
are makers of honye They all die them selues with red and eate apes fleshe wherof thei that dwel in the mounteines haue great plen tye These al being of the part called Libye liue for the moâ—â— parte a wilde lyfe abrode in the fieldes like beastes making no household prouision of meate ne wearing any maner of apparell but gotes felles The gentlemeÌ„ and men of honour emong theÌ„ haue neither cities nor townes but Turrettes builte vpon the waters side in the which they laye vp the ouerplus of that that they occupy They sweare their people euery yere to obeye their Prince and that they that obey in diede shoulde loue together as felowes and companions but that the disobediente shoulde be pursued like felons and traitours Their armour and weapoÌ„ are bothe acording to the nature of the country and contrimen for wher thei of them selues are very quicke and deliure of bodye and the country champaine and playne they neither vse swearde dagger ne harneis but onely cary thre Iauelines in their hande and a nombre of piked and chosen stones in a case of stiffe leather haÌ„ging aboute them With these they vse bothe to fight and to skirmishe In his coming towarde the ennemy he throweth his stone fetching his ronne and maketh lightlye a narowe mysse thoughe it be a good waye of suche continuall practise they haue of it They kiepe neither lawe ne faithe The Troglodites whiche are also named of the Grecians pastours for their fieding and brieding of carteille a people of Ethiope do lyue in companies haue their heade ouer them whome they call Tiraunte But not meaninge in him so much tiraÌ„ny in diede as sometime some of our gouernours vndre a fayrer name do execute None of them hathe any seuerall wife and therfore no seueral children but bothe those in commune the tiraunte excepted Who hathe but one wyfe onely To the which yf any manne do but approche or drawe nighe he is condempned in a certeine nombre of cat talle to be paied to the Tiraunte From the beginning of Iuly vntle about midde August at the which time thei haue great plenty of raine thei nourishe them selues with milke and bloude sodden a litle together The pasture vploÌ„d being dried away with the heate of the Sonne They sieke downe to the marshe lowe groundes for the whiche onely they be often at debate When their catteil wareth olde or sicke they kyll them and eate them altogether liue vpon such They do not giue the childe the name of the father but name him aftre a bull a rambe or an eawe And those call thei father the beastes I meane of the masle kinde and thother of the femel kynde they call mother because ther daily fode is giuen by them The people called Idiote vse for their drincke the iuyce of a whinne named Paliurus But the men of worshyp and gentlemen vse the iuce of a certeine floure they haue emonge them whiche maketh drincke moche like the worste of the Renishe muste And because thei cary great droues of catteile with them they chaunge their soile often Their bodies are all naked sauing their priuities whiche they hide with felles of beastes All the Troglodites are circuÌ„cised aftre the maner of the Egiptians sauing only the Claudians which they so terme of claudication or limping They onely dwellinge from their childehode within the country of the Hesternes are not touched with rasour or knife The Troglodites that are called Magaueres carye for theyr armour and weapon a rounde buckler of a rawe are hide and a clubbe shodde with yron Other haue bowes Iauelines As for graues or places of buriall they passe not For they binde the heade and the fiete of the dead together with witthes of Paliurus then setting it vp vpon some hilly place haue a good sporte to all to bethwacke it with stones vntle they lie heaped ouer the corps The laye they a goates horne on the toppe and departe biddinge sorrowe go plaie him They warre one with another not as the Griekes vpon rancour and Ambicon but onely for foode sake In their skirmishes firste they go to it with stones as afore ye haue hearde vntle it fortune some nombre to be hurte Then occupieng the bowe wherin they are very sure handed thei kille one another vpon hepes Those battayles are attoned by the women of mooste auncient age For when they be ones comen into the middle emonge them as they maye do withoute harme for that is compted abhominacion in any wise to hurte one of them the battaille sodenly ceaseth They that are nowe so fiebled with age that they can no longer folowe the heard winding the tayle of an oxe aboute their throte choke vp die But he that differreth to ridde him selfe in ths sorte It is laweful for another aftre a warninge to doe it And it is there compted a friendly benefaicte Men also diseased of feures or anye other incurable malady they doe in lyke maner dispatche iudginge it of all griefes the woorste for that manne to liue that canne nowe nothinge doe why he shoulde desyre to lyue Herodote writeth that the Troglodites myne them selues caues in the grounde wherin to dwell Men not troubled with anye desire of riches but raither giuing them selues to wilfull pouretie They glory in nothing but in one litle stone wherin appere thre skore sondry colours which we therfore calle Exaconthalitus They eate sondry kindes of venemous vermyne And speake any distincte worde they cannot but sieme rather to busse or churre betwene the tiethe then to speake There is another people dwelling in that Ethiope that lyeth aboue Egipte called Ryzophagi whiche bestowe muche time in digging vp of the rootes of Riedes growing niere aboute them and in wasshing and clensing of the same whiche afterward they bruse betwixt stones til thei become claÌ„mie so make swiete cakes of theÌ„ muche facioned like a brick a hande broade Those bake thei by the Sonne and so eate them And this kinde of meate onely serueth them all their life tyme plentifully and enough and neuer waxeth fulsome vnto theim Thei neuer haue warre one with another but with Lions whiche comyng out of the deserte there partly for shadowe and partly for to praie vpon smaller beastes doe oftymes wourie diuers of the Aethiopes comyng out of the Fennes In so muche that that nacion had long sences bene vttrely destroied by the Lions excepte nature of purpose had shewed theÌ„ her aide For toward the dogge daies there come into that coaste infinite swarmes of Gnattes without any drifte of winde to enforce them The men then flieng to the fennes are not harmed by theÌ„ But thei driue the Lions with their stingyng and terrible huszyng cleane out of that quartre Next vpon these bordre the Ilophagi and Spermatophagi the one liuynge by suche fruicte as falleth from the trees in Sommer and the residew of the yere by suche herbes as thei picke vp in the shadowed groundes The other
longe time haue bene offred to their goddes are kepte in the temple whose dores are by excellent workemanship garnished with golde siluer and yuorie The couche of their God is vi cubites longe and foure cubites brode all of golde gorgeous of worcke and goodly to beholde And by that is there sette a table of like sorte in euerie poincte for sise stuffe and gorgeousnes They haue but one temple all of white stone builte vpon pilours grauen and embossed thre hundred and. xxxviii taylours yardes square that is to saye euen of lengthe and bredthe euery waye so muche And somewhat acordinge to the syse of the temple it is sette full of highe ymages very precious coruen and grauen Rounde about the temple haue the priestes their habitacion And all the grounde aboute them xxv myle compasse is halowed to their goddes The yerely rente of that grounde is bestowed vpon sacrifice ¶ The. iij. Chapitre ¶ Of Assiria and Babilonia and the maners of those peoples AS saieth sainct Augustine the countrie called Assiria was so named of Assur the sōne of Sem. And at this dase to the ende that time might be founde an appairer of al thinges with the losse of a sillabe is becomen Siria Hauyng for his bounde on the East the countrie called Inde and part of Media On the West the floude Tygris on the Southe Susiana and on the Northe the maigne mounteigne Laucasus It is a deintie to haue in Assiria a showre of raine and therefore are thei constreined for the due moistyng of their lande to tolle in the riuers by pollicie of trenching and damming wherwith thei so plentisie their grounde that thei communely receiue two hundred busshelles for a busshell and in some speciall veine three hundred for one Their blades of their Wheate and Barlie are fowre fingers brode Their Sesamum and Milium Somer cornes are in groweth like vnto trees All the whiche thinges Herodotus the historien thoughe he knoweth thē as he writeth be to vndoubtedly true yet would he that men toke aduisemente in the reportyng of theim for that thei mighte steme vnto suche as neuer sawe the like incredible Thei haue a tree called Palma that beareth a kinde of small Dates This fruicte thei fiede muche vppon and out of the bodie of the tree thei draw at one time of the yere a liquour or sappe wherof thei make bothe wine and hon̄y In their fresh waters thei vse boates facioned round like a buckler which the Armenians that dwelle aboue them do make of salowe wikers wrought one within an other and couered with rawe leather The appareile of the Assyrians is a shirte downe to the foote and ouer that a short garment of wollen and last of al a faire white pleicted cassaque doun to the foote agayne Their shoes are not fastened on with lachettes but lyke a poumpe close about the foote Which also the The bans dydde vse and but they twayne no moe They suffre theyr heares to growe and couer them with prety forked cappes somwhat my trelyke And when they goe abroade they besprinkle them selues with fragraunt cyles to be swete at the smelle They haue euery man a rynge with a signet and also a sceptre finely wrought vppon whose toppe thei vse to sticke either an apple or a rose or a lillye or some lyke thynge For it is a dishonour to beare it bare Emongest all the lawes of that people I note this chiefly as worthie memorie Whē their maidens came to be mariage able thei ware frō yere to yere brought foorthe into the Marquette for suche as would buye them to be their wiues And because there ware some so hard fauoured that menne would not onely be loth to giue money for them but some menne also for a litle money to take theim the fairest ware first solde and with the prices of theim brought into the commune Treasourie ware the fowler bestowed Herodote writeth thet he heard by reaporte that the Heneti a people on the bordre of Italie towarde Illiria ware wonte to vse this maner Whervpon Sabellicus takyng an occasion writeth in this maner Whether there ware suche a maner vsed emong that people saieth he or not I haue litle more certaintie to laie for my self then Herodote had But thus muche am I able to saie that in Venice a citie of famous worthines and whose power is well knowen at this daie to be greate bothe by Sea and by lande suche maner as I shall saie was sometyme vsed There was in the Litie of Venice a place dedicate as ye would saie to our Ladie of Pietie Before whose doores it happened a child or twaine begotten by a skape whiche either for shame or necessitie could finde no mother or for the nombre of parteners no one propre father to bee laide And when by the good Litezeins suche tendrenes had been shewed to two or thre as the mothers loked for and manhode to saie the truthe doth require the dore of pitie became so fruict full a mother that she had not now one or twoo in a yere but three or fower in a quarter Whiche thyng when the gouernours of the citie perceiued their toke ordre by commune consente that frō thens foorthe suche women children onely as should fortune so to bee offred to Pietie should bee nourisshed at the commune charge of the citie none other And for those acordyngly thei ordeined a place wher thei ware brought vp hardly kepte in and diuersly enstructed acordyng to their giftes of witte and capacitie vntill thei ware mariage able At the whiche tyme she that had beautie and good qualities bothe found those a sufficient dowrie to purchase her choyse of husbandes And she that hadde but beautie alone thoughe her qualities ware not so excellēte yet for her honestie that beside forth was singuler in theim all founde that beautie and honestie could not be vnmaried These therfore ware not permitted to euery mannes choise but graunted to suche as ware thoughte menne worthir of suche women If there ware any that lacked the grace of beautie yet if she ware wittie and endewed with qualities together with her honestie a small dowrie purchased her a husbād in good time But if there ware any in whō there happened neither commendacion of beautie nor wit but onely bare honestie for her bestowyng was there a meane found by waie of deuotiō as we terme it whē we signifie a respecte of holines in the diede Menne vnmaried beyng in daungier vpon Sea or on Lande or bryng sore distressed with sickenes makyng a vowe for the recouerie of healthe where vnto thei holde them selues bounden in conscience if it fortuned theim at that tyme to be deliuered for satisfactiō of their vowe in that case not vprightly perfourmed vsed to take for their wiues suche of the simplest as other had left So that in processe thei alwaie fonnde husbandes and the commune wealthe a diminishyng of charge Another Lawe of the Babilonians there was more worthie of
the Ilophagi siekynge to the plaines with their wiues and their children climbe trees and gather eate and cary home the tendre croppes and buddes of the boughes And thei haue by continualle practise suche a nimblenes in climbyng that a wondrefull thynge to be spoken thei wille leape from boughe to boughe and tree to tree like Cattes or Squirelles and by reason of their slendrenes and lightenes wille mounte vp on braunches and twigges without daunger or hurte For thoughe their fiete slippe yet hang thei fast by the handes and if thei bothe faile theim yet falle thei so light that thei be harmelesse These folkes go naked and hold their wiues and childreÌ„ in commune Emong them selues they fighte for their places without weapon but against foreiners with staues And wheare thei ouercome there chalenge thei Lordeshippe Thei communely dye for hongre when their sight faileth them whiche was their onely instrumente to finde their foode The residewe of the countrie there aboute do those Aethiopians holde whiche are named Cynecy not vety many in nombre but muche differing in life from the rest For their Countrie beyng wooddie and wilde fulle of thicquetres and skanâ—e of watre thei are forced by night for feare of wilde beastes to slepe in trees and toward the mornyng all weaponed together to drawe doune to the waters wher thei shroude them selues into couert and so abide close till the heate of the daie At the whiche tyme the Bugles Par dales and other greate beastes what for the heate and what for thriste fiocke toguether to the watres Assone as thei haue druncken and haue well laden their bealies with watre the Ethiopes startynge out vpoÌ„ them with stakes sharpened and hardened in the fire and with stones and with arrowes and suche like weapon at this aduauntage stra them vpon heapes and deuide the carkesses by compaignies to be eaten And sometyme it happeneth that thei them selues are slaine by some beast of force howbeit very seldome For thei euer by their pollicies and traines doe more damage to the beastes then the beastes can do vnto them If at any time thei lacke the bodies of the beastes then take thei the rawe hides of suche as thei lateliest before had slaine and clensyng them cleane fro the heare thei sokynglie laie them to a softe fire and when thei be throughly hette deuide them emong the compaignie whiche very griedely fille them selues of them They exercise their children whilest thei be boies to throw the darte at a sette marke and he that hitteth not the marke receiueth no meate By the whiche maner of trainyng hoÌ„gre so worketh in the boies that thei become excellent darters The Acridophagie a people borderyng vpon the deaserte are somwhat lower of stature then the residâ— we leane exceding blacke In the Spring time the Weste and Southwest winde bringeth vnto them out of the Deaserte an houge nombre of Locustes whiche are of verie greate bodie and of wynge very filthily coloured The Ethiopians well accustomed with their maner of flighte trade gather together into a loÌ„g slade betwixte two hilles a great deale of rubbeshe and mullocke from places nighe hande apte for firyng and all the grasse and wiedes there aboute And laieng it ready in heapes aforehande along the slade wheÌ„ thef seethe Locustes come with the winde like cloudes in the atre thei set al on fice and so swelte theim in the passyng ouer that thei bee skante full out of the slade but thei fall to the grounde in suche plentie that thei be to all the Acridophagi a sufficient victuallyng For thei poudre them with salte wherof the countrie hath pleÌ„tie and so continually from yere to yere liue by none other foode For thei neither haue any kinde of catteille â—e fifthe can haue beyng so farre fro the sea And this maner of meate siemeth to theim verie pleasaunce and fine Of bodie thei are very lighte swifte of foote and shorte liued as not passyng xl yeres he that liueth loÌ„gest Their ende is not more incredible then it is miserable For wheÌ„ thei drawe into age their briedeth a kinde of winghed lice in their bodies of diuers colours and very horrible and filthie to beholde whiche firste eate our their be alies and theÌ„ their brest and so the whole body in a litle spare He that hath this disease first as thoughe he had on hym some tickelyng yeche all to beskratcheth his bodie with suche pleasure as is also mingled with some smart And within a litle while afire when the lyce beginne to craule and the bodieâ—â—â— ginneth to mattre enraged with the 〈◊〉 trenes and grief of the disease he teareth and mangleth his whole bodie with his nailes putting furth in the meane while many a greuous grone Then gussheth there out of hym suche aboundaunce of lice that a manne would thinke they had bene barelled in his body that the barel now broken the swarme plomped out And by this meanes whether throught the enfectious airs or the corruption of their fieding thei make a miserable ende Vpon the Southe border of Affrike dwell there menne called of the Grekes Cynnamie of their neighbours Sauluages Bearded and that with aboundaunce of heare Thei kiepe for the saufegarde of their liues greate compaignies of wilde Mastiues for that from midde Iune till midde Winter there entreth into their countrie an innumerable sorte of Kine of Inde Whether thei flie thether to saue them selues from other beastes or come to sieke pasture or by some instincte of nature vnknowen to manne it is vncertaine Against these when the men of their owne force are not able to resist thei defende theÌ„ selues by the helpe of their dogges and take many of them Wherof thei eate parte whilest thei are freshe and parte reserue thei in pouldre for their aftre niede Thei eate also many other kindes of beastes whiche thei hunt with their dogges The laste of all the Affriens Southewarde are the Ichthiophagi A people borderyng vpon the Troglodites in the Goulfe called Sinus Arabicus whiche vnder the shape of man liue the life of beastes Thei goe naked all their life tyme and make coÌ„pte of their wiues and their children in commune Thei knowe none other kindes of pleasure or displeasure but like vnto beastes suche as thei fiele neither haue thei any respecte to vertue or vice or any discernyng betwirte good or badde Thei haue litle Cabanes not farre from the Sea vpon the clieues sides where nature hath made great carfes diepe into the grounde and hollowe Guttres and Criekes into the maigne lande bowtyng and compassyng in and out to fro many sondrie waies Whose entringes thenhabitauntes vse to stoppe vp with great heapes of calion and stones wherby the criekes serue them now in the steade of nettes For when the sea floweth which happeneth there twise in the daye aboute the houres of thre and of nyne the water swelleth so highe that it ouerfloweth into the maygne shore and filleth those crieques
with the sea And the fisshe folowing the tide and dispersinge them selues abrode in the maigne londe to seeke their foode at the ebbe when the water withdraweth retiring together with it alway to the dieper places and at laste remaining in these gutters crieques they are stopped in with the stone heapes and at the lowe water lye drie Then come the enhabitauntes with wyfe and children take them and laye them oute vpon the rocques against the midday sonne wher with the broiling heate of the same they be within a while skorched and parched Then do they remoue them and with a litle beating seperate the fysshe fro the bones Then put they the fisshe into the hollowes of the rocques and beate it to pomois minglinge therewith the siede of the whynne Paliurus And so facion it into lumpes muche like a bricke but somewhat longer And when they haue baken them againe a litle by the sonne they sitte them downe together and eate by the bealy Of this haue thei alway in store accordinge to the plenty that Neptune gyueth them But when by the reasoÌ„ of tempest the sea ouerfloweth these places aboue his naturall course and tarieth longer then his wonte so that they can not haue this benefight of fisshing and their store is all spent they gather a kynde of great shelle fysshe whose shelles they grate open with stones and eate the fisshe rawe in taste muche like to an oyster If it fortune this ouerflowing by the reason of the winde to continue longe and their shellefyshe to fayle them then haue they recours to the fyshebones which they do of purpose reserue together in heapes and when thei haue gnabeled of the softest and gristely partes with their tiethe of those that are newest and beste they beate the harder with stones into pieces and eate theÌ„ Thei eate as I haue said in the wilde field together abrode reioising with a semblaunte of merinesse a maner of singyng full vntuned That done they falle vppon their women euen as they come to hande withoute any choyse vtterly voide of care by reason they are alwaye sure of meate in good plentye Thus foure daies euer continual busied with this bealy bownsing chiere the .v. daie thei flocke together to go drinck al on a droue not vnlike to a heard of kiene to the waters shouting as they go with an yrishe whobub And when they haue dronke till their bealies stonde a strutte so that thei are skaÌ„t able to retourne euerye dodie layes him downe dronckar delike to reste his water bolne bealy and that daye eateth nothing The next daye agayne they fall to their fysshing And so passe they their lyfe continually Thei seldome falle into any diseases for that they are alway of so vniforme diete Neuerthelesse they are shorter lyued theÌ„ we are Theyr nature not corupted by any perswasion taken of other compreth the satisfieng of hoÌ„gre the greatest pleasure in the world As for other extraordenary pleasures they seke them not This is the maner of liuing propre vnto them that lye within the bosome of the sayde Arabique sea But the maner of them that dwell without the bosome is moche more merueilous For thei neuer drinke ne neuer are moued with any passion of the mynde These beynge as it ware by fortune throwen oute into the desertes facre from the partes miete to be enhabited giue them selues altogether to fysshing which they eate haulfe rawe Not for to auoyde thirste for they desire no moyste thinges but raither of a nature sauluage and wilde contented with such victualle as commeth to hande They coÌ„pte it a principal blessednes to be with oute those thinges what so euer they be that bringe sorowe or griefe to their haners Thei are reported to be of such pacience that thoughe a manne strike them with a naked sweard thei wil not shonne him or flye from him Beate them or do theim wronge and they onely wil looke vppon you neither shewinge token of wrathe nor countenaunce of pitie Thei haue no maner of speache emong them But onely shewe by signes of the hande and nodding with the heade what they lacke and what they would haue These people with a whole consent are maynteners of peace towarde all men straunger and other The whiche maner aâ—thoughe it be wondrefull they haue kept time oute of mynde Whether throughe longe conunaunce of custome or driuen by necessitie or elles of nature I can not saye They dwell not as the other Icthiophagi doe all in one maner of cabanes but sondry in diuers Some haue their dennes and their cabanes in them opening to the North to the ende they might by that meanes be the bettre shadowed fro the sonne and haue the colder ayre For those that are open toward the southe by the reason of the greate heate of the sonue caste for the suche a breathe fornais like that a manne can not come niere them They that open towarde the northe builds them preaty if abanes of the ribbes of whales whiche in those seas they plentuousty finde compassing them aboute by the sides accordynge to their naturall bendinge and fasteninge them together at bothe â—ndes with some maner of tyenge Those do they couer with the woose and the wiedes of the sea tempered together And in these they shroude them selues fro the sonne nature by necessitie deuising a way how to helpe and defende her selfe Thus haue ye hearde the lyfe of the Icthiophagi and now remaineth there for Aprique onely the Amazones to be spoken of which menne saye in the olde tyme dwelte in Libye A kinde of warlike women of greate force and hardfnesse nothing lyke in lyfe vnto our women The maner amonge them was to appointe to theirmaidens acerte in space of yeres to be trayned and exercysed in the feictes of warre Those beynge expired they ware ioyned to menne for yssues sake The women bare all the rule of the commune wealthe The women ware princes lordes and officiers Capiteines and chiefteines of the warres The menne had noughte to doe but the drudgery at home and as the women woulde appoincte them The children assone as thei ware borne ware deliuered to the men to nouryshe vp with milke and suche other thinges as theyr tendrenes required If it ware a boye they eyther brake the right arme assone as it was borne that it mighte neuer be fytte for the warres or flue it or sente it oute of the countrye If a wenche they streight ceared the pappes that thei might not growe to hindre them in the warres Therfore the Grecians called theim Amazones as ye woulde saie pappelesse The opinion is that thef dwelt in the Ilonde named Heipera which lieth in the marsshe named of a riuer that ronneth into it Tritonis ioyning vpon Ethiope and the mounte Atlas the greatest of all that lande This Ilonde is very large and greate hauyng plentie of diuers sortes of fruictes whereby the enhabitauntes liue Thei haue many flockes of shiepe and goates and other