liberty These thinges sounding in the eares of Astyages Cyrus by a purseuant was cyted vp to appeare at y e court whom he returned backe agayne with this answeare that his meaninge was to come verye spedily and somewhat to sone for his purpose At which newes Astyages imediatlye prepared a power of the Medes ouer whoÌ„ in an ill hower he placed Harpagus generall not mynding the iniurye hee had done vnto hym The army prepared and the Medes Persians meeting in the field they which were not priuye to the purpose of Harpagus began to fight and bicker with the enâ—emy the rest without offer of violence ioyning with them Other there were that with small resistaunce turned their backes to the Persians and fled amayne The host of Astyages beynge in this wyse dispersed and shronke in the wetting newes was broughte thereof to the king who in a greate heate of choller and outrage menacing Cyrus sayd Let the traytour bee assured hee shall not thus escape How be it first of all apprehending the wyse men Magi by whose counsayle hee was brought to let Cyrus depart he hanged them vp euery man not leauing one aliue After this he put in armour the rest of the Medes y t were in the city both young and old with whom beyng present in the fielde After that for a whyle he had abidden the might and power of the Persians he was driuen to flie and in the flyght was taken alyue with the losse and perdition of hys whole army Ouer whom beyng now captiue Harpagus his counsaylour greatlye insulted with open scoffes and reproachful tauntes omittyng nothing y t might gaule and greeue him to the verye hart laying in his teeth the supper wherin he hadde caused hym to seede of his sonnes flesh For which cause hee had now made him of a kynge a vassal Why then quoth Astyages dost thou now challeÌ„ge the dead of Cyrus to thy selfe who alleaginge on the other side that it was his deede and done by hym for that Cyrus was moued ther unto by his letters Astyages aunsweared that of all men he held hym most voyd of wit and goodwill to his countrey The one for that hauing power to be king hymselfe he had yelded it ouer to an other the other in that for malice of one supper he had brought his owne countrey into perpetuall thraldome For had it bene necessarye to haue put ouer the kingdome from hymselfe to an other it had bene much better to haue chosen a Mede then a PersiaÌ„ wheras now the Medes being nothing giltye of that fact were become of rulers slaues and y e Persians that hetherto had liued in bondage were now come to be lordes themselues On this manner king Astyages hauinge the space of 35. yeares borne rule in Media was depryued of his seate by whose cruelty and sore dealing the Medes came in subiection to the Persians after they had held the supremisye of all Asia aboue the floud Halis an hundred twenty eight years sauinge the â—yme that the Scithians obtayned the empyre Afterwardes the Medes repenting themselues of that they had done reuolted from Darius but beyng ouercome in battayle they were agayne perforce driuen to obedience The Persians by whose meanes Cyrus vanquished his graundfather Astyages hauing the chiefe rule and dominion of Asia Cyrus doinge no violence to Astyages kepte him in his house to the houre of his death Such therfore was the byrth and education of Cyrus the meanes wherby he atchieued the kyngdome who not longe after tryumphed ouer kyng Craesus his professed enemy of whom wee spake before by which his victory he wan the ful title possession of all Asia Furthermore the rytes and customes which the PersiaÌ„s vse I fynd to be these First for ymages temples aulters they neuer build any and accompt it great follye and madnes in those that do builde them For this cause as I iudge they think not the Gods to come of the progeny and lmeage of men as the Graetians doe Wherfore making choyse of the kighest and most lofty hyls of the couÌ„trey on the toppes of them they do sacrifyce vnto Iupiter by which name they vnderstand the whole cope and vaute of heauen geuing also lyke honor and reuerence to the Sunne the Moone the Earth the Fyre the Water and the Wyndes imputing to these alone a deuyne nature and deity which from the beginniÌ„g they haue had in honour NotwithstaÌ„ding in course of time they began to buckle and pray to Vrania which maner they drew from the Assyrians and Arabians Venus of the Assyrians is called Militta in Arabia Alitta by the Persians Metra The ceremonies ordayned by them to bee kept and obserued in time of sacrifice are these They neyther set vp any aulter or kyndle anye fyre at all omittinge also to say or tast of the sacrifyce before the immolation Pypes Myters saltcakes they neuer vse But as euerye one is purposed to make oblation to the heauenly powers so leadyng his host or sacrifyce into a fayre and cleaneÌ„ place hee humbleth himselfe in prayer to some one of the Gods hauing his head decked with a nightcap vsuallye worne of the women of Persia bounde about for the most parte and enuyroned with mirtle Beyng alwayes prouided that the party which maketh the offeryng hold it not lawful to pray for hymselfe only or to make supplication for any priuate or peculiar commoditye of his owne but vniuersallye for the whole realme and multitude of the Persians and chiefly for the king The sacrifycer hymselfe being a part and parcell of the whole number so that in praying for all others hee prayeth for himselfe This also cutting and hewing y e halowed beast into small and slender peeces they incontinently boyld it which done makinge diligent inquisition for the softest and smothest grasse they can find and especially trifolly or three leaued grasse they spred thereon the sodden flesh ouer which a Magician yalpeth out a songe of the beginning childhod of y e Gods whichthey accompt a most forceable and valerous incantation Without this Magitian They hold no sacrifice lawful or rightly perfourmed After this the sacrifycer taketh the flesh and applyeth it to what vse it seemeth him good Of all the dayes in y e yeare they obserue with greatest ioy and solemnitye theyr byrth day Wherin then at other tymes they vse larger dyete with greater plentye and aboundaunce of meate in so much that the richer and wealthier sorte set whole oxen camels horses and asses vppon the borde prepared and rosted in a fornace Such as are of meaner ability and substance celebrate their natiuity w t beastes of lesse quantity Litle meat sufficeth them the greatest part of theyr prouision consistiÌ„g in choise chats and iunkettinge dishes And those not verye tothsome and daynty Hereof it commeth that the Persians obiect to the Grecians their short meales quicke dinners for that say they they haue nothing pleasaunt dilicate or
and decease of Myris whereas at these dayes vnlesse it swell and increase 15. or 16. cubits high it cōmeth not at all into y t coast which aforesaid coast if accordingly to y e fall of y e riuer it grow still in loftynesse and become higher the earth receyuinge no moysture by the sloude I feare y e Aegyptians themselues that dwell beneath y e lake Myris both other also the inhabitants of the lande of Delta will euermore be annoyed with the same plague and inconuenience whych the Gretians by their accounte are sometimes like to abyde For the people of Aegypt hearing that the whole countrey of Greece was moystned and watered by the seasonable fall of rayne and showers not by floudes and ryuers lyke vnto their owne they prophecy that y e day would come when as the Greekes being deceyued of their hope would all pearishe through famine and hunger meaning that if y e gods did not vouchsafe to send thē raine in due season from whome alone they haue their moysture the whole nation shoulde goe to wracke for want of sustenaunce Thus farre is pleased them to descant of the fortune of Greece Let vs nowe consider in what estate and condition they stand them selues if then as we sayd before the lowe countrey of Memphis for in these is the gayne and increase of grounde seene waxe augment accordingely as in former times our friendes of Aegypt shall shew vs the way what it is to be famished and dye by hunger if neyther theyr land be moystened by the sweete and timely showres of rayne nor by the swelling and rysing of the riuer For as now they haue an especiall aduauntage aswell of all men els as of the rest of their countreymen y t dwell higher in that they receiue the fruite and increase of the ground without eyther tilling or weeding the earth or doing ought els belonging to husbandry wherefore immediately after the ryseing of y e waters y e earth being moyste and supple the ryuer returned agayne to his olde course they sowe scatter their seede euery one vpon his owne ground territory wherinto hauing driuē great heards of Swine that roote and tread the grayne and moulds together they stay till the time of haruest attending the increase and gaine of their seede Being full growne and ripened they send in their hogges afresh to muzle and stampe the corne from out the eares which done they sweepe it together and gather it If we follow the opinion of the people of Ionia as touching the land of Aegypt who affirme that the true countrey of Aegypt is in very deede nothing else saue the prouince of Delta which taketh his name of the watchtowre or Castle of espiall made by Perseus testifying besides that by the sea coast to the salt waters of Pelusium it stretcheth forty scheanes in length and reacheth from the sea toward the hart of the region to the city of the Cercasians neere vnto which y e riuer Nilus parteth it selfe into two seueral mouthes the one whereof is called Pelusium the other Canobus and that all the other partes of Aegypt are belonging to Arabia and Africa we might very well inferre and prooue heereof that the countrey of Aegypt in former times was none at all For the land of Delta as they say and we easily beleeue was grounde lif◠voyde and naked by the water and that of late yeares also and not long ago wherefore if they had no countrey at all what caused them so curiously to labour in the searching out and blazing of their auncienty supposing themselues to be the chiefe of all people the knowledge and intelligence whereof was not worth the two yeares triall and experiment which they wrought in the children I my selfe am fully perswaded that the Aegyptians tooke not their beginning together with the place of Delta but were alwayes since the first beginning and originall of mankinde whose countrey gayning ground and increasing by the chaunge and alteration of the riuer many of them went downe from the high countrey and inhabited the low places for which cause the City Thebes and the countrey belonging thereto was heeretofore called Aegypt the circuite and compasse whereof is 6120. furlongs Be it so then that our opinion accord and consent wyth truth the Graecian writers are in a wrong boxe but if they speake truely yet in other matters they recken without theyr hoste making but three partes of the whole earth Europa Asia and Africa whereas of necessity Delta in Aegypt should be accounted for the fourth sithens by their owne bookes it is neyther ioyned with Asia nor yet with Africa For by this account it is not the riuer Nilus that diuides Asia from Africa which at the poynt and sharpe angle of Delta cutting it selfe into two sundry streames that which lyes in y e middes should equally pertayne both to Asia and Africa But to leaue the iudgement and opinion of the Greekes we say and affyrme that all that countrey is rightly tearmed Aegypt whiche is held and possessed by the Aegyptians euen as also we make no doubt to call those places Cilicia and Assyria where the Cilicians and Assyrians do dwell In like manner according to truth Asia and Africa are disseuered and parted betweene themselues by none other borders then by the limits and boundes of Aegypt Howbeit if we followe the Graecians all Aegypt beginning at the places called Catadupae and the city Elephantina is to be diuided into two partes which draw their names of the regions wherevnto they are adioyned the one belonging to Africa the other to Asia For the riuer Nilus taking his beginning from the Catadupae so called and flowing through the middes of Aegypt breaketh into the sea running in one streame til it come to the city of the Cercasians and afterwards leuering it selfe into three sundry chanels The first of these chanels turneth to the East and is called Pelusium the second Canobus the third streame flowing directly in a straight line kepeth this course first of all scouring through the vpper coastes of the countrey it beateth full vpon the point of Delta through the middest whereof it hath a straight and direct streame euen vnto the sea being the fayrest and most famous of all the rest of the chanels and is called Sebennyticum From this streame are deriued two other armes also leading to the salt waters the one being called Saiticum the other Mendesium For as touching those braunches and streames of Nilus which they tearme Bolbitinum and Bucolicum they are not naturally made by course of the water but drawne out and digged by the labour of men I followe not the fantasies of mine owne brayne nor imagine any thing of my selfe for that the countrey of Aegypt is so wyde and of such amplitude as we haue described it I appeale to the oracle of the god Hammon which came into my minde beeyng in study and meditation
and windings leading from one chamber to another did wonderfully amaze and astonish my wits Out of the great haules we go into certaine parlours wherehence the way leadeth in other bedchambers next vnto which are situate diuers secrete lodgings that open into the sixe great haules standing on the contrarie parte of the court all which are coped ouer aboue with wrought and carued stone incompassed also with a wall of most fayre and beautifull stone ingrauen with sundrie sorts of pictures Euery one of the haules are layde with smooth white stone beautified on each side with a goodly course of pillers To one corner of the Laberinth is adioyning a pyre or towre of stone being fortie paces wherein are the pictures of many straunge beastes hewne out and carued of stone To this towre is a way vndermined in the ground Notwithstanding for all the wonders that are to be seene and marked in the Laberinth the poole called Maeris neere bounding vnto the same hath in our iudgemeÌ„t sundry things thereto belonging of farre greater admiration The compasse of this ponde is three thousande sixe hundred furlongs and sixty Schoenes as they tearme them conteyning alltogether as much space as the sea coast of the countrey of Aegypt The length of the poole lyeth North and South being in deapth where it is highest fiftie paees Now that it hath not sprong naturally in that place but rather hath bene wrought and digged by the trauell of men this is an euident proofe for that welnye in the middest of the ponde are planted two mightie towres of stone appearing fiftie foote aboue the water and beeing as much vnder On the toppe of ech towre is a great image wrought of stone sitting in a chaire of maiestie so that the towres conteyne in heigth an hundreth paces An hundreth full paces do make a furlong of sixe acres A pace conteyneth sixe feete or foure cubites A foote is foure times the breadth of the hande The water of Moeris is not naturally flowing from any spring belonging thereto the grounde beeyng exceedyngly patched and drie but is deriued from the riuer the water hauing recourse into the poole euerie sixe monethes by ebbing and flowing The sixe monethes wherein the water is retyring out of the ponde the multitude of fishe which is there taken increaseth the Kings fiske euery day by a talent of siluer and at suche time as it refloweth agayne it bringeth aduantage of twentie pounde a daye Thys poole the inhabitants affyrme searcheth through the vames of the earth and sheddeth his waters into the Syrâ—s or quicke-sands of Africa vndermining a secrete course into the mayne land towarde the countreys of the West fast by the side of an huge mountayne which appeareth ouer the city Memphis Now forsomuch as I could not discerne how all the molde should be bestowed that was cast out of the poole at the firste making thereof being desirous to knowe what was become of it I questioned with the inhabitaunts of those places as touching the same whose answere was that it was employde to the rampeiring of the bankes of Nilus and much of it throwne downe the riuer whose speach obteyned the more credite wyth me for that I remembred the like thing to haue bene done at the city Ninus one of the chiefe cities of Assyria In this city it fell out in auncient time that certayne good fellowes wanting siluer determined to visit the Kings treasurie who at that time was Sardanapalus abounding with infinite summes of treasure which for that it lay safely garded vnder the earth in houses vndermined for the purpose these yonkers aforesayde beginning at their owne houses made a way vnder grounde directly leading to the pallace of the King voyding all the mold which they digged into the riuer Tigris by night which floweth fast by the city vntill they had brought their enterprise to passe After the same manner it fell out in Aegypt in casting the lake of Maeris sauing that the one was digged by night the other by day but in this also the greatest parte of the boyde earth was cast into Nilus and dispersed by the streame And in this manner say the Aegyptians was the poole of Maeris firste made Now when as the 12. Kings of Aegypt had practised equity euery one within his owne territory they drew together at a certaine time to do sacrifice in Vulcans temple where as y e maner was y e last day of y e festiuall the priest ministred wine vnto theÌ„ in certaine chalices of gold reserued for the same vse where happily missing of his number hauing but xi cups for xii princes Psammitichus standing last tooke from his head a brasen costlet and for want of a cup dranke therein In lyke maner fel it out with the rest of the princes that euery one was there presente in his headpeece of brasse In thus doyng it was deemed that Psammitichus meante no crafte or legerdeâ—ayne but had a playne simple meaning Howbeit it could not sinke with the rest but that he did it of purpose and comming in mind of the oracle that was geuen them that whosoeuer dranke of a brasen chalice should vsurpe the whole empyre alone weying his facte and finding that it was committed by errour they thought it not meete to put him to death but depriuing him of the greatest parte of his dominion banished him into the marrish countrey with especiall threates that he should not meddle with any parte of the countrey besides Notwithstanding Psammitichus hauing put to flight Sabbacus the Kyng of the Aethyopians and chased hym into Syria after this conquest was acquit of hys exile and restored agayne by those Aegyptians which are of the tribe of Sais wherefore once agayne vsing gouernement wyth the rest of hys confederates for the olde grudge of the brasen helmet they forced him to take the fennes agayne Recounting therefore with himselfe y e great despight they had wrought him determined eftsoones to reuenge his cause vpon those y t had pursued him speeding a messenger to the oracle of Latona in the citie of Butis which of all the seates of southsaying is of greatest truth aunswere was giuen him to be of good courage he shoulde haue helpe inough by brasen men that shoulde arise from the sea Which prophecie for the strangenesse thereof could hardly sincke into his braines to make him hope for the helpe of brasen souldyders Not long after certayne pyrates of Ionia and Caria proling alongst the seacoastes for their pray were by constraynte of weather driuen vpon the shores of Aegypt where going on lande all in armour of brasse a certayne Aegyptian ranne to Psammitichus in the fennes and for that he had neuer before seene any in the like array he tolde him that certayne brasen men were sproong out of the sea to waste and despoyle the countrey Psammitichus reknowledging the truth of the prophecie foorthwith ioyned himselfe in amitie with the rouers inducing them by great and large
out of Crete For no sooner was he instituted gouernour to the young prince but he chaunged all the lawes and established new making a diligent prouiso that no man should break them He made also decrees for warre ordayning the society of the twenty magistrates likewyse the colledge or fellow of the thirtye men so called Lastly he distributed and deuyded the Citizens into trybes and companies not omitting the appointment of certayne protectours in defence of the commons agaynst the noble named Tribuns of the people erectinge moreouer y â— senate and counsayle of the Ephor with an order of other sages and wyse men By this meanes the state of the Lacedaemonians was reformed by Lycurgus whom after his death by the buildiÌ„g vp of a famous temple in his name they honoured reuerenced as a God And beynge resident in a countrey verye populous and plentifull they made an inrode and inuasion into other regions with very good fortune and lucky successe in battayle Wherfore as professed enemyes to peace supposing themselues to excell the Arcadians in might and courage they were in mind to denounce warre agaynst Arcadye askinge in that case the aduyse of the oracle To whom Pythia made answeare You seeke to conquere Arcadye Your suite is great but all in vayne VVhere many men contented lye By acornes swage their hungars payne As hott as fire as hard as oke Vnfit to beare a forreine yoke Yet since I cannot say thee nay I freely yeeld into thy hand A fertill coast and fit for pray The compasse of Tegea Land VVhere thou shalt measure by a rope The fruites of thy desyred hope This answeare geuen the Lacedaemonians leauing the other partes of Arcadie leuied a power against the people of Tegêa carying with them chaynes and fetters in full hope albeit deceaued by the double meaning of the oracle to haue brought them into captiuity Notwithstandinge hauing coped in fight with the enemy they were forced to forsake the fielde and take themselues to their fete Such of them as were taken in the chase alyue fast bound inchayned in the same gyues which they brought with them were constrayned to measure out theire dwellinges in the playne of Tegêa with a rope ther to inhabite The fetters wherwith they were clogged indured welny to our age beyng hung vp in the temple of Minerua Alea in Tegêa Thus in the former conflictes and battayles the Lacedaemonians had alwayes the worst hand of the people of Tegea saâ—e in the tyme of Craesus and vnder their rulers Anaxandrydes and Ariston in whose raygne and dominion they gaâ—e the better of their enemyes in this sort Aggreeued at their often foyles and continuall repulces receyued by their aduersaryes they went in embassage to Delphos to witt of the Oracle which of all the Gods they might please to become conquerours ouer Tegêa The question propounded Pythia willed them to serch out the bones of Orestes sonne of Agamemnon and translate them into their countrey But being ignorant in what par 〈…〉 he world to make inquirye they eâ—tsones returned 〈…〉 essengers to require of the God where or in what place Orestes lay Whereto answer was made on this maner In Arcady there lyes an ample coast Tegêa hyght VVhere two wyndes vse to blowe and breath their blastes with raging might VVhere forme to forme is foe and blow to blow an enemy Here doth Orestes lye whom fynd and take the victory Which the Lacedaemonians hearyng were neuer y â— wyser who albeit they had made curious search aboute him neuertheles they found him not Till at length one Lyches a Spartan of the number of those whiche are called free knightes by good fortune escryed the Tombe These free Knightes are fyue souldiours of the Spartan horsemen wel stricken in yeares which annually haue a release from the field who beyng in this wyse by the common consent of the horsemen priuileged and dismissed may in no wyse for that yeare remayne idle but are employed in iourneys and voyages some one way some another One of these was the forenamed Lyches who by the helpe aswel of a currant and ready wyt as of a gratious and prosperous happe came to knowledge wher Orestes lay For this beynge the yeare wherein the people of Tegêa and Sparta hadde entercourse of marchaundise one with an other by fortune comming into a smiths forge he behelde the smith himselfe working on yron who on the other side perceauing Lyches to be very intentyue and in maruailing wyse to view his worke a liâ—â—e pausing sayd Thou straunger of Lacedaemon if this base worke in yron seeme so rare in thy sight thou wouldest much more haue wondered to haue seene that which I did For going about in this litle court to dig a well or pit for water yt was my chaunce to light vpon a sepuicher 7 cubites long Which when I saw supposinge that men were neuer of greater stature then they are at these dayes I opened the Câ—ffyne and found theriu a dead Carkasse of equall length wherof hauing taken measure I couered it agayne Lyches liftening to the discourse of the Smith coniectured by the oracle that it should be Orestes construinge the smithes Bellowes for the two mynds wherof the oracle spake the hammer and anuyle he thought to be the two formes to each other foes and one blow enâ—â—y to an other he tâ—ke to be the yron wroughte and beaten by the stroake of the hammer consideryng that yron was found out to y t hâ—â—t and damage of men Pouderyng these thinges with himselfe he returned to Sparta and opened the matter to the LacedaemoniaÌ„s who perceiuing the case to be likely wrought this preteÌ„ce causing of set purpose a quest to proceede vppon their cicizen Lyches they condemned him for some offence and banished him the soyle who incontinently retyryng to Tegêa and lamenting his miserable case to the smyth couenaunted with him for the hyre of his base court for asmuch as he refused altogeather to alienate it from himselfe and sell it outryght Wher hauing made his abode for certaine daies he discouered the sepulcher and taking out Orestes bones stale priuily away and came to Sparta From that tyme forward the Lacedaemonians ioyning battaile with Tegêa remayned victors and alwayes after obtayned the glory of y t field hauing besydes a great part of Peloponnesus in their power and dominion Of al which thinges Cresus not ignoraunt furnished an Ambassage to Sparta with greate giftes to desyre theire ayde and felowship in war whither beyng come they vsed these wordes We are sent from Craesus kyng of the Lydians and lord of other nations who sayth thus Ye noble Lacedaemonians wheras I am prouoked by the Gods to enter league and frendship w t the Graetians amongest whom you haue the report to be the most warlike and valiaunt I deemed it conuenient without fraude or guÌ„ile to desire your ayde and assistauuce in the enterpryse which I haue in hand The Lacedaemonians right
worth eatyng whereby they may be allured to sitte longe at meate Which if they hadde no doubt they woulde quatt theyr Stomakes to the full and seeldome or neuer aryse hungrye Moreouer the Persians generally are verye much geuen to wyne Beyng notwithstanding forbidden by the law to perbreake or vomite in company or to make water wher they may be seene which maner and custome they kepe as yet Commonly when they haue typled so long they see a peece of the deuil they by and by fall into question and consultation of graue and serious matters and loke what is agreed vpon among their cuppes the same thenext day following is propounded by the host of the house where the Senate was held and if in lyke manner they allow and thinke well of it beyng sober they vse it if otherwyse they refuse it On the other side what soeuer in time of sobriety hath bene determined by them the selfe same they ruminate and run ouer a fresh beyng wel mostned with wine If they meete one an other in the way it is no hard matter to know whether they be equalles or superiours ech to other For beyng of like reputation they kysse each other on the mouth If the one be somewhat the others superiour after a more modest and bashfull fashion they kisse on the cheekes If much more set by and of farre greater regard the base and vnnoble falleth flat on the earth in honour and reuerence to the other Behauinge themselues with all dutifull demeanour and curteous vsage towardes them which are nexte dwellers and neyghbours vnto them In the second degree imbracing and making much of those who dwell nere also and border uppon their neighboures and so consequently the nerer euery one is in place to them y e greater he isin friendship and familiarity esteeming theÌ„selues of all men the best To those which are furthest seperate and disioyned from them in distaunce of place they disdayne to shewe the least poynt of ciuility in ful accompt that of al men liuing there is none lyke vnto them selues in any thinge and as euerye man hath nerest propinquity to them in place and neighbourhod so they deeme hym to excell others in vertue and good liuing making least accompt of those that dwell furthest of and most of themselues Furthermore in the tyme of the Medes empyre certayn familyes exercised mutuall gouernment that is were rulers ouer some and ruled by others for the Medes generally weare rulers and chieflly ouer those that dwelt next them who in like sort had the ouersight of such as bordered vpon them to whom also in order was permitted the rule and moderation of others Like to this manner of gouernment was the loue and familaritye that was also of the Pesians alwayes louinge those best that were their neerest neighbours Of all countryes in the world y e Persians are most delighted with forrayne and outlandish maners wherfore leauing their owne countrey vesture they put themselues in Medish attyre deeming it better more seemly theâ—their owne wearyng vpon their hands a kynd of placars or stomacher vsed of the Aegyptians Moreouer they are drawen with all kynd of pleasure delight which they can either inuent theÌ„selues or learne of other learning of the Grecians to be in loue w t beautiful boyes They wed many virgines woo more coÌ„cubynes In the next place to strenght valiaunt courage they make most of him y t hath most childreÌ„ whoÌ„ anually y e kiÌ„g indueth w t a great reward as though he had atchined some notable act Their childreÌ„ from 5. yere old til they come to 20. they trayne bringe vp in 3 principal things in ryding in shoting speaking truth The child neuer coÌ„meth into the fathers sight before he â—e 5 yeare old but is brought vp priuily among the company of women to the end y t if the child dye before he aspyre to that age the father may conceaue no griefe or sorrow for y e same Which custome truly I greatly coÌ„mend as also this y t it be not lawfull for the king for one offence to bereaue a man of hys lyfe nor for any of y t Persians to practise cruelty vpoÌ„ his family beiÌ„g moued therto by one only transgressioÌ„ But breathing vppon the cause if by good aduysemente he founde more and greater faultes committed then dutiesâ— perfourmed then to geue the brydle to hys anger worke hys wil. Besides they are in opinion in y t countrey y t no maÌ„ at anye tyme slew his owne father but that the child so doing vppon examination and tryal had of his byrth is awaies found to be a bastard and changling Thinkinge it a thinge vnpossible that the naturall childe should euer aduenture to brew the destruction of his owne and lawfull syre Whatsoeuer is dishonest to do that also they esteeme vnseemly to speake But of all thinges they accompt it most abhominable to lye and next to that to bee much in debt both for many other respectes and chiefly because they thinke it skarse possible for him that oweth much not to dissemble and lye much if any one be infected with leprosie or otherwyse diâ—â—eined with vncleannes of the body he may not come within thâ— citye or vse the company of any Persian alleaging that for offence and transgression agaynst y t sunne they were punished and attaynted with such diseases And if happily it befall a straunger or forreyuer to be taken with such like sicknesse they banish and expell him the countrey for the same reason also chasting and skaringe all Pigeons and doues out of the circuite and compasse of theyr region It is open blasphamy with the same people not onely repugnant to good maners and ciuility to pisse or spitte into anye brooke or riuer likewyse to wash his handes therein or any such lyke wherof the water may coÌ„ceaue any maner fylth or corruption verye deuoutlye and with great religion yelding worship honour to y t flouds riuers This also is peculier to y t PersiaÌ„s which not marked by them is knoweÌ„ of vs y t all the wordes in theyr language which coÌ„â—ist of 4 or more sillables do commonly end in one letter which letter the Dores cal San the Iones Sigma And if we loke more narrowlye into theire speech and note that wel we shal fynd not onely some but all the names of the Persians to haue their termination and endinge alyke which for y t I know it assuredly I am not afraid to aâ—ouch it constantly being in halfe a doubt in like sort to awarrant beare out the truth of those things which the same people are sayd to obserue about the dead bodyes of their countrimen whom as the rumor is they neuer bâ—ryeor intumulate before such tyme as either by dogges or foules of the aire they are drawen and haled about Which thinges that their wisemen doe whom they call Magi I dare vndoubttedly affyrme because they manifestly do them
beseeching vs to saue assist him froÌ„ the vyolent cruel hands of his spyteful enraged enemies we albeit dreading the might power of y e Persians yet haue not deliuered him vntil we vnderstoode of thy diuine wisedome what pertained to vs to doe in so doubtful a case Hauing ended his speach he receaued y e like answere as before y e Pactyas was to be yelded into y e hands of the PersiaÌ„s wher w t all Aristodicus being angry of set purpose wrought this fact As he walked about y e temple certain youÌ„g sparrowes other birds y t built there he toke out of their nests sodaynly a voice was hard out of the inner part of y e temple saying thou wicked malicious wretch what makes thee in this sort to spoile y e nests of my innoceÌ„t suppliantes wherunto Aristodicus answeryng o king quoth hee dost thou so greatly fauour and regard those that flye vnto thee for succour and yet biddest the Cumaeans to delyuer Pacty as into the handes of hys enemyes To which the God replying Truly sayd he I bid you all goe to the deuil and neuer hereafter to sollicite this oracle about the restoring of your suppliantes The Cumaeans certifyed of this last answeare determined nether to giue vp Pactyas to be slayn of the Persians nor yet by keeping him stil to bring Cyrus to the subersion and ruine of their citye Wherefore they sent him secretly away to Mytelaeane But Mazares in lyke sort making challenge of him from thence the Mitylinaeans couenaunted vppon a certayne pryce to surrender hym Which notwithstanding I dare not auouch and verifie for that the matter came not to full issue and perfection The people of Cumae vnderstaÌ„dyng in what distresse Pacctyas was at Mytilaene sent a barke to Lesbos where hee went a borde and was spedely landed at Chyus where hauing taken sanctuary in the gardian temple of Minerua he was neuertheles haled out violently by the Chians geueÌ„ to his ennemyes The Peraeans gaue in reward to the citye Chius a certayne field of Mysia named Aetarnaeus right ouer agaynst Lesbos By this meanes was Pactyas in warre with the Persians when oportunity serued to be geuen into the handes of Cyrus Neuerthelesse of the fruites and increase of Atarnaeus for a longe tyme after the people of Chius neyther made any barly cakes to offer to the gods nor wrought any paast of y e meale thereof for iunkets banquetting dishes And in briefe what soeuer the ground yeelded they flatly abolished from the seruice and worship of the gods Pactyas beyng betrayed by the Chians Mazares without further delay lead his army agaynst those that had ministred ayde to hym in gettyng the city and conqueringe the Pryenses he began to wast and depopulate the fieldes of Maeander geuing the whole pray and booty to his souldiours Which done in semblable manner he gaue the onset to Magnesia and lastly attached with extremitye of sicknes finished hys lyfe In whose steed Harpagus who was also a Mede guyded the army This was hee whom king Astiages intertayned with a banket of his sonnes flesh and by whose meanes Cyrus before tyme aspyred to the estate royall To hym the chiefe gouernment of the army was nextly committed who comming into Ionia intrenched many cityes and tooke them For hauing first of all compelled theÌ„ to vse the refuge and defence of their walles he raysed bulwarkes agaynst their townes and with small force caused them to yeelde In which manner he wanne Phocaea the chiefe city of the Iones the people whereof first of all the GreciaÌ„s wanâ—ered on y e sea in long and ample voyages fynding out and discrying both the countreyes themselues Adria Tyrrhenia Iberia Tartessus and the nerest cuâ—â— also and rediest way of nauigation to the same At which tyme they had in vse no beaked or snowâ—ed shippes armed with a pyke or stemme of iron but smaller and lighter vessels driuen with ê oeres apâ—ece These at their first arryual to Tartessus were very welcome to y e king whose name was Arganthonius and by whom the kingdome had bene gouerned 80 yeares liuing by the space of 120. Who made so passyng much of the Phocaeans and shewed them so curteous intertaynment that he left it in their power to chose any part of his kingdome to inhabite wherevnto not able to allure them by any perswations and hearyng by them how the power of Harpagus dayly increased hee gaue them an infinite summe of moneye to inuyron and compasse about their citye with a wall The circuit of their wall beyng no small number of furlongs in scope and compasse framed compacted of greate and huge stones layd togeather w t singuler cunning by this meanes was y e wall of the Phocaeans builded Agaynst whoÌ„ Harpagus incaÌ„ping his power gaue fierse mightye assault to the city giuing them vnderstanding withall that it should suffyce and content him if they would throw downe but one fortres or gardure of their wall for himself to build an house on But the Phocaeans abhorryng nothing more then seruitude losse of liberty required of him one dayes deliberation in the cause and for that whyle to reclayme his armye from the walles Harpagus albeit as he sayd hee verye well knewe what they meant to do neuerthelesse graunted them space to breath and bethinke themselues The army goyng from the city forth with the people of Phocaea with their wiues and children and all their substaunce tooke sea in shippinge besides all the ymages of theyr temples and gyftes offered to the gods sauing those that were of iron or stone or onely paynted and wrought in colours Which done with al their caryage they sayled into Chius Phocaea left desolate without any liuig creature in it was y e next day takeÌ„ by the Persians The people wher of hauing cheapened of y e Chyans y e Iles Oenusiae who refused to sel them fearing least y e mart and custome of marchandize shoulde bee translated from their owne Ile thither departed thence into Cyrnus Where twenty yeares before lead by a certayne prophecye they had founded a city named Aetalia Whyle these things were doyng Argathonius the Tarcesian kyng dyed But y e Phocaeans holdyng their course toward Cyrnus turned out of the waye and came to their old citye where they sâ—ue the garison and power of the Persians planted there by Harpagus for the possession and custody of the Citye Cursinge banning those with most blasphemous and execrable speaches which should seeke to leaue theyr companye and turne behynd Wherewithall taking a fiery wedge of hoat iron they cast it into the sea deepely vowing neuer to returne to their city Phocaea before the iron rysinge from the bottome of the water should â—â—ote aloft and swimme one the toppe Howbeit launchinge towardes Corsica the halfe part of the rowt were moued with a great longing and desire of their countrey and the maners and customes therof insomuch that
in Aegypt by the voyce and record of the Aegyptians where in the oratory or place of seruice dedicate to Iupiter Thebanus a woman vseth to lye who as also the other of Babylon is constantly auouched at no time to haue custome or fellowship with men Such is also the prioresse or woman priest at Paterae in Lycia when time or occasion ferueth for there the Oracle is not continually held but at such time as it approcheth the Abbesse ouer night is fast loâ—kt and included into the Church In the temple of Babylon besides there is another temple somewhat lower wherein is kept the famous monument of the god Iupiter wrought of golde neere vnto the which adioyneth a table which together with the frame and settle thereto belonging is also of meere and solide gold esteemed of the Chaldaean priests at the summe and value of 800. talents At the comming out of the chappell there is also to be seene an aultar of cleane gold not farre from the which standeth another of strange and wonderfull bignes whereon are offered all such beastes as are of perfect age and ripe growth contrarywise on the aultar of golde it is not lawfull to sacrifice any but sucklings and such as are newly drawne and taken from the teate On the greater of the two aultars the Chaldaean Chaplaynes burne incense to the god with expence of a C. M. talents of frankincense In the same temple is also another image of 12. cubites in length of massy and beaten golde which albeit I sawe not with mine owne eies yet presuming vpon the credit of the Chaldaeans I haue aduentured to set it downe This image Darius the sonne of Hystaspes and King of Persia would faine haue bin fingering neuerthelesse for feare of after-claps he was contente to coole his thirst and forgoe the spoile howbeit Xerxes his sonne heire in later daies rifeling the temple made a booty therof hauing done to death a chaplaine who stoutly forbad him to moue the image out of his place With these such like ornameÌ„ts was y t temple of Babylon gorgeously adorned besides an infinite number of gifts and presents franckly geuen and bestowed to the polishing and setting foorth of so rare famous a monument Furthermore the genealogy and succession of the Kings of Babylon is very manyfold and diuerse of whome ioyntly with y t affaires estate of Assyria we meane to intreate parse of these laid their wealth treasure on the trimming beautifying of the city walles other spared no coast to inrich adorne the temples palaces of the gods In the lineall discent of the bloud royall mention is made of two women the one of these raigned fiue ages before the later and was called Semiramis This Queene caused to be cast vp raised great mounts mighty banckes very wonderfull to be seene which kept the riuer within the course of his naturall chanell beeing wont before time to ouerflow couer the whole plame The second Queene named Nitocris was of wit more sharp subtile and of much more fiue inuention then y e former by whom both other things were brought to passe right woorthy memory whiche wee purpose to recount and chiefly this that perceiuing the power and gouernement of the Medes to grow and increase and as well other townes as also the city Ninus to be vanquished by theÌ„ she forethought all the meanes that could be deuised to arme defend hirselfe against the enemy First of all the riuer Euphrates that whilome by a streight equall course streame throughout the towne flowing in a right line towards the sea by meanes of certaine trenches cast vp and digged for the streame she drew into a confuse and intricate race folding winding many waies insomuch that in three sundry places it hath eftsoones recourse vnto one little village in Assyria called Arderica so that they which come froÌ„ the sea to Babylon by y t riuer Euphrates are coÌ„streined to ariue thrice at Arderica that also in three seuerall dayes This was also one worke of hers which she did about y t riuer the borders wherof besides she hath hemmed garded in with a banke so stroÌ„g moÌ„strous what for y t vnmeasurable hignes bignes of y t same it would greatly astonishe those that do view behold it Somewhat aboue the city a little off from the riuers side she caused a place to be cast trenched for the receipt of a standing water or poble which they digged so deepe till they came to the water extending euery way in breadth the space of 320. furlongs The earth that was voyded heerefro was referred and employed to the bancking of the riuer The edge and brinckes of the poole were layde aboute and paued with stone In both which things as well in turning the course of the water as in deluing the trench or lake she had this purpose that the violeÌ„ce of the floud being hindred by so many windings and turnings might flowe in a more quiet and peaceable streame then that the passage from the maine sea to Babylon might be made more troublesome to the saylers by the often creekes and circuites of the water finally that the next way and readiest path from Media to Babylon being shut vp and intercepted by the mutable course of the riuer the Medes hindered from mutable trade of Merchandize with the Assyrians might be ignorant and vnskilfull of hir assayres and counsayle Thus did Queene Nitocris on the lower side of Babylon prouide for the safetie and good estate of the Realme hauing another meaning in the fenne or marish which she caused the people to digge aboue the towne for the City being separate and diuided into two partes by meanes of the riuer which floweth through the middes vnder the raigne and dominion of other Princes whosoeuer of the Citizens was desirous to go ouer on the other side he was fayne to be feried ouer and passe by a boate whiche coulde not be voyde of greate toyle and trouble of which extremity by the good inuention of Queene Nitocris the City obteyned speedie release by one and the selfesame meanes leauing behinde two famous monumeÌ„ts of perpetual memory Wherfore hauing turned the riuer into the maine gulfe or lake that was cast vp and digged in the plaine she incontinently caused mighty stones to be hewed out squared for y e purpose The floud hauing a breach and issue another way within the compasse of his owne chanell became drye and voyde of water Nitocris therefore fenced the bankes and shores of the riuer within the Citie with a skirt or edge of bricke to saue the water from abating and wearing the earth In like maner the steppes leading downe from the brasen wickets to the water she framed of bricke layd and mortered together in like sorte as the walles About the middest of the Citie she made a bridge ouer the water built of stone cut and polished to the same ende which she
caused to be knit mortered together with leade and iron This bridge in the day time she couered with planckes of fouresquare forme to giue passage recourse to her subiects which in the euening were continually drawne remooued from thence to the end all occasion of mutual theft and villany in the night might be foreseene preuented The worke being ended she wrought the meanes for the water to returne to his proper course eftsoones boyding the lake againe which then by continuall feeding of the streame drew to be full Thus the end prooued the deluing of the fenne to be very profitable coÌ„modious by meanes whereof a bridge was made for the vse benefit of the city The same Nitocris also put in practise this subtile and deceitfull inuention Alost vppon the most stately and portlike gate of the City in open shew and appearaunce to all meÌ„ she built her a Sepulchre engrauen with this title or superscripcion If any of the Kings of Babylon after me shall stand in neede or penâ—ry of money let him open the tombe and take as much as he will but not vnlesse he be driuen by extremity for it shall not be good for him This Sepulchre was so long vnmoued till the kingdome fell into the hands of Darius who very much disdaining that he neither had vse of these gates because that ouer them was placed a dead body so that he counted it vnwholesome to go through them nor any profit or commodity of the money especially being allured and prouoked thervnto by the Epitaph and inscription he brake open the monument and looked in not finding one crosse nor ought else saue the dead carkesse certaine letters saying thus Vnlesse thou hadst bene an vnsatiable wretch and greedy of filthy gayne thou wouldst neuer haue discouered the graues of the dead These things are left to memory of the Queene Nitocris against whose sonne Labynitus hauing the name of his father and the gouernement and principality of all Assyria Cyrus prepared his whole army at whose approch the great King gathered a power of meÌ„ hauing made aboundant prouision both of corne and cattell Moreouer great plenty of water was had in readinesse brought from the floud Choaspis running a little besydes Sâ—sa of which riuer alone the King is accustomably wont to drinke The water of Choaâ—pis being first sodden and after reserued in vessels of siluer is continually borne after the King whether soeuer he goeth by Chariots driuen on four wheeles which follow his trayne in great number Cyrus therefore vndertaking a iourney to Babylon after he came to the riuer Gyndes whiche proceeding from the Mantien mountaynes necre vnto the people Darnei meeteth with the riuer Tigris whose streame passing by the City Opis floweth into the red sea he attempted to passe the water which by no meanes can be gone ouer without shipping where stepping foorth a lusty gallant of the army and mounting on the backe of a milkewhite steede sacred and holy to the gods aduentured in a brauery to take the water and go ouer whome the floud winding and wreathing with in his streame swallowed vp so that he was neuer after seene But King Cyrus greatly agreeued at the vnkind and iniurious deede of the riuer threatned the water in furious manner saying that the time should not be long erre he brought it so lowe and to so scant an ebbe that the very women of the countrey should dare to go ouer it not weeting themselues to the knees which thing for the vehemency of his rage he immediately put in practise intermitting and leauing off hys voyage to Babylon wherefore diuiding his campe into two partes heleuelled out and drew by a line 180. trenches on eyther side of the riuer whereinto he determined to draine the water which enterprise as in so great a multitude was at leÌ„gth brought to passe albeit he consumed the whole sommer in performance thereof The mighty riuer Gyndes being in this sort shed and deriued into 360. brookes at the approch of the next spring Cyrus renewed his purpose and set foorth afresh towardes Babylon whome the great Kyng with an hoast of men well prepared exspected and looked for in the fielt When he drewe neere to the city signe of battell was giuen and a fierce encountry made on both sides but the Persians preuailing compelled the contrary part to flie into the city where the Babylonians for that loÌ„g before they perceyued King Cyrus to be of a busie an vnquiet nature giuen to controuersy trouble intermedling dealing with other nations had made plentiful prouision of vittailes all kind of sustenance for many yeares for which they liued in security nothing at all waying to be kept in and enclosed with a siege Cyrus in like case hauing a long time layne at the walles without any successe or auayle was altogether ignorant of what wood to frame his arrowes howbeit at last eyther of his owne trayne or by the counsayle and aduertisement of others he cast about another way and wrought thus placing his army on eache side of the city some on that part where the riuer entereth in others on the backside where it floweth out hee gaue commaundement that at such time as they saw the water to fall and berome fleete and easy to be waded they shoulde inuade the city by the chanell of the floud leauing therefore his ariny in this order and aray with the vnfittest and weakest part of his power he withdrewe himselfe asyde to the poole made by the handyworke of Queene Nitocris whether beeyng come looke what before time had bene wrought by her whyle the bridge was building the selfe-same also dyd Cyrus piercing the bancke of the riuer and geuing a vent to the water to passe into the fenne whereby the streams decreasing became very shalow and without daunger to those that aduentured to passe through which thing being marked by those that stayd behinde at the walles they tooke the riuer and wading very little aboue the knees with manfull and valiant courage brake into the City whome the men of Babylon if in case they had foreknowne the fact of Cyrus had not onely not permitted to take the Towne but contrarywise had destroyed them all by a miserable death for hauing fast barred the little gates that open to the riuer and placed themselues pâ—rtly on the top of the wall partly on the bankes without the City they had pent and included them as it were in a â—aue or denne from whence they could neuer haue escaped aliue wheras now the Persians stealing vpon them of a sudden were at their elbowes before they were aware In which their distresse so huge was the City in â—ignesse that by report of those that dwelt next them they which inhabited the middle part of the City were flatly ignorant that the towne was taken Wherefore being a festiuall day they egerly persued their delight and pastime disporting theÌ„selues with dauncing and all kind of
pleasaunt recreation vntill the case was too plaine that the enemies were within the walles Such therfore were the meanes whereby the City Babylon was first of all taken and surprised by warre As touching the power and value whereof we will shewe many testimonies this one especiall and of manyfest euidency The whole coast which is vnder the gouernance of the great King being leuied at a certayne rent to finde the Prince and his armie I meane besides those reuenewes and pensions which euery moneth in the yeare are duely payde and yeelded to the Crowne at the fourth part of thys rent or subsidie is the region of Babylon rated alone the other eyght partes beéing gathered and contributed out of the whole Countrey of Asia so that the puissance and hability of this region is equiualent and matchable to the third part of Asia The seigniorie also and principality of this part which the Persians call a Satrapy that is a Dutchy or Countey doth in great measure exceede all other prouinces that are vnder the protection of the great King For so much as Tritechmas sonne of Artabazus whome the King made his Lieutenant and principall ouer this Countrey had duely rendered vnto him for tribute euery day in the weeke more then eyght gallons of siluer according to the Persian measure called Artaba which exceedeth by three quarts the measure that is vsed in Attica which they call by the name of Medimnus Moreouer he had a stable of couragious and lusty coursers for the saddle besides those which were purposely kept and managed for the vse of warre to these were added eight hundred stalions or stone horses with sixteene thousand maares which were couered by those horses one stalion being reserued and admitted to the couering of twenty maares Besides all this so great a multitude of dogs or mastifes comming of the kinde and breede of India were belonging to him that four great townes standing in the plaine of Babylon stoode at no other reuenue then to find and maintayne a company of curres All whiche things were peculiar and appertinent to him that was the viceroy or president of Babylon In the countrey of Assyria they haue small store of rayne suche graine as the land yeeldeth beeing euermore watered by the floud not after the maner of Nilus in Aegypt which of his owne accord riseth ouer the bankes and giueth moisture to the fields round about but partly by the labour and haÌ„ds of men partly also by brookes and ditches deriuing the water throughout their ground For through all the region of all Babylon euen as in Aegypt also are drawne many trenches and ditches the greatest whereof is nauigable and caryeth ships bearing to that coast where the sunne is at a stand in winter and reacheth from Euphra-‑ reacheth from Euphrates to the floud Tigris neere vnto the which was planted and situated the city Ninus This soyle for corne and all kinde of grayne is the most battle and plentifull of all others being very barren and naked of wood wherein especially the figge tree vine and olyue could neuer prosper or come to any proofe but for seede and tillage so fruitefull and aboundant that it neuer fayleth to yeeld increase two hundred fold and if the ground be very well taken and the yeare fauourable it multiplieth to three hundreth times as much as was cast into the earth The eares of their wheate and barly are more then a handfull broade Likewise y e small seede of Millet or Hirse together with the graiue of India called Sesamum to what exceeding growth and tallnes they arise in this countrey that almost they seeme in manner of mighty trees albeit I assuredly know could iustly affirme yet I will rather keepe silence knowing that those which hath bene already spoken of the greate encrease of their graine are suche that they far surmount aboue the coÌ„mon credit and vsuall course of nature They vse no kinde of oyle but such as is made of the seede Sesamum Palme trees are coÌ„mon with theÌ„ in euery place of the countrey many of the which beare fruite are very fertile Parte of this fruite they turne and employ to foode and sustenaunce making wine and honny of the rest The trees themselues they prune and manure not vnlike theyr figge trees Some of these palmes as they vse also to do in other the Graecians call male trees the fruite wherof they eate not but only bind it to the fruite of the female trees whereof breedeth a small woorme or flye which with her sharpe and forcked nebbe biteth through the fruite of the female palme whereby it commeth to ripenesse and maturity being otherwise wont to drop off and decay before it arriue to full growth and perfection For of the fruite of the male palme is bred and produced this little worme such as come also of a wilde figge tree Let vs now proceede vnto that which next after the city it selfe is in my fancy the straungest mirrour and wonder of the whole region The vessels wherein they are accustomed to passe downe y e streame to Babylon are made circlewise and of round compasse drawne ouer on the outside and couered with leather for the people of Armenia whose countrey lyes aboue the Assyrians hauing hewed smoothed out of willow certaine round vessels very hollow and deepe they cast ouer a paast or couering of leather applying them both to the vse of houshold affayres to contemne licour in such like and also to rowe in and passe the water They haue neither head nor tayle that a man may poynt at with his finger there to be the nose and forepart of the shippe and heere the hinder part or sterne but are contriued into a circulare forme like a buckler or target The bottome of these vessels they matte and fence with strawe or rushes wherevpon laying their chaffer and merchandise they commit themselues to the water Theyr chiefest cariage is small roundlets or firkins of wyne makyng the caske it selfe of the leaues of palme The vessels are gouerned by two seuerall rothers at the which two men continually stande and are attendaunt the one whereof drawes the sterâ—e towardes hym into the shippe the other thrusteth from hym outwarde These kynde of shippes are maruaylous greate and very capable albeit some of them be of smaler making then other The greater sort are of power to carry the waight of fyue thousand talentes In euery of which there is one liue Asse at the least and in the bigger three or foure Beeyng landed at Babylon and hauyng made theyr marte of suche thynges as they broughte they sell also the woodde of theyr Shyppes wyth the strawe rushes and suche lyke loadyng backe theyr Asses with the skinnes which they driue home before them into Armenia forsomuch as to saile vpwards against the course of the riuer it is not possible for them by reason of the swiftnesse and violence of the strcame which is the cause also that they make
lymitation which is from the coaste of Plynthines to the poole named Selbonis wherevnto reacheth an ende of y ◠great mountayne Cassius on this side therefore Aegypte is sixety scheanes which conteyne the number of myles before mentioned For with y ◠Aegyptians such as are slenderly landed measure their groūd by paces they which haue more by furlongs vnto whom very much is allotted by the Persian myle named Parasanga lastly such as in large and ample possessions exceede the rest meete their torritory by Schoenes The measure Parasanga contayneth thirty furlongs the Schoene three score whereby it cōmeth to passe that the lande of Aegypt along the sea is 3600. furlongs from this parte towarde the citie Heliopolis and the middle region Aegypt is very wyde and broade a playne and champion countrey destitute of waters yet very slimie and full of mudde The iourney from the sea to Heliopolis by the higher parte of the region is welnigh of the same length with that way which at Athens leadeth from the aulter of the twelue gods to Pisa and y ◠palace of Iupiter Olympius betwene which two wayes by iust cōputation can hardly bee founde more then fifteene furlonges difference for the distaunce betwene Athens and Pisa is supposed to want of 1500 furlongs fiftene which number in the other of Aegypt is ful complet and perfit trauayling from Heliopolis by the hills you shall finde Aegypt to be straight and narrowe compassed banked on the one side by a mighty hill of Arabia reachinge from the North towardes the South which by degrees waxeth higher and higher and beareth vpwards toward the redd sea In this mountayne are sundry quaries out of the which y t people of Aegypte hewed their stone to builde the Pyramides at Memphis one this side the hill draweth and wyndeth it selfe towarde those places whereof we spake before The selfe same mountayne hath another course from the Easte to the Weste stretching so farre in length as a man may trauayle in two monethes the Easte ende hereof yeldeth frankincense in great aboundaunce likewise one the other side of Aegypt which lyeth towardes Africa there runneth another stony hill wherein are builte certayne Pyramedes very full of grauell grosse Sande like vnto that parte of the Arabian hill that beareth toward the South so that from Helyopolis the wayes are very narrowe not passing foure dayes course by Sea The spate betwene the mountaynes is champion ground being in the narrowest place not aboue two hundred furlongs from the one hill to the other hauing passed this straight Aegypt openeth into a large and ample widenesse extendinge it selfe in great breadth such is the maner and situation of the countrey Furthermore from Heliopolis to Thebs is nyne dayes iourney by water being seuered from each other in distance of place foure thowsand eight hundred and sixty furlongs which amounteth to y ◠number of foure score and one schoenes of the furlongs aforesayd three thowsand and sixe hundred lye to the sea as wee declared before Now from the sea coaste to the city Thebs are 6120. furlonges of playne ground from Thebs to the city Elephantina 820. Of all the region and coūtrey Aegypt whereof wee haue spoken the most parte is borow 〈…〉 ground wherein the waters heretofore haue had their cour 〈…〉 for all the whole bottome which lyeth betwene the two mountaines aboue the city Memphis seemeth to haue bene a narrow sea much like vnto those places that lye about Ilium Teuthrania Ephesus and the playne of Meander if it be not amisse to bring smale things in comparison with greater matters forasmuch as none of those ryuers which held their passage in the places forenamed are worthy to be mentioned where any one of the seuen streames of Nylus are brought into talke there be also other floudes not comparable in bignesse to Nylus which haue wrought straunge effectes and wonderfull thinges in the places where they haue runne amongst whom is the famous ryuer Achelous which flowing through Acarnania into y t sea of the Iles Echinades hath ioyned the halfe parte of the Iles to the mayne and continent In the countrey of Arabia not far from Aegypt there is a certaine arme or bosome of the sea hauing a breach issue out of the red sea the length whereof beginning at the end of y t angle or creeke continuing to y ◠wyde mayne is foure dayes sayle the breadth easy to be cut ouer in halfe a day in this narrow sea the waters ebbe flow raging and roaring exceedingly against a forde or shalow place wherat the streame beateth with great violence such a like creeke I suppose to haue bene in former ages in the lande of Aegypte which brake out from the North sea and continued his course towards Aethyopia like as also the Arabian sea whereof we haue spoken floweth from the south waters towards y t coasts of Syria both which straights welnigh in their furthest corners concur meete together being separrted by no great distaunce of groūd were it then that y t ryuer Nilus should make a vent shed it selfe into the narrow sea of Arabia what might binder but y t in 200000 yeares by y t cōtinuall daily course of y t ryuer the creeke of the salt waters should be cleane altered become dry for I think it possible if in 10000 yeares before me sundry ryuers haue chaūged their courses left the groūd dry whereas first they ran an arme of the sea also much greater then y t may bee dryuen besides his naturall bosome especially by the force of so great a streame as the riuer Nilus by whom diuerse things of greater admiration haue bene brought to passe The reporte therefore which they gaue of the soyle I was easely brought to beleue aswel for that y t country it selfe bringeth credite to the beholders as also y t in the very hills mountaynes of the region are found a multitude of shel fishes the earth likewise sweating out a certaine salt and brynishe humour which doth corrupt and eate the Pyramides Agayne it is in no point like to any of the countryes that lye next vnto it neither to Arabia Lybia nor Syria for the Syrians inhabite the sea coaste of Arabia being of a blacke and brittle moulde which commeth to passe by the greate store of mudde and slimy matter which the ryuer beinge a flote bringeth out of Aethyopia into the lande of the Aegyptians The earth of Lybia is much more redde and sandy vnderneath The moulde of Arabia and Syria drawe neere to a fatte and batile claye beynge vnder grounde very rockye and full of stone Lykewyse for proofe that the Region in tyme past was watery ground the priests alleadged how in the time of kinge Myris his raygne the floud arysing to the heighth of 8. cubits watered the whole countrey of Aegypte lying beneath Memphis scarse 900 yeares being past expired since the death
about these matters The people of the two cities Maerea and Apia that inhabite the borders of Aegypt next vnto Africa esteeming theÌ„selues to be of the linage and nation of the Africans not of the Aegyptians became weary of their ceremonies and religion and would no longer absteyne from the fleshe of kyne and feamale cattell as the rest of the Aegyptians did they sent therefore to the prophecy of Hammon denying themselues to be of Aegypt because they dwelt not within the compasse of Delta neither agreed with them in any thing wherefore they desired y e god that it might be lawful for them without restraint to taste of all meates indiffereÌ„tly but the oracle forbade theÌ„ so to do shewing how all that region was iustly accounted Aegypt which the waters of Nilus ouerranne and couered adding heereto all those people that dwelling beneath the city Elephantina dranke of the water of the same floud This aunswere was giuen them by the oracle Nowe it is meete wee know that Nilus at what time it riseth aboue the banckes ouerfloweth not Delta alone but all the countrey next vnto Africa and likewise the other side adioyning to Arabia couering the earth on both partes the space of two dayes iourney or thereabout As touching the nature of the riuer Nilus I could not bee satisfyed either by the priests or by any other being alwayes very willing and desirous to heare something thereof first what the cause might be that growing to so great increase it shoulde drowne and ouergo the whole countrey beginning to swell the eyght day before the kalends of Iuly and continuing aflote an hundred daies after which time in the like number of dayes it falleth agayne flowyng within the compasse of hys owne banckes tyll the nexte approch of Iuly Of the causes of these thynges the people of Aegypt were ignoraunte themselues not able to tell mee anye thyng whether Nilus had any proper and peculiar vertue different from the nature of other flouds About which matters being very inquisitiue mooued with desire of knowledge I demaunded inoreouer the reason and occasion why this streame of all others neuer sent foorth any miste or vapour such as are commonly seene to ascend and rise from the waters but heerein also I was faynt to nestle in mine owne ignorance desiring to be lead of those that were as blind as my selfe Howbeit certayne Graecian wryters thinking to purchase the price and prayse of wit haue gone about to discourse of Nilus and set downe their iudgement of the nature thereof who are found to varry and dissent in three sundry opinions two of the which I suppose not worthy the naming but onely to giue the reader intelligence how ridiculous they are The first is that the ouer flow of Nilus commeth of none other cause then that the windes Etesiae so named blowing directly vpon the streame thereof hinder and beate backe the waters from flowing into the sea which windes are commonly wont to arise and haue their season a long time after the increase and rising of Nilus but imagine it were otherwise yet this of necessitie must follow that all riuers whatsoeuer hauing a full and direct course against the windes Etesiae shall in like maner swell and grow ouer their bankes and so much the rather by how much the lesse and weake the flouds themselues are whose streames are opposed against the same But there be many riuers as well in Syria as in Africa that suffer no such motion and change as hath bin sayd of the floud Nilus There is another opinion of lesse credite and learning albeit of greater woonder and admiration then the first alleadging the cause of the rising to be for that the riuer say they proceedeth from the Oeean sea which enuironeth the whole globe and circle of the earth The third opinion being more caulme and modest then the rest is also more false and unlikely then them both affirming that the increase and augmentation of Nilus commes of the snowe waters molten and thawed in those regions carying with it so much the lesse credit and authority by how much the more it is euident that the riuer comming from Africa through the middest of Aethiopia runnes continually from the hotter countreys to the colder beeing in no wise probable or any thing likely that the waxing of the waters should proceede of snowe Many sound proofes may be brought to the weakening of this cause whereby we may gesse how grossely they erre whiche thinke so greate a streame to be increased by snowe What greater reason may be found to the contrary then that the windes blowing from those countreys are very warme by nature Moreouer the lande it selfe is continually voyde of rayne and yee being most necessary that within fiue dayes after the fall of snowe there should â—ome rayne where by it commeth to passe that if it snowe in Aegypt it must also of necessity rayne The same is confirmed and established by the blacknesse and swartnesse of the people couloured by the vehement heate and scorching of the sume likewise by the swalowes and kytes which continually keepe in those coastes lastly by the flight of the cranes toward the comming of winter which are alwayes wont to flye out of Scythia and the cold regions to these places where all the winter season they make theyr abode Were it then that neuer so little snow could fall in those countreys by the which Nilus hath his course and from which he stretcheth his head and beginning it were not possible for any of these things to happen which experience prooueth to be true They which talke of Oceanus grounding their iudgement vppon a meere fable want reason to prooue it For I thinke there is no such sea as the Ocean but rather that Homer or some one of the auncient Poets deuised the name and made vse thereof afterwardes in their tales and poetry Now if it be expedient for me hauing refuted and disalowed other mens iudgements to set downe mine owne The reason why Nilus is so great in sommer I take to be this In the winter-time the sunne declining from his former race vnder the colde winter starre keepeth hys course ouer the high countreys of Africa and in these fewe wordes is conteyned the whole cause For the sunne the neerer he maketh his approch to any region the more he drinketh vp the moysture thereof and causeth the riuers and brookes of the same countrey to runne very lowe But to speake at large and lay open the cause in more ample wyse thus the case standeth The bringer to passe and worker heereof is the sunne beeing caryed ouer the hygh countreys of Africa For the spring time with them beeyng very fayre and cleare the land hote and the wyndes colde the sunne passing ouer them workes the same effecte as when it runneth in the middest of heauen in sommer forsomuch as by vertue of his beames gathering water vnto him he
causeth it to ascend into the superiour regions where the windes receiuing it dispearse the vapours and resolue them againe which is chiefely done by the South and Southwest winde that blowe from these countreys beeing stormy and full of rayne Now the water drawne out of Nilus by the sunne doth not in this sort fall downe agayne in showres and drops of rayne but is quite spent and consumed by the heate Toward the ende of winter the sunne drawing towards the middest of the skye in like manner as before sucketh the water out of other riuers which is the cause that being thus drawne vntill much rayne and showres increase them agayne they become fleete and almost drie Wherefore the riuer Nilus into whome alone no showres fall at any time is for iust cause lowest in winter and bighest in sommer forasmuch as in sommer the sunne draweth moysture equally out of all riuers but in winter out of Nilus alone this I take to be the cause of the diuers and changeable course of the riuer Heereof also I suppose to proceede the drynesse of the ayre in that region at such time as the sunne deuideth his course equally so that in the high countreys of Africke it is alwayes sommer whereas if it were possible for the placing and situation of the heauens to be altered that where North is there were South where South is North the sunne towardes the comming and approach of winter departing from the middest of heauen would haue his passage in like sort ouer Europe as now it hath ouer Africke and worke the same effects as I iudge in the riuer Ister as now it doth in Nilus In like maner the cause why Nilus hath no mist or cloude arising from it according as we see in other flouds I deeme to be this because the countrey is exceeding hote and parching being altogether vnfit to sende vp any vapours which vsually breathe and arise out of cold places But let these things be as they are and haue bene alwayes The head and fountayne of Nilus where it is or frō whence it cōmeth none of the Aegyptians Graecians or Africans that euer I talked with could tell me any thing besides a certaine scribe of Mineruas treasury in the city Sais who seemed to me to speake merily saying that vndoubtedly he knewe the place describing the same in this manner There be two mountaines quoth he arising into sharpe and spindled tops situate betweene Syêne a city of Thebais and Elephantina the one called Crophi the other Mophi from the vale betweene the two hilles doth issue out the head of the riuer Nilus being of an vnsearchable deapth and without bottome halfe of the water running towardes Aegypt and the North the other halfe towardes Aethiopia and the South Of the immeasurable deapth of the fountayne the scribe affirmed that Psammetichus King of the Aegyptians had taken triall who sounding the waters with a rope of many miles in length was vnable to feele any ground or bottome whose tale if any suche thyng were done as he sayde made me thinke that in those places whereof he spake were certayne gulfes or whirlepooles very swift violente and raging whiche by reason of the fall of the water from the hilles would not suffer the line with the sounding leade to sinke to the bottome for which cause they were supposed to be bottomlesse Besides this I coulde learne nothing of any man Neuerthelesse trauelling to Elephantina to behold the thing with mine owne eyes and making diligent inquiry to knowe the truth I vnderstoode this that takyng our iourney from thence Southward to y e countreys aboue at lēgth we shall come to a steepe bending shelfe where y e ryuer falleth with great violēce so y t we must be forced to fasten two gables to each side of y e ship in that sort to hale and draw her forward which if they chaunce either to slip or breake y e vessell is by and by driuē backwards by y e intollerable rage violēce of y e waters To this place frō y e city Elephantina is four daies saile whereaboutes y e riuer is ful of windings turnings like the floud Meander and in lēgth so cōtinuing twelue scheanes all which way the ship of necessity must be drawne After this we shall arriue at a place very smooth and caulme wherein is standing an Iland incompassed rounde by the ryuer by name Tachampso The one halfe heereof is inhabited by the Aegyptians the other halfe by the Aethiopians whose countrey is adioyning to the Southside of the Ile Not farre from the Iland is a poole of woonderfull and incredible bignesse about the which the Shepheards of Aethiopia haue their dwelling whereinto after we are declined out of the mayne streame we shall come to a riuer directly running into the poole where going on shore we must take our voyage on foote the space of forty dayes by the waters side the riuer Nilus it selfe beeyng very full of sharpe rockes and craggy stones by the which it is not possible for a vessell to passe Hauing finished forty dayes iourney along the riuer take shipping againe and passe by water twelue dayes voyage till such time as you arriue at a great city called Meroe which is reputed for the chiefe and Metropolitane city of the countrey the people whereof only of all the gods worship Iupiter and Bacchus whome they reuerence with exceeding zeale and deuotion Likewise to Iupiter they haue planted an oracle by whose counsayle and voyce they rule their martiall affayres making warre how oft soeuer or against whomesoeuer they are mooued by the same From this city Meroe by as many dayes trauell as yee take from Elephantina to y e same you shall come to a kind of people named Automoly which is to say traytours or runnagates the same also in like manner being called Asmach which emporteth in the greeke tongue such as stande and attende at the Kings left hand These men being whilome souldyers in Aegypt to the number of eyght thousand and two hundred they reuolted from their owne countreymen and fled ouer to the Aethiopians for this occasion Being in y e time of King Psammetichus dispersed and diuided into sundry garrisons some at the city of Elephantina and Daplinae Pelusiae against the Aethiopians other against the Arabians and Syrians and thirdly at Marea against the Africans in which places agreeably to the order and institution of Psammetichus the Persian garrisons also did lie in munition hauing continued the space of three yeares in perpetuall gard and defence of the lande without shift or release they fell to agreement amongst themselues to leaue their King and countrey and flye into Aethiopia which their intente Psammetichus hearing made after them incontinently and hauing ouertaken the army humbly besought them with many teares not to forsake by suche vnkind and vnnaturall wise their wiues children and countrey gods vnto whose plaint and intreaty a rude roystrell
first that euer made the gods to be borne and sproong of certaine progenies like vnto men assigning to euery one a byname proper and peculiar honours sundry crafts and sciences wherein they excelled not leauing so much as the fauour and portraytour of any of the gods secrete and vndeseried As for suche poets as are saide to haue gone before these they seeme to me to haue liued after them The first of these things I meane the names of the natures celestiall to haue bene planted in Greece in such sorte as hath bene declared the priests at Dodona do iustly witnesse Now for this of Hesiode and Homer to be no other wyse then is said I pawne mine owne credit Furthermore of y e oracles in Africke and Greece the Aegyptians blaâ—e this rumor and principally such as are employed in the seruice and ministerie of Iupiter Thebanus by whome it is sayde that certaine men of the Phaenicians comming to Thebes state priuily from thente two women accustomed to minister in the temple of Iupiter one of the which they sold in Lybia the other in Greece by whose meanes and aduise it came to passe that in each countrey the people created an oracle Heereat somewhat abashed and requesting earnestly how and in what manner they came to knowe this they made we aunswere that leauing no corner vnsearched whereby to come to knowledge of their women and not able to finde how they were bestowed newes was brought at length of their plight and condition Thus farre was I certified by the Thebane prelates wherevnto I deeme it conuenient to adde such things as were notified vnto mee at Dodona by the priests there who vndoubtedly affyrme how in times forepast and long ago two blacke pigeons tooke theyr flight from the countrey of Thebes in Aegypt scouring with swift course through the sky one of the which fortuned to light in Africa the other in that part of Greece where Dodona is now situate where pointing vpon a mighty â—all beech she was heard to speake in a voice humane like vnto a man warning the people to erect an oracle or seate of diuination in that place being so thought good and prouided by the destinies Whiche admonition the people taking as well they might to come by the instince and motion of the gods did as they were commauÌ„ded by the done In like manner it fell out that in Lybia the people were stirred vp and inâ—ensed by the other done to the planting and erection of a seate propheticall named the oracle of Ammon being also coÌ„fecrate to the name of Iupiter These things we receiued of the credite and authoritie of the Dodoneans confirmed and established by the generall consenteÌ„ of those that had the â—ase and charge of the temple Of these women priests resident in the temple of Dodona the eldest most auncieÌ„t had to name Promenca the second Timareta the third and yougest Nicandra Neuerthelesse of these matters such is my iudgement If any such religions and holy women were by stealth of the Phenicians transported and caryed away into Lybia and Greece I condecture that the one of these was sold at Thesprotus in that parte of the region which earst was in y e possession of the Pelasgians and is at this present reputed for a portion of Hettus where hauing serued certayne yeares in processe of time she brought 〈…〉 diuine ceremonies of Iupiter vnder some beach tree growing in shoaâ—e coaÌ„stes For what could be more likely conâ—emente then for her to establish some monument in the sacred honour of Iupiter in whose seruice and religion she had bene long time conuersaunt at Thebes in Aegypt Which her ordinance at length grewe into the custome of an oracle The same beeing perfect also in the Greeke language discouered vnto them in what sort the Pheniâ— anâ— had likewise made sale of hir sister to the people of Africa The sacred and deuoute women of Dodona resyaunt in the pallace of the great god Iupiter seeme for none other cause to haue called these Aegyptian pufiâ—s two doues then for that they were come from harbarous countreys whose tongue and manner of pronouncing seemed to the Graecians to sounde like the voyce of bites And whereas they shewe that in time the doâ—e began to vtter playne language and speake like men â—aught else is meant heareby then that she vsed such speech as they knew and vnderstood being so long esteemed to emusate and follow the noyse of birds as she remained in her harbarous kind of speach and pronunciation For how is it credible that a pigeon in deede could haue â—â—urped the voice and vtteraunce of a manâ— and alleadging yet further that it was a blarke doâ—e they argued her more playnely to haue bene a woman of Aegypt the flower of whose beauty is a fayre browne blew â—anned and burnt by the fyery beames of the sunne Agayne the oracles themselues that of Thebes and this of Dodona are welâ—ye in all poyntes agreeable Thspeake nothing of the maner and order of southsaying in the comples of Greece whych any man with halfe an eye may easily discerne to haue bene taken from Aegypt Let it stand also for an â—â—â—ent and vndoubted verity that assemblies at festiuals pompes and pageants in diuine honour talke and communication with the gods by a mediatour or interpretour were inuented in Aegypt and consequently vsed in Greece Which I thinke the rather for that the one is old and of long continuance the other freshe and lately put in practise It is not once in a yeare that the Aegyptians vse these solemne and religious meetings but at sundry times and in sundry places howbeit chiefly and with the greatest zeale deuotion at the city Bubast in y e honour of Diana Next after that at Busiris in the celebration of 〈◊〉 feast where also standeth the most excellent and famous temple of Isis who in the Greeke tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to wit Ceres Thirdly an assembly is held in the city Sars in the prayse and reuerence of Minerâ—â— Fourthly at Hâ—liopolis in honour of the sunne Fiftly at Batis in remembraunce of Larona In the sixt and last place noâ—hâ— city Papsâ—â—is to the dignity renowne of Mars Moreouer sucâ— of this people as with encyre and affectionate zeale most religiously obserue these astat Bâ—bastis behaue and beare themselues on this maner Certayne shippes being addressed wherein infinite numbers of men and women fayle towards the catâ— in the meane season whiles 〈◊〉 be in voiage on y e water certaine of the womeÌ„ play vpoÌ„ drums taders making a great found noyse y e men on pipes Such as want these implemeÌ„ts clap their hands straine their voice in singing to y e highest degree At what city soeuer they ariue happely some of the women of â—â—tinue their mirth disporâ—on y e timbrels some other raise reuise wold at the daâ—â—es of the city beyond
fearing least they should be abused by the inordinate lust of such as dresse them alleadging moreouer that a Saliner sometimes working such abuse vpon y â— dead body of a woman was taken in the maner and his villany discryed by one of his owne company If it fortune any one either of the Aegyptians or of forraine countries to be drowned and cast on shore the City in whose borders he is founde must sustaine the charge of the funeralles which in honorable maner must be executed and the body buried in the sacred and holy Monumentes Being not lawfull for his friends and allies any whit to intermeddle or touch the dead but the Preists assigned to the worship of the ryuer Nylus intoumbe and bury him so nicely and solemnly as if it were the body of a god The customes of Greece they will in no wise follow vtterly estraunging themselues from all orders borowed and deryued from other Nations Albeit Chemmis a great City in the Prouince of Thebs not farre from the City Nëa wherein standeth the Temple of Perseus senne of Danäe builte fouresquare and incompassed rounde aboute wyth a Springe or Groue of Date trees hauing also a large entry of stone on each side whereof are placed two Images of passing greatnesse within the pallace is contayned y e carued monument of Perseus whom the Chemmyts auouch often times to appeare vnto them out of the earth and not seldome in the church at which time they stude his supper which he was woâ—â—s to weare two cubytes in length affyrminge that at such times as that is seene the yeare proueth very fertile and prosperous throughe out all Aegypt This towne I say hath ordayned certayne games of exerâ—ise in the honour of Perseus after the maner of Greece These being dmaunded of mee why Perseus should appeare to them alone and for what cause in the celebration of their games they dissented from the rest of y e Aegyptians they made answere that Perseus was issued of theyr city adding moreouer that Danaeus and Lynaeus were also CheÌ„mmyts and sayled into Greece in blasing whose Pedagree they came at leÌ„gth to Perseus who comming into Aegypt for the selfe same cause as the Grecians testify namely to fetch the heade of Gorgon out of Africk came also to them and called to remembraunce his kinred and linage of whom hauing taken acquayntaunce and hearing his mother to speake of the name of Chem he instituted a game of all exercises which according to his appointment and first ordinaunce they obserue till this day These are the maners of those that lye aboue the Fennes such as dwell in the Maryses differ not from the rest neither in other things nor in estate of mariage euery one inioying the priuate fellowship of his owne wyfe in semblable maner to the Grecians Notwithstanding for the easie prouision of their foode and sustenaunce other thinges haue bene soughte out and deinied by them For in time of the floude when the ryuer ouergoeth the countrey there arise in the water great plenty of syllyes which the people of Aegypt call Lotos These they reape and dry them in the Sunne The seede whereof growing in the middest of the flower somewhat like vnto Popy seede they boyle after which they kneade it into cakes bake it for breade The roote of this is very rothsome pleasant good to eate being of forme very rounde in bignesse like an aple There is also another kinde of lyllyes much like to roses which in like maner haue their growth in the water from whose roote springs a bud vnlike to the former bearing fruite in maner likenesse of an hony Combe herein are contayned certayne smale kernells resembling the stone of an Olyue not vnfit for sustenance and coÌ„monly eaten of the Aegyptians aswell fresh as wythered The selfe same people when the season of the yeare serueth are busily conuersant in gathering a kinde of Rush called Byblâ—s the top whereof they crop turne it into vse of foode the residue being much about one cubyte in length they partly eate partly sell Such as be desirous to make fine and delicate meate of this Rush vse to cast it into an Ouen broyle it some there be that lyue only by fish which hauing taken they incontinently draw them parch them in the Sunne like stockfish and being well dryed they eate them The coÌ„mon sorte of fish vsed among them breede not in y e ryuer but in pooles being of this nature Toward the time of spawning they leaue the fennes make repayre generally to y e sea the male fishes in maner of captaines leading the ranke These male fishe as they passe still onwarde shed theyr seede by the way which their femals following after immediatly deuour and thereof shortly after breede theyr spawnes Now at the pointe of breede the femals forsaking y e salt waters stower backe agayne to the maryses to their accustomed haunte leadinge the males that follow after them and in swiming backe agayne they voide spawne being very smale cornes like the graynes of mustard seede which lightinge vpon the male fishe in the tayle of the rancke are swallowed vp and deuoured by them Not one of these litle graynes but will grow to a fishe as well may bee seene by those that escape the males and are vndeuoured which being nourished by the waters growe to smale Frye Such of these fishes as are taken swimminge to the sea are founde to haue the left side of theyr heads very much worne and gauled and in comming from the sea the right side the cause being this that both in going and comming they continually grate agaynst the shore and bancks of the ryuer as a direction to them in passinge to and fro least that â—loting in the middest of the streame they chaunce to stray and wander out of the right course At such time as the ryuer Nilus beginneth to swell all the lowe places in the couÌ„trey and Ponds neere adioyning to the ryuer doe likewise increase being then to bee seene great store of younge Fry in euery litle puddle whereof these should breede this seemeth to be a probable cause That the yeare before at the fall and decrease of the water the fish which together with the ryuer departe them selues leaue behinde them their spawne in the mudde which at the rysing of the nexte floude being eftsones moystned by the waters recouer vertue and growe to bee fish As touchinge which thinges let it seeme sufficient thus much to haue spoken The Aegyptians that keepe in the fenne countrey vse a certaine oyle made of a tree which the Apothecaryes call Palmachri These trees that springe naturally in Greece the Aegyptians accustome to plant and set by the banckes of Pooles and ryuers which is the cause that they beare fruite but very strong and rancke of sauoure The fruite being gathered some of them bruise it against the fyre other some frie it in a pan
reseruing that which commeth of it which serueth them partly for Oyle partly for the vse of their Lamps and candles yeelding as they sayd before a deyne very loathsome and vnsauory Likewise agaynst gnats and flyes wherewith their lande aboundeth aboue measure certaine remedies are founde out by them Such as dwell aboue the Fennes are holpen herein by towers and high garrets wherein they take their sleepe forasmuch as the winde will not suffer the Gnats to fly high The people of the Fennes in steede of Turrets are fayne to worke this deuise Each man hath his Nets wherewith in the day time they goe on fishing and in the night pytche them aboute their chambers wherein they rest by whych meanes they come to take a nappe of nyne houres longe whereas otherwise were they neuer so well wrapped in clothes the Gnats with their sharp nebbes woulde pierâ— and stinge quite through all being not able in like maner to passe through the Nets Their Shippes vsed for burthen or caryage are made of a kinde of Thorne not farre vnlike the tree Lotos growing in Cyrene from the which there issueth a certayne kinde of gumme Of the body of this thorne they sawe and square out certaine boardes two cubits longe and fashioned like a tilesheard which they frame and compact together after this maner First they vnite and ioyne the plancks together with an infinit number of nayles and pynnes binding the same to many transomes that goe both crosse and longe wayes for the strength of the vessell Their wood they frame not in compasse after the maner of other Nations but fasten and knit the ioyntes together with Bullrushes and such like They haue only one Helme or Sterne which is made to goe throughe the hinder parte of the Shippe The Mast is likewise of thorne the Sayle of the Rushe Byblus These kinde of vessells are not able to cut against the streame but are haled and drawne forward by land Downe the streame they passe in this wyse They frame an hurdle of the bushe Tamarisk fast bounde and tyed together with the peelings of greene Cane or Reedes prouydinge moreouer a mighty stone wyth an hole through the middest two talents in weight which done they cast the hurdle into the streame beinge made fast with a Rope to the nose of the Vessell contrariwise the stonne they tye behynde wyth an other Gable geuinge it so much scope that it may sinke to the bottome By which meanes it commeth to passe that the streame caryinge on the hurdle causeth the Shippe to follow with exceedinge swiftnesse and the stone on the other side drayling behinde directeth the same in euen and stedfast course At such time as the ryuer ouerrunneth the soyle the Cityes are only apparent and vncouered resembling in shew the Iles of the sea Aegêum all the land besides being in maner of a sea The Cities which in time of the floud are extante be in place of Portes for the ships to lye at rode in During which time they sayle not in y e mayne ryuer but through y e midst of the fieldes They that take shipping from the Citye Naucrates to Memphis haue their course by the Pyramides albeit there be another way also â—â—ndinge to the same place strykinge ouer by the Neb of Delta and the City of the Cercasians Likewise as we take our voyage from the Sea coaste and the city Canobus to Naucrates through the wyde and open fieldes we shall passe by Anthylla a towne so named in like manner arryuinge at the city Arcandry Anthylla a city of chiefe renowne is euermore geuen and allotted by the Kinge of Aegypt to his Queene that then is to finde her shoes which are purchased by the reuenewes of the same Which custome hath remayned since the tyme that the Persians gonerned in Aegypt Archandry seenieth to haue taken the name of Archander sonne in lawe to Danaeus and the lawfull ofspringe of Phthius Achaeus not denying but that there might bee another besides him but howsoeuer it is the city Archandry can in no wyse be made an Aegyptian name Hytherto haue I set dawne such thinges as eyther by my selfe I haue seene and knowne or bene constantly aduertysed thereof by the people of the region determining henceforth to prosecute such matters as I haue onely by heresay interlaceing the same otherwhiles with such thinges as of myne owne knowledge I am able to iustifie Menes the firste Kinge of Aegypt as the pryests make reporte by altering the course of the ryuer gayned all that grounde whereon the City Memphis is situated the floud being wonte before time to haue his course fast by the sandy mountayne which lyeth towarde Lybia This Menes therefore damminge vppe the bosome of the ryuer towardes the south Region hauinge cast vppe a pyle or bulwarke of Earth much after an hundred Furlonges aboue the City by that meanes dryed the old Chanell causinge the ryuer to forsake and abandone his naturall course and runne at randame amiddest the hills To which damme also the Persians that rule in Aegypte euen at this day haue a dilligent eye yearely fortifyinge and repayringe the same wyth newe and fresh Earth Through the which if by fortune the ryuer stryuinge to recouer his olde course should happily make a breach the city Memphis were in daunger to bee ouerwhelmed with water By the selfe same Menes firste bearinge rule and authority in Aegypt after y â— by turning y â— streame of Nilus he had made dry ground of that where erst the ryuer had his passage in the same plot of land was the city it selfe founded erected which as well may bee seene stands in the straight and narrow places of the countrey More then this to the North West for Eastward Memphis is bounded by the course of the riuer hee caused to be drawne out of the ryuer a large and wyde poole beinge also the founder of Vulcans temple in Memphis one of the fayrest buildinges and of chiefest fame in all the countrey of Aegypte Three hundred thirty Prynces that by mutuall succession followed Menes the priests also readily mentioned out of y â— books of their Monuments of which number 18 were by Countrey Aethyopians and one a forraine outlandish women whose nation they knew not al the rest being sprong of their owne land This woman y â— aspired to y â— crowne bare the name of y â— famous Queene of Babylon was called Nitocris whose brother in y â— time of his empire being slaine by y â— Aegyptians Nitocris wearing y â— crowne after him sought meanes secretly how to reueÌ„ge his death whith she brought to passe by a straunge deuice and pollicy Hauing therefore builte for hir owne vse a fayre gorgeous courte she caused an hollow Vaut or caue to be cast vnder the earth pretending for the time a reason of hir deuice albeit farre different from hir secret minde purpose The work ended she inuited thither
dayes of this prince that Rhodope flourished but vnder the gouernement of Amasis many yeares passing from the tyme of those princes that planted the pyres to the dayes and age of Rhodope This gallaunt dame was by countrey a Thracian borne the bondmayd of one Iadmon whose abiding was in the land of Samos in the city of the god Vulcane who in the tyme of her bondage was fellowseruant with Aesope the inuenter of fables to whome this smooth minion had a monethes mind and more for which cause being giuen out by y e oracle at Delphos that it mighte be free for any man to slay Aesope that would and take pennaunce for his soule for his faulte committed there was none found that would put him to death but the nephew of Iadmon that came by his sonne who was also named Iadmon whereby we may gather that Aesope was a slaue and vassall to Iadmon The death of Aesope wounded Rhodope with so great feare that she tooke her flight foorthwith into Aegypt accompanyed by one Xanthus a Samian where she set foorth her selfe to the sale of such as rather then Venus should be shut out for a Sainct thought it no idolatrie to worship idols Whiles shee abode in Aegypt shee was redeemed and acquit of her seruitude by one Charaxus who purchased her libertie by a great summe of money This Charaxus was of the countrey of Mitilene sonne of Scamandronymus and brother to Sappho the notable poetresse By these meanes came Rhodope to be free and remayned still in Aegypt where she wanne so great credite and liking of all men that in shorte space she grewe to maruellous wealth beeing such as farre in deede surmounted the degree of Rhodope but yet amounted not to the buylding of a pyre By the tenth parte of whych her substaunce it is easie for any man to gesse that the masse and summe of money which she had gathered was no suche myracle as it is made to be For studying to be famous and remembred in Greece she deuised a worke which had neuer bene imagined or geuen by any other which in remembrance of her selfe she offered in the temple of Delphos Wherefore of the tenth parte of her riches which she sente to the temple she commaunded so many yron spittes to be made which were imployed to the rosting of oxen as the quantitie of the money woulde afoorde that was sente thyther by her These spittes at this present stande behynde the aultare whiche the people of Chios erected iust oueragainst the temple Howbeit such arrant honest women as are fishe for euery man haue in no place the like credite as in the city of Naucrates Forsomuch as this stalant of whome we speake had her fame so bruted in all places as almost there was none in Greece that had not hearde of the fame of Rhodope After whome there sprang vp also another as good as euer ambled by name Archidice whose vertues were blased very farre but not with like fame and renowne as her predecessour with whome Charaxus was so farre gone that retyring home to Mytelene he was almost besides himselfe as Sappho maketh mention inueyghing in verse agaynst hys folly We haue thus far digressed to speake of Rhodope we will now returne to the text agayne Next after Mycerinus ensued the raigne and dominion of Asychis by whome as the priests report was consecrated to Vulcane a princely gallerie standyng to the East very fayre and large wrought with most curious and exquisite workemanship For besides that it had on euery side embossed the straunge and liuely pictures of wilde beastes it had in a manner all the graces and sumptuous ornaments that coulde be imagined to the beautifying of a worke Howbeit amiddest other his famous deedes this purchased him the greatest dignitie that perceyuing the land to be oppressed with debt and many creditours like to be indamaged by great losse he inacted foorthwith that who so borrowed aught vppon credite shoulde lay to pledge the dead body of his father to be vsed at the discretion of the creditour and to be buryed by him in what manner he woulde for a pennaunce to all those that tooke any thing of loane prouiding moreouer that in case he refused to repay the debt he should neyther be buryed in the tombe of his fathers nor in any other sepulchre neyther himselfe nor the issue that should descend and spring of his body This prince desiring to surpasse all that had bene before him left in memorie of himselfe an excellente pyre built all of clay wherein was a stone set ingrauen in these wordes Compare me not to the rest of the pyres which I surmount as farre as Iupiter excelleth the meaner gods for searching the bottome of the riuer with a scoupe looke what clay they brought vp the same they employed to the building of me in such forme and bignesse as you may beholde And this did Asychis imagine to aduance the fame of himselfe to the time to come After whome the scepter was held by one Anysis a blynde man inhabiting in a city called after his owne name Anysis In time of whose raigne Sabbacus King of Aethyopia inuaded Aegypt with a mightie power Where at the poore blinde King greatly affrighted crope priuily away and gayned a priuie couert in the marrishe places of the countrey leauyng the gouernement to Sabbacus his enemie whiche ruled the same 50. yeares whose actes are mentioned to haue beene these If any of the Aegyptians made a trespasse he neuer vsed to do any man to death for his offence but according to y e quantity of his fault to enioyne him to arrere make higher by forreine supply of earth and stone some parte of the city wherein he dwelt for which cause the cities became very high and eminent being much more loftely situated then before For first of all in time of Sesostris such earth as was cast out of the trenches which were made to geue the water a course to the cities that were farre off was employed to the eleuation aduancing of the lowe townes and now agayne vnder this Aethyopian they had increase of fresh earth and grew to be very high and lofty Amongst the rest the noble city of Bubastis seemeth to be very haughty highly planted in which city is a temple of excellent memory dedicate to the goddesse Bubastis called in our speach Diana then the which albeit there be other churches both bigger and more richly furnished yet for the sightly grace and seemelynesse of building there is none comparable vnto it Besides the very entrance and way that leadeth into the city the rest is informe of an Ilande inclosed round about with two sundry streames of the riuer Nilus which runne to either side of the path way and leauing as it were a lane or causey betweene them without meeting take their course another way These armes of the floud are eache of them an hundred foote broade beset on both
promises to abide with him which being by him in like sorte obteyned with this fresh supply of forreyne ayde and the helpe of such Aegyptians as fauoured his cause he prouided against the rest of the princes Hauing the whole gouernemente alone he made in the city of Memphis certayne porches sacred to the god Vulcane lying vpon the South winde and oueragainst the porches a fayre large haule dedicated to Apis wherein the god Apis at suche time as he appeared was releeued and nourished This place was beset round with stately pillers and ingrauen with sundrie similitudes and imbossements of beastes foules and fishes Wherein also in place of some pillers are planted diuers fayre images of no lesse then twelue cubites in bignesse To these forreiners of Caria and Ionia by whome he was holpen in his warres Psammetichus gaue certayne manner places to dwell in lying on each side of the riuer Nilus called the Tentes whereof beeing possessed he performed all such promises besides that were couenaunted betweene them Moreouer he put vnto them certayne yong impes of the Aegyptians to be instructed in the Greeke language from whome by discent of issue came those which are now interpreters in Aegypt and vse the Greeke tongue A long time did the people of Ionia and Caria inhabite those places lying against the sea somewhat aboue the city of Bubastis situate at the mouth of Nilus which is called Pelusiacum from whence they were afterwardes translated by King Amasis into the city Memphis to gard him against the Aegyptians After the Greekes were thus setled in Aegypt the people of Greece had traffique thither by which meanes such affayres as were atchieued in that countrey from Psammitichus following are certaynely knowne of vs without any errour These were the first that inhabited Aegypt being of a diuers language from the homelings In like manner from whence they fleeted thither the reliques of their ships wherein they came the olde postes and groundreels of their houses were shewed me And these were the meanes whereby Psammitichus obteyned the dominiou of Aegypt As touching the oracle or seate of prophecie we haue made many wordes and will make more as of a thing most worthy to be mentioned This oracle is planted in the temple of the goddesse Latona in a great city named Butis standing against the mouth of Nilus which is called Sebenniticum into the which they haue entry that from the vpper parte of the sea cut against the streame In this city also are the temples of Apollo and Diana and the great pallace of Latona wherein is the place of diuination hauing a gallery belonging to it tenne paces high Heerein suche things as might lawfully be seene and deserued greatest admiration of those I meane to make report In this temple of Latona is a small chappell framed of one stone whose walles beeing of equall heigth were in length forty cubites which semblably was coped ouer the top with another stone beeing foure cubites in thickenesse Wherefore of all those things that were pertayning to the temple there was nothing that deserued greater woonder then this little chappell Next to this is an Ilande called Echemmis standing in the middest of a deepe and wide lake a little besides the chiefe temple whiche the Aegyptians suppose to swimme and to be borne vp of the waters Howbeit I neither sawe it swimme nor mooue maruayling very much if it were true that an Iland should be caryed in the waters In this Ile is planted the temple of Apollo a greate and sumptuous building lykewyse three rewes of aultares and many fayre palme-trees some very kynde and bearing fruite other fruitelesse and barren The Aegyptians also render a cause of the swimming of this Ilande saying thus that at what time Latona which is one of the eyght saints that are of greatest antiquity amongst them dwelt in the city of Butis whereas nowe the oracle is helde she tooke the sauegard of Apollo commended vnto her by his mother Isis and preserued hys lyfe in the same Ilande beeyng at that tyme stedfast and immoueable when as Typhon made so diligente searche in all places to finde out the sonne of Osyris For heere we must vnderstande that thys people imagine Apollo and Diana to be the children of Dionisius and Isis and that Latona was but theyr nourse and bringer vp that delyuered them from perill Apollo in the Aegyptian tongue is called Horus Ceres hath the name of Isis Diana of Bubastis from whence Aeschilus the sonne of Euphorion drew his opinion which alone of all the rest of the poets maketh Diana daughter to Ceres after which euent the Ile say they became loose and was marked to floate and mooue in the water Psammitichus gouerned in Aegypt 54. yeares 29. of the which he spent in the asseige of the great city of Syria which at length he subdued This city is called Azotus which of all the cities that euer wee hearde of susteyned the longest assaulte Insuing the raigne of Psammitichus the gouernemente of the countrey fell to Necus hys sonne by whome first of all was the channell digged that leadeth to the red sea whyche afterwardes was cast afreshe and made deeper by Darius the Persian The length of thys course was foure dayes sayling the breadth such as two reasonable vessels of three oares apeece might well sayle in it together The water which is deriued from Nilus into this channell floweth into it alittle aboue the city Bubastis against a towne of Arabia named Patumon and so continueth hys course vnto the red Sea They beganne first to digge from the playne of Aegypt towardes Arabia for all the countrey aboue the playne is filled and occupyed wyth a course of greate mountaynes neere vnto the citie Memphis wherein are many pittes and quarries of stone wherefore from the roote of thys mountayne is the channell deriued continuing a long course towardes the East vntyll it come to the place where the hyll parteth in twayne whyche distaunce and separation betweene the mountaynes openeth to the South regions and leadeth to the narrow seas of Arabia In the digging of thys course there perished an hundred and twentie thousande of the people of Aegypt When thys enterprise was halfe done Necus brake off and lefte it vnfinished being discouraged by a prophecie that tolde hym that hee toyled for the profite and behoofe of a Barbarian The Aegyptians tearme them all Barbarians which are of a sundry language Necus therefore leauing hys worke vnfinished applyed hys studie to the prouision of warre gathering souldyers and preparing a fleete of warring Shippes some of the which were builte at the North Seas others in the strayghtes of Arabia at the red Sea some tokens whereof are yet to be seene in the same places Thys Fleete he employed in hys affayres continuallie so long as it fitted hym to the vse of warre Forsaking afterwards the Sea and giuing himselfe to battailes by the land where in a conflict with the
gods they might likewise offer the most flight and swifte creature that lyueth on the earth K. v. Herodotus his second Booke entituled Euterpe AFter the death of the most noble vertuous King Cyrus there succeeded him in y e empyre a son of his named Cambyses born of Cassandana daughter to Pharnasphus who dying long tyme before y e king hir spouse was greatly bewayled by him and his whole empyre The younge prince Cambyses makinge none other accounte of y e Iönes then of his lawfull seruauÌ„ts left him by the due right and title of inheritaunce went in expedition against the Aegyptians preparing an army aswell out of other countreys as also out of the regions borders of Greece which were vnder his gouernment The Aegyptians before such time as Psammeâ—ichus held the supremicy thought them selues to haue bene the first and moste auncient people of y e world This king in time of his raigne and gouernaunce in Aegypt for the great desire hee had to know by what people the earth was first inhabited wrought an experience whereby the Aegyptians were broughte to thinke that the Phrygians were the most old auncient people of the earth and them selues to be nexte in antiquity to them For Psammetichus by all meanes indeuouringe to know who they were that first and before al others came into the world finding himselfe hardly satisfied with ought he could heare practised a deuise and feate of his owne braine Two young infants borne of base parentes hee gaue to his Sheepheard to bring vp nourish in this maner He gaue coÌ„maundement y t no man in their presence or hearing should speake one word but that being alone in a solitary deserte cabyne farre from all company they should haue milke and other foode brought mynistred to them in due conuenient time Which thinges were done commaunded by him to the intent y t when they left of their childish cries began to prattle and speake plainly he might know what speach laÌ„guage they would first vse which in processe of time fell out and happened accordingly For being of y e age of two yeares it chaunced that the sheepheard who was their Nourice bringer vp approching neere to the dore of the Cottage entring in both the litle brats sprawling at his feete stretching forth their hands cryed thus Beccos Beccos which at the first hearing the Pastour noted only and made no words but perceyuing him selfe alwayes saluted after one sort and y t euermore at his entraunce the children spake y e same word the matter was opened to y e king at whose coÌ„maundement he brought the children and deliuered them vp into his hands whom when Psammetichus also himselfe had heard to chat in the same maner he made curiouse search what people vsed y e word Beccos in their language in what meaning they toke it Whereby he came to know y t the word was accustomably vsed by y e people of Phrygia to signifie bread For which cause the Aegyptians came into opinion y t the Phrygians were of greater time longer continuance then them selues Of all which matter the maner of doing thereof I was credibly informed by the priestes of y e god Vulcane abiding at Memphis Howbeit many fond fables are recited by the Grecian writers that Psammetichus geuing y e children to certaine women of the country to sucke bring vp caused their tongues to bee cut out y t they might not speake to them Thus much was rehearsed by them of y e trayning vp education of the infants Many other things also were told me by the holy and religious Chaplaynes of y e god Vulcane with whom I had often conference at Memphis Moreouer for y e same occasion I toke a iourney to Thebs Heliopolis which is to wit y e city of y e Sunne to y e end I might see whether they would iumpe all in one tale agree together For the Heliopolitans are sayd to bee the most prudent witty people of all y e Aegyptians Notwithstanding of diuine heauenly matters as touching their gods loke what they told me I am purposed to conceale saue onely their names which are manifestly knowne of all men of other matters I meane to keepe silence vnlesse by the course of the Hystory I shall perforce bee broughte into a narration of the same In all their talke of mortall and humane altayres they did rightly accord consent one with an other saying this that y t Aegyptians first of all others fouÌ„d out the circuite compasse of y t yeare deuiding the same into 12 seuerall moneths according to y t course and motion of the starres making in my fancy a better computation of the time then the Grecians doe which are driuen euery thirde yeare to adde certaine dayes to some one moneth whereby the yeares may fall euen become of a iust coÌ„passe Contrarywise the Aegyptians to three hundred dayes which they parte distribute into twelue moneths making addition of fyue odde dayes cause the circle and course of their yeares to fall out equally alwayes a like In like maner the Aegyptians first inuented and vsed the surnames of the twelue gods which y t Grecians borowed drew from them The selfe same were the first founders of Aulters Images Temples to the gods by whom also chiefly were carued the pictures of beasts and other creatures in stone which thing for y t most parte they proue confirme by lawfull testimonyes good authority to this they ad besides y t the first king y t euer raygned was named Menes vnder whose gouernaunce all y â— lande of Aegypt except the prouince of Thebes was wholly couered ouerwhelmed with water and y t no parte of the ground which lyes aboue the poole called Myris was then to be sene into which poole from the sea is 7. dayes sayling And truly as concerning y â— country they seemed to speake truth For it is euident to all men who hauing neuer heard thereof doe but onely beholde it how that parte of Aegypt whereat the Grecians are wont to arryue is gayned ground and as it were the gyft of the ryuer Likwise all the land aboue the poole for the space of thrâ— dayes fayleing whereof notwithstanding they spake nothing at all Besides there is another thing from whence no smale profe may be borowed to wit the very nature and quality of the Aegyptian soile which is such that being in voyage towards Aegypt after you come within one dayes sayling of the lande at euery sounde with the plummet you shall bringe vppe great store of mud and noysome filth euen in such place as the water is eleuen ells in depth whereby it is manyfest that so farre y â— ground was cast vppe and left bare by the waters The length of Aegypt by the sea coaste is 423. miles and a halfe according to our