A Brief Collection and compendious extract of strange and memorable things, gathered out of the cosmography of Sebastian Munster.  
Where in is made a plain descrypsion of diverse and strange laws Rites, Manners, and properties of sundry nations, and a short report of strange histories of diverse men, and of the nature and properties of certain fowls, Fishes, Beasts, Monsters, and sundry Countries and places.  
Imprinted at London in Fleetstrete near Saint Dunstanes Churches by Thomas Marsh. Anno Domini● 1572.   

To the Reader.  
IT is well noted of the wise Philosopher in his seventh book of morals, our nature to be such through the conbination of contrary things, that we cannot take continual delectation or pleasure always in one kind of thing, but naturally we are inclined and desire to be partakers of news, of strange and unaccustomed things, of variable and diverse matters which may breed some admiration to any of our senses. And if we at any time hear or see any thing that is egregiously dishonest, or singularly good, almost incredible or moving delectable laughter: to t●e desire of such things most commonly we are not only rapt and vehemently inclined, but also we take such pleasure in them, that we do long remember them and recreate our● minds with oftenthinking of them. 〈…〉 if we see any things of small importance, or such as come every day in use, tho●e we do not● so greatly esteem, but sodēl●●uffer to slide away with oblivion. Whereof it may be well perceived that our minds take the greatest pleasure, and are most earnestly moved with strange novelties and marvelous things. And therefore when I for mine own recreation, had gathered this briefs extract of strange novelties out of the cosmography of Sebastian Munster, being a work as yet, not heretofore showing itself in our vulgar tongue, and yet for the delectable varieties and famous histories and examples therein, as meet as the best to show itself in english attire, I could no less do for the satisfying of minds desirous to hear of strange things, but needs I must communicate unto others the same kind of pleasure and oblectation, which I myself in the reading and traslating thereof have both found and used, thinking it to be an ungrateful point even against nature to keep secret and hidden to himself that commodity and pleasure● which with small pains he might distribute to others, being of no less natural motion, than he h●● self vehemently declined to desire the same. The work of itself is not great but the examples and varieties are many so that in a short and small time, the reader may wander through out the whole world, and fill his head with many strange and memorable things, he may note the strange properties of divers Beasts, Fowls, and Fish, & the description of far countries, the wonderful example of sundry men, and strange rites and laws of far distant nations. The whole work of Munster I have abridged into this little manual, because to have translated so large a volume, would have been tedious to myself, superfluous to the reader, and very chargeable to the bier. Besides that no great pleasure or commodity could have ensued by the reading of the large and ample discourse thereof. Accept therefore my good will gentle reader in good part, whose especial desire is to show thee the best commodities of so great a work in few ly●es, in the abridgement whereof, as thou shal●●ynde superfluous charges to be avoided, so shalt thou perceive tedious paynes● of reading long and weary some matt●rs to be easyed. And if thou findest herein any good things or exampls worthy the imitation, refuse not to employ them to some good use and purpose, taking this lesson with thee, whatsoever evil or disloyal thing thou findest here set foorth, the same to be examples and errors to admonish and declare unto others, the open infamy and continual reproach that always followeth detestable acts and dishonest things. And thus I commit this brief collection to t●y indifferent i●dgement. The 13. of Apryll 1572.   


Of Gold and Silver.  
Gold through heat and fire is resolved, but not consumed nor wasted. For of all kind of metals it leeseth nothing of his magnitude and substance, but the more often and longer that it burneth with heat, or is altered with fire, the better & more pure and excellent it is made. And therefore hath it always been accounted the most precious kind of metal: the weight of it neither is diminished, nor eaten away by sharp things, as salt, vinegar, Nitrun, and the juice of unripe grapes. It is not difformed, nor made worse by rust, nor in handling of it, or hands do gather any filth, or uncleanness as in other kinds of metals, the which things may easily prove gold far to surmount all other metals. It is more flexible and soft than silver, whereby it is less frail and not so soon broken: being beaten with a mallet, it may be driven so thin and so much dilated, that of every denary of it may be made fifty, or more thin leaves or rays of gold. It may be framed and wrought as small as thread, as it appeareth in gold wire, and gold twyste. And sometimes it is woven and wrought with silk, wool, and sometimes without. Of it many and goodly ornaments be made, and for many uses, as rings, bracelets, chains, crowns, tablettes, jewels, and diverse kinds & fashions of plates and such like, yea (that which is scantly honest to be spoken) of gold some have made vessels to receive the superfluous burden of the belly, the which thing Heliogabalus the Emperor, 
Heliogabalus had his chamber-pots of Gold.  being a monster and spectacle of all beastliness is reported of diverse authors to have used. Silver will melt and be resolved with fire, but if it remaineth any long time therein, it leeseth some thing of his substance. Sharp things also have power to waste and eat it, & therefore it is not so precious as Gold: but yet it is of an harder substance than gold. 
Silver.  And that kind of Silver which is more flexible and soft, is the better because it is not so easy to be divided, and to be broken, it is less ponderous than Gold, and cannot so well be dilated.   

Of Spirits appearing in Mines.  
IT is not unknown to such as have been occupied in deep digginges of Mines, that a kind of spirits doth frequent and haunt in many mines, whereof some do no harm nor damage to the labourers in mines, but wander in the dungeons, and where as they do nothing in deed, yet they seem to exercise themselves in working, sometimes in razing and digging the mine, sometimes in gathering together that which is digged up, & many times they seem to turn the instrument which draweth up the metal from the mine, and diverse times a man would think they did urge and excite the labourers, and drive them to work.  
And this do they especially in such quarries and mines where in much Silver is found, or else where some good hope is of finding it● There be some of these spirits very hurtful, as that which in the mine at Anneberg, was so noisome, that he destroys a dozen labourers wherefore the said mine was utterly forsaken and left notwithstanding the wealth of it.   

Of Ireland.  
THe earth in Ireland is so fruitful and so good of pasture, that there cattle except they be restrained some times from pasture in Summer, are like to be in danger through satiety. There is no hurtful thing nor noisome beast: 
Not venomous beast i● Ireland.  no spider, no toad nor such like either breeds there, or else being brought from other countries thither, continueth or liveth there. The earth of this country cast in powder upon any dangerous beast or venomous serpent of any other country, destroyeth & killeth them. There be no Bees in this country, the temparatenes of the air is marvelous, the fertility & fruitfulness of the country is notable: the people of the country be void of hospitality, they are uncivil and cruel, and there fore not unapt for warlike affairs, they attribute great honour to martial acts, and knightly prowess. The sea betwixt Ireland and England, do rage almost continually, so that there is no safe passage but at certain times.   

Of England and Scotland.  
IN England there be no Wolves, and if any be brought thither they do not continued, and therefore their herds of cattle keepeth well together, without any great attendance of men. The sheep have horns contrary to those of other countries.  
In Scotland there be certain Trees which bring forth a fruit folded and wrapped up in the leaves, 
Barnacles coming of a tree  and that fruit when in convenient time it falls into the water running by the tree, it reviveth and taketh life and is transformed into a living fowl, which some call a goose of the tree or a Barnacle. This tree also groweth in the isle of Pomonia, which is not far from Scotland towards the North. The ancient Cosmographers and especially Saxo the Grammarian, maketh mention of this tree likewise, & therefore it is not like to be any feigned or devised thing of late writers.  
Aeneas Silvius writeth of this tree in this manner. We hard say there was a tree in Scotland which growing upon a bank, and by the water's side bringeth forth fruit much like in form to ducks, and the fruit of that tree when it is ripe to fall of itself, some upon the land and some into the water, and those that fall upon the earth, to putrefy and rot, but those that fall into the water, straight ways with life to swim out of the water, and to fly in the air with feathers & wings, of the which thing when we made more diligent search being in Scotland with king james, a wise sad and grave man, we learned to fly from wondering and making such things miracles as were common, and that this famous tree was not only to be found in Scotland, but also in the isles called the Orchades.   

Of an Isle in Spain named Gades.  
THere is a little Isle in Spain called Gades or Erythrea, the pastures whereof do feed cattle so well that they can not draw or sever any whey from milk, but they must needs pour water, when they will have their milk to cured. Their cattle also be like to die at every thirty days end, except they be let blood and so lose some quantity of their blood. The grass whereon their sheep feed, is somewhat dry, but yet it increaseth a marvelous fatness both in their flesh, and also in their milk.   

Seneca the schoolmaster of Nero the Emperor.  
saint Jerome saith that he was a man of most continent life, and therefore he accounteth him in the number of holy men, but especially for the often letters that he written to. S. Paul & S. Paul to him. This Seneca being the schoolmaster of Nero, was of great power and authority, he wished himself to be in the like degree with his country men, that Paul had amongst the christians● amongst diverse of his excellent gifts and properties, he had so singular and notable a memory, 
A singular memory.  that he could rehearse two. thousand men's names in the same order that they were told him, and also he was able to rehearse two. hundredth verses being said of ii hundredth scholars, from the first to the last most perfectly. It is written that Nero his cruel and cursed scholar, in recompense of his pains and teaching, put him to death ii years before the martyrdom of Peter and Paul. When Seneca waxed old, Nero calling to remembrance the punishment of the rod, wherewith Seneca corrected him in his childhood, admonished and commanded him to choose what kind of death he would die, 
An easy kind of death.  whereby Seneca understanding the Emperors will and pleasure, desired that he might be ●et in warm water, and that his veins might be cut and opened in it, and so they were, and he bled until all his vital spirits issued out of his body, and thus he desired to finish his life, because he thought it an easy kind of death, to loose ●is life in cutting of his veins.   

To diverse nations in ancient times were objected diverse vices and deformities.  
Envy to the jews. Disloyalty & unfaithfulness to the Persians' Craftiness to the Egyptians. deceitfulness to the Grecians. Cruelty to the Sarracens. Levity and lightness to the Chaldeans. variety and chaungeablenes to the Africans. gluttony to the French men. vain glory to the Lombardes. Unmerciful severity of the Hungarians. The uncleanness and filthiness of the Suevians. The foolishness of the Saxons. The hardiness of the Pictes. The luxury of the Scots. The drunkenness and violency of the Spaniards. The anger of the Britons. The rapacity and greediness of the Normans. And as those vices were noted in these kinds of nations severally, so diverse virtues and honest properties were attributed to them severally.  
As prudence to the Hebricians. Steadfastness to the Persians'. Subtility and wittiness to the Egyptians- wisdom to the Grecians, Gravity to the Romans. sagacity to the Chaldeans. Witte to the Assyrians. Strength and fortitude to the French men. Faithfulness to the Scots. Subtle sophistry to the Spaniards. Hospitality to the Britons. Mutual participation to the Normans. These properties were of ancient writers, ascribed to diverse nations in old time, the which now in these our days seem to be much changed, and to have had great alteration.   

Sugar groweth in a part of italy.  
IN Calabria which is a part of italy there groweth Sugare, which is a kind of honey gathered out of great canes or reeds. First of all it is like unto a kind of marry resolved into liquor which some call white gum, a thing easy to be separate and divided, afterward this liquor being boiled and sodden after the manner of Salt, is resolved into a spume or froth, until at the length that which is good, falls to the bottom, & then the corruption and dregs may be clean taken away by the froth.   

A Mountain always casting forth flames and smoke.  
THE Mountain called Veswius Mons, being nigh unto the great water Sarnum not far from Naples, sendeth forth continually flames of fire and smoke like unto Aetna in Sicily. This hill in the reign of Titus the Emperor, being broken in the very top, di● cast forth so great flames, that it set the countries adjoining on fire. The wrytere of Histories say, such abundance of ashes and hot embers to have been thrown out of this hill, that the fields round about have been filled with the said ashes, even to the tops of the trees. It is also found in ancient writings that pliny the second, being a very grave and wise man, in the reign of Traianus the Emperor, was suffocate and destroyed with the flames & ashes of this hill, when that for the desire he had to see and note the nature and motion of it, he presumed to go to near. This mountain also burned with flames of fire, when T. Vespa●ian and F. Domitian were consuls, and breaking out in the top, first it cast for the stones aloft, after that so great flames of fire followed, that through the fervent heat thereof ii towns were consumed with fire ● the smoke thereof was so thick that it took away the light of the son, and in the day time made the darkness of the night, casting forth both Pumice stones, and diverse other kind of black stones. Last of all ashes sprung out so thick and in such a multitude that the country's hard by, were covered therewith as it were with snow, and these ashes were driven by the force of the winds, partly into Africa and partly into Egypt and Syria. The which outrageous burning as the elder Pliny did contemplate and behold, the smoke did so obstruct and stop his wind pipe, that in the restraint of respiration, he was suffocate and strangled,   

The properties of the Egle.  
IN Italy there be many Eagles, this fowl is a rapacious, cruel, and a devourer of flesh, she is so much given ●o greediness and to her pray, that she ●oth not only seek for prays in necessity of food, but also when she hath enough ●e seeketh for superfluities, she doth gre●elye invade and set upon Hares, Hearts ●eese, and Cranes: the eyes of the Eagle ●e so sharp and quick of sight, that being in the very highest part of the air, ●he can easily see what falls on the land. 
A quick sight.  amongst all fowls only, the Eagle ●an move herself strait upward and ●ownwarde, perpendiculerly with her dying without any collateral declining. The Eagle is commended for his faithful ●es towards other birds, when he hath ●otten meat or feeding, for he doth familiarly communicate the same unto such fowls as do accompany him, and when ●e hath no more to make distribution of, ●hen he attacheth his gelle, and dismeni●reth and devoureth him: All Fowls tremble when they see the Eagle, having ●s it were some understanding of his tyranny against them. He loveth his young ●ith great affection, so that the Eagle putteth his own body in danger for them, ●earing his young on his back when he perceiveth them to be assaulted with arrows. When he laboureth to drive the Heart headlong to ruin, he gathereth much dust ●s he flieth, and sitting upon the Hearts horns, he shaketh the dust into his eyes, and with his wings beateth him about the mouth, until he bringeth him to fall down headlong.  
He hath great conflicts with the Dragon: the Dragon most greedily coveteth the eagles eggs, & for this cause they fight wheresoever they meet. It is said that the Eagle of all kind of fowls, can keep the sharpness of his sight, and his eyes ●●edfaste against the son beams, and that he is never hurt by lightning.   

A description of the Raven.  
THe Raven is a fowl given to rapacity and devouring of flesh, great of body, slow in flight, shar● in sight, and frequenteth much in Italy● in the Alps, in Spain and in Egipte. And this is to be understood of the great kind of Ravens. The skin of the Raven is prepared, and dressed ar●ificially● of the white tawyers, with the feathers remaining upon it, 
Stomach Digestion  and that so laid to a stomach not well or sickly doth marvelously help digestion. This fowl doth greatly above all other covet men's carcases, and by a singular wit and natural gift it understandeth of man's death, presaging it few days before. With his sharp eye sight also it perceiveth a far of, his most desired food. There be some that writeth marvelous things of this fowl, that in the time of war seven days before hand, it smelleth and perceiveth by cent, the place where the battle shallbe, and commonly doth associate itself to that part, which it perceiveth shall perrishe with sword.  
And therefore in ancient times, Princes had their Sothesayers, and beholders of birds, that did most diligently look up on the eyes of the Ravens, and mark to what part they turned their eyes, and which ●ide they did presage to perish in battle. S. Ambrose writeth that a Raven conceiveth without the seed of the male, and to have generation without conjunction of males and females, & that they live exceeding long, so that their age is full complete with an hundredth years, and when they come to extreme old age, that then the upper part of their bills, doth so overgrow the lower part, so that it hindereth and restraineth it, that they cannot open their bills to take fodde, & therefore are compelled to die by famine, for he doth not sharpen his bill against a stone as the Eagle is wont to do.   

¶ Certain rites and laws of the old● Romans.  
Romulus' made a Law that the wife should be equal fellow with her husband, in money and other things, in holiness and sacrifices, and that she should live according to the manner of her husband, and as he was Lord of the house, so should she be Lady of the family, that she should succeed her husband dying with out issue, and that with her children, she should have her equal portion. If the wife were convict of adultery, that then her husband & kinsfolk might punish her, with what kind of death they would. It was not lawful for the women of Rome to drink wine, & this was observed many years, where of was invented an instrument of dower, in the which the Husband promised the father of the wife, as often as she brought for the children, that he should give her as much wine to drink the first viii. days as were decent and convenient, 
Wine forbidden to women.  and also so long as she was sick, that she should have wine by the counsel of the physician, and that upon every solemn festival day, she might lawfully recreate herself with one draft of wine.  
Cato the Censor made a decree, that they which were of propinquity to the wife might kiss her, whereby they might learn if she savoured of wine: and that seemed to be done by th'exampleexample of Egnatius Metentinus, 
Kissing.  of whom it is said that he slew his wife with a club, because she drunk wine from the barrel, and that Romulus pardoned him of her death: & this grew to such a custom amongest● them, that when soever the husband returned home, he would kiss his wife & his daughters, marking by the odour & cent of their breath, if they had drunk wine or not. They were very severe against women surcharged with wine, 
ebriety.  because they did perceive that drunkenness was the original cause of corporal corruption, Romulus permitted and gave to the parents all power over their children, that by their own judgement they might compel them to any kind of duty, whether they would restrain, beat, or keep them bound to rustical works, or fallen them, or kill them. Numa made a law that prohibited any lamentations or mournings to be made for a child, if that he died within three years of age, but y● he were past three years of age, that th● he should be lamented as many moneth● as he had lived years, and many other strange orders they had, the which be at large set forth in Munster.   

The lively and quick wit of Adrianus the Emperor.  
Adrianus was the fifteen Emperor of Rome, of whom it is said that he would at one time, both write and declare his mind, and hear others, and talk with his friends.   

M. Curius.  
THere was in Rome about three hundred years before Christ's time, a strange and horrible gaping of the earth, even about the midst of the market place, with so vast a depth and infinite hollowness, that it might well have been compared to the gaping of Hell mouth, the spectacle continuing thus for a time, made great terror amongst the people, at the length the Soothsayers by their interpretations, persuaded that this horrible depth might be stopped, if the most precious thing in the City were cast therein. whereupon diverse of the Matrons of Rome, of their own free will cast in divers goodly jewels, but all was in vain. Wherefore M. Curius a knight of Rome coming of a noble house, being decked and adorned with his warlike furniture and ornaments, rid headlong into that horrible depth & hollowness of the earth, and so immediatli it closed together again and was stopped. Some say that he demanded this one thing before he would grant to ride and leap into that depth, 
Unlawful demand.  that for a whole years space it might be lawful for him every night to lie with what woman he would choose, and that then of his own mind he cast himself suddenly down headlong into that den, & so the earth closed again.   

Sardinia.  
IN the country of Sardinia, there is a certain beast which they call Muffle the like whereof is not in all Europe beside. It hath the skin and hears like unto a dear or an heart, horns like unto a Ram, not long but crooked & bending backward about the ears, in bigness he may be compared to a Buck, y● feedeth upon grass only and herbs, & keepeth most about mountains, very swift in running, and his flesh is good to be eaten. There be no wolves in this country, nor no hurtful kind of vermin, fowl, or beast beside the Fox, which of all four footed beasts there, is most hurtful, being of like bigness to other foxes of italy. In Sardinia a Fox will kill a very strong Wether or Ram, a Goat, and a Calf. 
Foxes.  Some write that in this country there is no serpent, nor any venomous thing, but pestilent air which cometh through corrupt puddels and waters. Also there is found in this country a certain herb like unto Balm gentle, whereof if any man shall eat much, he shall perish and die laughing. Some say that there is a fountain and springe in Sardinia whose waters doth reprove thieves and robbers after this sort. If a thief sweareth that he hath not committed the theft, and washeth his hands or ●yes with the water of that fountain, by and by he is made blind and so he may be known, but if he hath not done the felony, his eyes are made more bright and clearer than they were before. The notice of this spring is grown out of memory in this our age.   

The making of Sugar at Palermo in Sicily.  
IN the fields about the city of Pale●mo, groweth great plenty of sweet reeds, of whose juice being well boiled Sugar is made. First they dung well their fields being not much distant from the sea, and then do they make furrows and ranges somewhat high and eminent, afterward in the month of March they take the highest knots of the sweet reeds made bore and voided of leaves and rinds, the which they do so set and plant, tha● they pierce through the sides of the ranges with three or four having double knots even at one dint, and so do they fill all the ranges of the field, the earth is watered in Summer and is kept from rankness daily, about the Winter solstice, only the rotes left for another plan●tinge (for it lasteth two years) the rede● are broken and taken away, of whos● ripe and sweet joints and knots deuide● and knit into small parts, by the same arti●●ciouse means that oil is made, th● juice that cometh thereof is purged an● putrefied in one cauldron of three which are ●et in a stew, and afterward is straitened through a course clot, then they tak● a part of the juice so strained, & put it in another cauldron (for so they use to make it boil again) and out of this strait ways they power it again into the third cauldron and they beat it & stir it boiling, whereof a kind of Sugar somewhat black is drawn and made thereof, the same being sodden again three times moor and after that once again boiled will be most fine and white Sugar. The other harnessed which cometh of the rotes o● the reeds, except the field be dunged in May month, will hardly come up to any profit. This kind of reed● is full of knots in the stalk as our common reeds be, but yet not so empty within as they are, for it is full of spungiouse matter like unto a bulrushes it hath a thin bark and is full of sweet juice, which is pressed out in this manner. They cut the body & stock of it into many small parts and then put it in the pre, sse and the juice that is pressed there out, they pour into a very clean cauldron and set it up in earthen pots, and so when it is waxed cold, it is congealed into a very commendable Sugar.   

The mountain called Aetna in Sicily.  
AEtna is a marvelous hill for continual burning with flames of fire, because it is full of Brimstone matter. It hath been often times set on fire with terrible flames as Munster maketh mention: the flames of it are in the night time horrible to be seen, because it shines not as other fierce do. In the day time it burneth obscurely much like to the flame of brimstone whereof the Hill hath great store. The ancient writers have uttered many strange things of this and especially Strabo who saith, that he was in the top of the Hill, and there marked all things diligently. In the very top they affirm to be marvelous mutations and changes, for some times it casts forth great store of fire, and sometimes great flames & obscure smoke And it is to be wondered at the heat of the fire, because it cannot be tempered with any cold nor cold be dissolved through that heat. The higher part of the mountain is full of ashes which in winter are covered with snow: the very top of the hill is plain & is in compass about twenty furlongs. In the night time fire may plainly be seen in the hill top, and in the day time a certain obscure smoke riseth up: Many times continual thundering is hard, being a terror to the people, and black and burnt ashes are dispersed into diverse places, and the air is made noisome with a most terrible smoke.  
The philosophers assign a reason hereof because this Isle is in his inferior parts full of caverns and brimstone, of Alum, fire and water, and such like, that are able to feed and nourish fire. And fire cannot be without some vent or respiracle but it will lift up itself, and therefore many hot baths be found in Sicily.  
The air also entering into the pores and caverns of the earth, stirreth up a flame which seeking for issue and eruption, vomiteth and casts forth smoke and fire, and in many places searcheth for venting holes and respiracles. Sometimes in the inward parts of the earth such is the violence of the fire, that it expelle the and casts forth with flames, burned stones & sand and the heat which is included doth marvelously shake and move every side of the privy holes and caverns.  
Thus much out of Munster.   

Election of a King.  
THere be that writeth the Goths to have made this decree and caution, that none should be choose a king ●mongest them, except he were gross & ●at of body. Contrary wise the Sarracens would not choose any to be their king except he were of a tall & lean body. The Carthaginian ●●lwaies in the election of their king, did attend only his virtue & magnanimity and not his nobility nor properues of body.   

Fear and care hindereth the growth.  
FOr to be void of fear and care, it is a great help to maintain the stature, it doth corroborated the strength, and ●onfirmeth the sinews: for fear & unquietness of mind in youth doth much enervate and weaken the strength of the body, and a sad and heavy spirit drieth the bones to much, so that such a body cannot take his just increase.  
Munster in his third book fol. 283.   

Printing first found out amongst the Maguntines  
FIrst this noble Art to print with letters of Tin, was invented and found out almost in our age: a divine and heavenly invention truly, and a thing memorable and worthy to be remembered, and no less worthy of great admiration, 
Common things be not strange.  but truly i● would have been a great deal more marvellous, if it had not chanced to be so common. It is strange and scantly credibe to be spoken but yet more truer than truth itself, that one Printer may print so many letters in one day, that the swiftest Scrivener, or writer is not able to do so much in two years. This is an Almaigne invention, which was at the beginning in great admiration, and of no less lucre and profit. The inventor & first deviser of this, was one john Gutenbergius, a man of worship equal with a knight & at Magunce The thing was first taken in hand with more boldness and confidence then hope, about xuj. years before it began to be common in Italy. The first beginning was at Magunce, the Germans being the authors, with small and little principles and foundations, but shortly by the industry of man's wit, it grew to that perfection, that now in our time it hath. truly it had go ill with all good discipline in these later days (if it were now to have his beginning) seeing that all are given to their bellies almost, and to unsatiable covetousness, for now they will scantly take up very good books in the high ways, which in times paste they could scantly by for great sums of money. And of a truth before the invention of this art, when they began to abject & neglect good authors, all good discipline might have perished with the authors thereof, if this art had not been found out in convenient and happy tyme. By this all kind of learning hath increase, & the noble acts of all nations are manifest to all the world: In like manner the memory and remembrance of ancient antiquity is restored hereby, and the divine wisdom of the Philosophers, and what soever hath lyen hidden in few written copies these many ages in a few places, is now by this set forth to all immortality.   

The inventor of great Guns.  
THe great Guns came first in use in the year of our Lord .354. and the first author and inventor there of was one Bertholdus Schwartus a Monk. Surely this man found out a marvelous work, and that so many sharp wits could not find out before in so many hundredth years: the which divine and necessary invention, many have thought and judged it to be a devilish and most pernicious devise: the arguments on both sides be these. It is evident that for covetousness, malice, and want of charity, in the end of the world, the evil people cannot be kept down by laws, nor that a man may safely travail without some danger of injurious people: for before the inventions of guns, the seditious tumults & factions of wicked and mischievous men, did spoil and destroy the labours of good men in many places, and no man was able to assault & batter the forts and holds of such rebels and robbers where they did enclose themselves, without the help of such guns and great ordinance: therefore they do not well that condemn the inventor of these Guns, without the which neither the good could live in safeguard, nor yet cities could be of any force & keep their riches, nor merchants could exercise their merchandise and traffic, who are in deed the special parts of mighty and great Cities. Wherefore let the enemies of bombards and great Guns cease to contemn the gifts of God, except a man will imagine the ga●ing mouth of the Dog, and his teeth made for to bite, and so to be condemned, and the horns in a Bull, or an Ox, not to be the good work of the creator.  
But no wise man will condemn these parts of nature given in the stead of weapons: let them reject the abuse as in an Ox and a mad Dog, it is better to lack ●oth horns and teeth. For there is no ●inde of creature the which evil men will ●ot abuse. Some detest this as a plain ●euilishe devise, and that nothing could ●e more wickedly devised under heaven, because all flagitious and wicked nation's as the Turks and Tartarians, being the common plagues & scourges of the world, do occupie● them for the destruction and consuming of good men: in this case no manhood, no fortitude, nor strength of body, no warlike policy, no weapons nor instruments, no strong holds, nor ●owers of stone, can profit or do good. For these torments which shoot stones, and iron pieces, and great flames of fire do waste, destroy, and overthrow all things, and bringeth them to nothing. One shot destroyeth an hundredth, or two hundredth men in an army be they never so well harnysed. Therbe ma●y kinds of Bombards and great Guns which are to be learned nominately of them that for warlike affairs have employed great pains in the use and experience of such things.   

A notable historic of a thing done at a town in Germany called Bingi●m.  
NIgh unto the town of Bingium, almost in the middle of the water of Rhine, a certain turret called the Tower of Mice, the name whereof was attributed to it upon this event.  
In the year of our Lord .914. When Otto the great had the Empire & rule, there was a certain bishop of Magunce named Hatto, who was the Abbot of Fulden before, in whose time there was great famine in that country: this Bishop when he perceived the poor to be oppressed with great famine, did congregate and gather together, a great number of the poor into one great barn, 
Not human policy can withstand Gods just ●●dgement.  and ●et the barn on fire and so burned them: For ●e said that they did not differ from Mice, which consume and waste corn being profitable for nothing: But God suffered 〈◊〉 so great tyranny unrevenged for he commanded the mice by great●●ockes ●● and with a multitude to invade this Bishop without pity, and to afflict and vex him both day and night and to ●●●●ue him quick. But this Bishop flying into this tower (that I spoke of before) for refuge, thinking himself to be safe in the midst of the water of Rhine and free from all gnawing and bitings of mice, was much deceived, for all this profited him nothing, because the Mice came without number, through the water of Rhine swimming and ready to execute the just judgement of God: The which thing the miserable Bishop perceiving, at the length yielded and gave up his life amongst the Myce. There be some that writeth more over of him, that the Mice did gnaw and eat out and utterly extinguish his name from the walls and hangings. The like and more horrible history, you shall find in Polonia, where the King & the Queen and their children were consumed of Myce.   

The Baths called Badenses in Germany  
THe waters of the baths of Baden, have this property, that feathers of fowls being boiled in this water, may be clean taken away from the skin, a●d swines hears from their skins, whether that they be cast living into this water or chafed with it being dead These waters have the property of alum, salt, & brimstone: therefore they be good for such as have hard fetching of their breath and stopping of the breast, which things rise of cold fluxes of the brain: they be medicinable for moist eyes, and hissing & ringing of the ears, for trembling parts and astonished, for the cramp, & other dis●eases touching the sinews, which com● of cold humidities: they be good for such as have a cold stomach, moist and ill o● digestion, and those that suffer grief of the liver and spleen through cold. Also fo● such as are troubled with the dropsy, or have any gripping in the guts, they help● such as be troubled with the stone, & women barren and unfruitful, they take alway the grief of the mother, and do re●presse the evils of the womb, and the in●flacion of the thighs, they heal scabs weals, and scars, and have a very good property in helping the gout.  
See the third book of Munster's cosm●●graphie, for the nature, virtue, and wholesome properties of the baths in Valesi●●   

The Hernesewe.  
THe Hernesewe is a Fowl that liveth of the water, and yet she doth abhor rain and tempests, in so much that she seeketh to annoyed them by flying on high. She hath her nest in very high trees, and showeth as it were a natural hatred against the Gosse hawk and other kinds of hawks, as the hawk contrary wise seeketh her destruction continually: when they fight above in that the air, they labour both especially for this one thing, that the one might ascend and be above the other, if the hawk getteth the upper place, he overthroweth & vanquisheth the Hernesew with a marvelous earnest flight, but if the Hernesewe get above the hawk, then with his dung he defileth the hawk and so destroihim, for his dung is a poison to the hawk and his feathers do putrefy and rot after it.   

¶ A monster born nigh unto Worms in Germany in the year .1495.  
A Woman was delivered of two female children, whole and perfect in bodies, but in the top of the forehead they were joined and grew together unseparably so that they must needs behold one the other. I myself saith Munster did see them at Magunce in the year of our Lord .1501. and then were they almost six years of age. They were compelled by force of this natural conjunction to go both together, to sleep and rise together, and when one went forward the other went backward: their noses did alnost touch together, their eyes did not look strait and forward but only sideways, because a little above their eyes their foreheads cleaved & did stick fast together, they lived until they were ten years of age, and then when the one of them died and that was cut a way from the other living, she that lived died also within a little after, of a wound that she took in the head, by cutting away of her fellow, or rather by a corruption in the brain, which came of the stink of the wound & putr●faction.  
The occasion of this monster was thought to be this. Two women talked together whereof the one was with child, the third woman coming suddenly upon them and unloked for, thrust the heads of those two. which were talking together, so that they dashed and touched each other, whereof the woman that had conceived already, being made afraid through strong imagination gave and printed the sign of the rushing of their heads in her two children.   

How scrupulous the jews be to do any thing on their Sabbath day.  
IT chanced that at Magdeburge in Germany about the year of our Lord 1270. A certain jew upon the Saturday fallen into a jakes, out of the which he could by no means deliver himself, he cried therefore pitifully for the help of his fellows, at the length some of his companions came, and they with lamentable voices showed that it was their Sabbath day, & therefore not to be lawful for them to use or exercise the labour o● the hands. Whereupon they exhorted him patiently to bear the thing until the next day, that it might be lawful for them to travail in the helping of him out.  
This matter at the last came unto the eeares of the Bishop of that place, who was nothing favourable to the jews.  
The Bishop understanding that the stub horn jews for the scrupulous observation of their Sabbothe day, would not help their brother out of the jakes, commanded upon pain of death that they which did so ●uriously observe their own Sabbath day, should in like manner as religiously observe and keep with the like solemnity the next day after, being the Christians Sabbath day. This was an hard case: what should they now do? upon pain of death they must obey. In the mean time the miserable jew in the jakes was enforces to continued ●ii days and two. nights in great filth and stink, & danger of his lives The like history you shall find in Fabians Chronicle.   

How the Torneymentes and ●ustes began first in Saxony.  
HEnry Duke of Saxony in the year of our Lord .934. being much assaulted and encumbered with infidels, 
The Tor●neymēts ●er first invented in the●yme of Henry auceps the two Emperor of Germany in the year of our Lord 934.  and heathen nations, made an assemble of a great multitude of the nobility to assist him in his wars against the Sarracens, wherein he had so good success, that triumphantly he had the victory over them Thus after that he had given the repulse to the Infidels, considering what a number of the nobility he had, daily exercising themselves in martial acts, thought it meet that after the end of his long and great wars, to recreate them with some honest and pleasant exercise: He had compassion over them, because some of them inhabiting amongst Citizens should be occupied with civil business, & not in the exercise of noble and honorabie pastimes, meet for such personages as they were, and therefore he prescribed certain articles according to the which they should live, and if they did transgress them, that then they should be punished in the open Turniament These articles were twelve in number.  
The first whosoever of the Nobility should say or do any thing against the holy faith, he should be restrained from the tournament, and if under the colour or excuse of the nobleness of any of his ancestors any doth presume to enter the lists or the tournament, let him with shame be driven away.  
The second, whosoever coming of noble blood, doth attempt any thing against the Royal majesty of Cae●ar, let him be punished openly in the tournament, and of this article was the author Conradus a prince of palatine.  
The Duke of Franconia was the author of the third which is this. Whosoever coming of a noble house betrayeth his Lord or forsaketh him, or exciteth to fly away in an army, without any necessary cause or slayeth his innocent companions, let him have punishment in the open tournament.  
The Duke of Sue●eland made the fourth after this sort. Who so ever coming of noble parentage, doth violate or diffame by words or deeds, virgins or women, let him be openly corrected in the tournament.  
The fift article the Duke of Bavaria made in this man●●r. If any of the nobility be apprehended or reproved, to to have corrupted or falsefyed the seal, or to have violate his oath or hath been noted of infamy, let him as unworthy be kept from the tournament.  
The sixt is if any noble man did either secretly or openly slay his wife and bedfellow, or had helped by his counsel or deed to the destroying of his Lord, that the law of the tournament should take place against him.  
The seventh, If any did spoil & rob churches, chapels, widows or warns, or kept by force that which was ●heirs from them, where as they were ra●her to be helped and maintained, that he should be duly corrected for it.  
The eight If any noble man were become an enemy to an other, and did not maintain his cause by lawful order● or by martial law, but would hurt his adversary by robberies, or by destroying of ●is goods, especially his wines & corn, ●herby the common wealth is endamaged, let him be tormented in the Torneyment. The ninth. If any did presume to make any alteration, or set any heavy burden upon others, otherwise then of ancient times were used, how so ever it were done. etc. that he should have his correction in open tournament.  
The tenth, if any were canuicte of adultery. etc. in like manner let him be amended.  
The eleventh. What so ever Noble man, doth not live as a noble man should do etc. in like manner let him be punished.  
The twelve. He that will be at the tournament not coming o● noble parentage or cannot prove his nobility in four descents, he may not enter into the exercise of the tournament  
Thus in a brief somme you may see the manner of the Tor●eymente in Saxony, the which Munster most largely doth set forth, with every article in his order.   

Of wild Bulls in Prussia.  
THere be wild Bulls in the woods of Prussia like unto the common sort of Bulls, saving that they have shorter horns and a long beard under ye●hinne. They be cruel and spareth neyghe man nor beast, and when any snares, or deceit is prepared to take them or they ●e wounded with arrows in the woods, they labour most vehemently to revenge their wounds upon him that gave them, the which thing if they cannot do, rushing and stumbling on trees, they kill themselves. They be of such bigness that two men may sit betwixt their horns.   

Of Iselande.  
IN this country from the ten of june, for a month space or moor they have no night at all, and about the tenth of December, they have no day at all. The people liveth in dens and hollow places in hills sides, with them mountains, and ●illes are in steed of Towns, and spring waters for delicate drinks.  
An happy nation whose poor estate none doth envy, and so much the more that is ●at● received christiannitie. The merchants of England and Denmark, do not suffer them to be content with their own but by reason of the good fishing● there, they repair thither often times & with their merchandise they carry thy●ther their vices and enormities.  
They have learned now of late, to brew with malt, and have left the drinking of plain water. They have also gold and silver in admiration as well as other nations. The king of Denmark that ruleth also Norway, maketh a ruler amongst them yearly, all things be common amongst them saving their wives: they esteem their young cattle as much as their children, and of the poor sort you may sooner obtain their child then their cattle. They honour their Bishop as a king, to whose will and pleasure all the people hath great respect, whatsoever he determineth by law, scripture, or by custom of other nations, that they do curiously observe: and yet now the king hath compelled them to take a ruler. They have so great store of ●ishe in this isle that they make their ●ales of them in piles as high as ●ouses: they live most commonly there by fish, for the great penury of wheat and corn, which is brought unto them from other nations that with great lucre ●nd gains, carry away fish for it.  
There is a notable Hill or Mountain ●alled Hecla not far from which be mines of brimstone the singular merchandise of ●hat country: 
A strange hill.  for diverse merchants lo●eth their ships with it, when this hill ●oth rage, it thundereth terrible noises, ●t casts forth stones, it belcheth out ●rimstone, it covereth the earth so far ●ound about with the ashes cast forth, ●hat unto the twenty stone it is habited: they that desire to contemplate the nature of so great flames and therefore adventure more nigh unto the Hill, are suddenly swallowed and consumed with some notable gulf or vorage, for there be many such blasts so covered and hidden with ashes, that none can sufficiently beware ●or take heed of them, and there cometh out such a fire from that hill that consumeth water, but stubble or straw it doth ●ot burn. This place is thought of some to be the prison of unclean souls: for the ●se being divided and broken into many parts, swimmeth about the isle almost eight months and being broken & bruised with rushing upon the banks, with the beatings and noise of the cracking● against the banks and rocks, giveth so horrible a sound almost representing● the miserable lamentation of human voice and weeping, that it maketh the ruder sort the more simple, and unwise, to believe that men's souls be tormented there in cold. The inhabitants use in steed of bread where of they lack store, fish dried, made hard, and ground to meal: and yet out of diverse conntryes' wheat is brought unto them but not so much as may suffice. There be spirits commonly see●e, she wing themselves manifestly in doing such things as belong to men, but especially they appear● in the forme● of such as have been drowned or destroyed by some other violento chance, and thus do they appear commonly in the company of such men as have had familiar acqueintance with the departed, and do use them so in all points that they be taken many times for the living people in deed, of such as be ignorant of their deaths, offering their right ●andes for acquaintance, and this falsehood and erroneous sight cannot be perceived, before the spirit itself vanisheth out of sight and consumeth away: being required of their friends and familiars to come home, and to see their friends again, with great sighs and weeping they answer that they must go to Hecla the mountain, and so suddenly they vanish out of sight.   

Of the country called Laponia.  
IN Laponia the people be of a mean stature, but they have such agility of body that being girded and prepared with a sheaf of arrows and bow, they will suddenly pass through an hoop or circle, whose diameter is but half a yard. They be taught the art of shooting from their childhood, and a Boy there shall have no meat before he can touch his mark with his arrow. When the Son goeth down after the Equinox in September, they have one continual night for three months, almost all which time they have no other light, but as it were a twiter light, & when the son cometh to them before the Equinox in March, they celebrated that day as a festival day with much solemnity.   

Whales.  
THere be great Whales as big as hills almost nigh unto Iselande which are sometimes openly seen and those will drown and overthrow ships, except they be made a feared with the sound of trumpets, and drums, or except some round & empty vessels be cast unto them, wherewith they may play and sport them, because they are delighted in playing with such things. Sometimes many ●●ste their anchors upon whales backs thinking them to be some isles, & ●o become in great danger. Many in Iselande of the bones and ribs of such monstrous whales, make posts & spars for the building of their houses.  
Munster saith this a good remedy against such dangerous whales, to take that which the Apothecaries call Castoreum, and temper it with water, & cast it into the sea, for by this as by a poison they are utterly driven and banished to the bottom of the Sea.   

¶ How a marvelous horrible dragon was destroyed in Polonia.  
IN Graccovia a city of Polony, there was a marvelous horrible and huge Dragon, which consumed and devoured all things, and was the cause of great damages, for when he came out of his den under the mountain, be dy● rape and snatch all kind of cattle, and men wandering uncircumspectly, devouring them with his horrible jaws  
Grac●hus being very sad and lamenting this matter, commanded three several bodies to be cast unto him every day: for being contented with those he would look for no more. The which thing although it was grievous, yet he persuaded, that three either of Sheep or of some other cattle should be offered him every day, wherein brimstone and some fiery powder or devise of flame, should be included, bidden, and mingled with wax, and pitch ●riuelye, for so that beast and dragon being prouoke● with natural greediness, or with a rapacious fammine and hunger, devouring without respect or choice the offered pray, by little and little was weakened and extinguished. The like example is read, in Daniel the prophet.   

A strange history of a king devoured of Myce.  
THere was in Polony a king named Pompilius who was wont in all his execrations and curses to say● I pray God the Mice may devour me●●rulye with evil luck and for speaking evil to himself ●nd to his, for the Myc● devoured his son, who was also called Pompilius a●ter his father. This sonn● after the death of his father being left in his childhood, his uncles administre● and governed the kingdom, until he came to man's years and was married then suddenly as he was in the middest o● his feasts, overcharged with wine, be●ing adorned with coronets and garlands daubed with his ointments, oppressed 〈◊〉 luxury and surfeiting, a great number of mice coming from the carcases of his uncles did invade him, the which he and his wife the queen did destroy: but they came forth so fast, & in such a multitude, assaulted and set upon this tyrant in his banquets, and his wife & his children with most cruel gnawinges & bitings, so that a great band of soldiers and harnessed men could not drive them away, because man's help being defatigate and made weary, yet the mice remained strong without any weariness both day and night. There was therefore, devised and built burning and hot furnaces and ovens, and in the midst of them this Pompilius was placed with his wife & children, but the mice came thither also passing through flames of fire, not ceasing to gnaw and consume this parricide: at the length was devised another means, by another element. This Pompilius a murderer of his own uncles, was conveyed in ships, with his children and family into the midst of a deep water, and yet the mice most earnestly without ceasing followed him, and did gnaw and bite both those that were carried away, and their ships, insomuch that the water entering in at the holes gnawn by the Mice, did threaten & signify danger of drowning, and therefore the shipmen fearing suffocation in the water and drowning, brought the ship to the bank on the land, where another great army of mice meeting wi●h the other, did more vehemently ve●e him than the first: these things being openly seen and known, they that afore was defenders of him and his children, perceiving this to be God's punishment and revenging fled away.  
Now Pompilius being withoutal such as might comfort and help him, went into an high tower in Crusnicza where the Mice sliming up, with mose swift course, did consume and devour his two sons, his wife and the flagitious body of Pompilius. Behold and mark, there is no counsel or power can take place against God the Lord of all: little small vermin, weak and timorous mice did miserably destroy Pompilius, as Lice being a very little and small vermin, and of lesser force than mice did bring to ruin and destruction Arnolphus the Emperor, eating and wasting his flesh, 
An emperor eaten with lic●.  his marrow, and guts, so that the physicians could do no good at all, the whole substance of the body being so eaten, that there was nothing but gristles, and only bones left.   

A Bear seeking for honey, was the cause of delivering a man out of an hollow tree.  
IN Moscovia there is found great store of honey in hollow trees, and that which is old honey, is left and forsaken of t he Bees, so that in the stocks of marvelous great trees, the diligent searchers may find wonderful plenty of honey combs. Demetrius, sent as ambassador to Rome, declared there before a company of learned men that a year or two before he came out of his country to Rome, a poor countryman being a Fermar in the next village by him searched the woods and trees for the gain, and profit of honey, and espying at the length a very great hollow tree, clymed up into the top of it; and leapt down into the hollowness, so that he sunk and did stick fast in a great heap of honey even to the breast and throat almost, and so remained fast in that sweet poison that all hope of an you deliverance was clean go, when he had continued two days and fed and maintained his life only by ●onye, considering that with himself that he was now so restraint from the liberty and help of his hands and feet, that with them he could make no shift to get out, and if he should cry out with open mouth and full voice, that this could nothing prevail in such a solitude and vast place of wood and Trees, because it was not possible that the sound of his voice & cry, could go far out of that hollow tree, so that it might come to the ears of travelers and passers by, all these things, when he had deliberated in his mind, now destitute of all help and consolation, he began utterly to despair: and yet by a marvelous and incredible chance, he escaped, being delivered and drawn out by the benefit of a great Bear, when that by chance this Bear very desirous & searching for honey, most hastily scaled ye●re, & let herself down into the hollowness thereof, with her hinder feet first downward after man's fashion, about the reins & loins of the which beast, the man clasping and taking fast hold, moved and stirred the said Bear to leap out, and violently to enforce herself out of the tree, being driven so to do for very sudden fear, and for the strange handling and holding about her, and also through the great outcries and noises that he made. And thus the bear by violence delivered herself and the man also, from the hollow tree, and from great fear.   

Of Bears.  
IN the country of Muscovia there is● great plenty of bears, seeking & praying every where for honey and Bees, not altogether for the filling of their bellies, but also for the helping of their eye sight, for their eye● wax ●im and ill often times, for the which cause they do especially desire the honey combs, and that their mouths stung and wounded of bees might ease the heaviness of their heads in bleeding. The head in Bears is very weak the which in lions contrary wise is most strong. And therefore when necessity urgethe that they must needs tumble from some high rock they tumble and roll down, with their head covered between their claws, and often times by dustes and knocks, in gravel and sand, they are almost exanimate and without life. They scale trees backward They molest and vex Bulls, with their claws hanging about their mouths & horns. A Bear bringeth for the young according to Pliny, after thirty days past and that commonly five. The young Bear at the first coming forth as y● were a white piece of flesh with out form or shape, some what bigger the● a mouse, it is without eyes, or hear, only nails and claws do appear outward. But the she Bear never leaveth licking this rude and difformed young flesh, until by little and little, she brings it to some form and shape: when she goethe to the den, that she hath choose for her she cometh creeping with her helly up ward least the place might be espied through her steps, and there she being with young, remaineth fourteen days without any motion as Aristotle saith. But without meat, she continueth .40 days, only being sustained with the licking of her left foot, then after this when she chanceth upon any meat or food she is filled beyond measure, and this satiety is helped by vomittinge with eating of ants, the young for fourteen days space is oppressed with such heaviness or sleep that th●y cannot be awaked or stirred up from their drowsy heaviness neither with pricking nor with wounding, and in this mean space of sleeping, they wax fat marvelously, after fourteen days space they awake from sleep, and begin to lick their former paws, and so live they for a time, and it is not manifest with what kind of meat they should live until the spring time, but then they begin to run abroad, and feed of the young springs & trees, and soft tender herbs, meet for their mouths. In this country of Moscovia, there is great store of the best furs and skins, and that is their chief merchandise in that country.   

Lycurgus.  
LIcurgus was a notable philosopher of Sparta in Greece, who erected a civil estate of the ●ittie with his noble institutes and laws, whereas before times of all the Grecians, the Lacedæmonians were worst nurtured. Lycurgus taking the matter boldly in hand, did abrogate all their laws, institutes and old ry●es of living, and did erect a great deal more civil ordinances and more commendable. first there was xxviii segniors elected, which should provide that the popular estate should not grow out of frame altogether, and also that they which had the rule, should not go about any tyranny. He took away utterly all use of gold, & silver, and brought in money of Iron, and then was all occa●ion of felony and stealing taken away. The iron where of he made his money, being as read as fire, he put out in vinegar, that it might be meet for nothing afterward through his softness. He cast out of the city all arts as ●●profitable for that purpose, & yet most part of artificers, when the use of Gold was taken away departed from thence of their own accords, seeing that iron money was not in use amongst other nations Then that he might the better take away all luxury and rioting out of the city, he appointed common meetings at banquets and feasts, that poor and rich indifferently might meet together at their feasts, and feed all upon the same kind of banquet. Hereby there was inflamed great anger of those that were wealthy & mighty, and they falling upon Lycurgus with great force, caused him to loose one of his eyes with the blow of a staff. Wherefore a law was made that the Lacedæmonians should no more enter into their feasts with a staff. Every one gave yearly to this feast, one bushel of flower, viii. gallons of wine, five pound of cheese, five pound and a half of figs. Children did frequent this as a school or exercise of all temperancy and civil discipline, there they did learn to accustom themselves with civil talks, and to use honest pasttymes, and to jest and be merry without knavery. Their virgins were exercise● wi●h running, wrestling, barriers, come●ly m●uing, and gesture, with quaytinge● casting of the bowl, hamer or such like● so that idleness and effeminate delicateness taken away, they waxed the stronger to tolerate and suffer the pain of childbearing. Children after they were seven years of age, had their exercises with their equals, and of necessity did learn letter's, they were knotted and shorn to the very skin, they we●te barefoot at twelve. years of age, they might put on one cote after the country fashion, they neither known baths nor komentations, they took their rest in beds made with reeds, they might go to the feasts of their elders, & betters, and there if that they did steal any thing and were taken with the theft, they were corrected with whips, not because it was unlawful to steal, but because they did it not privily enough with craft and subtility. Lycurgus removing all superstition, permitted the dead bodies to be buried in the City, and also to have their monuments about the temples It was not lawful to engrave or wright the name of the man or woman upon any Grave, but such as died manfully in war The time of lamentation for the dead was prescribed about xi. days. It was not lawful for citizens to make peregrinations for fear they should bring in strange manners into the city. 
Peregrinations.  But those which came from strange countries thither except they were profitable and meet for the common wealth, were excluded the city least that foreign nations might taste of the Lacedaemonian discipline.  
Lycurgus would not suffer young men to use one vesture all the whole year, nor any to be more decked than an other, nor to have more delicate banquets than others He commanded all things to be bought not for money, but for exchange and recompense of wares. He commanded also children toward xviii years of Age, to be brought into the field & not into the market place or judgement haule, that they might pass over the first years not in luxury but in all kind of labour and pains, they must not lay any thing under them for to sleep the easier. And their lives they were driven to pass without ease & to come into the City befoore they wer● men in deed. Maids he would ha●● to be married without any dower, or rewards given by their parents. Tha● wives might not be choose for money sake and that the husbands should keep their wives more straightly because they should receive nothing in marriage with them. He would have the greatest honour and reverence to be geuen to old aged men & not to rich and noble men, he granted unto kings the power of the wars, to Magistrates judgements and yearly succession, to the Senate the custody of the Laws: to the people the election of the Senate, or to created what officers they would. These laws and new institutes because they seemed hard and strait in comparison of their lose customs and laws before used, he feigned Apollo of Delphos to be the author of them & that he had them from thence. At the last to give eternity and perpetuity to his laws, he bond the whole city with an oath that they should change none of those things which he had enacted & prescribed before that he did return again saying, that he would go to the oracle at Delphos to ask counsel what might be changed or added to his laws.  
He took his journey to the isle of Crete, and there lived in banishment. He commanded also dying that his bones should ●e cast into the sea lest that the Lacedæmonians if they were brought to Sparta should think themselves absolved and discharged of their oath, that they made for the not changing of his laws.   

The ceremonies of the burials, of the kings of Lacedemonia.  
THe Kings of Sparta when they be dead, knights and pursuivants declares the death of the prince, throughout all the whole country, the women going round about the city do beaten and ring upon basins and pots. And when this chanceth it is meet tha● out of every house, two which are free, the male one, the female the other, should make a show of lamentation and mourning, & for the not doing thereof great punishment is appointed, and the lamenting and crying out with miserable outcries, say that the last king ever was the best, whatsoever king perrisheth in war, when they have set forth his picture and image, thei● b●●ng it into a bed very fair & well made and they consume ten days in the funerals of him● and there is no meeting nor assemble of magistrates, but continual weeping and lamentation, & in this they agree with the Persians' that when the king is dead he that succeedeth, dischargeth from all debts whosoever oweth any thing to the king or to the common wealth. Amongst the Persians' he that was created king did remit to every city the tribute which was due.   

The Laws of Draco.  
ALL the Laws which Draco made appointed death almost for a punishment to every offence. He made a law that they which were convict of idleness and slothfulness, should loose their lives. In like manner that they which stolen herbs or fruit out of other men's grounds, that they should die for it. The same law of parricides. Whereupon Demades was wont to say that the laws of Draco were written with blood and not with yucke.   

The laws of Solon.  
SOlon made a law that those which were condemned of parricide, and of affected tyranny, should never be received into any office, and not only these ●e excluded from all kind of dignity but such also as would follow neither part when any tumult or sedition were in the City, thinking it to be the part of an ill Citizen when he had provided well for his own safety, to have care or respect of common affairs. This also was a strange decree of his making, that such women as had husbands nothing mee●e for vene re●use acts, should take one whom they would choose, of their husband's kinsfolks without d●unge●●●ee forbade lamentation & mourning in another man's funerally and that the son should not give any help or refreshing to his father if so be that he caused● him not to be brought 〈◊〉 in some art necessary for the use of life, and that there should be no care betwixt the parents and therm that were born bastards, and in unlawful matrimonies. For he that doth not keep himself chaste from the company of harlots, doth plainly declare that he hath no care of the procreation of children, but of libidiouse pleasures, and doth deprive himself of his just reward. He would have a common adulterer taken in adultery to be slain scot free and without any danger. Who soever did violently misuse any maids, or virgins, he would have them mulcted or amerced with ten groats, the which was a great sum of money of his coin Who soever had brought a wolf by him o●ercome, should have five groats to be● gathered of the commonalty, & if it wer● a she wolf, he should have but one groat, It was a custom amongst the Athenians, to persecute that beast which was as well hurtful to their cattle as to their fields. He commanded that the children of those which perished in wa●re, should be brought up and taught of the common charge, wherewith many being encouraged, did stoutly and manfully fight in battle. He would also that whosoever lost his eyes in battle, should be brought up and kept of common charges. He made a Law also that he should not have the wardeship of the child, to whom the inheritance might come after the death of the child. And that whosoever thrust out another man's eye, that he should loose both his own for it. Another law of his was, that no man should take away that which he laid not there, and if any did the contrary, it should be judged a capital offence. If the Prince were taken or found drunken, that he should die for it. He permitted honey and wax to be carried in to other countries. He thought no man meet to be free of a city, but the craft's man which came with his whole family to Athens or else was banished from his own country.   

Of the wars and manners of the Turks.  
THe Turks have a marvelous celerity in doing, a constancy in dangers and observation of the empire. They will swim over very deep and dangerous waters, they pass over strange hills, and being commanded they go through thick and thin headlong having no regard of their lives, but of the empire. Most apt and ready to suffer fasting and watching. There is no sedition amongst them, no tumult. They use horrible sounds and not outcries in war, in their tents in the night time, there is such diligent silence, that they had rather suffer their prisoners to escape, then to move any tumul●e. The Turks of all kind of people, are said at these days to use most lawful fight, so that it is no marvel why their common wealth continueth so long, and increaseth so much that their nation is almost invincible, except they be destroyed by some plague or pestilence, or civil discord. The soldiers have an honest kind of apparel. In their saddles, and bridels, there is no curious superfluity. No man goeth armed but in the time of war. Their weapons are brought after them in burdens, they use no banners nor standards, but in the tops of their javelins they have certain threades of divers colours hanging whereby one captain is known from an other.  
They use the drum & the fluite to call and move them to fight. They pray for their soldiers in every congregation & solemn meeting, but rather for such as have died for their country, calling them happy and blessed, that they died not at home in the lamentation of their wives, and children, but abroad amongst their enemies weapons, and terrible noises.  
They wright and describe the victories of their ancestors, they sing and extol them being written, for they think their soldiers minds to be much encouraged by these means. They do so abhor pictures and engraved images, that upon such causes they call the christians idolaters. They have no bells, nor yet do suffer the christians abiding amongst them to have bells, They never play for money or any other thing, but such as be found playing be grievously staundred in every man's mou●h. No man of what state or degree soever he be, desireth to sit on a bench, but they lie down and sit on the earth like children, with a very comely folding of their garments under them.  
The table whereon they feed for the most part is prepared of an ox hide, or an hearts skin, undressed and rough with hear still, having the roundness of four or five hand bredthes. No man entereth in to any house, church, or other place where in they must sit, unless his shoes be of, because it is accounted an unhonest and undecent point for any man to sit with his shoes on his feet, and therefore they use a kind of shoes, that may easily be put on and of. The place where they sit either at home or in the Churches, is strewed & covered either with tapestry clotheses, or broad cloth or rushes, and sometimes for the moisture and uncleanness of the place they have boards and tables.  
The garments both of men and women are large and long enough open in the former part. They have great care in emptying the belly and making urine, that they turn not their faces towards the South, which way they are always wont to look praying. They take also great heed lest any man should see their ●ilthynes in discharging nature. They abstey● from wine as their laws doth command them because it is a provoker of all uncleanness & vice, and yet may they lawfully eat grapes. Thep abstain also from swines blood and flesh, and from all flesh that dieth of the murrayne. All other meats they do eat.   

How the Turks do believe and how● they worship God.  
THe Turks confess one God which hath none like or equal to him whose faithful Prophet they account Mahumet. five times a day they pray with their faces turned into the South, and before they do this, they provide that they have a most perfect cleans of body, in every part: hands, arms, mouth, ears, nostrils, eyes, hears, washing their feet most decently, especially after carnal copulation, and natural evacuation, except they have been sick or travailing abroad. If they want water to do this, which is seldom seen, because in every city, they have baths continually flowing, than they wipe and rub them otherwise. Every year they fa●●e a whole month and a week most strait lie, in the day time neither eating nor drinking any thing, nor yet having any conjunction with women, but after the Son set until the Son rising the next day, they fill themselves with meat, & drink, and venereous pleasures, in the end of this solemn feast, they celebrated the feast called the Pasch in remembrance of Abraham's Ram which appeared in steed of his Son at the sacrifice, & of a certain night wherein they suppose the Alcorane was given from heaven.  
Their priests do not much differ from the laity, nor their churches from common houses. It is sufficient to know the book which is called Alcorane, and such things as appertain to prayer & observance of the Law. They lack not their readings and studies of arts and sciences. They have no care of churches nor souls departed. They have no sacraments nor observation of relics, holy vessels nor altars, but they are attent and diligent in looking to their children, their wives & family, to tillage of the ground, to merchandise, to hunting, and like exercises, wherewith life is maintained. They be free from servitute and exactions, these priests be honoured of every body as men that knows the ceremonies of the laws have the government of churches, & can instruct others. They have many schools and places of exercise, wherein such politic Laws are taught, as have been made by their princes for the administration of the common wealth, and defence of the country, wherein they that profit some of them are made rulers in ecclesiastical matters, and some be seculier magistrates, there be also in that sect many and divers religious sorts, whereof some living in woods, and solitude utterly refuse the company of men, some keeping hospitality in cities, do relieve the poor strangers with hospitality, if they have not to refresh themselves with all, for they themselves also lives of begging & alms, many of them wandering about cities carry good and always fresh water in certain bottles, of the which they give to every one demanding for the same, freely and gladly, for the which dutiful good will and work of mercy, if any thing be given they take it, they covet nothing, but they make so great a show and ostentation of religion both in their deeds and sayings, and also in their manners and gesture, that they rather seem angels than men, such is the deceit in men's eyes. The Turks cease from all labour on the Friday, and keep it with as much religion and devotion, as we do the Sunday. But the jews do marvelously observe the Saturday. In every City there is one principal Church, wherein they meet together after noon every body, & after their prayers solemnly done, they have a sermon. They have large and sumptuous temples, which are called in their tongue Meschit, where in they have no Images at all, but it is found written every where. There is no God but one and Mahumet his prophet one creator and the prophets equal. And also There is none so strong as God.  
There be in their churches a great number of burning lamps with oil. All the church is white, the pavement is laid with mats and other things, and above many clotheses of tapestry, and Arras be hanged. There is a great turret about the church, on the top whereof their minister when service time is, standeth and putting his fingers in his Ears, with an high voice in his own tongue, he repeateth these words thrice. One true God. when this cry is hard, the nobles and the meaner fort cometh to the temple, only intent to devotion, & the minister prayeth with them, and that he ought to do four times between day and night by his office, & they which come to the prayers, aught to wash their hands and feet and secret parts. They must put of their shoes, and leave them before the church gate, and thus some enter barefoot into the church, and some with very clean and fair shoes. The women fit together in a secret place from the men, so that the men may neither see them nor hear them, albeit they come not so often to the church. In their prayers they cruciate and afflict their bodies meruey●ously with continual agitation and vociferations, so that often times they sown and faint in mind and strength. They think it an horrible thing and most wicked, that a christian man should be present at their ceremonies and Sacrifices, having this Opinion that their Temples are contuminate and defiled of unclean and unwashed men, their minister getteth him into the pulpit, and there about two hours, he preacheth, & when his sermon is done, two, children ascend, thither which sing their prayers sweetly, after this the minister beginneth with all the people to sing in a low voice, bending his body on every side, but his words are nothing but these There is but one God. They keep thursday also as a festival day, albeit the Friday is most devoutly and most religiously hallowed of them, because they have an opinion amongst them that Mahumet was born upon the Friday.   

The opinion of the Turks upon the world to come.  
THe Turks attribute so much to Mahumet and his laws that they assuredly promise' everlasting happiness to such as keep their laws, that is 〈◊〉 say a paradise of pleasures, a garden having most pleasant and sweet waters set in a pure and temperate air, wherein they should have whatsoever they would, as all kind of dainty dishes for satiety, silk and purple apparel, young and beautiful maids, at their own will and pleasure, with golden and silver plate, & Angels serving and ministering unto them, like Butlers bringing milk in golden plates, and read wine abundantly in silver cups. Contrary wise to those that break these laws, they threaten the danger of hell and everlasting destruction. This also they believe, that how great offences soever a man hath committed, if he will believe only in God and Mahumet when he dieth, he shall be ●afe and happy.  
Some of their religion have this opinion that the law profiteth nothing, but the grace of God whereby a man must be saved, which without merit or law is sufficient to get salvation. There be some as it were successors of the prophets, and fathers, ale●ging and affirming the traditions of the elders, which teach that men by merit may be saved without the law and God's grace, so that they be earnest in prayers, in watching and meditations There be others again that affirm every man to be saved in the law that is given of God, because those Laws are equally good to those that keep them, and one aught not to be preferred before another. So you may see where Christ is not how inconstant minds waver in divers ●rroes, the which thing also may appear amongst some christians, as such as seek for salvation of any other then of the Saui●ure only.   

Of the fasting and Meats of the Turks.  
THe Turks are wont to fast one month and one week every year, bu● they do not always keep one prefixed time, for if this year they fast in ●●mmary, the next year they will do it i● Fe●ruarye● the third in March, and so orderly of the rest, and when they do fa●●●, they taste and eat nothing all the whole day not so much as bread or water 〈◊〉 when ●●errs appear it is lawful for them to eat all things, saving things which are suffocate and swines flesh.  
They have vineyards the fruit and commodity whereof they use diversly. The Christians make wine, and the Turks do so prepare honey & raisins, that they appear always fresh both in tas●e and sight, they have three manner of drinks, the first of Sugar or honey mixed with water. The second of raisins sod in water the stones castaway, and then rose water is added unto them, and a little of the best ●ony. The third is made of wine well sodden, and representeth a kind of honey both in taste and sight, this is tempered with water and given to servants to drink. When they should eat any thing they strew their floors and grounds with mats and other things, than they lay carpets and tapestry work or rushines, a●d some sit down upon the naked earth, their table is of some skin, as I s●ide before● it is drawn at large and shit ●●g●ther again as a purse, they sit not down after our manner, nor yet as the people of old were wont to do leaning on their elbows, but with their feet folde● together in the forms of this letter. X. like unto the manner of borchers, and before they take take any meat, they hau● their prayers or thanks giving. Thermite greedily and hastily with great silence, but all their wives keepeth the in ●elues in secret. Those which are captive 〈◊〉 never go abroad, nor can get licence, but with other Turkish women when they go to wash them in baths, ●r in any other place ou● of the city for recreation sake into gardens or vineyards, ●●t always keep home at their work, and it is not lawful for other women 〈…〉 saint wit● their captives   

Of th● 〈◊〉 of the Turks.  
THe 〈…〉 not in 〈…〉 the manner 〈…〉 as the 〈…〉 eight years, and can speak the 〈◊〉 ●ell, the which 〈…〉 them for y● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 which are 〈◊〉 before 〈…〉, and 〈…〉 for this 〈…〉 in to the ●●●ple, but is circumcised at home in his parent's house There be assembled at this notable feast all their friends, and commonly amongst the richer sort, they kill an Ox and therein they include and put in a Sheep exenterate and ready dressed, in the which Sheep there is a Hen, in the which hen there is an Egg, which are all roasted together for the solemnity of that day, then at supper time in their banquet the child which must be circumcised is brought in, whose yard and privy member the physician openeth and apprehendeth the folded skin with a fine pair of pinsons, then to take all fear from the child, he ●aith that he will make the circumcision the next day, and whilst he useth those words, he sodeyn●ye cutteth the prepuce which is the skin that covereth the head of the yard, laying a little salt on the wound. They do not give names to their children in the day of circumcision, but in the day of their nativity, after three days space he that is circumcised, is led with great pomp unto the hath, when he cometh home again, he is led throughout all the gests which offer unto him their prepared gifts, some give silk garments some silver cups, others present him money or horses. If any christian man of his own accord confessing Mahumet, will suffer himself to be circumcised, which thing chanceth often times for the grievous exaction and burden of the tribute, such one is ●e● throughout all the streets and lanes of the city, with great honour and triumph of the people, for joy playing on the drums, and to him many gifts are presented, and afterward he is made fire from their payment and tribute Yet the Turks compel no man to the denial of his religion, although they be commanded in the book of Alcoran to expulse the adversaries and gainsayers, whereof it cometh to pass that so many and diverse sects of people are found amongst the Turks, all which do reverrence and honour God after their peculiar rites and customs. Their priests do little differ from the laity, and there is no great learning to be required in them, it is enough if they can read the book of Alcoran, but those which can interpret the book according to the text, are esteemed as most cunning, because Mahumet gave his precepts not in the vulgar turkish tongue, but in the arabical tongue, & they think it a wicked & unlawful thing to have them interpreted or set forth in the vulgar tongue, these ministers have their stipend and reward of the prince for their pains, they have wives and apparel even as secular men, if the stipend be not sufficient for the multitude & number of their children, then may they practise and use all manner of arts, crafts and trades that other men do, but yet they are free from exactions, and other impositions, and are greatly esteemed of the common sort. They have divers living solitary like unto monks, which under the colour of religion, inhabit the woods & desert places, utterly renouncing men's company, and some of them have nothing of their own, but they go almost naked saving that their privy parts be covered with Sheep skins, they travail and wander through out countries asking alms as well of the Christians as of the Turks. Some of them go seldom abroad, but continued in temples having in the corners of churches little cottages, their heads uncovered, their feet without shoes, their bodies without garments bearing nothing about them but one shirt, they fast many days and pray that God would reveal unto them things to come, and the prince of the Turks is wont to ask counsel of them when soever he goeth about any wars.   

What execution of justice the Turk● have, what kind of marriages, what manner of apparel, and living.  
THe Turks do execute justice mo●● exquisitely, for, he that is guilty of slaughter or bloodshed, is always punished with like vexation and torment He that is taken with a woman in adultery, is stoned to death without mercy or varying. There is also a punishment appointed for those which are taken in fornication, for who so ever is apprehended for it, he must suffer eight hundred lashes with a whip: a thief for the first and second time, is so many times scourged also, but if he be taken the third time he loseth his hand, at the fourth time his foot. He that doth any damage to any body, ●s compelled to make satisfaction according to the estimate of the loss.  
They admit no witnesses but very meet and allowable people, and such as may be believed without any oath. It is not lawful for any man that is of full age to live out of matrimony, they may be married to faure lawful wives & those whosoever they will choose except their mother and sisters, having no respect at all to the propinquity of blood, they may have as many illegitimate and unlawful wives as they please and be able to keep, the children both of lawful and unlawful wives are equally heirs in their father's goods, so that they observe this order that two daughters shall but match and be equal with one son. They keep not ii or moor wives in one house or in one city for fear of often contention and unquieting, but in every city they keep one, the husbands have this liberty to put them away three times and to take them again thrice, those wives which are put ●way may if it please them continued and abide ●ith such men as receiveth them. The women are very descent and honest in their apparel, they use on their heads a kind of linen like unto young damsels, and they have veils over the same the folding whereof is decent, that the top of it hangs over the left or right side, wherewith if they go from home or come into their h●●bands sight they may quickly cover all their face ●auing the eyes, the woman may never be seen in the company of men, nor to go to market nor to buy or cell any thing, in the churches they have their places separate from the men so closely that no man may peep into them nor by any means enter into them, and yet it is not lawful for every woman to enter in thither, but for noble men's wives and never else but on Friday at twelve of the clock only, they use their prayers, the which is a solemn time with them, the talking of man and woman together openly is so rare and against common custom, that if you should tarry a whole year with them, you could scantly see it once. It is thought a monstrous thing that a man should openly talk with a woman, or ride in the company of any. They that are married together do never use any wā●on toys in the sight of others, they never brawl nor chide, because the men do never omit their gravity towards women nor wives, their reverence towards their husbands: great Lords that cannot always be with their wives, have eunuchs deputed to the custody of them, which do so diligently observe, mark and watch them, that it is unpossible for any other than their husbands to speak with than, or for them to do a miss and otherwise then well. They contract marriage without any oath, they take no sums of money with their wives, but are almost enforced to buy them, contrary to the Romans fashion, where the son in Law was wont to be bought and not the sons wife. The wife hath no ornament nor decking upon her body but that she is driven to get of her father. A cause of divorce with them is either barrenness, or intolerable manners, their judge is privy to these things. The women use most simple apparel shewing no kind of excess in the world, they never come with open face into the sight of their husbands or other men. The Turks detest our hose and great breeches, with their Cod-pieces because they do to lively express and show the privy parts Their heads be covered with linen, having a top like unto a turret, and cometh near unto a pyramidate form. They use bread not of the worst sort, both black & white bread saving they cast a certain kind of seed upon new bread, which bringeth a great plesantnes i● eating. They have divers artificious ways in preparing meats, & variety of sauces, a solemn kind of meat with them is a kind of pottage, made wt●yce, so thick that it can hardly be divided with hands, from fish they abstain marvelously, they use all kind of flesh saving swine's flesh. There be no common taverns, nor Inns for gests and strangers, nor common vitaling houses, but in the streets divers kinds of meats are to be sold and other things necessary for lives The townsmen 'cause their fields to be tilled by their servants, and they pay tithe to their Emperor and ruler Crafts men maintain them with their sciences, they that do love idleness do perish with famine, they exercise merchandise most diligently, they pass and travel into Asia the less, Arabia & Egipte, and they have their peregrinations also to the Venetians. If they make water, they wash their yard after it, if they empty their bellies the make all clean afterward, in like manner do the women, whom their servants and bond men do follow bearing vessels full of water, the man servant following the master, & the maid the mistress. They have one kind of judge as well Christians as Turks. And this judge is bound to minister equally right to every body.   

Of dame Flora.  
THe Lady which the Poets call dame Flora, was a notable and common harlot, who when she had got great riches by common ribaldry, made the people of Rome her heir, and left a certain some of money, with the yearly use where of the day of her nativity should be celebrated in the setting forth of goodly plays, the which thing because it seemed detestable to attribute a certain solemn dignity to a dishonest thing, they feigned and surmised her to be a goddess that had the rule and governance o● flowers, and that it was meet she should be reconciled with ceremonies, that through her help fruits and trees might flourish and prospero.   

Of the jeate stone.  
IN some part of England and Scotland, there is great store of the best kind of jet stone. If any body drinketh the powder of this stone in water, if the same party be contaminate with lybidiouse acts, the same body out of hand shall be enforced to make urine, and shall have no ability to keep it back. But if a virgin drinketh of it, there is no power to make urine follow. Munster in the● 2 book. fol. 45.   

Of the Burials of the Turks, and of diverse observations and customs.  
When any dieth amongst the Turks, they wash his carcase and cover it in very fair linen clotheses. Afterwards they carry the body out of the city into some place, for they think it an heinous thing to bury one in the Temple. Their monks go before the hearse with candles, the priests follow singing until they come unto his sepulture and grave: if it be a poor man that is dead, they gather money in every street for the labours and pains of the religious, and that they offer unto him. The friends of the dead cometh often times to the grave weeping and bewailing, & they set the sacrifice of their meats for the dead upon the monument, as bread flesh these, eggs, milk, and the feast is of nine days space after the manner of the Ethnics, and all this is eaten for the soul of the dead, of the poor, or else of the fowls of the air, or ants, for they say it is as acceptable unto God, to give and offer alms to bruit beasts, and fowls neding it as unto men, when it is offered for the love of God. There be some that set birds at liberty to fly, which were restrained and shit up, giving money according to the v●lewe of the birds. Some cast bread to fish in the waters for God's sake, saying that they shall get of God a noble reward for such bounty and pity towards those that need it. The Turks have also three divers manners of washing them, the first is a sprincbling of all the whole body, with water, and that this should not be vain ●or frustrate, they shave the hears from ●uery part of their body, saving only that herds in men, & the hears upon women heads. And yet they wash them very curiously and comb them often, therefore in the more famous cities therebe baths which they use continually. Where there be no such, they have some secret place prepared to wash them in houses that they might be well clarified with water before they go out of the house. They have another kind of washing nothing necessary as when they ease nature of superfluities For then in some secret place they wash their secret parts, there is none seen standing or upright when he delivereth Nature of superfluous burdens. The third kind of washing is to purify the instruments of senses wherein they wash both hands and arms even to the elbows, than their mouth, their nostrils, and all their face. Both men & women do make a scraping of filthy places every month twice or thrice, but especially when they frequent the Temples, otherwise they should be burned as violaters and profaners of a sacred place. They use such severity in war, that no soldier dareth take away any thing unjustly, for if he doth he shallbe punished without mercy.  
They have ordinary keepers and defenders of those things as be in soldiers ways, the which are bond to maintain the orchards and gardens, with their fruits, about high ways, so that they dare not take an apple or any such like, with out the licence of the owner. For if they did they should suffer death for it.  
Of this writeth one Barthelmewe Giurgevitus, that was captive thirteen years in Turkey, after this sort. When I was in the Turks army in his expedition against the Persians', I did see a certain horseman headed with his horse and servant also, because his horse being lose entered into the fields of another man. None of the princes or Dukes possesseth any province or city, as rightful inheritance, nor they cannot leave any such thing after their death to their children, or successors without the consent of the king and supreme governor. But if any Duke desireth to have any certain possessions, it is granted to him upon this condition, there is a perfect note made of the price, & of the rents, and revenues of those possessions. The Turk knoweth also how many soldiers may be kept, with that yearly revenue, and so many soldiers he enjoineth him to keep, the which aught always to be in a readiness at every commandment, otherwise that Lord shall loose his head, if he did not answer his duty and office.   

How the Christians taken of the Turks in war be handled, and tormented, and how they are made free.  
THe Emperor of the Turks when he maketh his expedition against the Christians, he hath always waiting upon him a company of butchers and sellers of Boys to abominable uses, who carry with them a great number of long chains, in hope of bondmen and captives, wherein they link and bind fifty or three score easily by order. The same men do buy also of such as have booties or prays, as many as have not perished with sword, the which thing is permitted them upon this condition if they give unto the prince the tenth or tithe of their bondmen prisoners and captives The other it is lawful for them to keep to their own use and merchandise, and there is no better nor more plenteous a mart amongst them, then of bondmen. The Emperor doth so seperace the old men and the youth of both kinds which cometh to him in the name of the tenth or tithes, that he selleth them of ripe age, for the plough and husbandry. Young maids and young men he sendeth away to a certain place, to be instructed in certain arts, that he might use them after ward more commodiously, and first they go about this to make them deny their christian faith, and then to have them circumcised, and when they are once entered into their ceremonies, according to every man's disposition and wit, he is appointed either to study the Laws of their nation, or else to practise feats of war if more strength appeareth in the body than in his wit, they are so instructed in the principles of warlike affairs, that for the weakness of their strength, first they use an easy bow, afterward as their strength increaseth and they have more exquisite knowledge, they have a more strong bow until they be meet for war. There is a master which calleth severely upon daily exercise, as often as they serve from the mark so oftentimes are they whipped. Others are made meet and cunning to fight with staves. But they in whom there is a greater grace of beautiful form are so mangled that no manliness appeareth in their bodies, they have been so abused with great danger of life, and if they do escape they be meet for nothing else but ministers of most flagitious voluptuousness, and when their beauty waxeth old, they are deputed into the office of eunuchs, to observe and keep matrons, or else they are addicted to the custody of Horses or Mules, or to kitchen drudgery. maidens that are very comely and beautiful, are choose to be their concubines, those of the meaner sort are given to matrons to wait upon them, where they have some such filthy services and functions, that they cannot be named with honesty, for they are compelled to follow them with a vessel of water when they go to discharge the bellyr, and those parts. Other be kept at maidens works, as spinning, and baking. When the Turks have got any young prisoners, they urge them with threatenings, promises, and flateringes, that their new bond men would be circumcised and when any hath admitted that, he is used with a little more humanity, but all hope of returning again into his country is utterly taken away, and if he once goeth about it, he is in danger of burning. These because they are thought more steadfast, and less given to run away, they are preferred of their Lords to warlike affairs, their liberty is then dew unto them, when they being unprofitable for years be rather rejected of their Lords than dismissed, or else where their Lord hath given them liberty in war, for the danger of death that he hath escaped by them. Matrimony is permitted unto them but their children are taken from them at the Lords will, the which causeth the wiser sort to abhor from marriages, they use other extremely that refuse circumcision. They have a very hard life that have not learned any art or craft: for such are in great estimation as are cunning crafts men. Wherefore the noble men, the priests and the learned sort, which pass over their lives in quietness and idleness, whensoever they chance into their hands, they are thought most miserable o● all, for the merchant seller of them can not abide when he seethe no profit to com● of them nor any good sale to be made.  
These go with their feet and head uncovered, and for the most part with naked bodies, through the snow, and upon the stones, both winter and summer they are enforced to travail, and there is no end of these miseries, before that either they die or else they find a foolish Lord in the buying of ill merchandise. No man is so happy of what condition so ever he be, or of what age, beauty or art he be that they will lay him, being sick in his journey, at any Inn or lodging house, for first he is compelled to go with stripes & if he cannot so do he is set upon some young beast, & there if he cannot sit, he is bound with his body flat even like unto a pack or a burden, if he dieth they take away his clotheses and cast him into the next ditch or valley for dogs and ravens. They keep their captives not only in chains, but also with gives upon their hands, as they lead them, the distance between them is about a yard, lest they should one spurn and hurt an other, and this do they for fear their bondmen hurl stones at them. For where as every one that is a common merchant and seller of men, leadeth a great number of bondmen, so that ten of them oftentimes have five hundred in chains, they fear the force of such a great multitude, if their hands should be at liberty to throw or cast any thing. In the night time they make their feet sure with chains and irons, and lay them upon their backs, open to the injury of the the air, the women are used with moor humanity, they that are able do go upon their feet, and they that are less able, be carried upon young cattle, and those that are so weak that they may not suffer the shaking of the horses, or asses, or such like are carried in hampers and paniers, like unto geese and swans. The night is more heavy unto them, for then either they are shit up in strong holds, or else are compelled to suffer the filthy lust of those that have bought them, and great lamentation is hard in the night time both of young men & young women, suffering much violence, so that they spare not them of six or seven years of age in this misery, such is the cruelness of that filthy nation, against nature in the rage of voluptuousness. When the day cometh they are brought forth into the market as sheep & goats to be sold, when they that would buy them, come, the price is made, if the captive pleaseth him, all his apparel is cast of, that he might be seen of his master that shallbe, all his parts and members are viewed, touched, searched and tried, if there be any fault in his joints or not, if he pleaseth not the bier, he is rejected again to the seller, and this is as often done as any doth cheapen or go about to buy, if the bier liketh the bondman, he is carried away to a most grievous servitude, as to be either ploughman or sheep heard that he might not remember the more grievous sciences. If any be taken with his wife and children, noble men will buy him gladly, and make him ruler of his villages, and give him charge of his grounds, vineyards and pastures, but his children must be bondmen, if they persever and continued in christian faith they have a determinate time to serve, that which being paste, they are made free, & yet their children except they be redeemed continued in servitude and bondage at the will & pleasure of the Lord.   

With what burden and exactions the christian Princes are charged and oppressed being overcome of the Turks.  
VUhen the Turk hath taken any christian prince, he taketh all their goods as well movable as unmove able as a pray and booty, he putteth away nobility clean, especially of the kings stock, the clerks and clergy he killeth not, he spoileth them of all wealth and dignity and maketh them very mocking stocks in beggary. The Turks take also out of the christian churches all bells, organs, and other instruments of music, and after they have profaned the churches they consecrated them to Mahumet. They leave poor and small chapels to the christians, where they may do their holy service, not openly but in silence, the which if they fall by any earthquake, or be ruinous by any sudden fire it is not lawful to repair them again, but through great sums of money given. They are forbidden to preach or teach the Gospel, and it is not lawful for any christian man, to bear any rule in the common wealth, nor to bear weapons or use like vesture with the Turks. If any contumelious words be spoken of the christian or of Christ, he must suffer it, & ●olde his peace, but if the Christian speaketh any thing unreverently of their religion, he shallbe circumcised against his will, but if any whisper any thing against Mahumet, he shallbe burned. The christians give the fourth part of all their fruit, and commodity both of the pro●it of their fields and cattle, and also of the gains of their arts, and crafts, there is another charge also where they pay for ●uery one in their family a ducat, and if the parents be notable to pay, they are compelled to cell their children to servile offices, other bond in chains do beg from door to door to get their fees to discharge the exaction, and if they cannot by these means pay it, they must be content to suffer perpetual imprisonment. Those captives that go about to fly away if they go into Europe, they have the easier flight, seeing that nothing is to hinder their passage, but certain waters which are passed over easily, and this do they most attempt in harvest time, because than they may hide them in the corn and live thereby: in the night time they take their flight, and in the day time they hide themselves in woods and puddles or in the corn, and had rather be devoured of wolves, and other beasts then to be sent again to their old masters. But they which into Asia take their flight, go first to Hellesspont betwixt Callipolis and the two towers which were of old called Seston and Abydon, but now they are named Bogazassar the castles of the Sea, mouth, and with them they carry both an axe and ropes to cut down wood and to bind them together, whereof they make boats or little ships to pass over the sea, carrying nothing but salt with them, and in the night time they convey themselves into the ship in the water. If the wind and the sea favoureth them, they pass over in three or four hours, but if the trouble some sea be against them, either they perish in the water or else be cast again to the coast of Asia.  
When they are got over the Sea, they seek unto the mountains, and beholding the Pole, they take their journey towards the North. In their hunger they refresh themselves with salted herbs. If many run away together, in the night time they invade shepherds and slay them and take away all such meat & drink as they find, but yet many times they themselves be slain of the shepherds, or else taken of them and so delivered to their old masters, to all kind of servitute: and the greater number is consumed with dangers, for few escape free and safe, because they perish either by shipwreck, or by devouring of beasts or by their enemy's weapons, or else by famme, when as it chanceth that they after their running away make any long abode in the woods. Many kinds of punishments are prepated, devised, and appointed for fugitives, and such as run away, for same being hanged by the feet are most cruelly tormented with whips, and they that commit homicide or murder, have the soles of their feet cut with a sharp knife in many slices and cutings and after they are so cut the wounds be ●ubbed and sprinkled with salt, and some have a great iron collar with a gallows of iron, which they must bear for a long ●yme both days and nights.   

Of Tantalus.  
Tantalus' was a king of Phrygia exceeding covetous, whom the Poets fain to have bid the Gods to a banquet, and he being desirous to make a trial of their deity, when they appeared a● his house in men's likeness, did ●●ea his own son Pelops and set him before them to be eaten as meat, giving the flesh an other name unto than, who understanding his horrible act, did not o●ely abstain from eating thereof, but also gathering the parts of the child together, brought him to life again. For this offence jupiter cast him into hell, and enjoined him this punishment: that he should continued in most clear water, and stand up in it even to his neither lip, and that most goodly apple trees bearing most sweet and redolent fruit, should hung over him and touch his mouth almost, the which things as soon as he should go about to taste of they should fly from him, and so they did, that, between the apples and the water, ●e consumed with famine, and thy●●●● 〈◊〉 was tormented with great penury, even in present plenty. Where of a proverb hath sprung, to call it Tantalus punishment, when as they which have goods enough, cannot use them.   

Of the Temple of Ephesus.  
IN the country called jonia there is the noble city of Ephesus, which was built in the 32 year of the reign of king David by Androchus the son of Codrus king of Athens. The Amazons did erect in it in the honour of Diana a noble temple the like whereof was not then in all the world, & therefore it was accounted amonngest the seven. wonders of the world: it was. CC. and xxv years in making & that of all Asia, & set in a miry ground, for the avoiding of earthquakes, there were an hundred and xxvii. pillars in it made of their kings one by one, which were in height iii score foot whereof xxxvi. were carved with marvelous workmanship. The length of the whole church was iiii. hundred and twenty-five feet the breadth, two. hundredth and xx.  
All that took this church for sanctuary, 〈◊〉 ●reate immunities and privileges, 〈◊〉 were also so many gifts and monuments given to this church from all nations and Cities, that none in all the world might be compared to it in wealth. S. Paul preached at Ephesus three years and converted many to the faith. Saint John also the Evangelist died in this city. But this sumptuous temple was destroyed and set on fire in the reign of Galienus the Emperor, by one Erostratus who doing many notable feats in war and otherwise, when he perceived that he got no reward nor renown there by, to leave a continual remembrance of his flagitious and horrible act, did with great fires and monstrous flames, consume this fair church, and brought it ta ashes, thinking there by to be remembered in perpetuity: and yet he was deceived, for there were general edices and proclamations made, that no man upon pain of death should presume once to put his name in any writing or chronicle, to the enten● that he might have been buried with ever lasting oblivion.   

Of Artemisia the wife of Mausolus.  
IN the city called Halicarnassus, Artemisia the queen erected a sumptuous tomb in the honour of her husband Mau●olus, which was done with such a pomp and magnificency, that it was numbered as one of the seven wonders of the world. This woman marvelously lamenting the death of her husband, and inflamed with incredible desire and affection towards him, took his bones and ashes and mingled them together and beaten them to powder with swee●e spices, and put it in water, and drunk it of, & many other strange signs of incredible love are said to have been in her, after this for the perpetual remembrance of her husband, she caused to be made a sepulchre of marvelous workmanship in stone, which hath been famous and much spoken of all men till our days, and this was in height twenty-five. cubits, and compassed with xxxvi. goodly pillars. This vain comfort could not take away out of the queens breast the conceived grief and sorrow of her husband, but that shortly after she herself yielded her soul and life, as unmeet to tarry after his death.   

Sardanapalus.  
SArdanapalus was king of the Assyrians, whose epitaph had these words in the Assyrian tongue. Sardanapalus the son of Anecendarassis erected in one day Anchiala and Tarsus two goodly Cities. Eat, drink, and play.  
These words as Cicero says might have been written upon the sepulchre of an ox, and not of a king. He was a most effeminate man given to all kind of luxury, and was not ashamed to spin amongst common harlots & in women's vesture and attire, to excel all others in laseiviousnes. Wherefore the Assyrians disdaining to obey and subject themselves to such a feminine prince rebelled and made war against him, who being overcome went into his palace, and there making a great fire cast himself and all his riches into the fire and so ended his life.   

The people called amazons.  
PEntesilea the queen of the amazons which were women abhorring men and practising all warlike affairs did noble deeds of manly prowess at the destruction of Troy. Some say that they had their beginning of the Scythians after this sort. Certain Scythians being driven from their country with their wives & remaining in the coasts of Cappadocia using to rob and spoil the borderers, were destroyed at the length by conspiracy and deceit. The wives that followed their husbands and seeing that they were left alone, took weapons and defended their borders and also moved war against their neighbours, they had nomind at all to mary with their neighbours, calling it a servitute and not matrimony, a singular example of all ages, they increased their common wealth without husbands, and that one might not seem more happy than another they slay such husbands as remained at home.  
At the length when they had gotten peace by force of arms, they used the society of men in the countries by them, lest their whole nation should perish for lack of procreation, and if any men children were born they destroyed them, and their young women and maids did not use spinning nor carding, but hunting and handling their weapons, so that every female child's breast was sered and burned away jest they might be hindered thereby in shooting, whereof they took that name & were called amazons. They conquered a great part of Europe and did occupy many cities in Asia, they had ii queens, Marthesia and Lampedo, which dividing their army into two parts, kept their battles with great wealth and strength, defending their borders stoutly. They did build Ephesus and Smyrna in Asia the less, & did inhabit the chief city in Cappadocia. Some say that in some places amongst them they had husbands, and that the women did bear all the rule and did all common business and that the men did keep charge at home like women, obeying the women in all things.   

Of Hearts in Cyprus.  
IN the isle of Cyprus Hearts are commonly seen to swim in flocks over the sea in a strait order laying their heads upon the buttocks of those that go before, and this they go by course. They see no land but yet they swim in the savour of it, the males have horns, and of all kind of beasts every year at an accustomed time in the spring they loose them, therefore that day that they loose them, they go into desert places and hide themselves as things that have lost their weapons: in ●yght months the females bring for the young, they exercise their young with running, and teach them to think upon flying away. They lead them to hard & unaccessible places, and show them how to skip, and leap: but yet it is a simple beast and astonished at the marveling at every thing, so that when a Horse or a Steer cometh near, they do not mark the man that is hunting at hand, or else if they perceive a man, they wonder at his bows and arrows. They bear signs of their age in their horns, and for every year they have the increase of a branch in their horns, until they be vi. years of age, and after that time the like doth spring up again. And after this their age can not be discerned, but old age is knoten by the 〈◊〉: the horn● do not fall away from su●h 〈◊〉 a●e geld●●●or do not spring again if they be go. The hearts ha●● a natural conflict with the serpent, they search their ●●uerns & with the breath of their nostrils draw them out against their wills. And therefore the savour of hearts horn burned, 
Hearts horn against poison.  is good to drive away serpents, and against their bitings a singular remedy is made of the ruin of an hylde slain in the dams be●ly. The hearts live a long time as an hundred years and more, the end of the hearts tail hath poison in i●, and therefore is it throwed away, pow●er ●●●aped of the heart's hour and drunk killeth the wornies in the stomach, it is good also against the jaundice.   

Of the Date tree.  
THere is no country that bringeth forth more fruitful date trees than the Holy land: there be date trees in Italy, but they are barren, about the the sea coast of Spain there be fruitful trees, but it is an unpleasant date, in Africa there is a sweet kind of date, but it lasteth not, in the East part of the world they make wines of them, and some use them as bread, and some give them as meat to their cattle. Hereof be the dry dates most plentiful in juice and meat, and of them wines are made very hurtful for the head, and as there is plenty of them in the East, so are they a great deal better in jury and especially in Hie●ico, It groweth in a light and sandy ground, it is ●ushy altogether in the top and hath not the fruit as other trees amongst the leaves, but amongst his branches. The diligent searchers of Nature say● that there is both male and female, the male hath flowers the female springeth without flowers, much like unto a thorn See Munster for more.   

Of the dead Sea.  
THe dead Sea which is nigh unto water of jordane, is so called because nothing can live in it, the Lake of itself is smookye, and the air causeth rustiness to brass and silver and all bright things. This lake receiveth not the body of any living thing. Bulls and Camels swim in it, and men that have no knowledge of swimming. if they go into it unto the navel, they are lift up.  
There is no ship can sail on it. If you put any live thing into it, it leapeth out. A candle burning will swim above, the light being put out, it will be drowned, the water of this Lake is always standing still, and is not stirred with the wind, it is marvelous dangerous and hard coming to it for strangers, both for wild beasts, and serpentses, and also for a barbarous nation that keepeth there about, and troubleth the places thereby with often robberies. See Munster moor at large.   

Of land transforming things into glass  
IN Sydon there is a water that hath Sande of easy alteration into glass.  
This Sand what so ever metal it taketh, it changeth into glass, and that which is made glass, if it be cast into the sand, retournes again to sand. And this is a strau●ge thing at Sidon.   

Of the Fish called a purple.  
THere be that writes the Purple to have her colour by reason of the propinquity of the son. Wherefore in Africa they have as it were a violet colour, and at Tyrus a read colour.  
This Purple is a fish of the kind of a shell fish, where of a juice is gathered most necessary for the dying of garments This fish hath this juice to colour and die Garments, in the midst of her mouth and jaws: it is got and gathered in the springe time, for at other times she is barren and lacketh this juice. She loseth her life with the loss of this juice for she liveth no longer than she hath any of this juice, and therefore it is good to take them alive. She is a great devourer of little shell fish, out of the which a lytour is taken, wherewith Silk is died purple. She hath a long tongue, as it were the length of a ●ingar the which she is always moving, by her tongue she getteth her pray that she desireth. In italy they discern true Purple from counterfeit by pouring oil upon silk, for if it leaveth any spots it is counterfeit, but if the silk garment hath no fault after the oil, it is good and allowable purple.   

The City of Babylon.  
SEmyramis a noble woman & of great prowess, erected and built the pompous City of Babylon, the walls whereof were made of brick, sand, pitch, and plaster, of a marvelous length and grossness. The walls were in compass three hundred and three score furlongs, with many and great towers beautified. The breadth of the walls was such that six carts might go together there on: the height was thirty and two foot, the turrets in number were two hundred and fifty. The breadth and length thereof was equal with the walls. She made a bridge also of five furlongs in length, with pyllers in the depth by marvelous art, of ●tone, iron, and led wyned together. When Ninus her husband was dead she took the administration of the kingdom and reigned xxiiii years. For although she had a son called also Ninus, yet she considering his young years unmeet for to rule feigned herself to be king Ninus son, the which was easily credited, for the great likeness of nature that was in them This woman was of so noble a courage, that she had a singular emulation to excel her husband in glory: of whom it needeth not now to speak any more, because diverse authors have so largely renowned and set forth her noble acts.   

Of the Phoenix.  
THe Phoenix is a noble bird and is but one in the world which is not much seen. Cornelius saith that the Phoenix did fly into Egypt, when as Plaucius and Paupinius were consuls. It is said that she is as big as an Eagle, having a glittering brightness like as gold about her neck, in other parts purple, and Azured ●ayle with Rose colours, her head with a plume & top of feathers, Manilius says that no man hath seen her feeding. She liveth six hundred and three score years: when she waxeth old, she maketh her nest of Cassia and branches of frankincense tree, to fill it with odours and so dieth upon it, then of her bones and marry, thereof there springeth ●irst a little worm, which afterward is a young Phoenix. This bird as Pliny saith is commonly in Arabia, where are found goodly pearls and of great estimation. Cleopatra gave for one pearl that was brought out of this country, 

Cleopatra.  
Pearl.   two. hundred and fifty thousand crowns. The goodness of pearl is judged by the whiteness, greatness, roundness, plainness, orient brightness and weight.   

Of the Unicorn.  
SOme say that Unicorn is like unto a colt of two. years and a half old.  
In his forehead there groweth an horn which is black, in the length of ii or iii cubits, his colour is tawny like ● weasel, his head like an heart, his neck not long, his main very thin hanging only upon the one side, his shanckes be small and thin, his hooves of his former feet is divided like an ox, and almost representing a goats foot. Of his hinder feet his outward part is hearye and rough. The king of Ethiope hath some store of these beasts, this beast is not commonly taken alive.   

Of Mahumet the false prophet of the Sarracens, of his original, and perversity  
MAhometes was the Prince of all impiety and superstition. Wherefore it is not to be marveled, if he hath set the seeds of all evil, and such as will not be rooted out. Some saith that he was a Cyrenaic in nation, some, that he was an Arabian, others that he was a Persian. He was born in the year of our Lord .597. A man of an obscure family, and of no great wealth nor strength nor manhood: some say that his father was a worshipper of devils, & that limaelita his mother, was not ignorant of the laws of the Hebrews. wherefore the child being distrace and made doubtful because whyleste that his father teached him one kind of religion, his mother suggested another, so that he followed none of them throughly. And thus being trained up in two. several manners he received and kept none of them at his full age, but he being brought up amongst the good christians, being of a subtle and crafty wit, invented and devised of both laws a most pernicious and detestable sect for mankind. After the death of his parents he was taken of the Sarracens which were accounted notable amongst the Arabians in theft and robberies and was sold to a merchant of the Ishmael kind. He being a crafty fellow, rapacious, dishonest, subject to all vice, a notable dissembler, & deceiver, was at the length mad●●he ruler of their merchandise and wares. He did drive camels through out Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and other strange places, with the often travail in which places, he using the company aswell of the jews as of christians, many times studied and went about not to learn, but to deprave the old and new Testament being taught diverse sects of his parents: to this he added the gains that came by theft, and daily imagined how to deceive his master. Wherefore being suspected of his maistar and hated of others, of an obscure servant and slave he become a notorious thief and robber. And being made more famous with his continual theft and robberies, he got daily a great number of companions of his unthrifty doings. These things were also a great help unto him, his strange and horrible countenance, his terrible voice, and his desperate ruffenly boldness, greatly to be feared. Thus coming by little and little in admiration of a barbarous nation, he got unto him no small authority, so that his master being dead, with out children he married and took to wife his mistress being a widow of that Ishmael stock and fifty years of age, having great wealth and riches, who also brought him up This pestilent man being puffed up with his wives goods, applied his mind to all kind of detestable acts, through his corrupt and depraved wit, being of him self otherwise prompt and given to all kind of presumptuous boldness, his cemeti●ie and malapertness was also increased by the unconstancy and unfaithfulness of one Sergius a pestilent monk, so that in a short space he came to such estimation amongst the Arabians, that he was called and believed to be the great messenger of God and the great Prophet, & this in every man's mouth. This Sergius being a Nestorian archeheritike banished from Constantinople fled into Araby, and asociating himself unto Mahumet's familiarity, an ill master and governor with a most filthy and abominable scholar was soon united together, he was a prater and full of words, bold, rash, impudent, subtle, crafty, and in all things agreeing with Mahumet, who now was waxed mighty, and could help at a pinthe, and whose name began to be famous and so at the length the runagate found a filthy privy and dungeon of all wickedness. Whom his unhappy master taught Nestorians madness, and persuaded him to expulse and remove the christians and their priests from Damascus, Syria, & Arabia, and so to corrupt the judaical law and deprave the Christian faith: it cannot well be rehearsed by how many crafty and subtle means this most unfaithful Apostata and runneagate hath deceived and seduced the people. Now Mahumet being taught all kind of ungraciousness of his detestable Master, through intemperant living and continual drunkenness, 
Mahumet had the falling evil,  fallen at the length into the falling sickness, the which his wife could not well suffer for the often coming thereof. Wherefore the old dissembling knave to deliver himself from that infamy, doth hide and cloak his disease: saying it to be the marvelous brightness of Gabriel the angel & messenger of God, of whom he being put in that trance did receive and learn most secret & strange things, and that he was not able to abide the presence of him: with a manifest lie be affirmed it. O my dear and well-beloved wife he saith, marvel not that this cometh to me when I conceive the spirit of God himself, who suggesteth to me things to come, and to make me privy of many matters, he cometh often to me. The fame hereof was spread abroad immediately, and he was openly called the prophet of God, the which opinion he increased with a new art & craft by the instruction of his master Sergius. For he accustomed and taught a Dove to be fed, and fetch meat at his ears, the which dove his most subtle and crafty master called the holy ghost. 
A Dove.  He preached openly and made his brags like a most lying vilvens that this dove did show unto him the most secret counsel of God, as often as the simple fowl did fly unto his dares for nourishment. His wife being now dead left him her heir and all that she had, so that he increased in wealth & authority daily, and began to make a ne●● Law by the help of his master S●●g●●s and certain jews his companions, borrowing s●me things of the Hebrews, and some things of the christians discipline, he did writ in a certain volume all the laws of his new sect, that which ●ookes name is Alcoran: that koke no● many years ag●e hath come into p●int: A●d that he might the more craftily deceive his people and nation given ●o the bellyeane to sleep, he brought up ●nd fed a certain Bull which was used only to take food at the hands of Ma●●met, he bound a book betwixt his ●ornes and the simple people looking about, with an high voice, 
A Bull.  he called the Bull out of a ●ecrete place, and when he with his babbling tongue had uttered madye things concerning his laws, suddenly the Bull start forth and overthroweing many in his haste you comings, he ●ayeth down the book in the hands of Mahumet as it had been a gift sent from heaven. The which he receiving with much honour, did immediately interpret many things out of it to the people, and with this forged and subtile devise, he named himself a Prince, and Sergius a prophet: For the dove brought a paper about her neck written with golden letters, in this manner. Whosoever shall put the yoke on the bulls neck, let him be king. Sergius brought the yoke and gave it to Mahumet, who did easily put it on the bull, and by and by he was called king of the simple people, thinking these things to be done by God's providence, and that he took the book no other wise. In this book they are commanded to be circumcised not for any religion, but for mere superstition, or else as some say that no filth should remain under the skin of the yard when they did wash and bathe them There was also commanded abstinence of wine and flesh, 
Wine.  that he might the more easily cloak his disease who felt himself oppressed with wine of late, for wine taken more excessively and intemperantly in stopping the passages of the brain, that no respiration may be had, doth breed & nourish the falling sickness, and swines flesh maketh gross humours wherewith obstruction of the brain cometh quickly, and many other diseases springeth thereof. The Book of Alcoran commaunde●● also the fasting of one month wherein a man may eat at the night long so the daily abstinence is recompensed with night surfeiting. Mahumet appointed also because he would have his law to disagree from the Christians and Hebrews that the friday should be consecrated as holy day, because he was made king up on that ●aye and also would not agreed with any other sect. For the same cause do the Turks also turn them into the south, at their prayers against the manners of other nations. He hath also granted to every man four wives ●f his own kindred: but concubines and bond women bought it is lawful for every man to have as many as he can keep, so that they may forsake them and make a divorce as often as they list, and this was done to draw the common sort and rude multitude unto him more easily. He taught also that the pleasures of the body did not hinder the happy life to come, and he promised to the observers of his law, a paradise & gar●den of all pleasures, wherein they should ●se their most desired joys and all kind of pleasures, as maidens most beautiful adorned, and the embracings of Angels and all other kinds of pleasures that any man would desire, with the which subtle craftiness, be led the people flexible of their own nature whither he would, because he promised all kind of libidinous pleasures. He reprehended the jews, for that they denied Christ to be born of the virgin, seeing that the prophet through divine inspiration did prophecy the same He reproved the Christians of foolishness because they did believe jesus to be born of the virgin and to have suffered all contumely and punishment of the jews patiently: for asmuch as that body conceived by Gods inspiration, was made unpassible, and also seeing that Christ did ascend into the heavens, and judas was crucified in his place.  
The Turks admit only three prophets Mahumet their law giver, Moses the prophet of the Hebrews, & Christ whom they deny to be God. Mahumet made a ●●rsed law, that if any man should dispute against his mysteries, that he should suffer death for it, in the which law he hath manifestly taught, that there is no sincere or good thing in Alcoran, the which he goeth about to defend by the sword only. Thus with Sergius he made this book full of wickedness & corrupted the true scriptures with counterfeit interpretations, and that he might be accounted the prophet and conservator of both Testaments, he flattered the christians in this that he was baptised o● Sergius, and commanded his people to be washed often for the expiation of their offences. He followed also the jews, in that, that he appointed circumcision, and abstinence from swines flesh, and yet in deed he did disagree from both. For circumcision which is commanded to be the eight day, extendeth to the very full & complete age, and baptism that taketh away spiritual filthiness which aught not to be reiterate, is daily of them reiterate.   

The manners of the Assyrians.  
THe Assyrians feed upon Dates, whereof they make both wine, and honey. They keep their hear long and bind it up with hear laces and fyllets. They anoint themselves with fine ointments before they go abroad  
Of their laws which they used this ●●e is memorable, that their maidens and virgins being ripe for men, were ●rought into some open place, & there were set to be sold yearly for them that would mary any wives, and first of all the most beautiful ware set to sale. They which had not so comely beauty so that no man would buy them nor scantly take them freely, were bestowed in matrimony with that some of money which was gathered of the selling the fair maids.  
They had no use of physicians, but ther● was a law amongst them that if anya did fall sick, he should ask counsel o● those that had been visited and trouble● with the same sickness. Some say that thei● sick folks were carried abroad, and tha● by the law they which had been sick a● any time, should visit such as were no● sick, and teach them by what means ● remedies especially they were delivered from their sickness. They had for thei● priests, men of great knowledge in Astronomy, who could faithfully interpret dreams, and monstrous things, and these were not taught nor learned abroad, but the children took their discipline and learning, as inheritance from their parents. With long and ancient observation of the stars they did prognosticate to mortal men many things to come, they did attribute great strength to the planets, but other especially to Saturn. They therefore told many things to princes, as to Alexander his victory which he had against Darius, and to divers other in like manner.   

The manners of the Persians'.  
THe Persians' would not wash them in any river, nor never make urine in the water, nor cast any car casse therein, nor so much as spit in it, for they did most religiously reverence the water. Their kings they always created of one family, and he that did not obey the king lost his head and his arms, & was cast away unburied. They had many wives for the increase of their stock, and many concubines also, they gave great rewards to them that had got many children in one year. The children after they were born, came not into their Father's sight, for five years space, but were kept amongst women, for this cause: if any died in the bringing up, the father should take no grief of the loss. Their marriages were solemnized about the tenth day of March. From five years of age until they were xxiiii. they learned to ride to cast the dart, to shoot, and especially t● speak well. They did practise to pass o●uer brooks and waters, to suffer heat 〈◊〉 cold. They continued in harness and i● moist garments, they fed upon acorns field pears, after their exercise they ha● very hard bread, & water for their drink● Their beds and cups were adorned am●●gest the common sort with gold & silver They never consulted of any great marsters but in the midst of their banquets thinking that to be a more surer consu●●tacion, than that which was had of s●●ber men. 
A dunken parliament  Familiars and such as were ●● acquaintance when they met, they kiss together, they which were of a base ca●●ling, did worship him that they met wit● all. They buried dead bodies in the groū● enclosing them in wax. They thought it an heinous offence to laugh or spit ●●●fore the prince. Some say that they ca●●ryed their dead bodies out of the city, there laid them in the fields to be d●●uoured of dogs, and fowls of the air. They would not have the bones of dea● bodies to be buried or reserved: and when any dead body was not immediately consumed of dogs or wild Beasts, they thought it an ill sign, and that he was a man of an unclean mind, and therefore not to be worthy to be in Hell, and his next friends did marvelously lament him, as one that had no hope of happiness after this life, but if he were quickly devoured of Beasts, they thought him happy. The Emperor of the Persians' is at this day called the Sophy, who with his noble acts getteth great Empire, and glory.   

Of the Panther and Tiger.  
THe Panther is a beast like unto ● Lybarde, he hath variety of colours and is very fierce and wild, so that some call him a dog wolf, and yet he is gentle enough if he be filled. He sleepeth three days, and after the third day, he washeth himself and crieth out, and with a sweet cent that cometh from him, he gathereth all wild beasts together which are led and moved with his savour, and he is friendly to all wild beasts saving the Dragon and serpent. The she Panther is said to be a beast differing from the male, because she is cruel and full of spots. Some say that all beasts are marvelously delighted with the cent of them, but by their horrible looks they are made a frayed, and therefore hiding their heads, they take and catch other beasts alured with the pleasantness of them, as goats & such like, which being taken with a fond desire of their pleasantness cometh nearer and nearer, but the Lybard leaping out of her den, flieth up on them.  
In Caria and Lybia the panthers be of a good length and some what timorous & not so full of agility in leaping, but they have so hard a skin, that you can hardly pierce it, the female is more common to be found. The Tiger is a beast of a wondered swiftness, it bringeth forth many young, the which many do steal away upon horseback very swift: But when the female seethe her young go, for the males take no care of the young, she runneth headlong searching by smelling. The taker of her young hearing her coming near with raging, casts down one of the young, the which she taketh away with her mouth, and after that she returneth again with marvelous celerity, so that she getteth another, and so the third time, and until that he hath got into a ship, and then she seeing her fierceness frustrate rageth on the banks S. Augustine saith there was a Tiger made tame at Rome in a den. Strabo says Megasthenes writeth that in India amongst the people called Prasii, the Tiger is of double bigness to the Lion, & of such strength, that one being led with four men, if he should catch a mule with his hinder claw, he were able to draw the mule unto him. Some say when she hath lost her young, she is deceived & mocked in the way with a glass, s●t there by the stealer of her young, for she following with her smelling and swift running, & finding the glass thinking herself to have found her young, tarrieth so long in viewing the glass, that he which took her young, hath time enough to escape.   

¶ The conditions and nature of the Parthians.  
THE Parthians have their armies commonly of the greater number of servants and bondmen, as every man is more wealth, so doth he find a greater number of horsemen to the king for his war. They have mavye wives for the avoiding of lechery, and they punish no fault more grievously than adultery: wherefore the women may not come to the Feasts of men, nor in their sight. They eat no other flesh than such as they get by hunting, they be always on horseback, they ride to their banquets and to war, they do merchandise, they common together, they do all common & private affairs sitting on Horse back, their dead bodies are open Prays for fowls or dogs, they have a special care of worshipping the Gods, they have fear full wits, seditious, prattling, and deceitful. Florus writeth that the third battle that the Romans made against the Parthians, they sent a notable strong army, whereof M. Crassus' Consul was lieutenant, a man of wonderful avarice, and unsaturable cupidity of Gold, who warring unfortunately against the Parthians, losing xi legions, as he was flying was taken and slain, his head and right hand was cut of and brought to the king of the Parthians, where in contempt and mockery, gold was melted into his mouth, because he being so desirous of booties and prays refused peace being entreated. Some say the Parthians when they poured in the melted gold into his mouth said: Now drink gold thou that hast always thirsted for Gold, and as yet couldst never be filled with gold. The which saying is also rehearsed of Tomyris the queen of the Massagets in Scythia, 
Tomyris.  who warring with Cyrus the mighty king of the Persians', 
Cyrus.  deprived him of life in the revenging of her sons death, whom he disceitfully killed being sent afore hand. Wherefore she being in a wondered rage after the victory had against Cy●us, caused his head to be cut of and put in a vessel full of blood, saying these words. Thou hast sucked the blood of my son, and also thirsted after mine Cyrus, but I will fill the which blood. Drink now and fill thyself therewith.   

Of the people of Carmania, and those which are called Icthiophagi.  
IN Carmania no man may have a wife before he hath brought the head of his enemy cut of to the king. The king cutteth the tongue thereof into small parts and mingleth it with bread, & afterward giveth it to be eaten to him that brought it and to his familiars, and he is a notable fellow that bringeth many heads.  
The Icthiophagi be so called because they eat fish most commonly and so do their cattle, and they drink rainy and well water. They feed their Fish with beasts flesh. They make their houses of whales bones and oyster shells, of their fish being dried they make bread, putting a little wheat unto it, for they have small store of wheat. It is read of this nation that many of them going naked all their lives have their wives and children in common like unto beasts, that have no difference of honesty and dishonesty.   

Of the property of suudrie Nations.  
THE Tauroscithes be contentious people inhabiting the woods, doing sacrifice to the Devil. Such enemies as they take they cut of their heads and set them upon an high pole in the tops of their houses. There be also in this part of Asia certain people that have their women in common, ●and some so rude and beastly, that they eat man's flesh obeying no laws. There be others called Agrippaei which are bald from their nativity aswell men as women.  
And another kind of people also ●alled Issedones, with whom the use is, when any man's father dieth, all his kinsfolks bringeth cattle and killeth them, and cutteth and mingleth the flesh of them, with the flesh of the father of him that receiveth them to this banquet, & so they make a feast with these sundry kinds of flesh together, they scour and make clean the head of him that is dead, and use it as an image offering sacrifice and ceremonies unto it yearly: this doth the son to the father, and the father to the son.   

Of the Tartarians.  
THE Tartarians are most deforme● of all men, their bodies are but small, their eyes be gross and bolstringe out, their faces be broad and without hear, saving that in their over lip and the chin they have thin and moisye hear, they be commonly small in the middle, they shave their heads from one ear to another, by the top of the crown to the hinder part and in the other part keeping long hear like unto a woman, whereof they make two. folds and windings, and bind them both behind the ears: and so be all other shaven that tarry amongst them. They be good horsemen and ill footmen, & therefore none goeth on foot, but rides either on horseback or upon some ox. They have a glory to hung good sounding bells about their horse necks. When they drink they power it in until they be drunken, 
Drunkenness taken for a glory  the which is is a great praise amongst them. They have no bread nor use any baking, nor table clotheses nor towels, they use no handkirchiefs, nor never wash their hands, body nor apparel. They eat no potherbs nor pulse, but only the flesh of all kind of living things, as cats, dogs, horse, and all kind of great mice. They roast the bodies of such as they take in war to show their cruelty and desire of revenging, and where many metes together at the eating of them, they tear them with their teeth like wolves, and drink the blood thereof, which they reserved afore in cups, otherwise they drink cows milk. One of them eateth the lice from another's head, saying: thus will we do to our enemies. It is an heinous thing with them to suffer any drink to be lost or any meat, and therefore they caune no bones to dogs before that the marry be taken away, and many other things are reported of them which Munster setteth forth more at large. In war they have sword of a yard in length, their horsemen are very skilful in shooting, their princes never enter into war but standing a ●ar of, they cry unto their own company and exhort them if they see any thing needful. They carry their wives and their children, because their wives be attired like to men, and also images of men on horseback to their wars that they might seem a great number and more terrible to their enemies. They think no shame nor ignominy in flying, if it be necessary and expedient so to do. If they get the victory they spare none, neither women, nor children, nor old folks, they slay all saving crafts men and artificers whom they reserve to their uses. They are very incontinent, and therefore they take as many wives as they will, and may sustain, and they except none, but the mother, the daughter, and sister, & yet they be much given to the Sodomitical sin  
They do not make account of any woman as of their wife, nor yet think her worthy of dower before that she hath brought forth a child, and therefore they may refu●e her which is barren and take another. They which are taken in adultery both man and woman are put to death by the law. Every wife hate her mansion, her own family and liveth very chastened. This nation observeth many superstitions No man make the urine in his mansion, but if he doth he is slain without pity, if necessity compelleth him, than his ten and all things therein are purged with fire after a curious sort. When they choose and elect their prince, they meet together in a fair field, and then they set him in a golden throne and chair, to whom the kingdom is due, either by succession or by election, and falling down before him they cry all after this sort, with one consent and a loud voice. We beseech, we will and command that thou bear rule ●uer us. He answereth: If you will have ●his done of me, it is necessary that you ●e ready to do all that I shall command: when I call, to come, and whither soever I sand to go, and to commit and put the whole rule into our hands, When they ●aue answered we be ready. He saith again: Therefore my word shallbe my ●worde, and all the people clap their han●es with great rejoicing. Then the noble men take him from the regal seat, and make him to sit softly upon a cushion or ● clot laid upon the ground, saying thus: Look up and acknowledge God, & look ●ownwarde to the cushion where thou sittest, if thou dost well govern and rule, thou shalt have all things according to thy desire: but if thou dost ill rule us, thou shalt be brought so low and so bore, that this small cushion wherein thou sittest shall not be left thee, at the which saying they adjoin unto him his dearest & best beloved wife, and lifting them both up with the cushion, they salute him Emperor of all Tartarians and her the Empress.  
Then to such as be present of other nations, he commandeth gifts to be given dute of hand. There is also all the treasure and jewels which the late deceased Emperor left, where with this new Emperor rewardeth every noble man, and that which remaineth he commandeth to be kept to his own use. In his hands and power all things be, and no man dare say this is mine, or his. No man aught to tarry in any part of the land but where he is assigned. His seal that he useth hath those words engraved. God in heaven & Chuithuth Cham on the land the strength of God and Emperor of men. He hath five great robust armies. five Dukes with whose aid he invadeth all that withstand him. He himself speaketh not to strange ambassadors, nor they come at any time into his sight, except that they and their gifts be purged before hand of certain women deputed to that purpose. He giveth his answer by other mean people to whom, when and how long so ever he speaketh, they aught to give ear upon their knees bowed, and so attend that they err not in one word. It is not lawful for any man to change the emperors words, nor to go or do against his mind and sentence by any means.   

Of India.  
IN the country of Ind, they have two summers, their air is most gentle and pleasant & temperate, great fruitfulness of the soil and plenty of waters, and therefore some live an hundred & thirty years especially the Musitanes.  
There be others whose life is longer, there be marvelous great beasts bread in that country, and trees of such height that a man cannot shoot to the top of them, this cometh by the fertility of the soil temperateness of the air, and plenty of waters. Their reeds are of such bigness and length that the space betwixt every knot, may bear three men, sometimes in a little river. There be store of Parrots. It bringeth forth Narde, Cinam, Pepper, Calamus, Aromaticus, & other spices, and also diverse pearl and precious stones. Pliny saith that in the country of Ind, all things are bread of a greater magnitude then in any other country as men, beasts, and trees. The people have a bushy hear, and a special decking with precious stones, they are very diverse in apparel, some wear woollen garments, and some linen, many go naked & some cover their privy parts only. The colour of the body is commonly black, being in their mother's womb, such through the disposition of their parents, they be of a good tall statute and strong They be thrifty in living and very continente from theft. They know no Letters but do all things by memory, and for their simplicity and thriftiness all things have prosperous success, they drink no wine but in sacrifice, they make drink of rice and harlye, their me●te is commonly rice pottage, they give no prerogative to old age except they excel in wisdom. He that is reprehended as a false witness, hath the tops of his fingers cut of, he that depriveth any man of any member, hath the law Talio, that is to loose the like member, and also his hand is cut of. And if any man putteth out the ●ye or cutteth away the hand of an artificer, he loseth his life for it. If any woman killeth a drunken king, she hath her reward to be conjoined with his successor. There be seven special orders amongst the Indians,. The first is of philosophers, which being few in number were preferred before the rest in honour and dignity, they are free from all works, and neither serve any body, nor govern or rule, they take such things of private folks wherewith they do sacrifice, and they have a care of the dead, & especially kn●w what is done in hell, and therefore many gifts and honour's are bestowed upon them, they profit much to the life of the Indians, for they meet together in the beginning of the year, and foretell drought rain, winds, diseases, and other things the knowledge whereof is profitable, that philosopher which forsheweth any thing that is false, hath no other punishment, but to keep silence forever. The second order is of husbandmen, which exceeding the rest in multitude being free from wars and other works, do only bestow their time in tilling the ground, no enemy offereth any injury to them, because they are thought to be occupied about the common profit, they live in the fields with their wives and children, and come not in to the city, they give tribute to the king, the ●ifte part of their profit. The third order is shepherds, which neither inhabit in cities nor towns, but have their tabernacles and their nets and things for hunting, and these keep the country from the danger of beasts and fowls. The fourth degree is of arti●●cers, whereof some maketh weapons, some other things meet for the countries and other profitable things, these be free from tribute & have their corn from the prince. The fift order is of soldiers exercised in warlike affairs, and they and all their horses and Elephants be maintained by the prince The sixt is of superintendents, who seeing all things that be done in India, make relation thereof to the king. In the seventh order be those that have the rule of common counsels being but a few in number and such as most excel in nobility & wisdom, for of these some be choose to the kings counsel, and to the administration of the common wealth, and to be judges in doubtful cases, Dukes also & captains be choose of them.  
Thus Ind being distribute into these parts it is not lawful for any order to marry with the men's wives of an other order, nor to change his trade of living, nor for the soldier to play the plowghman, nor the Artificer, to meddle in the Philosopher's office. And because Ind, is so great a country, there be many nations discrepant in form and tongue, and manners, for some inhabiting about rivers and lakes do eat raw fish, and others raw flesh, and when any falls sick, his friends kill him saying: that if he should whither and pine away with sickness that his flesh would be corrupt, & although he denieth himself to be sick yet they kill him and make a banquet of him so he that liveth in perfect health to his old age is slain and devoured in like manner. And therefore few of them come to extreme old age. There be some of the Indians that never kill any living thing nor plant nor sow any thing, nor erect any houses but liveth only with herbs, amongst whom when any falls sick he goeth into a desert place, & there dieth, no man taking care either of him dying or being dead, they use natural conjunction together openly like unto brute beasts.   

Of the bragman's.  
THE people called Bragmamni lead a simple life and are not led with any inticementes, they desire no more than very nature doth require, they have plenty of all things for life the which their earth bringeth forth without tillage. Their tables be furnished with wholesome dishes. And therefore they neither know diversities of names in sickness nor their kinds, but they have good health very long. One desireth no help of an other for they live in common, amongst those that are equal, there is no place for envy seeing that none is superior, they have no judgements because they do nothing worthy of correction, their only law is not to do any thing against nature, which nourisheth labour, excludeth no covetousness, and flieth from filthy Idleness. This nation hurteth itself in ●he son, it getteth moisture in the dew, ●t extinguisheth thirst with water. The ground is in steed of beds, carefulness breaketh no sleep, nor pensiveness troubleth not the mind, they dwell in digged caves, upon mountains sides, they feel ●o rage of winds nor tempests, they think themselves better defended in a cave then in an house, from the injury of weather, because their cave hath two uses, one for a mansion place, another for a sepulture or grave, when they die. They have no precious garments, but they cover their members with a thing like paper, rather for shamefastness then otherwise. The women be not trimmed as they please but they are ignorant how to increase beauty more than Nature giveth, ●he man and the woman use natural conjunction, not for libidinous pleasures, but for love of procreation. No parent followeth the funerales of his child, the● have no sepultures in churches for the dead, but in vessels made of precious stones they lay up the ashes of the dead. Their best remedy in Physic is abstinence and sparing which doth not only cure their griefs, 
Abstinence  but also prevent those which might come, they have no common plays nor games, but when they assemble together they read the monuments of things done, wherein if they hear anya thing to be laughed at, they weep, the● are not delighted in old fables, but in the goodly disposition of natural things they learn no eloquence, but have a sim●ple kind of speech, only commanding not to lie.   

Of the Elephant.  
THere be Elephants in Ind, whic● be rery wild and fierce, but the● are easily made tame after this ma●ner. They compass some clean place, ● ●eepe dische of four or five furlongs, ●ey make the entry into it with a very beyght bridge, than set they in three or ●●re females Elephants, which are ●●me, and they themselves lie privily ●atchinge in cottages, in the day time ye●●ld Elephants come not, but in the night ●●me they enter, the which place of the en●●ie the hunters shut and stop privily, af●er this they bring in of their strongest ●me Elephants, to fight with them, be●●des that, they do punish them with fa●iue and lack of meat, and when they ●●e weary with fight, they which are old carterly fellows, privily getteth ●nder the belly of the Elephant and so solenly stealeth under the belly of the wild Elephant, and by these means do chain ●●d fetter them, and after this they move ●heir tame Elephants to beat the wild ●ntil they fall to the ground, and when ●hey are down, they bind their necks, ●ith the necks of the tame Elephants, ●ith such thongs and bindings as oxē●e bond with, and this do they that they ●●uld not cast of such as sit them athey cut ●●eir necks about with raisings & scissures and lay the chains thereon that for p●● they should give place to their chaine● go quietly, of such as are taken they chaput such as are unprofitable, either for ● age or young age and the rest be led i● the stables, and they being bond bo● feet and necks to a pillar to be tanten hunger. After that they be refreshe● grass or green wedes, than they tear● them to be obedient, some with word●● some with singing, and some with dru● be made gentle. The Elephante is ● greatest amongst all beasts, and co●meth nearest to human sense, he hat● some understanding as Pliny says of h● country talk, and especially a reme●●braunce an● obedience of such duties ● he hath learned. If the Elephant by chaū●● killeth any of their keepers in a rage, the● have so great a desire of him afterwards that some for sorrow abstain from mea●● and some do pine themselves to death This bea●t is accustomed when he is 〈◊〉 of feeding to go to sleep and leaning a tree he sleepeth, for he cannot bend hy● knees as other beasts do, the inhabitant perceiving the tree which is worn a● ●●de filthy with the Elephants leaning ●use the same tree to be cut hard by the ●ounde so that it may not fall without ●usting and enforcing, than they put a●y the signs of their own sleps and so ●part quickly before the Elephant cometh to ●●epe. The Elephant coming ●● the evening to his accustomed place of ●●ste, and leaning to the tree with all the ●eight of his body, falls down strait ●ay with the tree even to the earth, so he ●th with his belly upward all night for ●● cannot lift up himself, then cometh ●e inhabitants in the morning and sle●● the beast without danger.  
●he Elephants have such a kind of sham●s●nes, that the male never covereth the ●●male but in secret, and that when the ●●le is five years old, and the female ●● years of age, they bring forth as ●ares do and most commonly about the ●●ing, many of them live almost two hunted years, they have great pleasures in ●od waters, they be most impatient of ●lde, the two teeth which hung outward ●●e so big in the greater Elephants, that ●ey are used oftentimes as posts. And many other things be written of thei● which I thought good to leave oute● tediousness.   

Of the Dragons in India and Ethiop●●  
THE Dragon is the greatest of ● serpent's, and hath sharp teeth ● like a see fashion, he hath great● strength in his tail then in his teeth● hath not so much poison as other serpē● have, if he windeth his tail about an● he s●ea●h him, and the Elephant with ● the bigness of his body is not safe fro● him, for the dragon lurking about colemon paths where the Elephants use go, doth wind and knot his tail abo●● the Elephant's legs, and killeth him● suffocation. He is bread in Ind and Et●●ope. pliny saith in Ethiope there b● Dragons of twenty foot in length, they a● wont xiiii or xv. together with their berdes erected to fly over the sea and grea● waters, for some better food, the drag● poison is only in his tongue and gall. Wherefore the Ethiopes cut away the to● & eat the flesh. Pliny saith that through ●he strength of poison his ●ong is always ●ift up, and some times through the he●te of poison, he inflameth the air so ●hat he seemeth to breathe fire out of his ●outh, and some times when he hisseth ●ith his contagious blast he infecteth y●●ire, so that the pestilence cometh thereof many times. He is some times in the ●aters and lieth often in his den, he sleepeth seldom, but watcheth almost continually, he devoureth beasts and fowls ●is eye sight is very sharp, so that in the ●ountaines he seethe his pray a far of, of ten-times. Betwixt the Elephants and Dragons there is continual war, for the Dragon claspeth about the Elephant wt●er tail, and the Elephant overthroweth ●he Dragon with her feet and snout, the Dragon with the folding of her tail ●wisteth herself about the elephants ●egs and so maketh him to fall.  
The Elephant seeing a Dragon under a ●ree goeth about to break the tree to give ●he Dragon a blow, the Dragon leapeth upon the Elephant and desirous to bite between the nostrils and to make him blind, sometimes the Dragon getteth be hind him biting and sucking his blout with the loss of which blood the Elephant being weakened, after long conflict falls upon the dragon and so dying sleeth his own murderer. The Dragon is very desirous of the elephants blood, for the coldness of it, wherewith she desireth to be cooled. And many other strange serpents are in India as scorpions with wings and such like, of whose natures I omit to writ, because their forms be not known unto us.   

Of the Gryphin in India.  
SOME say there is in India a Gryphin which is a kind of beast, with four feet having wings and as mighty in strength as a lion, with crooked talons, black on the back, and in the forepart Purple, his wings somewhat white, his bill and mouth like an eagles bill, his eyes fiery, hard to be taken except he be young, he maketh his nest in high mountains, and fighteth with every kind o● beast saving the Lion and Elephant, he diggeth up gold in desert places, and giveth a repulse to those that come near him, he maketh his nest of such gold as he finds, and some say that it cannot be taken away without a thousand or two thousand men, and that as well with danger as with gain. Thus much Aeli●nus writeth.   

The notes of a good Horse.  
THere be some that writes, that an horse should not be broken nor tamed before two years of age. But that he is to be rubbed and chafed with flattering and gentle words, and that his stable should be laid with stone, and to use him by little and little to go on the stones, that his feet might be made strong At the beginning let not him that shall sit him or break be to rough, nor weary him with running: let him prove him with turning gently on both sides, and not so much with spurs as with the stick he must touch him: the horse should be of one colour, of a thick main and standing up, of strong loins, of a short head, his neck must be erect and standing up, his ears small according to the proportion of his head, abroad breast, a mean belly, short hips, a large tail and somewhat curled, strait legs, equal knees, steadfast hooves and gross, not big nor small that they be not worn, his legs must be well stuffed with bones and not with flesh, the notes and signs of years, in horses, are changed with their bodies.  
When a horse is two years and a half old, his middle teeth both above and beneath do fall, when he is three years old, he casts those that are like unto dogs teeth, and bringeth forth new, before six years of age his upper double teeth do fall, at the sixt year he supplieth those that he wanteth, at the seventh year all are supplied equally, from that time he hath hollow teeth, and therefore it is hard to discern their ages, at the tenth year the temples begin to wax hollow, and the brows sometimes wax grey, and their teeth stick out. Mares have their full increase in five years, but horses in six years. Xenophon teacheth these properties to be observed in an horse. first to know his age, then if he will take a bry●●l ●r no●● a●ter this if one may sit him, then if he will cast him that sitteth on him and if he will fly or run away being let loose, or if he may be soon taken, or if he being smitten with a stick will go the swifter or not.   

Of certain monstrous people in India.  
Many are found in India both men women and beasts full of hear, & with leaves and moss on them, which cometh of the great heat that there is. Pliny says that the inhabitants of this country be coloured with the son, and there by come to certain blackness like unto the Ethiopes, not because they are outwardly so black through the adustion of the son, but naturally in their blood there is an inclination to blackness, the which the heat of the son doth seem to double. Our ancestors have feigned many monsters in this country, as people with heads like unto dogs armed only with ●ayles, clothed with hides & skins, having no kind of man's speech but only a kind of barking. There be some that live at the fountain of Ganges, which take no benefit by meat but live only by the savour of wild apples, and when they go far they carry them for their maintenance, and live by the smell and savour of them. If they come into any filthy or stinking air, they must needs die, and it is said that some of them were seen in the tents and army of Alexander.  
We read also that there be certain people with one eye in India, and some to have so great ears that they hung down even to the feet, and many to have but one foot, and that so great that when they lie down on their backs and would keep them from the son, the shadow of that only leg doth comfort them. It is read also that there is a nation which hath grey hears in youth, the which in age waxeth black, and also men say there is an other kind of women which conceive at five years of age, but they live not above eight years, there be some that lack necks and have eyes in their shoulders, there be wild men also with beads like unto dogs, with a rough and hairy body which make a terrible hissing, but these and such like are not to be credited and taken for truth, except great reason can persuade that such may be and experience can prove the same. It is also thought that there is a certain people called Pygmeis which be never in peace but when the crane's with whom they have continual wars, 
Pygmies.  fly into other countr●●s, these Pygmeis are short men of stature inhabiting in the extreme part of the mountains of India, where is a wholesome & good air, who exceed not xxvii inches in stature. For Pygmeis' as much to say as a cubit. These Pygmeis' fight with Cra●es, but they have the foil, the report goeth that they sit upon the backs of rams or goats, and have arrows for their weapons, and so in the spring time with a great army they come to the sea, & there consume the Crane's eggs and young one's, and that this expedition is made in three months, for otherwise they were not able to resist the crane's, their cottages be made of clay, feathers, and egg shells But of the nature of Cranes the authors writ in this manner. 
Cranes●  When the Cranes take a flight, they consent together & fly very high for to mark and behold, they chose a captain and guide whom they follow, in the later end of the company they have those that may cry, and may lead the whole flock with their voice, they have their watches every night by turn which hold a stone in their feet which falling from those that are weary, for lack of sleep argueth & reproveth their negligence by sound, the other sleeve with their bills and heads under their wings standing upon each feet by course, the guide looketh forth with his neck straight forward and forsheweth things to come. When they are made tame they wax lascivious, and run and fly in round compasses with shaking their wings.  
See more strange things in Munster concerning this matter.   

Of the Ants of India.  
MEga●thenes writeth of the Ants in India after this sort, there is an hill of three thousand furlongs in compass in India, and many gold mines therein, the which are kept with ants as big as foxes, getting their living with a marvelous celerity in hunting, 
Ants as big as foxes.  they dig and s●rape the earth that bringeth forth gold, and heapeth it up at the hole of their dens, the which merchants do prive lie steal away, laying flesh for a bait to stay the ants if perhaps they should mark them. This is thought of many to be a fable, and there fore I leave it at large to judge of it as you think best.   

Of Indian Apes.  
ABout the mountains called Emodii there is a great wood full of great Apes, the which as the Macedonians did see standing as it were thick together upon the hills, and having weapons like men of war, for that kind of beast cometh as near to human subtility as Elephants do, they would have set upon them as enemies, had not the inhabitants of the country been present and showed unto Alexander that it was nothing but an assemble of apes, which contend to imitate such things as they see, & so that battle was turned to laughing. Apes are taken after this manner they that hunt apes, set dishes full of water in the sight of the apes, and therewith they anoint and wash their eyes, and suddenly with as privy speed as they can, they take away the water and set pots with bird-lime, and such like stuff in stead there of, the apes perceiving them anointing their eyes, being given to follow all things, come down immediately from the trees, and thinking to do as the men did, they daub and anoint their eyes and mouths with bird-lime, and so are they easy to be made a pray and taken alive. They use also an other trade to take them They take buskins and put them on in the sight of the apes and so depart, leaving others anointed inwardly with birdelyme and and such like, and some what hairy that the fraud might not appear the which the apes plucking upon their legs are so snared and entangled with it, that they cannot escape the hands of the hunters. There is in India also dogs of such courage, that two of them can master a Lyon.   

Of the Diamond stone.  
THe Diamonds be found amouge●● the metals of India, Ethiope, Araby, Macedony, Cyprus, and m●ny other places. The Indian Diamond shines with a more orientnes than the others. There is one kind of this stone that is somewhat of an iron colour, and differeth not much from a crystal in colour, for commonly it is somewhat white, but it is harder than crystal, so that if it be laid upon the Smiths' anvil and most vehemently beaten with an hammer, rather the anvil and the hammer will bre●ke asunder then that will be divided into parts, and it doth not only refist the blows of iron, but also the heat of fire, so ●hat it will not melt or give place thereto, for if we may give credit to Pliny, it ●il never wax warm, and that because ●t cannot be more pure than it is, for it is ●euer contaminate. But yet the strange hardness of this stone, is made so soft with ●he warm blood of a Lion, or a Goat, ●hat it may be broken. In scalding lead 〈◊〉 taketh such heat that it may be dissolved: but this hardness is not in every Diamond, for that which is of Cyprus or called Syderites, may be broken with a maitet, and pierced through with an other Diamond. The Diamond doth deprehend and detect poison and maketh the working thereof frustrate, and therefore it is be●tre● of Princes, and had in great● price and estimation.   

Of Cal●chu● the famous Mart of India.  
THe compass of the city of Cale●chut is the space of six thousand buildings, which be not joined together as our houses be, but are separate a good space a sunder, the length of the city is a thousand paces, their houses be very low, so that they are not above the height of a man on horse back from the ground, they be covered in the top with voughes and branches of trees commonly. Their king is addict to the worshipping of devils. He do●the not deni● God to be the maker of heaven and earth and the first cause and author of things, but the saith that God appointed the office of judgement to an ill spirit and to do right to mort●l men, and this spirit they call Deumo. The king hath the picture of this devil in his chapel, sitting with a diadem an his head, like unto the bishops of a Rome, but this diadem hath four hor●es about, and this picture gapeth with a wide mouth showeth four teeth. It hath a deformed nose, grim and terrible eyes, a threatening countenance, crowed fingers, with talons and feet much like vn●o a cock, they that look upon this horrible monster, are suddenly a afraid, it is so loathsome and terrible a thing to behold. About the church are painted devils, and in every corner Satan is made of brass sitting, with such workmanship that he seemeth to cast flames of fire for the consuming of souls miserably, & in his right hand the picture of the devil, putteth a soul to his mouth, and with his left hand it reacheth another. Every morning their priests do cleanse this Idol with rose water and other sweet waters, and they perfume it with divers sweet things falling down and worshipping 〈◊〉. They put the blood of a cock weekelye in a silver vessel filled wi●h burning coals and a great number of sweet perfumes, and taking a cens●r they make it redolent with frankincense, and have a little silver bell ringing all the while. And the King eateth no mea●e before that iiii. priests have offered unto the devil somewhat of the kings dishes. The king at his dinner ●●tteth on the ground without any clot under hint, and the priests standeth round about him as he sitteth, neue● coming nearer him, their within four pa●●s marking the kings words most reverently, when he hath done eating y● 〈…〉 ●he relicques of the kings meat to young crows and birds, to be eaten, which fowl is an heinous thing to ●●ll, and therefore they ●lye every wherein safety. When the 〈◊〉 marrieth a wife ●e ●seth not to go to be● unto her, before th●t this new married wife hath been decoloured of the most worthy priest. For this whoredom the king giveth him as a reward five hundred crowns.  
The pryestes are in the first order of estimation with them, than senators which bear a sword and a buckler, a bow and a javelin, when they go abroad. thirdly they esteem artificers. Fourthly fishers. fifthly merchants for wine, pepper, & acorns, Last of all such as sow and gather rice. They have no great respect of apparel but to cover their privy parts, they go barefoot and barehead. When the king is dead, if there be any males alone etherchyldrens, brethren, or brother's children, they succeed not in the kingdom but the siners' son by their law must have the sceptre, and if there be no such than he succeedeth in the crown which is nearest of consangninitie, and this is for none other cause, but because the priests have deflowered their queen.  
When the king goeth forth into some strange country, or to hunt, the priests keep the queen company at home, and nothing can be more acceptable to the king then that they should be acqueynted with the queen, in venereous acts, and therefore the king knoweth for a certainty that those children which he hath by his wife cannot be accounted his children, but he taketh his sister's children as most near unto him in lawful cons●guinitye, and taketh them heirs to the crown.  
The merchants keep this order, such wives as they have, they may change them in the colour of a better conjunction, and the ●●e saith to the other, seeing tha● you have been my best friend let us change our wives, 
Change of wives.  upon that condition that you may have mine and I may have yours. Then says the other: say you so in earnest, yea: saith he by Pollux. Then ●ayth his fellow let us go home to my house, whether when they are come the one claimeth the others wife, saying: come hither woman and follow this man because from hence forth he shallbe thy husband, than the woman saith do you speak in earnest, to whom her first husband says I do not mock, than the woman saith, gladly I will follow him. And this is the way of changing their wives. There be some women in this country that may marry seven husbands, and lie with them every night by course, and where she is delivered of a child she may choose to which of her husbands she will father her child, so that the man may not refuse it by any means. Many other strange things is rehearsed of this nation, the rehearsal whereof were very tedious here. There is much Pepper growing in this country of Calechut, 
Pepper.  the stalk of pepper is but weak somewhat like to a vine stalk so that it cannot grow without a prop, it is not much unlike to ivy, for it windeth and creepeth as that doth, and with a more deep clasping it windeth about the tree, this hath many branches three handful long. They gather it in October and November being green as yet and lay it on tiles in the son, to be dried wherein three days space it waxeth black even as we have it.  
Ginger groweth in Calechut, but much is brought out of Cravonor, thither, 
spices.  Cinnamon is in the Isle of Zaylon fifty German miles beyond Calechut. Pepper groweth in the fields of Calechut, but great store is brought out of Corimucol twelve. miles beyond Calechut Cloves are gathered in a place called Meluza a little from Calechut. Nutmegs grow in Melaccha which is a great way from Calechut. Musk or Castoreum cometh from the country of Pego which is an hundred miles from Calechut. Pearl and precious stone are found about the city of Ormus, and sent to Calechut the general mar● of all the East parts. And many other spices silks and strange things are brought from these countries into ours.   

Of the bridges in Singui and Quinsai.  
THere be numbered in the City of Singui about six thousand bridges of stone, having so large arches that great ships may pass through without bending of the mast. There is another city called Quinsay in Asia which containeth in the circuit of it above an hundred Italian miles which make xxv German miles, it is thought to be the greatest and most notable city in the world It hath twelve thousand bridges of stone so high and large, that a ship may pass upright through them.   

Of certain illusions of Devils about Tangut.  
THere is seen and heard about the deserts of Tangut in the day time and more commonly in the night divers illusions of devils. Therefore travelers that way aught to take good heed that they saver not their companies, and lest any coming behind might hinder them, for, otherwise they shall soon lose the sight of their companions for the hills and mountains. There be herded the voices of spirits and devils, which going solitarily will call others by their names, feigning and counterf●yting the voices of their companions, the which, if they can by any means, do lead men out of the way to destruction There be hard some times in the air the consents & harmony of music instruments. There be many worshippers of Idols, and they attribute much honour to the devils.  
When their wives have a son, they commend him to some Idol, & in the honour of it that year, the father keepeth up a ram, the which a year after the nativity of the child, at the next feast of that idol, he offereth with his son, and ma●ye other ceremonies. When the sacrifice is done, they bring the flesh which was offered to some certain place, and all his kinsfolks gathered together, do eat of that with great devotion, keeping the bones reverently in some vessel. In this country is found a Serpent called Salamandra, 
Salamandra.  which liveth in the fire without any damage, those serpents are used for the making of such clot as may suffer the fire without any corruption or harm, or else when any spot cometh to any garment, made of the hears of a Salamander, it may be cast for an hour in the fire, 
Garments, that will not be consumed with fire.  and all the spots will be go, no otherwise then if they had been very clean washed.   

Of the Cockatrice.  
THere is in Africa a kind of Serpent called a Cockatrice, which hath a white spot in his head, having the fashion of a Diadem. His head is very sharp, his mouth read, his eyes somewhat black in colour, as Pliny says with his hissing he driveth away all kind of serpents. He destroyeth with his breath young trees and plants, consumeth herbs, break the stones, and infecteth the air where he tarrieth, so that a bird can not fly over that air or through it without danger of death. Yet it is said that the poison of a Weasel is his destruction. Achanus saith that he hath so sharp poison that exceeding not in length a man's hand, yet he extinguisheth every great serpent with his only breath. There is not a more hurtful or more pestilent beast upon the earth, for this lying in his den may destroy a whole city by infection.   

Of the Crocodile.  
THe Crocodile is found commonly about the water of Nilus & Ganges in India, and waxeth of a little thing to a very great beast. For his eggs are much like unto goose eggs, but the young which cometh of them taketh increase to sixteen or eighteen cubits in length he liveth almost as long as a man, he lacketh a tongue, his body is marvelously defended of nature, for all his back is full of scales and wondered hard, his tail is long, he hath many teeth on both sides of his mouth, whereof two do especially hung out, he doth not only devour man, but also other earthly beasts coming near to the water, he dismembreth them with his nails, which he hath sharper than any weapon. His biting is cruel and sharp, and he so rendeth with his teeth, that it can never be healed, there is great store of them about Nilus, because they are very fruitful of themselves, having young every year, and also they are seldom taken. It is a fearful beast flying from those that persecute him, and persecuting those that fly away from him. It is said that when he goeth about to devour a man that he beginneth to weep, where of hath sprung this proverb. The tears of a Crocodile: that is when one doth weep with his eyes without compassion, and not with his heart and mind.  
pliny saith that this beast only in his ●yting doth move his upper jaw, he liveth in the day ty●e upon the land, and in the night time in the water, his eyes be very dull in the water, and his sight is ●erueylous sharp out of the water.  
●ome say that he groweth and increaseth as long as he liveth.   

Young fowls hatched and brought forth without the dams, and females.  
FOelix Vlmen●is and Britenbachius writeth in their books of common peregrination and travail, that in Alexandria and in Egypt, there be Ovens made full of holes, where in are laid three or four thousand eggs, some of geese some of hens, some of pigeons, some of ducks, and that they are hidden and covered in dung, and that hot coals are set a far of about the dung, so the through the temperate heat of these things, the eggs by little and little wa●e warm in the dung even as it were under the hen. And at length the young are hatched & brought forth, so that they come by flocks out of the dung, and from thence are taken and led a broad to be fed at liberty.   

The Rites and Manners of the Egyptians.  
THere Egyptians were almost the first in the world, whereof other nations learned and took their laws, wisdom, manners, and living, and we read that for learning sake Homer, Dedalus, Solon Plato, and many other went thither.  
For although they were gentiles & not believing on God, yet they studied much for honesty and goodness, and with their honest conversation did allu●e strangers and good men to come unto them, and to learn that which they could not find in other places. Their women in times past did use merchandise and all things appertayni●ge to chapmen, the men did weave and spin within the house, and cadye burdens on their heads, the which the women did use to hear on their shoulders, the m●n did make ●ryne s●ttyng, but the women ●id contrary. They did discharge their bellies at home, b●t their banquets they kept in high ways, they moulded br●●d with their feet, and stired their clay with their ●andes. They did use to write after the Hebrew fashion beginning their letters on the right hand. When any of them met together at dinner or supper, before they departed, there came in one that brought a picture of a dead man, upon a staff made of wood of a cubit length or somewhat more, and showed it to every one of the gests, saying: behold and look upon this, drink and be refreshed with pleasure, for such one shalt thou be after thy death. Their laws were such, that perjured men lost their lives, as thought they had been guilty of two offences: the one of violating piety towards God, the other of breaking faith and promise amongst men, which is the surest knot of human society. If any traveler found any man beaten of thieves and would not help him if he could he should be found culpable of death, if he were not able to help him, he was bound to detect the thieves, and to follow the action against them: and ●e that did neglect to do this, was punished with certain stripes, and kept without meat for three days. If any father killed his sonne● there was no punishment of death appointed but for three day's and night's concti●ually he was commanded to be about the dead body, for they thought it no just thing to take away life from him that gave life to his children, but rathe● that he should be punished with continual pain and repentance of his fact, that others might fear to do the like. Parricides they ●aused to be burned upon an heap of thorns, and such as uttered any secrets to their enemies, they caused their tongues to be cut out. And they that did counterfeit or clip money had both their hands cut of so that with what part of the body the offence was made, with the same he should tolerate punishment. If any had violated a free woman, his natural parts were cut of, because in one fault he committed three heinous things, that is an injury, corruption and confusion of children. He that was taken in voluntary adultery had a thousand stripes with rods, and the woman was mangled upon the nose. The priest's could have but one wife, but the laity as many as they could keep.  
The bringing up of their children was with small cost, for it came not unto the charge of twenty groats the 〈◊〉 education to their full ●ge, and this is not to be● m●rueyled at, because Egipte is a hot country, and therefore they live naked without any kind of garment, and they feed upon rotes, the which they eat sometimes raw, and sometimes roasted, in embers. The priests did teach their children especially Geomatrie, and Arythmeticke. They did drive away sickness either with fasting or with vomit, the which they used every third day. Their opinion was that all diseases came of superfluity of meats, and therefore that to be the best cure, which took away the matter and causes. Many other strange things are at large sei forth of this nation by Munster.   

Of the Ostrydge.  
THE Oystridge found especially in Africa, his head is covered with small hears, his eyes be gross and black, his neck is long, his bill is short and sharp, his feet hath as it were a bipartite ●oofe. Pliny faith that he exceedeth the ●right of a man on horseback, & that his wings help him little. But with his nails which are like hooves, he taketh stones and throweth against those which persecute him: he doth digest whatsoever he devoureth be it never so hard. He is of a marvelous foolishness, for if he hath once hidden his head under a bush he thinketh himself safe and not to be seen. It is said to be a simple and forgetful thing, & that as soon as it hath brought fort eggs, it forgetteth them, until the young cometh forth, which is thought to be easily done, because they leave the eggs in the warm sands, so that the young may soon be hatched, the which the males do feed and cherish when they are brought forth.  
When he seethe that he cannot avoid taking, he casts stones against his followers, and many times hurteth them. His nest is commonly found in the ●and well made with bulwarks and banks, to keep away ray●e from the young.   

Of the Empire of Cathay.  
THe Empire of Cathay is ruled by the great Cham. With this nation one man may have many wives, & when the husband dieth, every wife pledeth her own cause before the judges, & showeth her merits, so that which of them so ever is adjudged to have been the most officious and dearest wife to her husband, she in her best apparel and with all her jewels, as though she had got the victory of the other, goeth willingly and merely unto the heap of wood where her husband shall be burned, and lying down by his carcase and embracing it the fire is kindled, and so she is burnt with her husband: the other of his wives after this live in great shame and obloquy. They match not together for wealth or nobility, but for excellency of beauty and procreation sake. The people of Cathay have this opinion that they think no other nation to see with both eyes but themselves, they are persuaded also that they excel all other in subtility of arts and sciences. It is a white kind of people, without beards, of small eyes, and lacking true piety and due obeisance to God: for some of them worship the Son, some the moon, others certain immages of metals, and other some an ox, so that they be full of monstrous superstition. The Emperor keepeth his court at his city called Cambalu, which is the noblest mart in that part of the world, for there is almost never a day through out the year, but that a thousand cart loads of silk almost are changed and brought there amongst merchants. The Emperor keepeth in his court twelve thousand horsemen to keep his body. Their order of watching is thus. One captain with three thousand guardeth the king within the Palace for three days, and so doth another, other three days following, & thus they keep their courses. When the Emperor sitteth down to meat, he hath his principal and greatest queen on his left hand, and his children which be of royal blood on his right hand in a lower place. No man that sitteth down in this hall, drinketh or is served in any other vessel but of Gold, the princes and noble men that serve the king at his meat, cover their mouths with most fine silk clotheses, lest they should breathe upon the kings meat or drink, and when the Emperor taketh the pot to drink, all the musicians begin to make great melody, and the others ministers bend their knees. Moore of this nation you shall find in the great book of Munster's cosmography.   

Of the Cannibals.  
THE Cannibals are wild people feeding upon man's flesh which is a very sweet kind of flesh. If they get or find any children within the age of fourteen years, they feed them & cram them as we do Capons, but those which are beyond fourteen years of age, they kill them out of hand, devouring their hot guts immediately, and the other parts of their bodies they salt and lay up as we do powdered flesh, they eat no women but keep them only for the bearing of children, as we do hens for eggs.  
If any for age is past child bearing, she doth all drudgery like unto a bond woman they have no houses, but they erect many trees together, and so combine them in the top that it serveth for lodging. Their beds be made of silk and hay, they have no iron, but they use bones instead of iron they dress their meats in earthen pots, mingling the flesh of Parats, geese, ducks and man's flesh together. They are now come to moor civility than they had in times passed.   

Of the Lyon.  
Lions live in many countries, in Africa they have a cruel and terrible look, and thine hears. Pliny thinketh that his especial valiencye is, when his main covereth his neck and shoulders● In Africa for the scarcity of waters many wild beasts meet together at some one puddle, where, females and males of diverse kinds use natural conjunction, whereof cometh monstrous young. Ar●stotle saith that the she Lion hath at her first generation five young and that every year after she bringeth forth less by one● until she wax barren and that her young are without shape or fashion, about the bigness of a weasel.  
Herodotus and Gellius thinketh the contrary, that she bringeth forth one every year. Democritus saith that this beast only, is bread and brought forth with open eyes, and that he is given to little sleep, as it may appear, because h●s tail is often wagging as he sleepeth. The male Lion maketh urine like unto a Dog, which is strong in savour. The lions drink seldom, they feed every other day, after satiety they be without meat for iii days, they devour such things as they can whole, they live long. The Lion only of all fierce and cruel beasts, showeth clemency towards the humble: for he spareth the prostrate, and when he rageth he useth his violence rather against men than women. He never uttreth his force against infants and children, but being driven with great famine there to. His tail is a note of his mind and stomach, (as the ears be in a horse) for if his tail stirreth not he is gentle and peaceable, that which is a rare thing, for he is most commonly angry. He keepeth his desire of revenging long against any man or bea●● that hath hurt him, being wounded he doth marvelously note and mark him that gave the wound, and in a great multitude will invade him. His bones are sound & not hollow, whereof some writes that out of his bones fire may be stricken as out of stones, and therefore sometimes he is so raging with anger, and in such burning heat that he dieth presently. He is never exasperated nor moved, but either by famine or hurt. This one thing is to be noted in so cruel a beast, that wheels runned about, and empty carts, and the combs, and singings of cocks doth make him a feared, but especially he is a feared of fire.   

Of the People called the Nigrites and others.  
THere is a kind of people nigh unto the confines of the west Arabians called Azaneg●, whose colour is betwixt black and ash colour, they live with barley, and dates, and Camel● milk, and because they are near unto the Nigrites, they feed sometimes upon divers kind of pulse, they be no great feeders, for the scarcity of victuals maketh them to suffer and tolerate much famine. The Portugalls use merchandise with them in these our days.  
They cover their heads with a linen roller, whereof one part hangs down by the forehead, so that they cover all their mouth there with. For they are almost as much ashamed to show their mouths as their privy parts, & therefore they keep their mouths close never opening them except it be to take meat, and that because they would not let any filthy air and vapour to slip out there by. They do greatly esteem fat and corpulent women, and such as have large and fair breasts and dugs.  
Within this country the travail of six days journey will bring a man to a place called Tagaza, from whence is brought much plenty of Salt the which is carried away upon Camels backs into diverse places and especially to the kingdom called Melli. The people called Mellitae be some what beyond the Equinoctial and have most fervent heats, and therefore at certain times in the year their blood is infected, so that if they had no remedy by salt, they could not live by any means, their salt is divided into such lumps, that one salt stone is enough to be born upon one man's shoulders. But when they come to the country called Melli, they load one Camel with two salt stones, as for the po●rer sort that are not able to have Camels they carry their salt upon their shoulders and some upon their heads, and that in such a company, that they seem almost in multitude, like unto an army of men. This salt they bring unto a great water where every one dischargeth his burden of salt upon the land, and maketh greet hylls thereof, leaving a certain sign for the true knowledge of every man's he●pe, this done they depart: and then ●ommethe the Nigrites who will not be known, nor yet talk with any other kind of people, they come near with their ●hips, and where they see and perceive the herpes of salt, they lay great store of Gold nigh unto every heap of Salt, even as they think it convenient for the merchandise, and agreeable to equity for the exchange, and then they depart leaning the gold and salt together.  
The Nigrites which went a far of return again, and every one looketh upon his own heap, and if the gold that was left by it pleaseth him, and seemeth sufficient for the exchange, than he taketh the said gold away, leaving the salt behind him and not minding to return again. If the heap of gold doth not seem unto them sufficient for the exchange of the heap of salt, than they leave both still, and departed again into some secret place minding to come again within a little after. But those Nigrites which cannot abide to be known, come again to the said place, and take away such heaps of salt as they see the gold to be taken from, or else they add a little more gold to the heap that was left before, or other wise they carry away their Gold, leaving the salt still if the bargain please not them. And this do they use their merchandise, so that the one seethe not another, and that by an old custom.  
It is a great labour with these Nigrites to carry their salt upon their shoulders because they lack all manner beasts, meet for that carriage almost, the which cometh through the v●fruitfulne● of the earth, for they have very little store of Gra●●e, and that which they have, is pestilence also, and therefore they daily ●rinke water, wherein a little Salt hath been resolved, and this is their greatest remedy and most especial medicine.  
They never have no rain but in August September, and October.  
But these men that come after this sort and eschaunge Gold for salt, without any talk of bargain or sale, are thought to be marvelous black, having their lower lip hanging down to the breast somewhat red, and within excoriate & chapped so that blood cometh out, but the upper lip is ●mall like unto ours, and for this cause all their teeth may be seen, which are a great deals bigger than ours, their lips are also thought to putrefy many times for the heat of th●●r country, for the remedy where of they use the benefit of salt.   

Of Preto johannes Land.  
THe rule & dominion of Preto John is large and of great compass, this country excels in riches, in gold silver, and precious stones Some say that the Ethiopes living under Presti Ihoan, are very good Christians, and that forty kings do homage and obeizaunce to the Emperor Presti Ihoan, where of ●ome be tributary also to him.  
The great almoner of Presti Ihoan promises himself to fight for the Holy land It is written that Thomas the Apostle, was buried in the kingdom of Ethiopia There be beasts also in this country that have seven horns, in their fore heads. There be white Camels, and white Bears, and horses with two horns. It is said also that there be birds or fowls in this country, which with their talents and nails, will carry away an Ox, or an horse, to feed their young. In some parts of this country, it is thought that there be men with horns, and such as have but one eye before them & two eyes behind them, and some people that fede 〈…〉 ●●eir own paren 〈…〉 ●ho●e which are aged. 〈…〉 kind of people that hath feet 〈…〉 se ●eete and very round. Th●●● women dwell severally and they have three kingdoms. The three queens of the Amazons set forth and make preparation to wars with three hundred thousand soldiers of women.  
The Pygmies in Africa be good christians. The king of the Pygmies war the against fowls which destroy fruit & his people driveth them away with their voices. It is said also that there be certain monsters which above the ●oyne● are seen formed like unto men, and beneath the loins unto horses. The Et●●opians have an artificious way to take Lions and unicorns. There have been seen in times past Giants of three score and ten cubits in compass, and now in these days it is said that many great● Giants be there seen of thirty and five cubits in height. The bird which is ●alled a Phoenix, and liveth the hundred years and more, is said to be set on fire, and burned through the heat of the ●o●n●