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 B67 
 1888 
 
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 70 
 
 V,) 
 
 CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT 
 FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 
CORNELL UNrVERSmr LIBRARY 
 
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 the Cornell University Library. 
 
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 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092540396 
 
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THE BOOKWORM'S GARNER.-IIL 
 
 THE 
 
 PAROLE OF FACIONS. 
 
 LONDON. 
 iSSS- 
 
 5n trbree IDolumes. 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
 JSMnbucdb: 
 E. & G. GOLDSMID. 
 
 ^ 
 1 
 
3»t 
 
 '-•*!#?* 
 
 QT 
 
 5 
 
ir V 
 
 THE 
 
 FARDLE OF FACIONS 
 
 COHTZINING 
 
 THE AUNCIENTE MAKERS, CUSTOMES, AND 
 L A W E S, 
 
 PEOPLES ENHABITING THE TWO PARTES 
 OF THE EARTH, 
 
 CALLED 
 
 AFFRICKE AND ASIE 
 
 l^nnteD at Hontion: 
 
 BY IHON KINGSTONE, AND HENRY SUTTON. 
 I55S- 
 
We certify that this Edition consists of two Copies on 
 Vellum, and ninety-Seven copies on Paper. This copy is 
 
 No 
 
 i6th January, 1888. 
 
TO THE 
 
 RIGHTE HONOURABLE 
 
 THE ERLE OF ARUNDEL, 
 
 KNIGHT OF THE ORDRE, 
 
 AND 
 
 LORDE STEWARDS OF THE QUIENES 
 
 MAIESTIES MOST HONOURABLE 
 
 HOUSEHOLDE. 
 
 AFtre what time the barrein traueiles of longe 
 seruice, had driuen me to thinke libertie the best 
 rewarde of my simple life, right honorable Erie and 
 that I had determined to leaue wrastlyng with fortune, 
 and to giue my self wholie to line vpon my studie, 
 and the labours of my hand : I thought it moste fitting 
 with the dutie that I owe to God and manne, to 
 
 1! 
 
lo The Lettre Dedicatorie. 
 
 bestowe my time (if I could) as well to the profite o: 
 
 other, as of myself. Not coueting to make of m; 
 
 floudde, a nother mannes ebbe (the Cancre of al 
 
 commune wealthes) but rather to sette other a flote 
 
 where I my self strake on ground. Tourning m 
 
 therefore, to the searche of wisedome and vertue, fc 
 
 whose sake either we tosse, or oughte to tosse s 
 
 many papers and tongues : although I founde about 
 
 my self, verie litle of that Threasure, yet remembrec 
 
 I that a fewe yeres paste, at the instaunce of a gooc 
 
 Citezein, (who might at those daies, by aucthoritis 
 
 commaunde me) I had begonne to translate, a lit! 
 
 booke named in the Latine, Omnium gentium mores 
 
 gathered longe sence by one lohannes Boemus, 
 
 manne as it appereth, of good iudgemente and dili 
 
 gence. But so corrupted in the Printing, that after 
 
 had wrasteled a space, with sondrie Printes, I rathei 
 
 determined to lose my labour of the quartre tanslacion 
 
 then to be shamed with the haulf. And throwing i 
 
 a side, entended no further to wearie my self ther 
 
 withall, at the leaste vntill I mighte finde a booke o 
 
 a bettre impression. In searching whereof at this mj 
 
 retourne to my studie, although I found not at thi 
 
 full that, that I sought for : yet vndrestanding emonj 
 
 the booke sellers (as one talke bringes in another 
 
 that men of good learning and eloquence, bothe ii 
 
 the Frenche and Italian tonge, had not though 
 
 skorne to bestowe their time aboute the translacio 
 
 therof, and that the Emperours Maiestie that now i; 
 
 vouchedsaulfe to receiue the presentacion therof, r 
 
 the Frenche translatours hande, as well appereth i 
 
 his booke ; it kindled me againe, vpon regard of min 
 
The Lettre Dedicatorie. 1 1 
 
 owne profile, and other mennes moe, to bring that to 
 some good pointe, that earst I had begonne. For 
 '(thought I) seing the booke hath in it, much pleasant 
 varietie of thinges, and yet more profite in the pitthe: 
 if it faile to bee otherwise rewarded, yet shal it thanke- 
 fully of the good be regarded. AVherefore setting 
 vpon it a fresshe, where the booke is deuided 
 acording to thaunciente diuision of the earth into 
 thre partes, Affrique, Asie, and Europe : hauing 
 'brought to an ende the two firste partes, I found no 
 persone in mine opinion so fitte as your honour, to 
 'present theim vnto. For seing the whole processe 
 'ronneth vpon gouernaunce and Lawes, for thadminis- 
 tracion of commune wealthes, in peace and in warre, 
 of aunciente times tofore our greate graundfathers 
 daies : to whom mighte I bettre presente it, then to 
 'a Lorde of verie nobilitie and wisedome, that hath 
 bene highe Mareshalle in the fielde abrode, deputie 
 of the locke and keie of this realme, and a counsailour 
 at home, of thre worthie princes. Exercised so many 
 waies in the wanes of a fickle Commune wealthe : 
 troubled sometime, but neuer disapoincted of honour- 
 able successe. To your good Lordeshippe then I 
 yelde and committe, the firste fruictes of my libertie, 
 the firste croppe of my labours, this first daie of the 
 Newe yere : beseching the same in as good parte to 
 receiue it, as I humblie offre it, and at your pleasure 
 to vnfolde the Fardle, and considre the stuffe. Whiche 
 euer the farder in, shall sieme I truste the more 
 pleasaunte and fruictefulle. And to conclude, if I 
 shall vndrestande, that your honour delighteth in this, 
 jit shal be a cause sufficiente, to make me go in hande 
 
12 The Lettre Dedicatorie. 
 
 with Europe, that yet remaineth vntouched. AlmightM 
 God giue vnto your Lordeshippe prosperous fortune, 
 in sounde honour and healthe. 
 
 Your Lordshippes moste humblie at 
 commaundemente, 
 
 William Watreman. 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 OF THE AUTHOUR. 
 
 I HAVE sought out at times, as laisure hath serued 
 me, Good reader, the maners and facions the Lawes, 
 Customes and Rites, of all suche peoples, as semed 
 notable, and worthy to be put in remembrance, 
 together with the situation and description of their 
 iiabitations : which the father of Stories Herodotus 
 ;he Greke, Diodorus, the Siciliane, Berosus, Strabo, 
 solinus, Trogus Pompeius, Ptolomeus, Plinius, Cor- 
 lelius the still, Dionysius the Africane, Pomponius 
 Wela, Caesar, losephus, and certein of the later writers, 
 IS Vincentius, and Aeneas Siluius (which aftreward 
 nade Pope, had to name Pius the seconde) Anthonie 
 iabellicus, Ihon Nauclerus, Ambrose Calepine 
 'Nicholas Perotte, in hjs cornu copise, and many 
 )ther famous writers eche one for their parte, as it 
 vere skatered, and by piece meale, set furthe to 
 losteritie. Those I saie haue I sought out, gathered 
 dgether, and acordyng to the ordre of the storie 
 
14 The Preface of the Authour. 
 
 and tyme, digested into this litle packe. Not for the 
 hongre of gaine, or the ticklyng desire of the peoples 
 vaine brute, and vnskilfuUe commendacion : bu 
 partly moued with the oportunitie of my laisure, and 
 the wondrefull profite and pleasure, that I conceiue( 
 in this kinde of studie my self, and partly that othe 
 also delightyng in stories, might with litle labour, find 
 easely when thei would, the somme of thynges coir, 
 piled in one Booke, that thei ware wonte with tedious 
 nes to sieke in many. And I haue shocked theini 
 vp together, as well those of aunciente tyme, as o: 
 later yeres, the lewde, as well as the vertuous indiffer 
 entlie, that vsing them as present examples, anc 
 paternes of life, thou maiest with all thine endeuou 
 folovve the vertuous and godlie, and with asmuch^ 
 warenes eschewe the vicious and vngodly. Yea, tha 
 thou maiest further, my (reader) learne to discerne 
 how men haue in these daies amended the rude sim 
 plicitie of the first worlde, from Adam to the flouc 
 and many yeres after, when men lined skateryng on 
 *the earthe, without knowlege of Money, or whai 
 poigne ment, or Merchauntes trade : no maner 
 exchaunge, but one good tourne for another. When 
 no man claimed aught for his seueralle, but lande and 
 water ware as commune to al, as Ayer and Skie. Whei 
 thei gaped not for honour, ne hunted after richessi 
 but eche man contented with a litle, passed his dale 
 in the wilde fielde, vnder the open heauen, the couert 
 of some shadowie Tree, or slendre houelle, with sucW 
 companion or companions as siemed them good, thei 
 diere babes and children aboute them. Sounde witl 
 out carcke and in rest full quietnesse, eatyng th 
 
 \ 
 
The Preface of the Authour. 1 5 
 
 fruictes of the fielde, and the milke of the cattle, and 
 drinking the waters of the christalline springes. First 
 clad with the softe barcke of trees, or the faire broade 
 leaues, and in processe with rawe felle and hide full 
 vnworkemanly patched together. Not then enuironed ,'|., 
 iWJth walles, ne pente vp with rampers, and diches of | 
 <leapmfe, but walking at free scope emong the wan- I 
 ;3eryng beastes of the fielde, and where the night' 
 .came vpon theim, there takyng their lodgyng without 
 jfeare of murtherer or thief, lyiery at the fuUe, as 
 without knowledge of the euilles y' aftre ensued as 
 ,y"= worlde waxed elder, through diuers desires, and 
 contrarie endeuours of menne. Who in processe for 
 ithe insufficiencie of the fruictes of the earthe, (whiche 
 |She tho gaue vntilled) and for default of other thynges, 
 ,ganne falle at disquiete and debate emong themselues, 
 and to auoied the inuasion of beastes, and menne of 
 jStraunge borders, (whom by themselues thei could 
 not repelle) gathered into companies, with commune 
 aide to withstande suche encursions and violence of 
 wrong. And so ioyning in confederacie, planted 
 I themselues together in a plotte, assigned their 
 boundes, framed vp cotages, one by anothers chieque, 
 diked in themselues, chose officers and gouernours, 1 
 and deuised lawes, that thei also emong theimselues 
 might Hue in quiete. So beginning a rough paterne 
 of tounes and of Cities, that aftre ware laboured to 
 more curious finesse. 
 
 • i AND now ware thei not contented, with the coni- 
 ilnodities of the fieldes and cattle alone, but by diuers 
 jinuencions of handecraftes and sciences, and by 
 jiondrie labours of this hfe, thei sought how to winne. 
 
1 6 The Preface of the Authour. 
 
 Now gan thei tattempte the sease with many deuice; 
 to transplante their progenie and ofspring into place 
 vnenhabited, and to enioye the commodities of ech 
 others countrie, by mutuall traffique. Now came th^ 
 Oxe to the yoke, the Horse to the draught, th 
 Metalle to the stampe, the Apparel to handsomene 
 the Speache to more finesse, the Behauiour of menn 
 to a more calmenesse, the Fare more deintie, thi 
 Buildyng more gorgeous, thenhabitours ouer a 
 became milder and wittier, shaking of (euen of the 
 owne accorde) the bruteshe outrages and steam 
 dealinges, y< shamefully mought be spoken of. Now 
 refrained thei from sleayng one of a nother, froi 
 eatyng of ech others flesh, from rape and ope 
 defiling of mother, sister, and daughter indififerentl 
 and fro many like abominacions to nature ar 
 honestie. Thei now marieng reason, with strength 
 and pollicie, with might : where the earlhe was befor 
 forgrowen with bushes and wooddes, stuffed witl 
 many noisome beastes, drouned with^meareS, am 
 f with marshe, vnfitte to be enhabited, waast am 
 vnhandsome in euery condition : by wittie diligeni 
 and labour, ridde it from encombraunce, planed tl 
 roughes, digged vp trees by the rootes, dried awi 
 the superfluous waters, brought all into leaui 
 banished barreinesse, and vncouered the face of 
 earth, that it might fully be sene, conuerted 
 champeine to tillage, the plaines to pasture, the val 
 to meadow, the hilles thei shadowed with woodd 
 and with Vines. Then thruste thei in cultre a 
 share, and with wide woundes of the earthe, wan wi 
 and come plenteously of the grounde, that afo; 
 
The Preface of the Authour. 17 
 
 .carcely gaue them Akomes and Crabbes. Then 
 nhabited thai more thicke, and spred themselues 
 /uer all, and buylte euery where. Of Tounes, thei 
 oade cities, and of villages, Tounes, Castles vpon the 
 ockes, and in the valleis made thei the temples of 
 he goddes. The golden graueled springes, thei 
 .incurbed with Marble, and with trees right pleasauntlie 
 hadowed them aboute. From them they deriued 
 nto cities and Tounes, the pure freshe waters, a great 
 listaunce of, by conduicte of pipes and troughes, and 
 uche other conueyance. Where nature had hidden 
 he waters, out of sighte, thei sancke welles of greate 
 leapth, to supplie their lackes. Riuers, and maigne 
 loudes, whiche afore with vnbrideled violence, oftymes 
 luerflowed the neighboured aboute, to the destruction 
 'if their cattle, their houses, and themselues: thei 
 estrained with bancques, and kept them in a course. 
 And to the ende thei might not onely be vadable, but 
 massed also with drie foote, thei deuised meanes with 
 iiles of Timbre, and arches of stone, c^ii^e the rage 
 )f their violent streames, to groundebridges vpon 
 hem. Yea, the rockes of the sea whiche for the 
 laungier of the accesse, thoughte themselues exempte 
 rom the dinte of their hande, when thei perceiued 
 )y experience, thei ware noyous to sailers, with 
 nspeakeable labour did thei ouerthrowe and breake 
 ito ^^obettes? Hewed out hauens on euery strond, 
 ,,nlarged crieques, opened rodes, and digged out her- . 
 .prowes, where their shippes mighte ride saulfe fro 
 .e storme. Finally thei so laboured, beautified, and 
 ;erfeighted the earthe, that at this dale compared 
 'ith the former naturalle forgrowen wastenesse, it 
 c 
 
1 8 The Preface of the Authour. 
 
 might well sieme not to be that, but rather tl 
 Paradise of pleasure, out of the whiche, the fii 
 paternes of mankinde (Adam and Eue) for the trar 
 gression of Goddes precept, ware driuen. 
 
 MEN also inuented and founde many witi 
 sciences, and artes, many wondrefull workes whicl 
 when by practice of lettres, thei had committed 
 bookes, and laied vp for posteritie, their successou 
 so woundered at their wisedomes, and so reuerena 
 their loue and endeuours (whiche thei spied to 
 meant toward them, and the wealth of those th 
 shuld folow of them) that thei thoyght them n 
 blessed enough, with the estate of men mortalle, b 
 so aduaunced their fame, and wondered at th 
 worthinesse, that thei wan theim the honour ai 
 name of Goddes immortal!. 
 
 THO gan the Prince of the worlde, when men 
 gan to delight in thadournyng of tl;e, worlde, to so' 
 vpon the good siede, the pestilente(Dern^ll, that as th( 
 multiplied in nombre, so iniquitie might encrease, 
 disturbe and confounde this blessed state. 
 
 FIRST, therefore when he had with all kinde 
 wickedness belimed y= world, he put into their heads 
 a curious searche of the highest knowledge, and sud 
 as dependeth vpon destenie of thynges. And 
 practised his pageauntes, by obscure and doubtfi 
 attempred Responcions, and voices of spirites, 
 after he had fettred the worlde in the trauers of 
 vtoiSs, and launced into their hartes a bliiide super: 
 cfon, and feare : he trained it whole to a wicked wi 
 ship of many goddes and Goddesses, that when )] 
 ones had wiped cleane out of mynde the knowledi 
 
The Preface of the Authour. 19 
 
 md honour of one God euerlastyng, he might practise 
 Vpon manne, some notable mischief. Then sette he 
 Vp pilgrimages to deuilles, foreshewers of thynges, 
 that gaue aduertisemente and answere to demaundes in 
 ^ondrie wise. In the Isle of Delphos one, in Euboea } 
 mother, at Nasamone a thirde, and emong the Dodo- j 
 ""nians, the famous okes, whose bowes by the blastes of,' 
 "the winde resounded to the eare, a maner of aduerV 
 "lisemente of deueUishe delusion. To the whiche 
 ' [dolles and Images of deuelles he stirred vp men to 
 '^io the honour (Helas) due onely to God. As to 
 Saturne in Italie, to lupiter in Candie, to luno in 
 'Samos, to Bacchus in India, and at Thebes : to Isis, 
 "md Osiris in Egypte : in old Troie to Vesta : aboute 
 Tritona in Aphrique to Pallas, in Germanic and 
 ?raunce to Mercurie, vnder the name of Theuthe : to 
 "Minerua at Athenes and Himetto, to Apollo in 
 Delphos, Rhodes, Chio, Patara, Troade and Tymbra. 
 'To Diane in Delos and in Scythia, to Venus in 
 sPaphos, Ciprus, Gnydon, and Cithera. To Mars in 
 rhracia, to Priapus in Lampsacho of Hellespontus, 
 ij.o Vulcane in Lypara and Lennos, and in diuers other 
 fblaces to sondrie other, whose remembraunce was then 
 shioste freshe in the memorie of their people, for 
 Mhe benefaictes and merueilous inuencions bestowed 
 jifemong them. 
 
 !,t AFTERWARD, also when lesus Christe the verie j 
 if 3nne of the almightie father, shewyng hymself in the -' 
 HSeshe of our mortalitie, was conuersaunte in the 
 worlde, pointyng to the same, as with his fingre, 
 I 'le waie to immortahtie, and endelesse blessedness e, 
 fed bothe with woorde and example, exhorted and 
 
20 The Preface of the Authour. 
 
 allured them to vprightnes of life, to the glorie of his 
 father, sendyng his disciples and scolers into the 
 vniuersall worlde, to condemne Superstition and al 
 errour of wickednes, with the moste healthsome; 
 woorde : to plante true Religion, and geue newe 
 preceptes, and directions of the life, and had now sel 
 the matier in suche forwardnesse and poincte, that tli 
 Gospell beyng generally of all nacions receiued, there 
 lacked but continuaunce to perfeicte felicitie: Tl| 
 deuell eftesones retoumyng to his naturall malio; 
 desirous to repossesse that, that constrainedly he for- 
 sooke, betrappyng again the curious conceipte of man 
 some he reuersed into their former abuses and erroui^ 
 and some with newe Heresies he so corrupted, snarly 
 and blynded, that it had bene muche bettre for them, 
 neuer almoste to haue knowen the waie of truthe, tha 
 after their entraunce, so rashely and mahciously 
 haue forsaken it. 
 
 AT this dale in Asia the les3e, the Armeniani 
 ' Arabians, Persians, Sirians, Assirians and Meades; 
 in Aphrique, the Egipcians, Numidians, Libiens, ai 
 Moores. In Europe, the whole countrie of Greci^j 
 Misia, Thracia, and all Turquie throwyng awaii! 
 Christe, are become the folowers and worshippers dj 
 Mahomet and his erronious doctrine. The people 
 Scithia, whom we now cal Tartares (a greate peo] 
 and wide spread) parte of them worshippe the Id^ 
 of their Emperour Kamme, parte the Sonne, 
 Moone, and other Starres, and part according to 
 Apostles doctrine, one onely God. The people 
 Inde, and Ethiope, vnder the gouernaunce of Prl 
 biter Ihon perseauer in Christiane godlinesse, howbi 
 ft er a sort, muche different from ours. 
 
The Preface of the Authour. 21 
 
 The sincere and true faithe of Christ, wherewith in 
 time it pleased God to illumine the worlde, remaineth 
 in Germanie, Italy, Fraunce, Spaine, Englande, 
 Scotland, Ireland, Denmarke, Liuon, Pruse, Pole, 
 Hungarie, and the Isles of Rhodes, Sicilie, Corsica, 
 Sardinia, with a fewe other. This bytter enemie of 
 mankinde hauyng thus with his subtilties, inueiled 
 our mindes, and disseuered the christian vnion, by 
 diuersitie of maners and facions of belief, hath 
 brought to passe thorough this damnable wyckednes 
 of Sacrifices, and Rites, that whilest euery people 
 (vndoubtedly with religious entent) endeuour theim 
 selues to the worshippe of God, and echeone taketh 
 vpon him to be the true and best worshipper of him, 
 and whilest echone thinke theim selues to treade the 
 streight pathe of euerlastyng blessednes, and con- 
 tendeth with eigre mode and bitter dispute, that all 
 other erre and be ledde farre a wrie : and whilest 
 euery man strugglethe and striueth to spread and 
 enlarge his owne secte, and to ouerthrowe others, 
 thei doe so hate and enuie, so persecute and annoy 
 echone an other, that at this daie a man cannot 
 safely trauaill from one countrie to another : yea, thei 
 that would aduenture saufely or vnsaufely, be almost 
 euery where holden out. Wherof me thinkes I see it 
 is like to come to passe, that whilest one people scant 
 knoweth the name of another, (and yet almost neigh- 
 bours) all that shall this daie be written or reported 
 of theim, shalbe compted and refused as lyes. And 
 yeat this maner of knowledge and experience, is of it 
 feelf so pleasant, so profitable and so praise worthy, 
 that sundrie (as it is well knowen) for the onely loue 
 
22 The Preface of the Authour. 
 
 and desire thereof, leauing their natiue countrie, their 
 father, their mother, their wiues and their children, 
 yea, throwyng at their heles their sauftie and welfare, 
 haue with greate troubles, vexations, and turmoilynges 
 taken vpon theim for experience sake, to cutte through 
 the wallowying seas, and many thousande miles, to 
 estraunge theimselues fro their home, yea, and those 
 men not in this age alone, but euen from the firste 
 hatchyng of the worlde haue been reputed and founde 
 of moste wisedome, authoritie, and good facion, sonest 
 chosen with all mennes consent, bothe in peace and 
 warre, to administre the commune wealth as maisters 
 and counsaillours, ludges and Capitaines. Suche 
 ware thancient sages of Grace and of Italy, Socrate^ 
 Plato, Aristotle, Antisthenes, Aristippus, Zeno, and? 
 Pythagoras, who through their wisedomes and estima- 
 cion for trauailes wan them greate nombres of folowers, 
 and brought furthe in ordre the sectes named Socratici^' 
 Academici, Peripateci, Cynici, Cyrenaici, Stoici, and 
 Pythagorici, echone chosyng name to glorie in his 
 maister. Suche ware the prudente lawemakers of 
 famous memorie, Minois and Rhadamanthus emong 
 the Cretenses, Orpheus emong the Thraciens, Draco 
 and Solon emong the Athenienses, Licurgus among; 
 the Lacedemonians, Moses emong the lewes, and 
 Zamolxis emong the Scythians, and many other in 
 other stedes whiche dreamed not their knowledge in 
 the benchehole at home, but learned of the men ^n 
 the worlde moste wise, the Chaldeies, the Brachmannjl 
 the Gymnosophites and the priestes of Egipte, witjl 
 whom thei had for a space bene conuersant. LikJ| 
 glorie, by hke trauaill happened to the worthies of thq; 
 
The Preface of the Authour. 23 
 
 worlde, as to lupiter of Crete (reported fiue times to 
 haue surueied the whole worlde) and to his twoo 
 sonnes Dionisius (otherwise called Bacchus) and 
 Hercules the mightie. Likewise to Theseus and 
 lason, and the rest of that voiage. To the vnlucky 
 sailer Vlisses, and to the banished Eneas, to Cyrus, 
 Xerxes, and Alexander the Create, to Hanniballe and 
 Mithridate, kyng of Pontus, reported able to speake 
 fiftie sondrie languages, to Antiochus, the greate and 
 innumerable Princes of Roome, bothe of the Scipioes, 
 Marii, and Lentuli. To Pompeius the greate, to 
 lulius Cesar, Octauian, and Augustus, to the Con- 
 stantines, Charles, Conrades, Henrickes, and Freder- 
 ickes. Whiche all by their exploictes vpon straunge 
 nacions, haue gotten their immortall and euerlastyng 
 renoume. Wherefore, seyng there is in the knowledge 
 of peoples, and of their maners and facions, so greate 
 pleasure and profite, and euery man cannot, yea, fewe 
 men will, go traueile the countries themselues : me 
 thinkes gentill reader, thou oughtest with muche thanke 
 to receyue at my hande these bookes of the maners 
 and facions of peoples most notable and famous, 
 togyther with the places whiche thei enhabite : And 
 with no lesse cherefulnes to embrase theim, then if 
 beyng ledde on my hande from countrey to countrey, 
 I should poynct the at eye, how euery people liueth, 
 and where they haue dwelte, and at this daye doe. 
 Let it not moue the, let it not withdrawe the, if any 
 cankered reprehendour of other mens doynges shall 
 saie vnto the : It is a thyng hath bene written of, 
 many yeares agone, and that by a thousand sondry 
 nfienne, and yet he but borowyng their woordes. 
 
24 The Preface of the Authour. 
 
 bryngeth it foorthe for a mayden booke, and nameth 
 it his owne. For if thou well considre my trade, thou 
 shalt fynd, that I haue not only brought thee other 
 mennes olde store, but opened thee also the treasury 
 of myne owne witte and bokes, not euery where to be 
 found, and like a liberall feaster haue set before thee 
 much of myne owne, and many thynges newe. Fare- 
 well and thankefully take that, that with labour is 
 brought thee. 
 
THE 
 
 ifarUle of f attorn, 
 
 CONTBINING 
 
 THE AUNCIENTE MANERS, CUSTOMES 
 AND LAWES, 
 
 OP THE 
 
 PEOPLES ENHABITING THE TWO PARTES 
 OF THE EARTH, 
 
 CALLED 
 
 AFFRICKE AND ASIE. 
 
 AFFRIKE. 
 
 IT The first Chapiter. 
 
 IT The true opinion of the deuine, concernyng the 
 beginnyng of man. 
 
 WHen God had in. V. daies made perfecte the 
 
 heauens and the earth, and the furniture of bothe : 
 
 whiche the Latines for the goodlinesse and beautie 
 
 tjhereof, call Mundus, and we (I knowe not for what 
 
 eason) haue named the worlde ; the sixth daic 
 
 D 
 
26 The Far die of Facions. 
 
 to the entent there mighte be one to enioye, and be 
 Lorde ooer all, he made the moste notable creature 
 Man. One that of all earthly creatures alone, is 
 endowed with a mynde, and spirit from aboue. And 
 he gaue him to name, Adam : accordyng to the colour 
 of the molde he was made of. Then drawing out d 
 his side the woman, whilest he slept, to thende he 
 should not be alone, knitte her vnto hym, as an 
 vnseparable compaignion, and therwith placed them 
 in the moste pleasaunt plot of the earth, fostered to 
 flourishe with the moisture of floudes on euery parte, 
 The place for the fresshe grienesse and merie shewe, 
 the Greques name Paradisos. There lyued they a 
 whyle a moste blessed life without bleamishe of wo, 
 the earth of the own accorde bringing torth all thing, 
 But when they ones had transgressed the precepte, 
 they ware banysshed that enhabitaunce of pleasure 
 and driuen to shift the world. And fro thenceforth 
 the graciousnes of the earth was also abated, and the 
 francke fertilitie therof so withdrawen, that labour and 
 swette, now wan lesse a great deale, then ydle lokyng 
 on before tyme had done. Shortly crepte in sickenes, 
 and diseases, and the broyUng heate and the nipping 
 cold began to assaile their bodyes. Their first sonne 
 was Cayin, and the seconde Abell, and then many 
 other. And as the world grewe into yeares, and the 
 earth began to waxe thicke peopled, loke as the nom 
 bre did encreace, so vices grew on, and their lyuinl 
 decaied euer into woors. For giltelesse dealynd 
 wrong came in place, for deuoutnesse, contempte J 
 the Goddes, and so farre outraged their wickednel 
 that God skarcely fyndyng one iuste Noha on thl 
 
The tardle of Pacions. 27 
 
 earth (whom he saued, with his housholde, to repayre 
 the losse of mankind and replenysshe the worlde) sente 
 a floude vniversall, which couering all vnder water, 
 killed all fleshe that bare lyfe vppon earth, excepte a 
 fewe beastes, birdes, and wormes that ware preserued 
 in the misticall arke. In the ende of fiue Monethes 
 aftre the floude began, the Arque touched on the 
 mounteines of Armenia. And within foure Monethes 
 aftre, Noas and all his beyng restored to the earth, 
 with Goddes furtheraunce in shorte space repeopled 
 the worlde. And to thende the same myghte euery 
 wheare again be "enhabited, he dispersed his yssue 
 and kyndredes into sondrie coastes. After Berosus . 
 opynion he sent Cham otherwyse, named Cameses 
 and Chamesenuus with his ofspring, into Egipte. 
 Into Lybia and Cirene, Triton. And into the whole 
 residewe of Affrike the ancient lapetus called Attalus 
 Priscus, Ganges he sent into Easte Asia with certeine 
 of the sonnes of Comerus Gallus. And into Arabia 
 the fertile, one Sabus, sirnamed Thurifer. Ouer 
 Arabia the Waste he made Arabus gouernour, and 
 Petreius ouer Petrea. He gaue vnto Canaan, all that 
 lyeth from Damasco to the outemost bordre of Pales- 
 tine. In Europe he made Tuisco king of Sarmatia, 
 from the floude of Tanais vnto the Rhene. And there 
 were ioyned vnto him all the sonnes of Istrus, and 
 Mesa, with their brethren, fro the mounteyne of Adula 
 to Mesemberia pontica. Archadius and Emathius 
 I gouerned the Tirianes, Comerus Gallus, had Italie 
 jrand Fraunce, Samothes, Briteigne and Normandie, 
 (and lubal, Spayne. That spiedie and vnripe puttyng 
 gforthe of the children from their progenitours, before 
 
28 The tar die of Pacions. 
 
 they had throughly learned and enured them selues 
 with their facions and maners, was the cause of all 
 the diuersitie that after ensued. For Cham, by the 
 reason of his naughty demeanour towarde his fathef 
 beyng constrayned to departe with his wyfe and hys 
 chyldren, planted him selfe in that parte of Arabia? 
 that after was called by his name. And lefte no trade 
 of religion to his posteritie, because he none haij 
 learned of his father. Whereof it came to passe, that 
 when in processe of tyme they ware encreased to to 
 many for that londe: beyng sent out as it ware, 
 swarme aftre swarme into other habitations and 
 skatered at length into sondrie partes of the worlde 
 (for this banysshed progeny grewe aboue measure) 
 some fel into errours wherout thei could neuei 
 vnsnarle themselues. ^e tongue gan to altre and 
 the knowledge of the true God and all godhe wors- 
 shippe vanished out of mind. Inso muche that some 
 liued so wildely (as aftre thou shalt here) that it ware 
 harde to discerne a difference betwixte them and the 
 beastes of the felde. Thei that flieted.into Egip| 
 wonderyng at the beautie and course of the Sonne, 
 and the Moone, as though there had been in them a 
 power diuine, began to worship them as Goddes; 
 callyng the lesse, Isis and the bigger Osiris. "B) 
 lupiter also thei Sacrificed, and did honour as ^i 
 Y principall of life. To Vulcan for fire, to Pallas, i 
 Lady of the skie, to Ceres as gouerneresse of tfe 
 arth, and to sondry other for other sondry consideJ» 
 tions. Neyther staied that darkenesse of iniquitie Ij 
 Egipte alone, but where so euer the progeny of Chat;i 
 stepte in from the begynnyng, there fell true godlini^ 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 29 
 
 all oute of minde and abondage to the deuell entred 
 his place. And there neuer was countrie, mother of 
 moe swarmes of people, then that part of Arabia, that 
 he, and his, chase to be theirs. So greate a mischief 
 did the vntymely banishemente of one manne, bring 
 to the whole. Contrarily the progenie of lapheth, and 
 Sem, brought vp to full yeres vndre their elders, and 
 rightly enstructed : contentyng Ihem selues with a 
 litle circuite, straied not so wide as this brother had 
 doen. Whereby it chaunced that the zeale of the 
 truthe, (I meane of good liuyng and true worshippe 
 of one onely God) remained as hidden in one onely 
 people, vntill the tyme of Messias. 
 
 If The seconde Chapitre. 
 
 If The false opinion of the Philosophre concernyng 
 the begynnyng of man. 
 
 BVt the aunciente Philosophers, whiche without 
 knowledge of God, and his truthe, many yeres ago, 
 wrate vpon the natures of thinges, and thistories of 
 times had another opinion of the originall of man. 
 For certain of them, belieued the worlde euer to haue 
 been, and that euer it should be, and man together 
 with it to haue had no beginnyng. Certaine did holde 
 that it had a beginnyng, and an ende it should haue, 
 and a time to haue been, when man was not. For 
 sale thei, the begynner of thynges visible, wrapped vp 
 bothe heauen and earth at one instant, togither in one 
 paterne, and so a distinction growing on betwixte these 
 meynte bodies, the worlde to haue begon in suche 
 ordre as we see. The aire by nature to be continually 
 mouyng, and the raoste firie parte of thesame, for the 
 
3o TTie Fardle of Facions. 
 
 lightenesse thereof, moste highe to haue climbed. So 
 that Sonne and Moone, and the planetes all, participa- 
 tyng of the nature of that lighter substaunce : moue 
 so muche the faster, in how muche thei are of the 
 more subtile parte. But that whiche was mixed with 
 waterie moisture, to haue rested in the place, for the 
 heauinesse thereof, and of the watery partes, the sea 
 to haue comen : and the matier more compacte to 
 haue passed into a clamminesse firste, and so into earth. 
 This earth then brought by y= heate of the sonne 
 into amore fastenesse. And after by the same power 
 puffed and swollen in the vppermoste parte, there 
 gathered manye humours in sondry places, which 
 drawing to ripenesse enclosed them selues in slymes 
 and in filmes, as in the maresses of Egipt, and 
 other stondynge waters we often se happen. And 
 seynge the heate of thaier sokynly warmeth the cold 
 ground and heate meint with moisture is apt to 
 engendre : it came to passe by the gentle moisture of 
 the night aire, and the comforting heate of the daie 
 sonne, that those humours so riped, drawyng vp to 
 the rinde of thearth, as though their tyme of child- 
 birthe ware come, brake out of their filmes, and 
 deliuered vpon the earth all maner of liuing thinges. 
 Emong whiche those that had in them moste heate,! 
 became foules into the aire : those that ware of nature 
 more earthie, became wormes and beastes of sondrie 
 kindes : and where water surmounted, thei drewe to 
 the elemente of their kinde, and Itad to name fishes^^ 
 But afterwarde the earth beyng more parched by the 
 heate of the Sonne, and the drouthe of the windes, 
 ceased to bring furthe any mo greate beastes : am 
 those that ware already brought furthe, (sale thei 
 
The Fardk of Facions. 31 
 
 mainteined, and encreased by mutualle engendrure, 
 the varietie, and nombre. And they are of opinion 
 that in the same wise, men ware engendred in the 
 beginning. And as nature putte them forth emong 
 other beastes, so liued they at the first an vnknowen 
 lyfe wyldely emong them, vpon the fruictes, and the 
 herbes of the fieldes. But the beastes aftre a while 
 waxing noysome vnto them, they ware forced in com- 
 mune for eche others sauftie to drawe into companies 
 to resiste their anoyaunce, one helping another, and 
 to sieke places to make their abiding in. And where 
 at the firste their speache was confuse, by litle and 
 litle they sayed it drewe to a distinctenesse, and 
 perfeighte difference : in sorte that they ware able to 
 gyue name to all thinges. But for that they ware 
 diuersely sparckled in diuers partes of the worlde, 
 they holde also that their speache was as diuers and 
 different. And herof to haue aftreward risen the 
 diuersitie of lettres. And as they firste assembled 
 into bandes, so euery bande to haue broughte forthe 
 his nacion. But these men at the firste voide of all 
 helpe and experience of liuyng, ware bittrely pinched 
 with hongre and colde, before thei could learne to 
 reserue the superfluous plenty of the Somer, to supply 
 the lacke of Winters barreinesse, whose bitter blastes, 
 and hongrie pinynges, consumed many of them. 
 Whiche thing when by experience dere bought, thei 
 had learned : thei soughte bothe for Caues to defende 
 them fro colde, and began to hourde fruictes. Then 
 happe found out fire, and reason gaue rule of profite, 
 and disprofite, and necessitie toke in hand to sette 
 witte to schoole. Who gatheryng knowledge, and 
 
32 The Far die of Melons. 
 
 perceiuyng hymself to haue a helpe of his sences, 
 more skilful then he thought, set hande a woorke, 
 and practised connyng, to suppUe all defaultes, whiche 
 tongue and lettres did enlarge and distribute abrode. 
 
 THEI that had this opinion of the originall of 
 manne, and acribed not the same to the prouidence 
 of God, affirmed the Etopiens to haue bene the firste 
 of all menne. For thei coniectured that the ground 
 of that countrie lyng nierest the heates of the Sonne 
 must needes first of all other waxe warme. And the 
 earth at that tyme beyng but clammie and softe, 
 through the attemperaunce of that moysture and 
 heate, man there first to haue bene fourmed, and 
 there to haue gladlier enhabited (as natiue and 
 naturall vnto him) then in any other place, when 
 all places ware as yet straunge, and vnknowen, 
 whiche aftre men soughte. Beginnyng therfore 
 at them, after I haue shewed how the worlde is 
 deuided into thre partes (as also this treatise of 
 myne) and haue spoken a litle of Aphrique, I wyll 
 shewe the situacion of Aethiope, and the maners of 
 that people, and so forthe of al other regions and 
 peoples, with suche dihgence as we can. 
 
 IT The thirde Chapitre. 
 H The deuision and limites of the Earthe. 
 
 THose that haue bene before our dales, (as Oro- 
 sius writeth) are of opinion, that the circuite of the 
 earth, bordered about with the Occean Sea : disroun*! 
 yng hym self, shooteth out thre corner wise, and is " 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 33 
 
 also deuided into thre seuerall partes, Afrike, Asie, 
 and Europe. Afrike is parted from Asie with the 
 floude of Nilus, whiche comyng fro the Southe, 
 ronneth through Ethiope into Egipte, where gently 
 sheadyng hymself ouer his bancques, he leaueth in 
 the countrie a marueilous fertilitie, and passeth into 
 the middle earth sea, with seuen armes. From 
 Europe it is separate with the middle earth sea, 
 whiche beginnyng fro the Occean aforesaied : at the 
 Islande of Gades, and the pileurs of Hercules, passeth 
 not tenne miles ouer. But further entryng in, 
 semeth to haue shooued of the maigne lande on 
 bothe sides, and so to haue won a more largenesse. 
 Asie is deuided from Europe, with Tanaisthe floude, 
 whiche comyng fro the North, ronneth into the marshe 
 of Meotis almoste midwaie, and there sincking himself, 
 leaueth the marshe and Pontus Euxinus, for the rest 
 of the bounde. And to retourne to Afrike again, the 
 same hauyng Nilus as I saied on the Easte, and on all 
 other partes, bounded with the sea, is shorter then 
 Europe, but broader towarde the Occean, where it 
 riseth into mounteigne. And shoryng towarde the 
 Weste, by litle and litle waxe the more streighte, 
 and Cometh at thende to a narowe poincte. Asmuche 
 as is enhabited therof, is a plentuous soile but the 
 great parte of it lieth waste, voide of enhabitauntes, 
 either to whote* for menne to abide, or full of 
 noisome and veneraous vermine, and beastes, or elles 
 so whelmed in sande and grauell, that there is no- 
 thing but mere barreinesse. The sea that lieth on the 
 
 * Too hot. 
 
 !■: 
 
34 , The Fardk of Melons. 
 
 Northe parte, is called Libicum, that on the Southe 
 Aethiopicum, and the other on the West Atlanticum. 
 
 AT the first the whole was possest by fower 
 sondrie peoples. Of the whiche, twaine (as Herodotus 
 writeth) ware founde there, tyme out of minde, and 
 the other twaine ware aUenes and incommes. The 
 two of continuance, ware the Pcenj, and Ethiopes, 
 whiche dwelte, the one at the Northe of the lande, the 
 other at the South. The Ahenes, the Phcenices, the 
 Grekes, the old Ethiopians, and the Aegipcienes, if- 
 it be true that thei report of themselues. At the 
 beginnyng thei were sterne, and vnruly, andbruteshely 
 lined, with herbes and with fleshe of wilde beastes, 
 without lawe or rule, or facion of life, roilyng and 
 rowmyng vpon heade, heather and thether without 
 place of abode, where night came vpon them, there 
 laiyng their bodies to reste. Afterwarde (as thei saie) 
 Hercules passyng the seas out of Spaine, into Libie 
 (a countrie on the Northe shore of Afrike) and bring- 
 yng an ouerplus of people thence with hym, somewhat 
 bettre facioned and manered then thei, trained them 
 to muche more humanitie. And of ye troughest thei 
 came ouer in, made themselues cotages, and began to 
 plante in plompest one by another. But of these 
 thinges we shall speake here aftre more at large. 
 
 Afrike is not euery place a like enhabited. For 
 toward the Southe it lieth for the moste part waste, 
 and vnpeopled, for the broilyng heate of that quatre. 
 But the part that lieth ouer against Europe, is verie 
 
 ■|- Ships. I Clumps, bodies. 
 
The Far die of Facions. 35 
 
 well enhabited. The frutefulnesse of the soile is 
 excedyng, and to muche merueillous : as in some 
 places bringyng the siede with a hundred folde 
 encrease. It is straunge to beleue, that is saied of 
 the goodnesse of the soile of the Moores. The stocke 
 of their vines to be more then two menne can fadome 
 and their clousters of Grapes to be a cubite long. The 
 coronettes of their Pasnepes, and Gardein Thistles 
 (whiche we calle Hortichokes) as also of their Fenelle, 
 to be twelue Cubites compasse. Their haue Cannes 
 like vnto those of India, whiche may contein in the 
 compasse of the knot, or iointe, the measure of ij. 
 bushelles. Ther be sene also Sparagi, of no lesse 
 notable bigguenesse. Toward the mounte Atlas trees 
 bee founde of a wondrefull heigth, smothe, and with- 
 out knaggue or knotte, vp to the hard toppe, hauyng 
 leaues Hke the Cypres, but of all other the moste 
 noble Citrus, wherof the Romaines made greate 
 deintie. Affrike hath also many sondrie beastes, and 
 Dragones that lye in awaite for the beastes, and when 
 thei se time, so bewrappe and wreathe them aboute, 
 that takyng fro theim the vse of their ioynctes, 
 thei wearie them and kille theim. There are 
 Elephantes, Lyons, Bugles, Pardales, Roes, and 
 Apes, in some places beyonde nombre. There 
 are also Chamelopardales and Rhizes, like unto 
 BuUes. Herodote writeth, that there be founde 
 Asses with homes, Hienas Porpentines, wilde 
 Rambes, a beast engendered of the Hiene and the 
 VVoulfe named Thoas, Pantheres, Storckes, Oistruthes, 
 and many kindes of serpentes, as Cerastes, and 
 
36 The Fardk of Facions. 
 
 Aspides, against whom nature hath matched the 
 Ichneumon (a verie little beast) as a mortall enemie. 
 
 IT The. iiij. Chapitre. 
 
 f Of Ethiope, and the auncient maners of that 
 
 nation. 
 
 TWo countreies there ware of that name Ouer- 
 landers, and Netherlanders. The one pertaynyng to 
 Aphrique, the other to Asia. The one whiche at this 
 daie is called Inde, hath on the east the redde sea, 
 and the sea named Barbaricum, on the northe it 
 toucheth vpon Egypte, and vpon that Libie that 
 standeth on the vtter border of Afrike toward the sea. 
 On the west it is bounded with the other Libie that 
 standeth more into the mayne londe. The residue 
 that runneth toward the south, ioyneth vpon the 
 netherland Ethiope, whiche lyeth more southerly, 
 and is muche greater. It is thought that these 
 Ethiopes toke name of Ethiopus Vulcanes sonne, that 
 (as Plinie saieth) was gouernour there. Or els of the 
 Greke wordes aythoo and ops, whereof the former 
 signifieth to broyle, or to bourne vp with heate, and 
 the other, in the eye or sight. Whiche sheweth in 
 effecte, that the countreie I)eng in the eye of the 
 Sonne, it must nedes be of heate almost importable. 
 As in diede it lyeth in the full course of the sonne, 
 and is in continuall heate. Toward the weast it is 
 hilly, in the middes grauell and sande, and on the 
 easte waste and deserte. There be in it dyuers 
 peoples of sondry phisonomy and shape, monstruous 
 
The Fardle of I/acions. 37 
 
 and of hugly shewe. They are thought (as I saied) 
 to haue bene the fyrst of all men, and those whiche 
 of all other maye truelyest be called an homebome 
 people. Neuer under the bondage of any : but euer. 
 a free nacion. The first wae of worshippyng God 
 (say thei) was deuised and taught emonge theim : 
 with the maners and ceremonies there to apper- 
 tinent. They had two kyndes of letters, one, whiche 
 ware knowen onely to their priestes for matters of 
 Religion, whiche they called misticall, and another 
 for the vse of the people hidden from none. Yeat 
 ware not their Letters facioned to ioyne together in 
 Billables like ours, but Ziphres, and shapes of men 
 and of beastes, of heades, and of armes, and artificers 
 tooles, which signified in sondrie wise echone accord- 
 yng to his propertie. As by the picture of an hauke 
 swiftenes and spiede, by the shape of a crocoiled 
 displeasure or misfortune, by the figure of an eye, 
 good watche or regarde, and so forthe of other. 
 Emong their priestes, loke whome they sawe startle 
 aboute as haulfe wood,* him did iudge of all other 
 mooste holy, and making him their king, they fall 
 downe and worship him, as thoughe there ware in 
 him a Godhead, or as thoughe at the least he ware 
 by goddes prouidence giuen them. This king for 
 al that, must be gouerned by the lawe, and is bounde 
 to all thinges after thorde of the contry. He his 
 selfe maye neither punishe or guerdon any manne. 
 But loke vpon whome he wyl haue execucion done. 
 
 • Mad, from the Saxon toott, See "Two Gentlemen of 
 Verona," ii., 3, and " Mids. N. Dr.," ii., 3. 
 
38 The Fardk of Padons. 
 
 he sendeth the minister appoincted for the purpose, 
 to the person with a token of deathe : whiche when 
 he hath shewed, the officier retourneth, and the 
 persone what soeuer he be, incontinent fordoeth him 
 self. So greatly ware they giuen to thee honour of 
 their kynges, suche a feruencie had they towarde them, 
 that if it fortuned the king through any mishap, to 
 be maymed or hurte in any parte of his bodye, as 
 many as ware towarde him, namely of householde, 
 voluntarily woulde giue them selues the lyke hurt, 
 thincking it an vnsitting thing the kynge to lacke an 
 eye or the vse of a legge, and his frindes neither to 
 halt, ne yet to lacke parte of their sight. Thei say 
 it is the manier also, that when the king dieth, his 
 friendes should wilfully dispatche theim selues and die 
 with hym, for this compte they glorious and a testi- 
 mony of very friendship. The moste part of them, 
 for that they lye so vnder the Sonne, go naked: 
 couering their priuities with shiepes tayles. But a 
 feawe of them are clad with the rawe felles* of beastes. 
 Some make them brieches of the heares of their heades 
 vp to the waeste. They are comonly brieders and 
 grasiers in commune together. Their shepe be of 
 very small body, and of a harde and roughe coate. 
 Their dogges also are neuer a whitte bigger, but thei 
 are fierce and hardie. They haue good store of 
 gromel and barly, wherof they vse to make drincke., 
 All other graine and fruictes thei lacke, excepte it 
 be dates whiche also are verye skante. Some of 
 
 *Skin. "" 
 
 " To feed on bones, when flesh and fell is gone." 
 
 Gaic. Steel Glass (Chalm. Poet.), ii., 556, etc. 
 
TTie Fardle of Facions. 39 
 
 them lyue with herbes and the tender rootes of Cannes 
 or Riedes. Other eate flesshe, milke, and chese. 
 Meroe, was in time past the heade citie of the kyng- 
 dome, whiche stondeth in an Isle of the same name 
 facioned like a shielde, stretching it self thre thousand 
 furlong alongest by Nilus. Aboute that Islande do 
 the cattle masters dwelle, and are muche giuen to 
 hunting, and those that be occupied with tilthe of 
 the grounde haue also mines of gold. Herodotus 
 writeth that thethiopians named Macrobij, do more 
 estieme latten then thei do golde whiche thei put to 
 nothyng that thei compt of any price. In so muche 
 that the Ambassadours of Cambises, when thei 
 came thether, found the prisoners in the gaole fettred 
 and tied with Chaines of golde. Some of theim 
 sowe a kinde of graine called Sesamus, and other the 
 delicate Lothom. Thei haue greate plenty of Hebe- 
 num, a woode muche like Guaiacum, and of Siliquas- 
 trum. Thei hunte Elephantes and kyll them to eate. 
 There be Lions, Rhinocerotes, Basiliskes, Pardales, 
 and Dragones, whiche I said enwrappe thelephauntes, 
 and sucke them to death, for their bloude. There be 
 found the precious stones called the lacinthe, and 
 the Prasne. There is also cinamome gathered. Thei 
 occupie bowes of woode seasoned in the fire, of 
 foure cubites long. Women be also trayned to the 
 warres, and haue for the moste parte a ring of latton 
 hanging throughe their lippe. Certeine of theim 
 worshippe the Sonne at his vprijste, and curse him 
 moste bitterly at his doune gate. Diuers of them 
 throwe their dead into Riuers, other cofer them vp in 
 
40 The Fardle of Facions. 
 
 earthen cofres, some enclose them in glasse, and kepe 
 them in their houses a yeare, and in the meane season 
 worship them deuoutly, and ofire vnto them the first 
 of all their encreace. In the naming of a newe king, 
 they giue their voice chiefly to him that is moste 
 goodly of stature, moste conning in brieding of cattle, 
 and of strength and substance passing the reast. The 
 lawe hath bene, that the priestes of Memphis shoulde 
 haue the aucthoritie to sende the Kinge the token of 
 deathe, and to set vp another in the place of the 
 deade, whom they thoughte good. They haue an 
 opinion that ther are two Goddes, one immortall, by 
 whome all thinges haue their beginning, and continu- 
 ance vnder his gouernement, and another mortall, 
 and he is vncerteine. Their king, and him that best 
 deserueth of the city next vnto him, they honour as 
 Goddes. This was the state of Ethiope from the 
 beginning, and many yeares sence. 
 
 BVT at this daye as myne Authour Sabellicus 
 saieth y' he learned of those that are enhabitantes in 
 yt countrey : The King of Ethiope (whom we com- 
 monly calle Pretoianes or Presbiter Ihon) is a man 
 of suche power, that he is reported to haue vndre him 
 thre skore and two other kinges. If the heade 
 Bysshoppess of the Realme desire to do, or to haue 
 aughte done, al is referred vnto him. Of him be 
 giuen al benefices, and spiritual promocions, which 
 prerogatiue the Pope hath giuen, to the maiestie of 
 kinges. Yet is he him selfe no priest, he hath any 
 maner of ordres. There is of Archebisshoppes (that 
 is to say of superiour and head bisshoppes) a great 
 
The Pardk of Facions. 41 
 
 norabre, whiche haue euery one vndre them at the 
 least twenty other. The Princes, Dukes, Earles, and 
 head Bishoppes, and suche other of Hke dignitie, 
 when they come abrode, haue a crosse, and a basine 
 of golde filled ful of earthe caried before them : that 
 thone • maye put them in remembraunce that earth 
 into earth must again be resolued, and y° other renewe 
 the memory of Christes suffering. Their priestes to 
 haue yssue, mary one wyfe, but she ones beyng dead, 
 it is vnlawfull to mary another. The temples and 
 churches ther, are muche larger, much richer, and 
 more gorgeous then ours, for the moste part voulted 
 from the floore to the toppe. They haue many ordres 
 of deuout men, moche like to our ordres of Religious : 
 as the ordre of S. Anthony, Dominique, Calaguritani, 
 Augustines, and Machareanes, whiche are bound to 
 no colour but weare some suche one as Tharche- 
 bysshoppe shall allowe. Next vnto the supreame and 
 souereigne GOD, and Mary the virgin his mother, 
 they haue moste in honour Thomas sirnamed Didi- 
 mus. This King, of all other the worthiest, whome 
 they call Gias (a name giuen him of his mightinesse 
 and power) is of the bloud of Dauid, continued from 
 one generation to another (as they are perswaded) by 
 so many yeres of succession. And he is not as the 
 mos'.e of the Ethiopians are, blacke, but white. 
 Garima the chiefe citie, and as we terme it the cham- 
 bre of the king, stondeth not by building of masonrie, 
 and carpentrie as ours, but strieted with tentes and 
 
 • The one. 
 F 
 
42 The Far die of Facions. 
 
 pauilions placed in good ordre, of veluet and saten, 
 embrauded with silkes and purples of many diuers 
 sortes. By an auncient ordre of the realme, the king 
 liueth euer in presence and sighte of his people, and 
 neuer soiourneth within the walles aboue two daies. 
 Either for that they iudge it an vncomely thing, and 
 a token of delicate slouthfulnes, or elles for that some 
 law doth forbid it. His army in the warres is ten 
 hundred thousande men, fine hundred Elephantes, 
 and horses, and Cameles, a wonderfull nomber, and 
 this is but a meane preparacion. Ther are throughe- 
 out the whole nacion certeine houses and stockes, 
 that are pencionaries at armes, whose issue is as it 
 ware branded with the marcke of the crosse, y' skinne 
 beyng pretely slitte. Thei vse in the warres, Bowe, 
 Pique, Habregeon, and helmette. Their highest 
 dignitie is priesthode, y= next, thordre of the Sages, 
 whiche thei cal Balsamates, and Tamquates, They 
 attribute moche also to the giltelesse and vprighte 
 dealing man, whiche vertue they estieme as the firste 
 staler toclimbe to y' dignitie of the sages. The nobili- 
 tie hath the thirde place of dignitie, and the pencion- 
 aries aforesaid, the fourthe. When the iudges haue 
 giuen sentence of life, or of deathe, the sentence is 
 brought to the headborough of the Citie (whom we 
 call the Mayour) and they Licomegia : he supplieth 
 the place of the King. Lawes written thei occupy 
 none, but iudge accordyng to reason and conscience. 
 If any man be conuict of adulterie he forfeicteth the 
 fourtieth parte of his goodes, but thadulteresse is 
 punished at home, accordyng to the discretion of the 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 43 
 
 partie offended. The men giue dowrie to those whom 
 thei mary withal, but not to those y' thei purchase 
 besides. Their womens attire is of Golde, (whereof 
 that country hathe plentie) of pearle, and of Sarsenette. 
 Bothe men and women are apparelled in long gar- 
 mentes downe to the foote, slieued, and close rounde 
 aboute i,of al maner of colours, sauing only blacke 
 for that in that contry is proper for morning. They 
 bewaile their dead. xl. dales space. In bancquettes of 
 honour, in the place of our fruicte (which the latine 
 calleth the seconde boorde) they serue in rawe flesshe 
 very finely minced and spiced, whervpon the gestes 
 fiede very licouricely.* They haue no maner of wollen 
 webbe, but are eyther cladde in sarsenettes, or in 
 linnen. One maner of speache serueth not throughe- 
 out the whole contry, but sondry and diuerse, aswel 
 in phrase as in naming of thinges. Thei haue twise 
 in the yere haruest, and twise in the yere somen 
 These Ethiopians or Indianes excepted, al the reste 
 of the people of Libia Westward, are worshippers of 
 Mahomet, and Hue aftre the same sorte in maner, 
 that y= Barbariens do in Egipte at this present, and 
 are called Maures, or Moores, as I thincke of their 
 outleapes and wilde rowming. For that people was 
 no lesse noysome to Lybie in those cursed tymes 
 (when so greate mutacion of thinges happened, when 
 peoples ware so chaunged, suche alteration of seruice, 
 and religion broughte in, and so many newe names 
 giuen vnto contries) then the Sarasens ware. 
 
 •Gluttonously, daintily, (N. Bailey's Dictionary, 1737). 
 
44 The Fardle of Facions. 
 
 % The V. Chapiter. 
 IT Of Aegipte, and the auncient maners of that people. 
 
 AEgipte is a Countrie lying in Affrike, or as some 
 hold opinion, borderyng thervpon, so named of 
 Aegiptus, Danaus brother, where afore it was called 
 Aeria. This Aegipte (as Plinie recordeth in his fiueth 
 boke) toucheth on the East, vppon the redde Sea, and 
 the land of Palestine. On the West fronteth vpon 
 Cirene, and the residue of Afrike. On the South it 
 stretcheth to Aethiope : And on the Northe is ended 
 with the sea, to whom it giueth name. 
 
 The notable Cities of that Countrie, were in tyme 
 past, Thebes, Abydos, Alexandrie, Babilon, and 
 Memphis, at this daie called Damiate, alias Chairus 
 or Alkair, and the seate of the Soldan, a citie of 
 notable largenesse. In Aegipt as Plato afiSrmeth, it 
 was neuer sene rain. But Nilus suppliyng that 
 defaulte, yerely about saincte Barnabies tide, with 
 his ouerflowynges maketh the soile fertile. It is 
 nombred of the moste parte of writers, emong the 
 Islandes : For that Nilus so parteth hymself aboute it, 
 that he facioneth it triangle wise. 
 
 The Aegiptians firste of all other, deuised the 
 names of the twelue Goddes, builte vp Altares, and 
 Images, erected Chappelles and Temples, and graued 
 in stone the similitude of many sondrie beastes. All 
 whiche their doynges, dooe manifestly make, that 
 thei came of the Aethiopes, who (as Diodore tke 
 Sicihan saieth) ware the firste inuentours of all these. 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 45 
 
 Their women in old tyme, had all the trade of occu- 
 piyng, and brokage* abrode, and reuelled at the 
 Tauerne, and kepte lustie chiere : And the men satte 
 at home spinnyng, and woorkyng of Lace, and suche 
 other thynges as women are wonte. The men bare 
 their burdeins on the heade, the women on the 
 shulder. In the easemente of vrine, the men rowked 
 doune, the women stoode vprighte. The easemente 
 of ordure thei vsed at home, but commonly feasted 
 abrode in the stretes. No woman tooke ordres, either 
 of God or Goddesse. Their maner of ordres, is not ' 
 to make seuerally for euery Goddesse and God, a 
 seuerall priest, but al at a shuife, in generall for all. 
 Emong the whiche, one is an heade, whose sonne 
 enheriteth his roume by succession. The men chil- 
 dren, euen of a custome of that people, did with good 
 wil kepe their fathers and mothers, but the women 
 children (yf they refused it) ware compelled. The 
 moste part of men in solempne burialles, shaue their 
 heades, and let theyr beardes growe, but The giptians 
 shaued their beardes and let their heades grow. 
 They wrought their doughe with their fiete, and their 
 claye with their handes. As the Grecians do beleue, 
 this people, and their ofspring, are they that vsed 
 circumcision. Thei ordre their writyng from their 
 right hande towarde their left, contrary to vs. It was 
 the maner emong them, that the menne should weare 
 
 • To broke, i.e., to deal, or transact business, particularly of 
 an amorous character. (See Fansh. Lusiad, ix., 44 ; and 
 Daniel, "Queen's Arcadia, iii,, 3.) 
 t To bend. 
 
46 The Fardk of Facions. 
 
 two garmentes at ones, the women but one. As the 
 Aethiopes had, so learned they of them, two maner 
 of lettres; the one seuerall to the priestes thother 
 vsed in commune. Their priestes, euery thirde daye 
 shaued their bodies, that there might be none occa- 
 sion of filthinesse when they shold ministre or sacrifie. 
 Thei did weare garmentes of linnen, euer cleane 
 wasshed, and white : and shoes of a certeine kinde of 
 russhes, named Papyrus, whiche aftre became stuffe, 
 to geue name to our paper. They neither sette beane 
 their selues, ne eate them where soeuer they grewe : 
 ne the priest may not loke vpon a beane, for that it 
 is iudged an vncleane puis. They are wasshed euery 
 daye in colde water thrise, and euery nighte twise. 
 The heades of their sacrifices (for that they vsed to 
 curse them with many terrible woordes) did they not 
 eate, but either the priestes solde them to such 
 strangiers as had trade emonge them, or if there ware 
 no suche ready in time, they threwe them in to Nilus. 
 All the Egiptians ofiFer in sacrifice, neither cowe, 
 ne cowe calfe, because they are hallowed to Isis their 
 goddesse, but buUes and bulle calues, or oxen, and 
 stieres. For their meate they vse, moche a kynde of 
 pancake, made of rye meale. For lacke of grapes 
 they vse wyne made of Barly. They liue also with 
 fisshe, either dried in the Sonne and so eaten rawe, 
 or elles kept in pikle. They fiede also vpon birdes, 
 and foules, firste salted, and then eaten rawe. Quaile, 
 and mallard, are not but for the richer sorte. At all 
 solempne suppers, when a nomber is gathered, and 
 the tables withdrawen, some one of the company 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 47 
 
 carieth aboute in an open case, the image of death, 
 caruen out of woode, or drawen with the pencille as 
 niere to the vine as is possible, of a cubite, or two 
 cubites long at the moste. Who shewyng it aboute 
 to euery of the gestes, saielh, loke here : drinke and 
 be mery, for aftre thy death, suche shalt thou be. 
 The yonger yf they miete their auncient, or bettre, 
 vpon the way, giue them place, going somewhat aside : 
 or yf the aiinciente fortune to come in place where 
 they are sitting, they arise out of their seate, wherein 
 they agre with the Lacedemoniens. When they miete 
 in the waye, they do reuerence to eche other, bowing 
 their bodies, and letting fall their handes on their 
 knees. They weare long garments of lynnen, hemmed 
 about the skirtes beneth, which they call Casiliras : 
 ouer the which they throwe on another white garment 
 also. WoUen apparelle thei neither weare to the 
 churche, ne bewry any man in. 
 
 Nowe for asmoche as they afore time that euer 
 excelled in anye kinde of learning, or durste take 
 vppon them to prescribe lawe, and rule of life vnto 
 other, as Orpheus, Homere, Museus, Melampode, 
 Dedalus, Licurgus, Solon, Plato, Pithagoras, Samolxis, 
 Eudoxus, Democritus, Inopides, and Moses the Heb- 
 rue, with manye other, whose names the Egiptians 
 glorie to be cronicled with theim : trauelled first to 
 the Egiptians, to learne emongest them bothe wise- 
 dome, and politique ordre (wherein at those daies 
 they passed all other) me thinketh it pleasaunte and 
 necessarie also, to stande somewhat vpon their maners, 
 ceremonies and Lawes, that it may be knowen what 
 
48 The Fardk of Farions. 
 
 they, and sondry moe haue borowed of them, and 
 translated vnto other. For (as Philip Beroalde writeth 
 in his commentary vpon Apuleius booke, entituled 
 the Golden Asse) the moste parte of the deuices that 
 we vse in our Christian religion, ware borowed out of 
 the maner of Thegiptians. As surpluis and rochet, 
 and suche linnen garmentes : shauen crownes, tourn- 
 inges at the altare, our masse solempnities, our 
 organes, our knielinges, crouchinges, praiers, and 
 other of that kinde. The kinges of Egipte (saieth 
 Diodore the Sicilian in his seconde booke) liued not 
 at rouers* as other kinges doe, as thoughe me lusteth 
 ware lawe, but bothe in their monie collections, and 
 daily fare and apparell, folowed the bridle of the lawe. 
 They had neither slaue that was homebome, ne slaue 
 that was forein bought, appointed to attende or awaite 
 vpon them. But the sonnes of those that ware priestes 
 of honour, bothe aboue thage of twenty yeres, and 
 also singulerly learned. That the king hauing these 
 attendant for the body both by dale and by night, 
 restrained by the reuerence of the company about 
 hym might commit nothing that was vicious, or dis- 
 honourable. For men of power are seldome euil, 
 where they lacke ministres for their vnlawfuU lustes. 
 /-There ware appoincted houres, both of the daie and 
 the night, in the whiche the kinge mighte lawfully doe, 
 what the Lawe did permit^ In the morning, assone 
 as he was ready, it behoved him to peruse al lettres, 
 supplicacions, and billes : that knowing what was to 
 
 * From the expression to shoot at rovers, i.e., at a mark, but 
 with an elevation, not point blank. 
 
The Jiardk of Mdons. 49 
 
 be done, he might giue aunswer in tyme : that all 
 thinges might rightlie, and ordrely be done. These 
 being dispatched, when he had washed his bodie 
 emong the Pieres of y= Realme, he put on some robe 
 of estate, and Sacrificed to the goddes. The maner 
 was, that the Primate, or head of the spiritualty (the 
 beastes appoincted for the sacrifices being brought 
 harde to the altare, and the Kyng standing by) should 
 with a loude voyce, in the hearing of the people, 
 wysshe to the king (that bare him selfe iustely towarde 
 his subiectes) prosperous healthe, and good fortune in 
 all. And should further particulerly recite the vertues 
 of the king, his deuoutnes and reuerence towarde 
 God, and clemency towarde men. Commende him 
 as chaste, iuste. and vpright : of noble and great 
 courage, ^^^ck, liberal, and one that well brideled 
 al his desires. Punisshing thoffendour vnder his 
 desertes, and rewarding the well doer aboue his 
 merites. Making a processe of these, and such other 
 like : in the ende with thej:ehersalle of the contrary 
 vices, he cursed the wicked and euil. Then absolu- 
 ing the King of his offences, he laied all the faulte 
 vpon the ministres, and attendauntes, y' should at any 
 time moue the king to any thing vnright, or vnlawfuU. 
 These thinges beinge done, he preached vnto the 
 King the blessednes of the life, led accordyng to the 
 pleasure of the goddes, and exhorted him thervnto : 
 as also to frame his maners and doinges vnto vertue, 
 and not to giue eare to that, that leude men should 
 counsaile him, but to foUowe those thynges that led 
 vnto honour and vertue. In thende, whan the King 
 
 G 
 
5o The Fardk of Facians. 
 
 had sacrificed a buUe, the priest declared certain 
 preceptes and examples of excellehte, and moste 
 worthy men: written in their holy scripture. To 
 thende that the Kynge admonisshed by the example 
 of theim, might ordre his gouernaunce iustlye, and 
 godly, and not geue hym selfe to couetous cloinyng,* 
 and hourdyng of tresure. He neither satte to iudge, 
 ne toke his vocacion, ne walked abrode, ne washed 
 at home, ne laye with his Quiene, ne finally did any 
 maner of thing, but vpon the prescripte of the lawe. 
 
 Their fare was but simple, nothing but veale, and 
 goose, and their wine by measure appoincted. So 
 that thone should nether ouerlade the bealy, ne the 
 other the heade. To conclude, their whole life so 
 bounde vpon temperaunce, that it might be thoughte 
 raither to have bene prescribed them by a discrete 
 Phisicen to preserue helthe, then by a politique 
 Lawyer. It siemeth wondrefull that the Egiptians 
 mighte not rule their owne priuate life, but by the 
 Lawes. But it semeth more wonderfull that their 
 King had no liberty of him selfe, either to sitte in 
 iudgement, to make collections of money, or to 
 punishe any man, vpon wilfulnes, stoute stomacke, 
 angre, displeasure, or anye vniuste cause : But to be 
 holden vnder lawe as a commune subiecte, and yet 
 not to be agreued therwith, but to thincke them 
 selues moste blessed in obeyeng and folowyng the 
 lawe, and other in folowing their lustes most vnhappy, 
 as being led by them into many daungiers, and 
 
 • Probably from the old French, encloyer, to glut, or surfeit. 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 51 
 
 damages. For suche oftentimes, euen when they 
 know them selues to do euill, either ouercome with 
 malice, and hatred, or some other mischiefe of the 
 minde, are not able to witholde theim selues from 
 the euille. But they which by wisedome and dis- 
 crecion, gouerne their hues, offende in fewe thinges. 
 The kinges vsing suche an equitie, and vprightnes 
 towarde their subdites, are so tendred againe of them, 
 that not onely the priesteSj but all the Egiptians in 
 generall, haue more care for the health and the 
 welfare of the King, then for their wiues, their 
 children, or any other princes. 
 
 He that to his death continueth in this goodnesse, \ . ■ 
 him being dead, do they in general lamente. They \\ 
 teare their clothes, they shut up y' churche dores, 
 they haunte no place of wonte commune concourse, 
 they omytte all solempneholy daies : and girding 
 them selues vnder the {^peywith brode Ribbond 
 of Sarse^t, two or thre hilndred on a company, men r 
 an'd' women together, renewe euery daye twise, thre 
 skore and xii. daies together, the buriall bewailing, ,, 
 casting dirte on their heades, and singing in rithme ^ ] 
 the vertue of the Kinge. They absteine from al ^* 
 flesshe of beastes, all meates y' touche fire, all wine 
 and all preparation of seruice at the table. They 
 bathe not, thei smel of no swietes, they go to no 
 beddes, they pleasure not in women : but as folkes 
 that had buried their beste beloued childe, all that 
 continuance of time they lamente. During these 
 seuenty and two daies (hauyng prepared all thinges 
 necessarie for the funerall pompe) : the laste daye of 
 
52 The Far die of Facions. 
 
 all, the bodie beyng enbaulmed and cofred, is sette 
 before the entrie of the Toombe. Thereaftre the 
 custome, one redeth an abridgemente of all the 
 thinges done by the king in his life. And if there be 
 any man disposed to accuse the deade, libertie is 
 giuen him. The priestes are present, and euer giue 
 praise to his well doings, as they be recited. There 
 stondeth also rounde about the Toombe a multitude 
 of the communes, which with their voices allowe 
 asmuche as is trew, and crie out vpon that, that is 
 false, with vehement gainsaienges. Wherby it hath 
 happened, that sondry kynges by the repugnynges of 
 the people haue lien vntoombed : and haue lacked 
 the honoure of bewrialle, that the good are wonte to 
 haue. That feare, hath driuen the kynges of Aegipte, 
 >to liue iustly, and vprightly, lesse the people aftre 
 , f>' their deathes, might shewe them suche dishonour, 
 aad beare them perpetuall hatred. This was the 
 Vf Inaner specially, of the aunciente kynges there. 
 '■f'- The whole realme of Egipte was diuided into 
 Shieres : and to eueiy Shiere was appoincted a Presi- 
 ^ , dente, whiche had the gouernaunce of the whole 
 ' J Shiere. The reuenewes of the realme ware diuided 
 into iii. partes : whereof the companie of the priestes 
 ^ '' had the first parte, which ware in greate estimacion 
 
 emong them, both for the administracion of Goddes 
 Seruice, and also for the good learnyng, wherin thei 
 brought vp many. And this porcion was giuen theim, 
 partely for the administracion of the Sacrifices, and 
 partely for the vse and commoditie of their priuate 
 life. For thei neither thincke it mete, that any parte 
 
 !_■ 
 
The Far die of J/aaons. 53 
 
 of the honour of the Goddes should bee omitted, or 
 that thei, whiche are Ministres of the commune 
 counsaill and profecte, should be destitute of neces- 
 sary commodities of the life. For these menne are 
 alwaie in matters of weighte, called vpon by the 
 nobles, for their wisedome and counsaille : And to 
 shewe (as thei can by their connyng in the Pianettes, 
 and Starres, and by the maner of their Sacrifices) the 
 happe of thinges to come. Thei also declare vnto 
 them, the stories of men of olde tyme, regested in 
 their holy Scripture, to the ende that accordyng to 
 them the kynges maie learne what shall profighte, or 
 disprofighte. For the maner is not emong them, as 
 it is emong the Grecians, that one manne, or one 
 woman, shoulde attende vpon the sacrifices and 
 Ceremonies alone : but thei are many at ones aboute 
 the honour of their Goddes, and teache the same 
 ordre to their children. This sorte of menne is 
 priuileged, and exempte from all maner of charges, 
 and hath next vnto the kyng, the second place of 
 dignitie and honour. 
 
 The second porcion cometh to the king to maintein 
 his owne state, and the charges of the warres : and to 
 shewe liberalitie to men of prowesse according to 
 their worthinesse. So that the Communes are neither 
 burdoned with taxes nor tributes. 
 
 The thirde parte do the pencionaries of the warres 
 rcceiue, and suche other as vpon occasions are 
 moustered to the warres : that vpon the regard of the 
 stipende, thei maie haue the better good wille and 
 courage, to hasarde their bodies in battaile. Their 
 
#■ 
 
 ,^-^ 
 
 The Fardle of lacions. 
 
 ommunaltie is deuided into thre sortes of people. 
 Ilusbande men, Brieders of cattle, and men of occu- 
 pacion. The Husbandmen buyeng for a litle money 
 a piece of grounde of the Priestes, the king, or the 
 warriour : al the daies of their life, euen from their 
 chlldhode, continually applie that care. Whereby it 
 Cometh to passe, that bothe for the skoolyng that thei 
 haue therin at their fathers handes, and the continuall 
 practisyng fro their youthe, that thei passe all other 
 in Husbandrie. 
 
 The Brieders, aftre hke maner, learnyng the trade 
 of their fathers, occupie their whole life therabout. 
 We see also that al maner of Sciences haue bene 
 much bettred, yea, brought to the toppe of perfection, 
 emong the Egiptians. For the craftes men there, not 
 medlyng with any commune matiers that mighte 
 hindre theim, emploie them selues onely to suche 
 sciences as the lawe doeth permit them, or their father 
 hath taught them. So that thei neither disdaine to 
 be taughte, nor the hatred of eche other, ne any thing 
 elles withdraweth them from their crafte. 
 ^ Their ludgementes and Sentences of lawe, are not 
 giuen there at aduenture, but vpon reason : for thei 
 surely thought that all thinges well done, muste niedes 
 be profitable to mannes life. To punishe the ofFen- 
 dours, and to helpe the oppressed, thoughte thei the 
 best waie to auoide mischiefes. But to buye of the 
 punishmente for money or fauour, that thought thei 
 to be the very confusion of the commune welfare. 
 Wherefore thei chase out of the chief cities (as 
 Heliopole, Memphis, and Thebes) the worthiest men. 
 
^a 
 
 The Far die of Facions, 55 
 
 to be as Lordes chief lustice, or Presidentes of 
 ludgementes, so that their lustice benche did sieme 
 to giue place, neither to the Areopagites of the 
 Athenienses, ne yet to the Senate of the Lacedemo- 
 nians that many a daie after theim ware instituted. 
 Aftre what tyme these chief lustices ware assembled 
 (thirtie in nombre) thei chase out one that was >J- 
 Chauncellour of the whole : and when he failed, the '. >. 
 citie appoincted another in his place. All these had 
 their liuynges of the kyng : but the Chauncellour 
 more honorably then the rest. He bare alwaie about 
 his necke a tablette, hangyng on a chaine of golde, 
 and sette full of sundrie precious stones, whiche thei ^ 
 called Veritie and Truthe. The courte beyng set ;^ 
 and begunne, and the tablet of Truthe by the Chaun- 
 cellour laied furthe, and theight bookes of their lawes- 
 (for so many had thei) brought furth into the middes 
 emong them : it was the maner for the plaintife to 
 putte into writyng the whole circumstance of his case, 
 and the maner of the wrong doone vnto him, or how 
 muche he estemed himself to be endamaged thereby. 
 And a time was giuen to the defendant to write 
 answere again to euery poinct, and either to deny that 
 he did it, or elles to alledge that he rightfully did it, or 
 elles to abate the estimate of the damage or wrong. 
 Then had thei another daie appointed, to saie finally 
 for them selues. At the whiche daie when the parties 
 on bothe sides ware herd, and the iudges had conferred 
 their opinions, the Chauncellour of the Iudges gaue 
 sentence by pointyng with the tablet of Veritie, toward 
 the parte y' semed to be true. This was y' maner of 
 their iudgementes. 
 
5 6 The Far die of Facions. 
 
 And forasmuche as we are fallen into mencion of 
 their iudgementes, it shall not be vnfyttyng with 
 myne enterprise, to write also the aunciente Lawes of 
 the Egiptians, that it maie be knowen how muche 
 they passe, bothe in ordre of thynges, and profite. 
 
 Fyrst to be periured was headyng : for they thought 
 
 it a double offence. One in regarde of conscience 
 
 ^ not kept toward God, and an other in gyuynge occa- 
 
 / sion to destroy credite among men, whiche is the 
 ^chiefest bonde of their felowship. If any wayfarying 
 man shuld espy a man sette vppon with thieues, or 
 otherwyse to be wronged, and dyd not to his power 
 succour and ayde hym, he was gyltie of death. If he 
 ware not able to succour and to reskewe hym, then 
 •iwas he bounde to vtter the thieues, and to prosecute 
 
 '■'the matter to enditement. And he that so dyd not, 
 was punyshed with a certayne nombre of stripes, and 
 was kept thre days without meate. He that shuld 
 accuse any man wrongfully, if he fortuned afterward 
 to be broughte into iudgement, he suffered the pun- 
 ishement ordeyned for false accusers. .\11 the Egyptians 
 ware compelled to brynge euery man their names to 
 the cbiefe lustices, and the facultie or science wherby 
 they liued. In the which behalfe if any man lyed, or 
 lyued with vnlaufull meanes, he felle into penaltie of 
 death. If any man willyngly had slaine any man free 
 or bond, the lawes condemned hym to die, not regard- 
 ynge the state of the man, but the malicious pourpose 
 of the diede. Wherby they made men afrayd to doe 
 mischief, and death beynge executed for the death of 
 a bondman, the free myght goe in more sauftie. For 
 
The Far die of Facions. 57 
 
 the fathers that slewe their chyldren, there was na 
 punyshement of death appoynted, but an iniunctioti/' * 
 that they shoulde stande thre dales and thre nyghtes 
 togither at the graue of the deade, accompanied with 
 a common warde of the people to see the thyng done. 
 Neyther dyd it sieme them iuste, that he that gaue 
 life to the childe, should lose his life for the childes 
 death, but rather be put to continual sorowe, and to 
 be pyned with the repentance of the diede, that other 
 myght ther by the withdrawen from the like wycked- 
 nes. But for the chyld ,that kylled either father or f 
 mother, they deuised this kynd of synguler torment. 
 They thruste hym through with riedes sharpned for 
 the nones, in euery ioynt all ouer his body, and caused 
 hym quicke to be throwen vpon a heape of Thomes, 
 and so to bee burned. ludgyng that there could not 
 be a greater wickednes emong men, then to take awaie 
 the life, from one that had giuen life vnto hym. If 
 any woman with child ware condempned to dye,- thei 
 abode the tyme of her deliueraunce notwithstandyng : 
 for that thei iudged it farre from all equitie, that the 
 gilteles should dye together with the giltie. Or thaf^i 
 ii. should be punished, where but one had offended. ,,' 
 Who so had in battaille or warre, withdrawen hymself f 
 from his bande, forsaken his place in the arraie, or 
 not obeied his capitaigne : was not condempned to 
 dye, but suffred for his punishemente a notable 
 reproche, of all punishementes the woorste, and more 
 greuous then death. Who so had disclosed any 
 secret to the ennemie, the Lawe commaunded his 
 tongue to be cutte out of his heade. And who so 
 
 H 
 
/ 58 The Fardk of Facions. 
 
 clipped the coigne or countrefacted it, or chaunged 
 the stampe or diminisshed the weighte : or in lettres 
 and writinges, shoulde adde any thing, by entrelinyng, 
 or otherwise: or should guelde out any thyng, or 
 bryng a forged euidence, Obligacion or Bille, bothe 
 his handes ware cutte of. That suche parte of the 
 bodie as had offended, mighte for euer beare the 
 punishemente therof : and the residue takyng warnyng 
 by his ensample, might shonne the like. 
 
 There ware also sharpe punishementes constitute, 
 in offences concernyng women. For he that had 
 defloured a free woman, had his membres cutte of, 
 because in one offence, he had committed thre no 
 small wickednesses. That is to saie, wrong, made the 
 woman an whore, and broughte in a double the lau- 
 fulnes of her issue. But thei that ware taken in 
 adulterie, bothe partes byeng agreed, the man was 
 whipped with a thousand stripes by tale : and the 
 woman had her nose cut of, wherwith beside y' shame 
 she had, the whole beautie of her face was disgraced, 
 and disfigured. 
 
 The Lawes that apperteigned to the trade and 
 i occupieng of men, one with another : ware made (as 
 thei saie) by one Bocchorides. It is commaunded in 
 them, that if money haue bene lent any manne with- 
 ' out writyng, vppon credite of his woorde : if the 
 borrower deny it, he should be put to his othe, to the 
 whiche the creditour muste stande. For thei so 
 muche estiemed an othe, that thei thoughte no man 
 so wicked, as wilfully to abuse it. And again, because 
 he that was noted to sweare very often, lost vtterly 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 59 
 
 his credite, and name : many menne affirme, that for 
 the regard of their honesties, it happened very seldome, 
 that any man came to his othe. Their Lawe maker 
 also, iudging that vertue was the engendrer of credite, 
 thought it good by good ordres to accustome men to 
 good liuyng and honestie, vpon feare to sieme vn- 
 worthie of all reputacion. He thought it also to be 
 against conscience, that he that without an othe had 
 borowed, should not nowe for his own, be beleued 
 with an othe. The forfect for non paiment of the 
 lone, mought not bee aboue the double of the somme 
 that was borowed. And paiement was made onely of 
 the goodes of the borower, the body was not arrest- 
 able. For the Lawemaker thought it conueniente, 
 that onely the gooddes should bee subdite to the 
 debte, and the bodies (whose seruice was required 
 bothe in peace and in warre) subiecte to the citie. It 
 was not thoughte to bee lustice, that the manne of 
 warre, whiche hasardeth his bodie for the sauftie of 
 his countrie, should for an enterest of lone, bee 
 throwen into prisone. The whiche lawe, Solon 
 siemeth to haue translated to the Athenienses, vndre 
 the name of the lawe Sisarea, decreyng that the body 
 of no citezein, should for any maner of enterest be 
 emprisoned. ^ 
 
 Thegiptians also for thieues, had this lawe alone, \ 
 and no people els. The lawe commaunded that as ' 
 many as would steale, should entre their names with / 
 the chief Prieste: and what so euer was stoUen, incon- / 
 tinente to cary the same vnto hym. Likewise, he,/ 
 that was robbed was bounde to entre with the saied '' 
 
6o The Fardle of Faeions. 
 
 Chiefe Priest, the daie, time and houre, when he 
 was robbed. By this meanes the thefte being easely 
 founde out, he that was robbed, loste the fourthe 
 parte and receiued the residue, the whiche fourthe was 
 given to the thiefe. For the Lawe maker (seeing it 
 was impossible vtterly to be withoute thieues) thought 
 it moche bettre by this meanes that men bare the 
 losse of a piece then to be spoiled of the whole. 
 
 The ordre of Mariage emong the Egiptians is not 
 jvniforme, for the priest might marry but one onely 
 ywife. All other haue as many as they wille, acordyng 
 to their substaunce. Ther is no child emong them, 
 though it be borne of a bought woman slaue, that is 
 compted illegitimate. For they onely compte the 
 father to be the authour of his kynde, and the mother 
 onely but to geue place and nourishement to the childe. 
 When their children be borne they bring them vp 
 with so lytle coste, as a man would skantly beUeue. 
 They fiede them with the rootes of mererushes, and 
 other rootes, rested in the embries, and with marshe 
 Caubois, and colewortes which partly they seathe, 
 and partly they roste, and parte giue them rawe. 
 They go for the moste parte withoute hosen or shoes, 
 all naked, the contry is so temperate. All the coste 
 that the Parentes bestowe on their children til they be 
 of age to shift for themselues, surmounteth not the 
 somme of a noble.* 
 
 The priestes bring vp the children, both in the 
 doctrine of their holye scriptures, and also in the other 
 
 * Equal to six shillings and eightpence. 
 
The Fardle of Facions, 6i 
 
 kindes of learning necessary for the commune life, 
 and chiefly in Geometry and Arithmetique. As for 
 the roughe exercises of wrasteling, ronning, daunsing, 
 playeng at weapons, tlirowyng y^ barre or suche like, 
 they train not their youth in, supposyng that the daily 
 exercise of suche, shoulde be to roughe, and daunger- 
 ous for them, and that they should be an empeiryng 
 of strength. Musique they doe not onely compte 
 vnprofitable, but also hurteful : as making mens 
 courages altogether womanlyke. When they are sicke, /'' 
 they heale themseluesj eyther with fasting or vomiting : 
 and that either euery eche other daye, or euery third 
 daye, or fourthe. For they are of opinion that all 
 diseases growe of superfluite of meate, and that kinde 
 of cure therfore to be beste, that riddeth the grounde 
 of the griefe. Men goyng to the warres, or traueil 
 lyng the countrie, are, healed of free cost. For the 
 Phisicens and Chirurgiens, haue a stipende allowed 
 them of ordenary at the charge of the communes. 
 
 In curing, they are bounde to folowe the preceptes 
 of the auncient and allowed writers, regestred in their 
 holy scripture. Yf a man folowing the prescripte of 
 the scriptures can not so heale y" sicke, he is not j 
 blamed for that : But yf he fortune to heale him by '^^ 
 any other meanes then is in the scripture appoincted, ^' ' 
 he dieth for it. For the lawe giuer thoughte that \i>>'i[ 
 was harde to finde a bettre waye of curyng, then that ■/,_ , 
 y' which of suche antiquitie was by longe practise 
 founde oute and allowed, and deliuered vnto them by 
 suche a continuaunce. The Egiptians do worship 
 aboue measure certeine beastes, not onely whilest 
 
62 The Far die oj Facions. 
 
 they be onliue,* but also when they are dead. As the 
 Catte, the Icneumon the dogge, the hauke, the woulfe, 
 the Cocodrille, and many other hke. They are not 
 onely not ashamed to professe the worship of these 
 openly, but setting them selues out in the honouring 
 of them to the vttermoste : they compte it asmuch 
 praise and glory to them selues, as yf they bestowed 
 the like on the Goddes. And they go about on 
 procession with the propre Images of them, from 
 citie, to citie, and from place, to place ; holding them 
 vp and shewing them a farre of vnto other, which fall 
 on their knees, and euery one worship them. When 
 any one of them dieth, they couer it with Sarcenet, 
 and houling, and crieng, and beating of their breastes 
 they all to bestrawe the carckesse with salte. And 
 after they haue embalmed it with the licour of the 
 Cedre and other fragraunt oyntmentes, and oyles, to 
 preserue it the longer: thei bewrye it in holy sepulture. 
 If a man haue slayne any of these beastes willingly : 
 he is codempned to death. But yf he haue slaine an 
 catte or a snyte.t willingly or vnwillingly : the people 
 ronneth vpon him vppon heapes, and withoute all 
 ordre of lustice or lawe, in moste miserable wise 
 torment him to death. Vpon feare of the which 
 daungier who soeuer espieth one of those lyeng dead : 
 standing a farre, he howleth and crieth professing that 
 he is not giltie of y" death. These beastes with great 
 
 * I have never met with this form of the word, 
 t A snipe, from the Saxon Sliyta, 
 " Greene-plover, snyte. 
 Partridge, larke, cocke, and phessant." 
 
 Heyw. Engl. Trav., Act i., Scene ii. 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 63 
 
 attendaunce and chardge are kept vp aboute the 
 cloistres of the Temple, by men of no raeane reputa- 
 tion : whiche fiede them with fioure and otemeale, and 
 diuers deinties, sopped and stieped in milke. And 
 they set euery daie before them goose, bothe sodden 
 and rosted. And before those that delight al in raw 
 meate they sette birdes and rawe foules. Finally as I 
 said they kiepe them all with great diligence and 
 coste. They lament their death asmoche as the death 
 of their owne children, and bury them more sumptu- 
 ously then their substance doth stretch. In so moche 
 that Ptolomeus Lagus reigning in Egipt, when there 
 chaunced a cowe to die in Memphis, for very age : he 
 that had taken charge of the kepyng of her, bestowed 
 vpon the buriall of her (beside a greate some of mony 
 that was giuen him for the keping) fiftie talentes of 
 siluer, that he borowed of Ptolome. Peraduenture 
 these thynges will seme vnto some men to wondreful : 
 but he wil wondre asmoche yf he considre what 
 communely is done emonge euery of the Egiptians in 
 the funeralle of their deade. 
 
 When any man is departed his lyfe, all his niere 
 friendes and kindesfolke, throwing dirte vpon their 
 heades, go wieping and wailing rounde about the 
 citie vntle the Corps be buried. And in the meane 
 season they neyther bathe, ne drincke wine, or eate 
 any meate, but that that is most base and vile, ne 
 weare any apparell that is gorgeous or faire. They 
 haue thre sortes of Sepulchres, Sumptuous, meane, 
 and basse. In the firste sorte they bestowe a talente 
 of siluer. Aboute the seconde, twenty Markes, and 
 
64 ' The Fardle of Facions. 
 
 aboute y(he thirde litle or nothing. There be certaine 
 Phereti'ers,* whose facultie it is to sette forthe burialles, 
 whiche learne it of their fathers and teache it their 
 children. These when a funeral happeneth, make 
 vnto him that is doer for the deade, an estimate of 
 the exequies in writing, whiche the doer may at his 
 pleasure enlarge^or make lesse. When thei are ones 
 fallen at apppyjicte, the bodye is deliuered to the 
 Pheretrer to bee enterred accordyng to the rate that 
 they agreed vpon. Then the bodie beyng laied 
 foorthe, commeth the Phereters chiefe cutter, and he 
 appoincteth his vndrecutter a place on the side haulfe 
 of the paunche, wher to make incision, and how large. 
 Then he with a sharpe stone (whiche of the country 
 fro whence it commeth, they call Ethiopicus) openeth 
 the left side as farre as the lawe permitteth. And 
 streight with all spiede ronneth his way from the 
 company standing by, which curse him and reuile 
 him and throwe many stones aftre him. For they 
 thincke there yet remaineth a certeine hatred due 
 vnto him that woundeth the body of their frinde. 
 Those that are the seasoners and embalmers of the 
 body (whome they calle poulderers) they haue in greate 
 honour and estimacion, for that they haue familiarite 
 with the priestes, and entre the temples together with 
 them. The bodye nowe commen to their handes, 
 one emong all (the reste standing by) vnlaceth the 
 entrailes, and draweth them out at the foresaid inci- 
 sion, all sauing the kidneis, and the harte. These 
 entrailes are taken by another at his hande, and 
 * (^evj,ferretnrs, cairieis. 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 65 
 
 wasshed in wine of the country Phenicea, wherin are 
 enfused many soote" odours and drugges. Then, 
 enoincte they the whole bodye ouer, firste with Cedre, 
 and then with other oynctementes. xxx. daies and 
 aboue. Then do thei ceare it ouer with Mirrhe and 
 Cinamome and suche other thinges as wil not onely 
 preserue it to continuaunce, but also make it soote 
 smelling. The Corps thus being trimmed, is deliuered 
 to y" kindesfolke of y« deade, euery parte of it kepte 
 so whole (not an heare of his browes or eye liddes 
 being hurte) y' it raither lieth like one being in sliepe 
 then like a dead corpse. Before y' body be enterredj 
 y kindesfolke of the deade signifie to the iudges, and 
 the friendes of this passed, -f day of y= burial, 
 Whiche (according to the maner -then vsed) thei 
 terrae the deades passaige ouer th^^ere,/ The maner 
 wherof is this. 
 
 The iudges, aboue. xl. in nomber, sittinge on the 
 farther side of the mere, on a compassed benche 
 wheling haulfe rounde and y' people standing about,: 
 them : The bodie is put into a litle boate made for 
 the nones, and drawen ouer to the iudges by a chorde. 
 The body then standing before the iudges in the sight 
 of the people, before it be cofred, if ther be any 
 manne that haue aught to saye against the dead, he 
 is permitted by the lawe. Yf any be proued to haue 
 liued euyll, the iudges geue sentence that the bodye 
 
 ' Sweet. 
 
 " They dauncen deftly, and singen soote, 
 
 In their merriment." 
 Spenser's HobbinoVs Dittie, Sheph. Kah, Apr. iii. 
 I 
 
66 T}ie Fardle of Facions. 
 
 shall not be buried. And who so is founde vniustelye 
 to haue accused, suflfreth greate punyshemente ther- 
 fore. When no manne wyll accuse, or he that accused 
 is knowen to haue slaunderously done it, the kinsfolke 
 endyng their mournyng : tourne them selues now to 
 the prayse of y"= dead, nothing aftre the maner of the 
 Grecians, for that the Egiplians thinke themselues all 
 to be gentlemen alike. But beginnyng at his childe- 
 hode, in the whiche thei reherse his bringing vp, 
 nourtering and scholyng, thei passe to his mannes 
 age, their commending his godlines, his iustice, his 
 temperaunce, and the residewe of his vertues. And 
 calling vpon the vndre earthe, goddes, they beseche 
 them to place him emonge the godlye and good. To 
 the which wordes all the whole multitude crieth 
 Amen : showtyng oute, and magnifieng the glorye of 
 , the deade, as thoughe they shoulde be with the vnder 
 earth goddes, among y"= blessed for euer. This done 
 euery man burieth his dead, some in Sepulchres made 
 for the purpose, and other that haue no suche pre- 
 paracion, in their strongest wall at home in their 
 house, setting vp y= cofre ther tabernacle wyse. But 
 they that for some oflFence, or debte of enterest, or 
 suche like, are denied their bewriall, are sette vp at 
 home without any cofire, vntle their successours 
 growyng to abihte canne dischardge their debtes and 
 offences, and honourably bewrie them. 
 
 There is a maner emong them, sometyme to borowe 
 money vpon their parentes corpses, deliueryng the 
 bodies to the creditours in pledge. And who so 
 redemeth theim not, ronneth into vtter infamie, and 
 
The Fardle of Facions. 67 
 
 is at his death, denied his bewriall. A manne (not 
 altogether causeles) mighte merueile, that thei could 
 not be contente to constitute lawes for the framyng of 
 the maners of those that are onliue, but also put ordre 
 for the exequies, and Hearses of the deade. But the 
 cause why thei bent them selues so much^ hervntc^ 
 was for that thei thought ther was no better waie 
 possible, to driue men to honestie of life. The 
 Grekes, which haue set furthe so many thynges in 
 fained tales, and fables of Poetes (farre aboue credite) 
 concemyng the rewarde of the good, and punishment 
 of the euill : could not with all their deuices, drawe 
 men to vertue, and withdrawe them from vices. But 
 rather contrariwise, haue with them that be leudely 
 disposed : byoughte all together in contempte and 
 derision. /'But emong the Egiptians, the puhlslie- 
 mente due vnto the wicked and lewde, and the praise 
 of the godlieand good, not heard by tales of a tubbe,* 
 but sene daiely at the eye : putteth both partes in . 
 remembraunce what behoueth in this life, and what 
 fame and opinion thei shall leaue of them selues, to 
 their posteritie. And hervppon it riseth, that euery 
 man gladly emong them, ensueth good ordre of life. 
 And to make an ende of Thegiptians, me siemeth 
 
 * Swift took the title ot his well-known book from this old 
 expression. It appears in Bale's " Comedye Concerning Three 
 Laws," compiled in 1538 : 
 
 " Ye »ay they follow your law, 
 And vary not a shaw, 
 Which is a tale of a tub," 
 
•68 The Fardle of Facions. 
 
 those Lawes are of very righte to be compted the 
 beste, whiche regarde not so muche to make the 
 people riche, as to aduance them to honestie and 
 wsedome, where riches of necessitie must folowe. 
 
 END OF VOL. I.