The ofspring of the house of Ottomanno and officers pertaining to the greate Turkes court. Whereunto is added Bartholomeus Georgieuiz Epitome, of the customes rytes, ceremonies, and religion of the Turkes: with the miserbale affliction of those Christians, whiche liue vnder their captiuitie and bondage. In the ende also is adioyned the maner hovv Mustapha, oldest sonne of Soltan Soliman, twelfth Emperour of the Turkes, was murthered by his father, in the yere of our Lorde 1553. al Englished by Hugh Goughe.

❀ To the right worshippeful knight, Sir Thomas Gressam. Hugh Goughe vvisheth all godly honour, with Nestors yeres, and Galens healthe.

BEyng not manye Monethes sence, by some fortunate chaūce (right vvorshippeful) in the hearing of cer∣taine graue communi∣catiō, debated by mē, both discrete, learned, and not altogether vnvvorshippefull: it vvas at that present my luckye happe to heare of suche vvell disposed persons as of late daies, and before our time, had bene be∣nefactours to Englād their natiue coūtrey. Amonge the vvhiche, some of a Zealous minde, had bestovved their sage coūcel and politike deuises, for defence of the same, o∣ther of a fauorable affection, geuen their labour, to the hauinge in readines of suche

necessary instrumentes, as bothe in time of peace, might cease our doutfull mindes, frō carefulnes therof, and in the perilous sea∣sons of vvarre, defende vs from our daylye imminent aduersaries: the reste, beinge not many in number, hadde either, of a godlye and voluntarie vvil, vvholy (vvich chaun∣ced more seldome) applied their riches, or many ioyning together, laid out their trea∣sures, to the erectinge of suche noble buil∣dinges, as might be for a publike commodi∣tye vnto the inhabitantes of this vvorthy Ile of Britaine. All vvhose deedes for an euerlasting memoriall of them, and of ther vvell spent daies, haue most vvorthely de∣serued to be engrauen in tables of brasse. But fevve, yea alas to fevve, haue florished, in vvhom all these commendable qualities haue▪reygned, as both to be beneficiall to their countrye, by sage councell, procuring of safegarde for protection of the same, and bestovving of their substance, to the buil∣ding of such famous and magnificent vvor¦kes,

as might serue for common vtilitie vn∣to all men. And by the discretion of those men,, that be learned and vvise, if euer anye subiecte hath enioyed thē, they attribute it vnto yow. For what is he, vvhiche is igno∣rāt of the policies, and trauels, that your vvorshippe haue vsed and susteined, for to gette safegard, and requisite furniture to the realm. Besydes the infinite riches geuē to the buildinge of that princely vvoorke, com∣monly called the Burse, vvhich already de∣clareth, and in Lōdon is openly to be sēne. vvhat commodity generaly, it vvill bringe to the Citisens therof. These noble exploi∣••es (as in dede they ar not a litle by all men praised) can not, but be highely commen∣ded. To vvhat end shuld I reherse, or make mention of the great diuersity, which men accōpt to be betwene it and the huge towre of Babilō, or outragious buildings in Egipt named Pyramides: or of the exceding diffe∣rence, wherby it excelleth the intricate La∣berinthes,

and monstruous pillers, erected in diuers partes of the world: c••sidering that it is vnknovven vnto fevve, that these vvere either builded for a vaine ostentation, or fri∣uolous memorial, vvith out any profitable vse, or of enuye, because the founderers of the same, vvoulde not leaue ouer muche store of worldly treasures vnto their succes∣sours. I neade not also to make rehearsal of your curtesy, gētilnes, frendship, and libera∣litie tovvardes al men, yea and (vvhich de∣seruethe no small commendation) tovvar∣des the vnknovven, and strangers, as diuers other, and I also of late dayes, haue suffici∣ently proued. In consideration vvherof, lest I might seeme, eyther vnmindfull of suche benefites, as vndeseruidlye, I haue receiued at your frendly handes, or be thought vn∣thankefull, by not endeuoring, (according to my pore habilities) partly to recompens•• your fauorable gentilnes declared tovvarde•• me: I counted it good to present your vvor¦shyppe, vvith some suche treatice, as both••

myght declare me mindfull of your so vn∣speakeable benefites, and vvype cleane a∣vvaye from you, the opinion of detestable ingratitude, vvhiche othervvise your vvor∣shippe might most iustely haue conceyued of me. And in so muche as vvithin these thre hundred yeares, to the great domage, and vtter decay almost of Christes infalli∣ble religion, the great Turkes povver, and Empire hath spredde it selfe so farre, that at this instant, ar subiecte to his cruell tyran∣nye, aboue foure and thirtye moste famous nations vvhiche in times paste haue bene christened, yea and vvithin these fourescore yeares, as one Hiltenius by prophesyinge hathe foretolde vs, he shall haue dominion both in Italie and Germanie: ponderinge vvith my selfe this pitifull estate, and la∣mentable ruyne of Christianitye, I imagi∣ned that it did not so become me, as by dvv∣tie I vvas bounde, in gratifying your vvor∣shippe, to reveale and make manifeste vnto my countrey men, the nature, disposition,

customes, rites, and faithe of those circunsi∣sed Infidelles, vvith the horrible rackinge, painefull tormenting, and vnnaturall abu∣sing, of our faithefull brethren the innocent Christians, most miserably oppressed vvith the heauye youke of their vnmeasurable taxes, tributes, and continuall bondage: that they by considering of the daungers, hanginge vniuersally ouer our heades, may learne hence fourth to amende their sinfull liues, and cal incessantlye vnto god for soc∣cour against that mortall aduersarye, bothe to the vndoubted veritie of Christes holye gospell, to our countrye, liues and soules.

VVerefore accordinge to my simple skill and knovvleage I haue trāslated into our vulgar speche, this little booke, that herein, the vnaquainted vvith the latine toungue, may learne reade and see the sūme of their belefe, the vnstable, vveake, and folish foun¦dations of their fained religion, vvhich in token of my bounden dvvtie, I offer & de∣dicate vnto your vvorshippe: desiring most

humblye that you vvill accept it in good parte, and so accept it, as to vouchesafe to protecte and defende the same, vvith the title of your vvorthy name. This if you do, and receiue it so fauorablely, as other thin∣ges of late dayes you haue done, you shall encorage me, hereafter for so frendlye ta∣kinge of these rude lines, to attempte and geue the onsette, both vpon bookes of grea∣ter volume, and matters of more vveight and substance. In the meanne tyme I vvill not cease daily to call vppon God, that he of his infinite goodnes, vvill en¦crease this louing affection tovvardes your countrye, endvvynge you vvith perfecte healthe, vvith all godlye honour, and after thys vvaueringe lyfe, to aduaunce youre worship aboue the skyes, ther to remaine in perpetual blissednes, vvorld vvithout end.

Your vvorsnippes most
bounden Hugh Goughe.