Prolicionycion [sic]

¶ Capitulum duodecimum ¶ De parchia Ysid libro. 14

YSydorus sheweth that parchia that kyngdom for mygh•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 strengthe of men of that londe that her name spradd 〈…〉〈…〉 the londes of Assiria and media and was woonte to cont•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the londe of four contreyes· of Assiria· Media Persida and of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mania / the whiche londe· perchia stretcheth in lengthe fro the Se•• that is called caspius vnto the Reede See / And in brede from the Ryuer of Inde / to the Ryuer that is called Tigris / That is the bygynnyng of the londe / that is named. Mesopotonya / Tro∣gus libro decimo capitulo / quynto. Perchij the men of Perchia in the langage of the countrey of Scicia were outlawes· and whan the kyngdom was taken from the men of Media to the men of Persidia / thenne were the perchi as it were praye to the vyctours and were as it were vnknowen emonge men of the eeste l••ndes vnto the tyme that men of macedonia bycam kynges and lordes of londes. Thenne afterward they serued the Macedoyns whan the macedoyns were vyctours in the eeste londes / But atte laste they were parteners with the Romayns and deled / lordship with hem· These perchij vseden the maners of men of Scicia▪ that put hem out somtyme. therfor her armes & wepen ben fethery. swel¦lyng wyttes. gyleful espyes ¶Men they acounte violente· and wynmen mylde. and euer they ben vnesy to her owen neyghbours or to straunge men / They ben comynly stylle and lytil of speche / more redy to doo than for to speke· therfore they holden pryue good happes / and bonchyef. as wel as euyl happes and meschyef They ben obedyent to theyr lordes for drede and not for shame / They ben alle disposed to lecherye with theyr owne wyues / eue∣ryche of them hath many wyues / No trespaas amonge them is punysshed so greuously as aduoultrye by her lawe. therfore they forbeden theyr wyues open sight. festes & companye of other men· They lyuen scarcely & by lytil mete· & ete no fflessh but veneson. Giraldus .17. Thylke men after they lefte kyng S••lencus dwel¦leden vnder the kyng Arsaces· And therfor they were called Ar∣sacide / That kynge Arsaces taught hem fyrst lawes. he gadred knyghtes and buylded castellys / Cytees and stronge walled townes. And atte laste Arsaces the kyng ioyned the kyngdom of hircania to his Empyre / And so men of hircania longed to his empyre. Emonge the whiche afterward among other kynges co¦me Metridates. Metridates soone after the deth of Crassus consul of. Rome / Regned and helde the kyngdom .xliij yere· In the whiche tyme he dyde many viages and had many fair vyctoryes

as it is declared within forth in his place / Trogus libro .14 / par¦chij the men of Parchia ben in the myddel bytwene Scitas men of Scicia and medes men of media that londe / And Parchij ha∣ue many bondmen emonge them. For they ben neuer made free. theyr fre men ryden alway on horsbak· And theyr bondmen goon a foote· And in batayll they fyghten on hors / they goo•• to pryue offyce / and to comyn festes· but they teche bysyly theyr childeren to ryde and to shote. And eueryche of hem by his rychesse and po∣wer fynde to theyr kynde horsmen in bataylle for to fygthe· they conne not fyght in comyn maner. ner they conne not bisege cas∣tels nor stronge walled townes / they fygthe on hors rennyng in ful cours and tornyng agayn / And ofte in strengest and har∣dyest fight / they feyne for to flee and sodenly torne / and fyght a∣agayn that they mowe the slylyer wynne and slee theyr enemy∣es / In batayll they vse tabours and no trompe. and they mowe not endure longe for to fyghte / No men shold hem awelde and withstonde yf they were as stronge and stalworth to endure· as they ben angry and hasty to fighte· their buryeng is wonderful ffor beestes teeren· eten and al to halen theyr flessh. And they bu¦rye only but the bones