often, after such difficult maner. In martiall prowesse, there is little or no diffe∣rence betwene Englishmen and Scottes, for albeit that the Scottes haue béene often and very grieuously ouercome by the force of our nation, it hath not béene for want of manhood on their partes, but through ye mercy of God shewed on vs, and his iustice vpon them, sith they alwaies haue begun the quarels and of∣fred vs méere iniurie with great despite and crueltie. Leland noting somewhat of the cō∣stitution of our bodies, sayeth these wordes, the Britaines are whyte in coulour, & strong of body, as people inhabiting néere the north, and farre from the Equinoctiall line, where contrariewyse such as dwell towarde the course of the sunne, are lesse of stature, wea∣ker of body, more fearfull by nature, blacker in coulour, and some so blacke in déede as a∣nye Crow or Rauen, thus sayeth he. Howbe∣it, as these men doe come behinde vs in con∣stitution of bodie, so in Pregnancie of witte, nimblenesse of lymmes, and pollitike inuen∣tions, they generally excéede vs: notwithstā∣ding that otherwise these giftes of theirs doe often degenerate, into méere subtiltie, insta∣bilitie, vnfaithfulnesse and crueltie. We ther∣fore dwelling néere the North, are common∣ly taken by forrein Hystoriographers and o∣thers, to be men of great strength and little policie, much courage and small shift: & thus doth Comineus burden vs after a sort in hys history. But thanked be God, that all the wit of his countrymen coulde neuer compasse to doe so much in Britaine, as the strength and courage of our Englishmen, (not without great wisedome, and forecast) haue brought to passe in Fraunce. Certes in accusing our wisedome in this sorte, he doth in mine opi∣nion increase our commendation, for if it be a vertue to deale vprightly with singlenesse of minde: sincerely and plainly, without any suspicious fetches in all our dealinges, then are our countreymen to be accompted ver∣tuous. But if it be a vice to coulour crafti∣nesse, subtile practises, doublenesse and hollow behauiour, with a cloke of pollicie, amitie and wisedome, then are Comineus and his com∣panie to be reputed vicious. How these latter pointes take holde in Italy, I meane not to discusse, how they are daily practized in many places of the maine, and he accompted most wyse and pollitike, that can most of all dis∣semble, here is no place iustly to determine, (neyther woulde I wishe my countrymen to learne any such wisedome) but that a king of Fraunce, coulde say, Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit regnare, their owne hystories are testi∣monies sufficient. But to procéede with our purpose. With vs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doe liue an hundred yeares, very many •…•…oure sower score: as for thrée score; it is taken but for our enteraunce into age, so that in Britain, no man is sayde to were old til he draw vnto thre score. These two are also noted in vs (as thinges appar∣tayning to the firme constitutions of our bo∣dies) that there hath not béene séene in any Region so many cartasses of the dead to re∣maine from time to time without corruption as in Britain: and that after death by slaugh∣ter or otherwyse such as remayne vnburied by foure or fiue dayes togither are easte to be knowen and discerned by their friendes and kinred, wheras Tacitus and other complaine of sundry nations, saying, that their bodies are tam fluidae substantiae, that within cer∣taine houres the wife shall hardely knowe hir husbande, the mother hir sonne, or one friende another, after their liues be ended. I might here adde somewhat also of the meane stature generally of our women, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beau∣tie commonly excéedeth the faire 〈◊〉〈◊〉 those of the maine, their comlynes of person and good proportion of limmes, most of theirs ye come ouer vnto vs from beyonde the sea. I coulde make report likewyse of the naturall vices & vertues of all those yt are borne within thys Islande, but as the tractation thereof craueth a better head then mine to set it forth, so I will giue place to other men, that list to take the same in hand. Thus much therfore of the constitutions of our bodies, and so much may suffice.