The manners, lauues, and customes of all nations collected out of the best vvriters by Ioannes Boemus ... ; with many other things of the same argument, gathered out of the historie of Nicholas Damascen ; the like also out of the history of America, or Brasill, written by Iohn Lerius ; the faith, religion and manners of the Aethiopians, and the deploration of the people of Lappia, compiled by Damianus a ̀Goes ; with a short discourse of the Aethiopians, taken out of Ioseph Scaliger his seuenth booke de emendatione temporum ; written in Latin, and now newly translated into English, by Ed. Aston.

TO HIS TRVLY HONO∣RED FRIEND, SIR WALTER ASTON OF TIXAL, IN the County of Stafford; Knight of the honorable order of the Bath.

HONORED SIR.

SEeing that it is an vsual and commenda∣ble custome amongst all writers, to de∣dicate their workes (once brought to perfection) to some worthy personage or other, to whom they are most deuo∣ted, vnder whose patronage and protec∣tion they may better passe without controulment. And hauing now at last (more for the benefit of such as are vnskilful in the Latin tongue, then any priuate respect of mine owne, other then my recreation) translated these se∣ueral writers into our vulgar language, by whose trauels, & indeauours, the maners, fashions & formes of gouern∣ment of forraine and remote nations are plainely disco∣uered; to each studious and iudiciall reader, to the deser∣ued commendations of the Authors themselues, the ex∣pelling of barbarous ignorance, and the inriching, and in∣lightning of the Christian world, with the knowledge of all parts thereof. And withall deliberatly weighing with my selfe, to whom (amongst so many worthies of our daies) I might direct, and consecrate these my labours, of whom I might conceiue some hope of acceptance, and a willingnesse to support the burthen of my weake build∣ing. I could bethinke my selfe of none so fit, nor so worthie, as your selfe (right worthie Sir,) both in re∣gard that the manifold fauours bestowed vpon the poore house from whence I had my beeing, by you,

and your memorable Auncesters, and the taste that my selfe haue had of your good will to all your welwishers, and for that also the variety of matter herein contained, may happily yeeld some delight, if you vouchsafe to per∣use it, imboldneth me humbly to presume, in these rude & rugged lines, to manifest my ardent deuotion and affecti∣onate zeale I owe, & of duty ought to owe, vnto your ho∣nored self. And though the meanesse of the gift, through the indigested phrase and ill composture, can no way me∣rit the least place in your good likeing, yet was the poore mans sacrifice, made with salt, as acceptable to the Ro∣mane gods, as the rich mans incence, and Sineta's cold water, proceeding from a willing heart, (hauing no better meanes to shew his duty and deuotion) as highly regarded, and as bountifully rewarded by King Artaxer∣xes as the richest presents the Persians did offer him. Ac∣cept then (I beseech you) these my poore presentments, & by your accustomed fauour, so to giue life to them, and me, that they may passe (vnder your protection) free from detraction, and my selfe be incoraged to proceed to other enterprises, for the aduancement of your fame, and attay∣ning to my selfe the expected end of al my labours, which is, to be inrolled in the Catalogue of your welwillers.

Thus crauing pardon for my presump∣tion, I humbly take my leaue,

And rest euer truly deuoted to your honored name. ED. ASTON.