The estates, empires, & principallities of the world Represented by ye description of countries, maners of inhabitants, riches of prouinces, forces, gouernment, religion; and the princes that haue gouerned in euery estate. With the begin[n]ing of all militarie and religious orders. Translated out of French by Edw: Grimstone, sargeant at armes.

¶ The Manners of the present times.

[ XXII] THe Grecians that now liue, are reduced and brought vnder a most miserable serui∣tude, except a few which are yet subiect to the Venetian Seigneurie: for the Turke holds at this day the greatest part of Greece, as well on the sea as on the firme land; and those places that embrace the Venetian gouernement are but Islands, as Corsu, Cepha∣lonia, Zacyntha, Candie, and some others of no great consideration.

They which are subiect to the Venetians, liue more peaceably for their religion and [ C] conscience (as Belon sayes) than the rest that obey the Turke: and if we doe but duely obserue them both, we shall find that they which liue vnder the Venetians, lead a life af∣ter the manner of their lords and maisters, as also, they that are engaged vnder the Turkish power and tyrannie, liue like their maisters and gouernours, imitating them in their manners and fashions. But I must needs speake thus much, that barbarisme doth so raigne both in the one and the other, that a man cannot meet with a schole-man of their townes, and none amongst them take any care for the bringing vp of their children, nor to giue them the knowledge or vnderstanding of learning.

They also vse one kind of language, drawne from the auncient Greeke, corrupted, but some of them speake more eloquently and regularly than the rest: and yet their [ D] common words draw neerer to the auncient Greeke language, than the Italian does to Latine.

The inhabitants of those townes which are subiect to the Venetians, speake Italian as perfectly as Greeke: and so the like may be supposed of those that liue vnder the Turkes gouernement: for they that are resident in good townes, speake indifferently Greeke or Turkish: but those that lead their liues in hamlets and villages, retaine onely the know∣ledge and vnderstanding of the Greeke tongue. They also still reserue the proper names of things, except it be in those places where other nations haue often intruded and crept in, and this is more to be obserued in coast townes than in any other seated further with∣in the countrie: for they haue practised so long with the Turkish and Italian tongues, as [ E] they haue mixed with their language many words of both these nations which doe free∣quent and conuerse with them. The Turkes likewise borrow many words of the Greekes to expresse those things which they found in Greece, and that before they neuer knew nor heard of.

And although the Greekes doe not euer vse the selfe same word in all prouinces to expresse one and the selfe same thing, yet doe they all draw neere to the auncient words, but principally in those things which haue their peculiar and proper nomi∣nations.

The nobler and richer sort are apparelled after their manner whom they acknow∣ledge for superiours: but the common people both vnder the Venetian and Turkish go∣uernements, [ F] whether they inhabit in the Islands or on the firme land, retaine none of their auncient manners and fashions. All they which now dwell there, weare their haire verie long, cutting the tuft vpon their foreheads, and on the forepart of their heads. They weare double hats, and verie thicke. All of them possesse for the most part but few

[ A] moueables, euen as the Turkes, nor lye vpon featherbeds, but vpon mattresses filled with flocks. They mingle not their wine with water, they drinke carouses to the emptie cup. But their women are neuer present, nor assist at their excesse, neither do they feast with them: and generally they had rather eat fish, than flesh.

The Macedonians, especially those that liue in Albania, which we haue placed in Ma∣cedonia, are rude, and like to the Scythians: they are very valiant, but principally in foot encounters. There are no men in the world more delighted in boothaling than they. These Albanois have a particular language by themselues, different both from the Tur∣kish and Sclauonian.

[ B] As for Epyrus, which is a part of Albania, the inhabitants in Sommer go forth of their countrie in troupes, by reason of the barrennesse, and go into Macedonia, Romania, and Natolia, labouring, and taking paines for the Turkes, being hired to reape corne, and to winnow and clense the same. These returne home againe after Autumne, there to liue du∣ring the Winter and the Spring time, with their wiues and children. They haue also a se∣uerall language from the Greekes, of which notwithstanding they are not altogether ignorant.

From this prouince it is, that the Aydones, Vscocques, Martelosses, and Morlaques come, which are men as swift of foot as may be, vntamed, and apt to vndergo any toile or paines, and as valiant and resolute as can be, who bend their minds to nothing else, but [ C] how to rob and steale in the mountaines of Albania, and throughout all the kingdome of Bosnia, and in Dalmatia, where they also imploy themselues, to scoure vp and downe the riuers in little squises.