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 auncient.

THe Arabians made no esteeme of arts & sciences. They suffered their haire to grow; [ XIX] and as for their beards, some did shaue them very neere, and others not at all. He that was the most auncient among them had power ouer all the rest. They possest all things in common by families, and they enioied their women in common; so as the first of them [ E] that entred into the house and had left his staffe at the dore, enioied the common woman first: and as for the night she spent it with the most auncient. In this sort they all held themselues br••thren, and had the companie of their mothers and sisters, so bruitish they were.

Adulterie among them was punished with death, and he was held an adulterer which enioied a woman that was not his kinswoman. All that were borne in the familie were held for lawfull husbands. They had no care of dead bodies: and as for their d••ce••••ed kings, they sent them to be bur••ed in a dunghill. They kept their promise and f••ith very strictly; and when they would promise any thing vpon their faith, a third person inter∣posed himselfe betwixt the two which contracted, and stroke the palme or his hand, to [ F] the which he drew the longest fingers of the contractors, and hauing taken a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the haire of either of their garments, he dipt it in the bloud of the palme of his hand, and cast it vpon ••euen stones prepared fi••st to that end in the m••ddest of both parties, and in doing so he called vpon the God Denis ••nd Vrania: this done the mediator cau•••••• one of one of them to promise, that he was bound by the accord to appea••e before a 〈◊〉〈◊〉

Iudge which he named vnto him, whether that he which was bound were of the coun∣trie [ A] or a stranger: and this was found an honest course, and was obserued among them which contracted any new friendship or alliance. The sinamon was gathered by the priests of their law, who before sacrificed certaine beasts, and they made this collection betwixt Sunne and Sunne. He that had most authoritie among them diuided the heaps of sinamon with a hatche••, and they first reserued a bundle in honour of the Sunne: they held an opinion, that if it were equally diuided, it would take fire by the heat of the Sunne beames, and burne of it selfe.

There were some amongst the Arabians called Ophiophages, for that they liued onely of se••••ents. Some there were that vsed camells, as well to fight on, as to beare [ B] their burdens, and they liued of nothing but milke and flesh. There were others called D••••••s, who applied themselues to manure and till the land. It is said of them, that they found among the clods of earth peeces of gold, round and big as a nut, and that they did se•• pretious stones in them, and made Carcanets, which they did hang about their armes and necks. They sold their gold to strangers, and to neighbour nations, and gaue three pounds for one of copper, and two of siluer for one of any other mettall.

Among the Sabians it did belong onely to the king to judge of controuersies. Their kings were chosen by the fauour of the people, who gaue this honour to them that were of some noble familie, out of which they found that some kings had beene formerly cho∣sen. These kings did confidently beleeue that if they had gone out of their royall pallace, [ C] they should haue beene stoned, and therefore they neuer went out of the gate. They had beds and great chaires, whose feet were of massie siluer, and the rest of their furni∣ture was exceeding sumptuous. It was also said of them, that they had beene alwaies free from desire to take from another man by force and rapine.

The Gareenesw, ho were other Arabians, had all their furnitures of gold and siluer, and the entries of their houses, the walls, and couerings were of Iuorie. The Nabatheans were not so stately as the rest. He among them that had diminished his estate was noted with infamie. The Panchaiens vsed chariots in warre, and they diuided their realme into three parts: in the first ranke they put the priests of their law: in the second, the labou∣rers, and men of trauell: and in the third, the souldiers, among whom were comprehen∣ded [ D] the sheepheards. The priests decided all controuersies, as well those that concerned priuat men, as the affaires of the commonweale, vnlesse there were question to condemne any one to death.

The labourers hauing gathered in the fruits of the earth, laid them in common, and they that were found the best laborers, were deputed to the number of ten at the request of the rest, and by the resolution of the priests, to distribute the fruits to euery one.

The labourers were bound to vse diligence to bring in publicke those things which concerned the sacrifices, and other things which were distributed particularly by number and weight, and they had nothing priuat to themselues, but their houses and gardens. As for tributes and other things all was deliuered vnto the priests, who destributed equal∣ly [ E] to euery man according to his necessitie; and as for themselues they tooke a double share, with the consent of the two other estates. They vsed goodlie apparell, for that their woolls were much finer than any other. Both men and women did indifferently vse guil∣dings, and they did weare chaines about their neckes, and bracelets on their armes, and rings of gold at their eares, after the Persian manner, and they ware coloured shooes of a strange fashion.

They suffered their souldiers to defend the countrie. Their priests liued in great plea∣sure, yet chastly. They did vse long albes of very fine linnen, and some did weare gownes of exceeding fine wooll. Their head were couered with myters made of goldsmiths work, & they vsed all ornaments of gold like to women, except their eare rings. They did [ F] chiefely intend the seruice of their gods, whose deeds the yrecited in musicke in hymnse.

They bragged that they were descended from Iupiter, saying that he came into their countrie, whenas conuersing amongst men, he gouerned the Empire of the world.

It was not lawfull to transport their gold, siluer, or other mettalls out of the countrie,

[ A] no more than for their priests to go out of the temples and sacred places, so that he that was found in any other place, might lawfully be slaine, and the murtherer was not to be blamed. They did curiously keepe those presents which had beene in old time giuen vnto their temples. The seat whereon the image of their god stood, was six cubits long, and foure broad, and it was all of pure gold verie curiously wrought. All the land round about the temple within two hundred stades, was reputed holie, and the reuenue which grew thereby was applied to the seruice of their gods.

The Iewes which did sometimes inhabit Iudea, Samaria, Galile, and some other coun∣tries, receiued precepts for their course of liuing from Moyses, to whom God prescribed [ B] what his people should doe. I should be ouer teadious if I would make a repetition of all their lawes; wherefore I will only set downe the most remarkable, referring the Rea∣der, touching the rest, to that which the holie Scripture, and Iosephus hath written.

First of all, he ordained, That children in their youth should be instructed in the law, as in that which contained all good precepts and instructions: That he which blasphemed the name of God, should be hanged, and left vnburied: That nothing that had been got∣ten by fornication, should be offered in the temple. He instituted in euerie towne seuen men, excellent in justice and wisdome, to whom he gaue authoritie to judge of all contro∣uersies, calling two Leuites vnto them, and if there were any great difficultie, he would haue it decided by the chiefe priest of the law. He would not haue credit giuen to one [ C] witnesse alone, but ordained there should be two at the least, & those without reproach. He would not haue a woman admitted for a witnesse, no more than a man of seruile con∣dition. It was forbidden to gather the fruit of any tree but foure yeres after it had beene planted, and Moyses commaunded that they should then begin to pay the tyth. He would haue them distribute some part of the fruits gathered (the tyth being paied) vnto their neerest kinsfolkes, and to straungers that were their guests, and that the rest should be his that had planted or sowen it. He did forbid them to hinder passengers, to enter into ano∣ther mans ground, to gather the fruits, where of they had need for their present necessitie. He did forbid them to marrie those maids who had publiquely exposed themselues, or such as had beene formerly married. He ordained, That an vnchast maid, which had beene [ D] taken in marriage for a virgin, should be stoned, or burnt aliue. If any one had the com∣panie of a maiden which was betrothed to another, & that the fault was committed with both their consents, they were both put to death, and if the maiden were forced, he that had done the violence suffered the punishment. She that had been left a widow without children, the brother of her deceased husband was to marrie her, to the end he might con∣tinue the race: the which if he did refuse, he was bound to shew good reasons for his re∣fusall before Iudges appointed to that end, who finding his causes just, did suffer him to marrie elswhere. Mourning for the dead, might not exceed thirtie daies. The son which spake injurious words to his father or mother, was hanged without the towne. It was ena∣cted, That the enemies which should be staine in battaile, should be interred. A creditor [ E] might not keepe a poore debtors pawne aboue a day, and if the debtor was not able to sa∣tisfie, he was bound to serue his creditor vntil the debt was paid. If any one bought a slaue of his owne nation, he was to free him within six yeres. He that found any gold or siluer, was to crie it publiquely. Whosoeuer found any stray beast, was bound to carrie it backe to the troupe, or to keepe it vntil the owner came to fetch it. Who so was conuicted to haue offered poyson to any one, was forced to take it himselfe. He that had caused ano∣ther to loose an eye, had one of his owne put out. If a bull had beene the cause of the death of any man, it was beaten downe with stones, and none might eat of the flesh. The sonne should not suffer in his bodie or goods for his fathers offence, nor contrariwise. M••yses did also ordaine, That things taken by force from his people by forraine nations, or by any of the same nation, should first be demaunded by Heraulds, and in case of refus••ll, they [ F] should denounce war. If they were to besiege an enemie, it was not lawfull to touch any fruit trees. All rebells were to be punished with death, and those enemies which did yeeld themselues voluntarily, should be tributaries. In time of warre it was not lawfull for wo∣men to manage armes which men did vse. It was forbidden to eat the flesh of any beasts.

Lepers, and such as had an issue of bloud, were expelled out of townes. They in whose [ A] house any one was dead, were to absent themselues out of the towne seuen dayes. No woman which had beene deliuered of a male child, might enter into the Temple, vntill fortie daies after her deliuerie, and she that had brought forth a female, was to forbeare eightie daies. He that had distrusted the chastitie of his wife, was to offer a cake of barley flowre in the temple, and then present her at the doores of the temple; whereas the priest examineth her vpon her oath, If she had been chast? and after the oath taken, if she had forsworne her selfe, she presently had a dislocation, or an vnknitting of her huckle bone, with a purrifaction of her bellie, and this miserable woman died in this sort: If she had li∣ued chastly, she was deliuered of the fruit of her wombe within ten moneths, without any [ B] paine and then the priest did wipe out her name which was written in parchment, and and gaue her drinke. All adulterers, incestuous persons, and Sodomites, were punished with death. Priests which had not their members whole and sound, were forbidden to ap∣proach neere vnto the Altar, and yet they were to be nourished of that which was offered in the temple. All lands held by the Iewes, was to lie still euerie seuen yeares. All land which bare fruit of it selfe, was common once in fiftie yeares, as well to them of the coun∣trie, as to strangers; and this was called the yeare of Iubile. Creditors were then to giue a longer time vnto their debtors, or to acquit them of a part. Slaues were to be set at li∣bertie, and lands sold at an vnder rate, were restored to them that sold them.

The Israelites aboue all other people haue bin verie religious, and giuen to ceremonies. [ C] In the beginning they vsed two kinds of sacrifices, whereof the first was called Holocau∣stum, and was made by the richer sort, wherein the beast that was sacrificed might not be aboue a yeare old. The priests did sprinkle the corner of the Altar with the bloud of the beast sacrificed, and afterwards cut it in peeces, and burnt it vpon the Altar. The people of meaner condition, did sacrifice beasts of more age, and hauing poured the bloud vpon the Altar, they put the reynes, the fat, and bowels, into the fire; the priests had the right thighs, and the rest was to be eaten by them that made the sacrifice within two daies af∣ter. They that were poorer, were bound to offer a paire of Pigeons, or two Turtle doues, whereof the one was sacrificed, and the other belonged vnto the priest. He that commit∣ted any crime by mischance, was to offer a sheepe of a yeare old, or a goat. He that felt [ D] himselfe guiltie of any secret crime, was to sacrifice a sheep. The priests entertained them∣selues in the temple with the flesh of all these beasts. We must obserue, that in sacrifices, both publique and priuat, they vsed a measure of flowre to the sacrifice of a lambe; to a rambe, a double measure; and to that of a bull, three measures. They had also a custome to sprinkle their sacrifices with oyle. They sacrificed a lambe euerie day, once in the mor∣ning, and once at night. On the Sabbath day, they made a double sacrifice. The first day of euerie moneth, they did sacrifice two oxen, and seuen lambes, a ram, and a goat, to pourge sins. Also, they added two goats, whereof the one was put out of the temple, and serued for the sins of the people; the other was carried into the suburbs, and burnt. In March, & in the beginning of their yeare, whenas the Moone was full, and the Sun past by the signe of [ E] Aries, they made the sacrifice of the Paschallambe, for that they came out of Aegypt at the same time. They did obserue certaine daies of the Azimes, or vnleauened bread, and du∣ring euery one of these daies, they burnt in their sacrifices, two buls, a ram, & seuen lambs, with a goat. The second kind of sacrifice of the Azimes, was at the first comming of new fruits, and corne, which they presented in the temple, with a certaine measure of oyle, and a lambe for a Holocaust. Much more may be spoken of this subject, but it would require a whole volume: wherefore it shall suffice to haue touched the principall points.

Sacred and prophane Authours agree not touching the Iewes: for Cornelius Tacitus (who refers not the going of the children of Israell out of Aegypt, and their passage to Iu∣dea to the will of God) writes, That there happened a kind of scabbe at that time in [ F] Aegypt, the which was verie troublesome: so as king Bochoris was forced to demaund a remedie of Iupiter Hammon; to whom the oracle made answer, That he must pourge his realme of the Iewes, who were vnpleasing vnto the gods, and send them to liue in some other place: the which he did, and in the end an infinit companie of people infected

[ A] with this scabbe, being drawn together in one place, one amonst them called Moyses, pre∣uailed so with them, as he persuaded them not to beleeue either in God or man, but in him onely, and in this sort they tooke the first way which fortune offered them, and went by hazard; that during their trauell, they had no trouble, but onely thirst, wherewith they had perished, if they had not discouered a troupe of wild asses, the which hauing fed, drew towards a rocke, couered with a forrest that was round about it, where hauing found water, they receiued from Moyses ceremonies quite contrarie to those of other men. He saith also, that in the holiest places of their Temple, they did set vp the image of an affe, by the which they had found the place where they quencht their thirst, and had [ B] beene set in a good way to come into the countrie, where since they made their aboad, and that they sacrificed a ram to mocke at Iupiter Hammon, and an oxe in contempt of the Aegyptians, who worshipped this beast vnder the name of the god Apis. He saith more∣ouer, that the Iewes abstain from eating of swines flesh, to auoid scabs and leprosie, wher∣unto this beast is subiect, and that they forbeare all worke vpon the seuenth day, for that they were at rest vpon that day, and for the same reason they passe the seuenth yere with∣out doing any thing, and that some affirme it was in honour of Saturne, by reason of the hunger which they had endured. According to the same author, they did neuer banquet one with another: they lodged apart, and were enclined to whoredome. They first thing they, did was to contemne the gods. They were of opinion, that those which died in bat∣taile, [ C] or for any crime were eternal, and that all should go to heauen to or hell, according to the good or euill, which they had done.

There were three sects among the Iewes, who had a different kind of liuing from the common sort. The first was of Pharasies, the second of Saduces, and the third of Esseni∣ens. The Pharisies led an austere life in shew, interpreting the law of Moyses according to their owne will. They carried papers vpon their foreheads and left armes, wherein the ten commaundements of the law were written. These papers were called Phylacteries. They also ware greater imbroderies vpon their gownes, and they sowed thorns in them, to the end their pricking might put them in mind of the commaundements of the law. They did attribute all things to God, and predestination. It is true, they confesse that [ D] the inclination of man did helpe them to do or contemne things that were just; yet that in all things man was led by destinie, the which they say did consist in the motion of the coelestiall bodies. They did neuer contradict the opinion of their auncients and mai∣sters. They did attend the judgement of God at the end of the world, and they did hold that the soules of men were incorruptible, and that onely the soules of such as liued wel, passed from one bodie into another, vntill the day of the resurrection, and that these of the wicked were sent into perpetuall prison. The Saduces denied this destinie, saying that God knew all things, but it was in the disposition of man to do good or euill. As for the dead, they were of opinion, that after this life they felt neither ioy nor torment. They de∣nied the resurrection of the dead, belieuing that the soule perished with the bodie, nei∣ther [ E] did they thinke that there were any Angells. They receiued onely the fiue bookes of Moyses. They were very seuere, and did conferre little among themselues. The Esse∣niens liued altogether like vnto Monkes, and they did abstaine from marriage, and from the companie of women, not in detestation of marriage, or for any desire they had that mankind should perish, but onely for feare of the lightnesse and incontinencie of women, whom they hold to be faithlesse and vnconstant to their husbands. They∣brought all their goods in common, and held it a dishonour to vse ointments and stones; and contrariwise, they held it for an honorable thing to be carelesse of their persons, and that it was sufficient to haue their white gownes. They did not speake of any worldly thing before the rising of the Sunne, but they prayed vnto God that the Sunne might [ F] rise, and then euery man set his hand to some worke, vntill fiue of the clocke, when∣as they washt their bodies in water, and tooke their refection with great silence. It was held vnlawfull amongst them to sweare, and they did account it as great and grieuous a sinne, as to foresweare themselues. They did not receiue any into their sect, before he had been a probationer for the space of a yere, and hauing receiued him, they made two

yeares triall to know his manners: if they found him in sinne, they chased him from [ A] their companie, and enioined him to eat nothing but hearbes, and to doe that penance vnto the last moment of his life. When ten of them were sitting together, not any one of them durst speake any thing without the consent of the other nine. They did for∣beare to spit before them, or on the right hand; and they did obserue the Sabbath so strictly, as they durst not do their necessarie businesse, and whenas they did them, they carried with them a stake, with the which they made a hole in the ground, to the in∣tent that they might hide it; so much they feared to do any thing that might be in con∣tempt of the diuine light. They liued long, by reason of their simple and and spare diet, eating for the most part nothing but the fruit of palme trees. They vsed no gold nor [ B] siluer in coine: and they held him most happie that died for the zeale of justice. They said, that although the soules were created from the beginning, yet euery one tooke his bodie in a certaine time, and that those which went out of the bodies in an estate of ••ountie and innocencie, went to liue beyond the Ocean, in a certaine place whereas they enioied all pleasures; whereas on the other side, those which left the bodies in a bad estate, went into places that were inhabitable by reason of the extremitie of cold. Some amongst them did foretell things to come: and some also did marrie, but they had the companie of their wiues seldome: and they said, that they tooke wiues least they should be an example to other men to suffer all the world to perish, if they should haue alto∣gether abstained.

They of Cappadocia were of that disposition, as they could not liue without kings, [ C] and they say, that in old time they were very wicked. It is said that the Amazons did liue in this countrie neere vnto the riuer of Thermodon. In Dorida, Ionia, and Eolia, there haue beene very rare and excellent men, who haue written better than any other of Greece. The Phrygians were the first that inuented Southsayings, the flute, and the instrument of three strings. In Lycia, the towne of Telmese was famous by reason of Southsayings, and the interpretation of dreames. The Cicilians haue beene held great 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The Pheniciens inuented letters and nauigation, and had more comerce with fo••ai••e nations than any other people. The Idumeans were in old time barbarous, mu∣tinous and seditious, and loued innouations. [ D]