THe Auncients haue beleeued, that the Aethiopians came not from any other place to [ VI] [ C] inhabit that countrie, and that they were the first that instituted the seruice of the gods, and the ceremonies of sacrifices. They vsed two kinds of letters, whereof the one which they called sacred, were vnknowne to all men but the priests; and the other were common to all the people: yet the figures of their letters were not such, as they might frame any Syllables, but did resemble the shapes of some beasts, or the extremities of mans bodie, with many instruments of handicrafts men, and euerie figure had his significa∣tion; as the Sparrow-hawke did signifie swiftnesse, the Crocadile, euill, the Eye, a care∣full regard, and so of the rest.
They did hold him most holie among their priests, that did run as if he were franticke: And when they had chosen their king, they did worship him as if he had some diuinitie in him, or at the least that he was giuen them by the diuine prouidence; and he that was ad∣uaunced to this dignitie, was bound to liue according to the lawes, and to doe all things after the custome of the countrie. He might not recompence nor punish any one that was vnder his power: but whenas he desired to haue any one punished for some offence, or crime, he sent a Sargeant, who carried him the marke or signe of his death, and present∣ly he to whom it was brought, vpon the sight thereof, was the executioner of his owne death.
They did so honour their king, as if by chaunce he were blind of one of his eyes, or lame, or had any other imperfection or disabilitie of bodie, they put out one of their eyes, or brake a legge, or some other part of the bodie, thinking they should performe their du∣ties verie ill, if they should remaine in good estate, whenas their king was mayhemed in any part or member. They hold also, that they which were beloued of the king, killed themselues at his death, beleeuing that this death would bring them glorie, and that it was a certaine testimonie of true friendship.
The Island of Meroe was in auncient time the place of residence or aboad of the kings of Aethiopia, and it was inhabited by shepheards, which gaue themselues to hunting, & by labourers which manured the ground. Herodotus writes, That the Aethiopian Macrouies did more esteeme brasse than gold, the which was held for vile among them, as the em∣bassadors of Cambises, going into that countrie, saw fountains all enuironed, & as it were bound with chaines of gold; others say, that it was Latten. The women practised armes, and went to the warre, and making holes in their lips, they put in hoopes of brasse.
Some did worship the Sunne rising, and did curse the setting thereof with a thousand imprecations. Some did cast their dead bodies into riuers, others did put them into ves∣sels of earth, and some layed them in glasse, where they kept them a yeare in their hou∣ses▪ and did worship them with verie great deuotion, offering the first fruits vnto them.