The fyrst Chapiter. ¶The original of the Heathen Goddes.

WHAT tyme the spi­rites of the aire (whō the scri­pture callethe rulers of thys worlde) began to geue answe­res of Prophe­cie out of Images made to resemble mortall menne, Ephe. vi. and by their wicked subteltie dyd pretend thē selfes some tyme to be of the nomber of good spi­rites, some tyme Goddes celestiall, and sometyme the solles of valiaunt lordes: they brought men into suche errour, and perplexitee, that in short space they dyd all together alienate mens heartes from the religion and reuerence of the verye God. And for somuche as their spiritual nature is subtile, they vsurped y ^e name of good Angels. For after the opinion of an­tiquitie, not onely to euery man, but [Page] also to euerye singuler place and fa­milie were allotted two Angelles: Wherof the one wente aboute to en­domage vs: Good angels the other with all ende­uour studied to profite vs. These in­uaded particularly euery house, con­ueighed them selues into mennes bo­dies, and closly in their entrailes im­becilled their health, procured disea­ses, illuded their heartes with fanta­stical visions and dreames: And by suche mischief enforsed menne to re­payre to them for helpe, and enquire their oracles and answeres, whiche of purpose had doubtfull vnderstan­dynges: Oracles doubtful. lest their ignoraunce should be perceyued. What men were deified. By these deceiptfull meanes, they were so deified, that sundery people after diuerse sortes chose theim goddes, and with greate reuerence worshypped them. For su­che menne, as euery nacion had attained any speciall commoditee by: to the furtheraunce or garnishyng of their liuyng, or buylders of cities, or ladies excellent in chastitie, or menne puissaunt in armes, were honored for goddes, as the Egyptians had Isis: y ^e Assirians Neptune: Isis. Neptunus. the Latines Faunus ▪ [Page ii] the Romaines Quirene, Athens Pallas, the Delphians Apollo, Faunus Pallas. Apollo Iupiter. Belus. the Cretians Iupiter, y ^e Assirians Belus, and manye countries had diuerse o­ther goddes, & some whiche is shame to speake, worshypped brut beastes, & tooke theim for goddes, by reason wherof the Grecians had the opiniō that the goddes had their beginnyng of men. And thus when menne with­drewe their phātasies from imagerie to the spirites inuisable, they persuaded them selues that there wer many goddes, & of no smaller nombre then mortal men.

Of this varietie of opinions the Philosophiers, Opinions of the philo­sophiers. whiche laiyng away al priuate and publique affaires, em­ployed all their studie in tracyng out the trueth, toke occasion to dispute of the nature of goddes diuersely. As Thales Milesius, which fyrst serched suche maters, sayd that God was an vnderstandyng, Thales. that made and fa­shioned all thynges of the water as matter preiacent. Pythagoras called him a liuely mynde, that pearsed and passed through al thynges, of whom all liuyng creatures receyued theyr [Page] lyfe: and Cleanthes defined God to be the ayre. Cleanthes. Anaxagoras. Anaxagoras estemed him to be an infinite mynde, whiche did moue it self, Chrysippus. Chrysippus thought he was a natural power endued with godly reason, Some were of the opi­nion that there was no goddes. As Diagoras and Theodorus affirmed plaine that there was no God at al. Diagoras.

Protagoras reported that he knew no certaintie of the Goddes, Protagoras. where­fore the Atheniens banished him out of their empire.

Epicurus. Epicurus graūted there was a god, but suche one as was neither liberal, bounteful, nor that had any regarde of thinges: that is to say, God is no God, but a cruel & vnkynde monster. Anaximander supposed the Goddes to be borne and not to dye tyll after many ages. Anaximāder. The Egyp­tians. The Egyptians bycause of the aūcientie of their linage, faine the Goddes to haue begonne among theim, and that they were but twoo and euerlastyng: the sonne whō they called Osiris, & the Moone that was named Isis. Notwithstandyng La­ctācius writeth, that Saturnus was the first father of the goddes, Saturnus father of the goddes. whiche [Page iii] begat Iupiter, Iuno, Neptune, Pluto and Glauca by his wyfe Ops. And for the benefites that they shewed to their subiectes, they were deified of them. But in suche varietee of opini­ons it is a thyng difficile too deter­mine the first ofspryng of the goddes both bycause they be but vayne, and also sprong out of mortal humanitie. And againe to speake of God as he is in his supernatural essence is a thing daūgerous, To speake of the nature of God is daū ­gerous. bycause we can neither behold the resplēdent brightnesse of his maiestie with oure corporal eyes, nor with any quickenesse of wit com­prehende his infinite might, as the Poetes Simonides dyd declare verie well: Simonides. for when he was required of kyng Hiero to shew him what thyng and of what sorte God was, he desi­red to haue one day respite: when he asked him the nexte daye, he praied to haue two dayes: and so often as the kyng enquired of him an answere he encreased the nomber of the daies of deliberacion: the kyng meruelyng that he doubled so many tymes the daies, enquired why he dyd so? For y ^e more (ꝙ he) that I cōsidre the thyng [Page] and muse on [...]t, the more obscure and in [...]ricate it semeth to me. The wh [...] ­che thyng if the Philosophiers, [...] ­che lyke to blynde warriers, wande­ryng in darkenesse had doone, they would not haue diuised so many lyes to offende or displease their creator. For it is better to be ignoraunt in the trueth, then to teache errour. Ther­fore to cōclud (as Macrobie writeth) there is but one God, One God. subiecte to no mutabilite, of all naturall thynges one eternal, of all naturall thynges the cause principal, whiche saieth by his Prophet Esaie, I am God, afore me there was no other, neither shal­be after me, with out beginnyng, one­ly euerlastyng, of whom Virgil wri­teth thus.

AND Plato saieth there is but one God, and affirmeth that this worlde [Page iiii] was created by him: and was called God, what God is bycause he geueth frely to men all thynges good & profitable, and is of all goodnesse in this worlde the cause principal, fountain and spryng.

The .ii. Chapiter. ¶The principles of natural thinges.

ALBEIT it was cōueni­ent to haue begonne this present treatise of decla­ryng the principles of naturall creatures, and so consequently to haue expounded the originall of the Goddes, forsomuche as they haue their beginnyng of the same thynges: yet the reuerence that I haue to the true God, whiche was afore all other creatures, moueth me to begynne at hym as the cause prin­cipal of the rest. Therefore as con­cernyng the causes of thinges, I wyl shewe fyrst the myndes of the Philo­sophiers that be moost probable, vn­tyl I come to the trueth self. Thales one of the seuen wyse men of Grece holdeth opiniō that water was mat­ter of all thynges. Water is cause mate­rial. Contrary wyse Heraclitus an Ephesian and Hippa­sus [Page] suppose al to be procreated of fire Empedocles saieth the foure elemen­tes wer the causes of thinges as Lu­cretius writeth. Fyre, Foure ele­mentes.

Anaximenes thynketh al thynges to haue their beginnyng of the ayre, Metrodorus affirmeth the vniuersal worlde to be eternal without begin­nyng or end. Ayre. Epicurus one of Demo­critus disciples putteth two causes Atomos or Motes & vacuite or empti­nes, Atomos of these he saieth, y ^e foure elemē ­tes come. These are the opinions of the Philosophers, y ^t were men with­out the knowledge of God: but (as Moses & Iosephus recorde) the scrip­ture concludeth that God made all thinges of nothing in the beginnyng, The worlde was made of naught. as s. Iohn saieth al thing was made by him. And therfore (as Lactantius writeth) let no mā be curious in sear­ching of what stuffe God made these great and wonderfull workes, for he fourmed thē al of nothyng by the po­wer of his mightie worde. For as Dauid the prophet singeth, he spake the worde and they were made, he gaue [Page v] cōmaundement and they were crea­ted. Of the same opinion is Plato in his booke called Tymaeus. Plato.

The .iii. Chapiter. ¶The procreacion of man, the diuersitee of languages, and diuision of nations.

THE most famous wri­ters of naturall hysto­ries (as Diodorus re­cordeth) spake of two sōdry maners of birth: Two opini­ons of the birth of man. and fyrst stocke of man­kynd. For they whiche contend that the world was vngenerate, and with out any daunger of corrupcion, saye also that man hath bene in a certaine perpetuite without beginnyng. Of this opinion, were Pythagoras, Ar­chitas, Xenocrates, & Aristotle with other Per [...]patetekes, affirmyng that al thinges in the eternal world, whi­che haue bene or shall hereafter come to passe, be by generation endles and without beginnyng, and haue onely a circuite and course of generacions, wherin both the birth & natural resolucion [Page] of thynges may be perceyued. Other that suppose this worlde had both an originall cause of beyng and shal also sustein an end by putrifacti­on, The second opinion. hold opinion that man had a time of his generacion. For this cause the Egyptians report that men wer fyrst borne among them, The Egiptians opinion of man. aswell by reason of the fruitful rankenes of the soyle, and seasonablenes of the ayre, as by cause of the riuer Nilus, whiche, for the lustye fatnes of the slyme, dothe procreate diuerse kyndes of beastes, & hath in it selfe naturally a certeyn power nutratiue. For in the countree of Thebais Mice be engendered of the mudde: Mice engen­dred of the mudde. Wherfore men of those parties merueil muche, when they be holde the fore partes of them to the brest walowe & moue sensibly in the mire, and the hinder partes as yet nothyng fashioned but all out of shap.

Neuerthelesse Psammaticus their kyng, The story of Psammaticꝰ desiryng to knowe in what coū ­trie men were fyrst begotten, deuised this meane. He caused .ii. yong infantes newe borne to be deliuered to his herdmen to be brought vp among his cattel, & cōmaunded that no mā shuld [Page vi] speake any word to them, because he would know what word they would speake fyrst. Then two yeare after, when the herdmen opened the doore where they were norished, they stret­ched out their handes and cryed Be­cos, which in the Phrigians lāguage signifieth breade. Thus it was kno­wen that the Phrigians were the el­dest linage and fyrst borne. The Ethi­opians, of this coniecture, Ethiopians opinion of man. thynke them selfes to be the fyrst, because no man would come out of any other place into that region, and they of that partie bee by a general consente called home bread, Aborigines. and (as Diodorus sayeth) it is probable that those vn­der the Meridional equator should be the aūcientest of al. For seyng the heate of the sunne dryeth vp the moy­sture of the yearth, and hath also of it selfe a power to geue and preserue the life of thynges, it is like that the place whiche marcheth nerest to the sūne shuld bryng furth y ^e fyrst liuyng creatures. Anaximāder. For that cause Anaximander taught that men fyrst sprong of water and yearth warmed with liue­ly [Page] heate. Empedocles in a maner cō ­firmeth the same, where he writeth, that euerye particular membre was seuerally made & proporcioned of the yearth (as a mother) and so to haue bene compacted and cōglutinated by heate and moysture into the perfecte figure and shappe of a man.

Democritus. Democritus thinketh menne were fyrst made of water and mudde tem­pered together. zeno. Zeno iudgeth the cause of mankynde to haue proceded of the newe worlde. And menne to be onely begotten by the ayde and com­fort of the diuine fyre, that is the prouidence of God. As for the Poetes, some faine howe man was made out of softe claye by Prometheus, Poetes. some say that they sprong of the hard sto­nes that Deucalion and Pyrtha cast, and thus muche is of y ^e vaine opiniōs of Gērilitee. But to speake the truth (as scripture teacheth) y ^e beginnyng of manne was in Iurye. God made man▪ For God when he had finished the worlde, did create the fyrst mā Adam of the yerth in the felde of Damasce, Adam the fyrst man. as some thinke. Thus Adā made by God ma­riyng his wife Eue was auctour and [Page vii] beginner of the whole posterite and linage: But forsomuche as God fourmed but one man, and indued him w ^t one kynd of speche onely to vtter and declare the thynges that he concey­ueth in his mynde: men perchaunce wyl merueile, what the cause should be that there be at this daye so many diuerse lāguages, that accordyng to the varietee of countries ther be son­dry speches. And therfore I thought it cōuenient to shew the occasion of y ^e same. Diuersitee of speches. What tyme Nemroth the sōne of Cham that was sonne to Noe, af­ter the vniuersall flud went about to withdrawe men (whiche dreade the daunger of drounyng) from the feare of God, Religion. supposyng all their hope to consist in their owne might & power, persuaded them to buylde a towre of suche altitude, Babilon. that the water should not be hable to ouer flowe it. Whilest they were thus earnestly oc­cupied aboute their enterprise, God deuided their speches in suche sorte, that one of them could not perceyue another by reason of the discord and disagreyng of their languages. And thus began the diuersytee of tonges [Page] that we vse & haue nowe. The same o [...]casion was that the posterities of Noe were dispersed and scattered a broade. For when one could not vn­derstand anothers language, it came to passe that euery mā departed into sundry prouinces and countries, Deuision of nacions. and there named places wherof they had the gouernaūce, & also cities, whiche they builded, after their owne names as Eusebius testifyeth. The sōnes of Noe were Sem, Sonnes of Noe. Cham, and Iaphet. The yssue of Sem was Elam, where­of the Elamites came. Auctours of the names of countries. Assur, of whom the Assirians were named Arphaxad was auctoure of the Arabians and Lud of the Lidians: the children of Cham were Chus that named the E­thiopians, and Mesre the beginner of the Egyptians. Chanaan of whom the Cananites had their name: the li­nage of Chus was Saba wherof the Sabees came, & Euila auctoure of the Euelites. And semblably we must beleue that of them came al other nati­ons and people of the worlde, whiche be now in so great nombre, that they cannot easely be nombred & counted.

❧The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of mariage and sundry rightes of the same.

GOD after that he had fully accomplished, and per­fectly polished the world and the rest of his creatu­res were in their kind cō ­summate, then (as Moses teacheth) made man last of all, to be lorde and souereigne of the whole bodye of the world, as one to whom the other his worke should be subiect in obedience bycause he was fashioned after his owne lykenes. And lest so worthye a creature should by death peryshe, or the world might wante his gouernor and ruler, Institucion of wedlocke. it lyked him to make wo­man out of the bodye of man, and so with the bond of matrimony combi­ned them together, y ^t they should not lyue after the maner of brut beastes: Therefore hath God ioyned Adam & Eue in mariage in Paradyse afore they knewe sinne, Mariage beganne in paradise. that by the cōgres­sion and company of these two sexes and kyndes, their yssue might be en­larged & replinishe the whole world. [Page] In this sorte was matrimonye insti­tuted, albeit antiquitee feyneth Ce­crops kyng of the Atheniās to haue ordained matrimony, Cecrops. for which cause he was reported to haue had two fa­ces. But all countries dyd not entre like bond of matrimony, The maners of diuers na­cions in ma­riages. nether kept it after one fashion. For the Numi­dians, Egiptians, Indians, Hebre­wes, Persians, Parthians, Thra­cians, and almost al the Barbarians, euery one accordyng to his substaūce maried wyfes, some .x. some mo. The Scithians, the Scottes, and Atheni­ens vsed their children and wyfes in common, and occupied with them a­brode openly lyke beastes, The Mas­sagites maried euery one a wyfe but they vsed thē cōmonly. Massagites. Arabians. Among Ara­bians it is the maner that al kynsmē should haue but one wife, and he that came to meddle with her, shoulde set his staffe at y ^e doore: for their custome was to beare a staffe, albeit she lay e­uery night by the eldest: by this mea­nes they were all brethren. An ad­uouterer was there condemned too death, Punishment for aduoutry whiche was perceiued by this if he were of another familie or kyn­red. [Page ix] Where chaunced on a tyme a straūge thing worthy to be had in memorye, A storye. there was a certayne kynges doughter of excellent beutie, whiche had .xv. brethren, that loued her all interely well, and vsed therefore one after another to resorte and compa­nye with her: she beganne by suche dayly daliaunce to be werye of theyr wanton companye, and deuised this fea [...]e, she prepared staues lyke her brothers staues, and bi and bi, as one was gone, she set a staffe at the doore lyke to hys, and by that deceyte the other when they came too the doore, supposyng one to be within preased no further: and it fortuned on a day when they were all together in the court, one of them departed from the other and repaired to her house, and when hee espied a staffe at the gate, thinkyng it too be some aduouterer, for he was assured that he lefte hys brethren in the court, he ranne to his father and accused hys syster of ad­uouterye: but when the matter was knowē, it was perceiued that he had falsely sclaundered her. Biyng of wi­ues. The Assiri­ans and y ^e Babilonians bought theyr [Page] wyues in open market at a common pryce, whiche custome among the Saracens and Arabiens yet styl remay­neth. Nasamones. The Nasamones when they be fyrst maried, vse to suffer their wifes the fyrst night to lye with all her ge­stes, in the worshyp of Venus, & from thencefurth they kepe them selues chast, and pure of liuyng. A certayn people of the Carthagens, whiche border on Egypt, were wont to offre suche maydes as should bee maryed to the kyng of that regiō, to defloure whom it pleased him. The vse of Scotland. In Scotland also the vsage was that the Lorde of the soile should lye with the bryde a­fore her husbande: but for somuche as it was vnsittyng to be frequented among Christians, Malcolme kyng of the Scottes. their kyng Mal­colme the third of that name aboute the yere of our Lorde .M.xcix. dyd a­bolishe that beastly abhominacion, & ordeyned that euerye mayde should geue the Lorde for the redempcion of her maydenheade a croune of golde. Single liuers Some people liued single, as certain nacions called Cristae & Esseni amōg the Hebrues, whiche did abhorre the calamities and trouble in Mariage. [Page x] Wedlocke was obserued syncerelye and reuerently of the Romaynes tyl deuorcement began, Deuorcemēt. which although it be an occasion that women should more earnestly keape theyr chastitee, yet our religion doth scarcely permit it. One Spurius Seruilius, Spurius Seruilius. the yere after the cytie was foūded. CCCCC.xxii. ( Marcus Pomponius and Cai­us Papirius beyng Consulles) fyrste sued a deuorce frō his wyfe, because she was barren: for whiche facte al­beit he toke openly another afore the censoures that he dyd it because too haue yssue, yet he was among the co­mon sorte euyl spoken of. This de­cre of deuorcyng was takē out of the lawes of Moses, Moses ordei­ned deuorce­mentes. which made y ^e fyrst constitucion of that matter, yet was there thys dyfference, for by Moses it was onely lawful for the husband to forsake his wyfe, but the Romay­nes decree gaue theim bothe lyke ly­bertye. Rites of ma­riages▪ The rytes of Mariage were diuers in Rome, the maner was that two chyldren should leade the bryde and another bare afore her a torche of whyte thorne in worshyppe of Ce­res, that lyke as she wyth fruytes of [Page] the yearth dothe noryshe menne: so the newe Bryde lyke an housewyfe shuld bryng vp her children. Whiche maner is vsed in Englande, sauyng y ^t in steade of the torche, there is borne here a basen of siluer or golde before. A garlande also of corne eares was set on her heade: or elles she bare it in her hande, or if that were not, when she came home whea [...]e was scatered abroade ouer her heade in tokenyng of plentie and fruytfulnesse. Also a­fore she came to bedde to her hus­bande Fyre and Water were geuen her, Fyre and water geuen in token of cha­stitee. whiche haue powre too puryfye and clense: sygnifiyng thereby that she should be chast and honeste of her body. There were besydes these dy­uerse rytes whiche I omit. Maydes of Rome and Grece. The mai­des of Grece and Rome (as it maye appeare by Homere and Catullus) vsed customablye to gyrde their pre­uitie with a lase or swathell tyll the daye of their mariage. The Bryde anoynted the poostes of the doores wyth swynes grease, because she thought by that meanes to dryue a­waye all misfortune, wherof she had her name in Latyn Vxor abvn gendo.. Neither might [Page xi] she step ouer the thresholde, but must be borne ouer, to declare that she lo­seth her Virginitie vnwillyngly, with manye other supersticious cere­monies whiche be to long to reherse.

❧The .v. Chapiter. ¶The institucion of religion and who worshopped goddes fyrst with sacrific [...].

IT is no doubte but men whiche at the fyrst with out any gouernour ledde an vplandysh and a rude maner of lyfe, Occasion of Idolatry. dyd high­lye auaunce in honoure and prayses theyr fyrst kynges: & by the persua­sion of the deuil, either for theyr wō ­derful mālynes and vertue, or to flatter the condicion of their dygnitie, or for some special benefite that they receiued by them, magnified them as goddes. Wherby it came to passe that kynges, beyng welbeloued of their people, lefte a greate desyre and fer­uentnes of them selues among theyr subiectes and posteritee: by reason wherof men made Images of them, Images of kynges. to take a comfortable pleasure of the [Page] beholdyng of them: Afterward be­cause to encorage men to vertue and cheualry, thei reuerenced thē as god­des, for eueri valiant courage would with more alacrite enterprise daūge­rous aduētures for the cōmon weale when they perceyued the noble actes of worthy and puisant men, to be re­compensed with honoure and laude of the immortal goddes. Thus tem­ples beganne fyrst to be buylded, and newe seruice of the goddes, by the or­dinaunce of Melissus, Melissus, in the tyme of Iupiter, or not long afore. Albeit that the trueth & very original maye be absolutely knowen, let vs appoint the custome of Idolatrye to haue be­gonne in the tyme of Belus kyng of the Assirians, Belus. whiche reigned in the thre M.C.lxxx. yeare of the worlde, whom the Babilon [...]ans fyrst wor­shypped for a God, and set vp an I­mage of him and therefore they that thynke Idolatry hath endured from the beginnyng of the worlde are de­ceyued. Herodotus sayeth that the Egyptians fyrst buylded alters, temples, Images and made sacri­fyce to the goddes, and after taught [Page xii] them to straungers: Some suppose that Mercurye shewed with what ceremonies goddes should be honou­red, some say it was deuised by kyng Numapompilius.

Diodorus thinketh that the Ethio­pians did institute the rytes of sacri­ficyng to the goddes, Ethiopians. whiche thyng Homere in his Ilias witnesseth, wher he telleth howe Iupiter & the other goddes went into Ethiopia to the o­blacions that were customably made there, & also repared thyther to feele the fragrant odours, that perfumed frō the sacrifices. And the Ethiopi­ans receiued for a reward of their holynes, that they should neuer be con­quered, but euer liue in libertie, w ^tout any bondage. Lactantius affyrmeth, that Melissus kyng of Crete did fyrst sacrifice, and ordeined other solemne rytes in the ceremonies of their god­des. Ianus. In Italy Ianus and his sonne Faunus appointed sacrifices to Sa­turne, and after them kyng Numa set vp a newe religion. Cadmus. Orpheus. Cadmus out of Phenice, and Orpheus out of Trace brought fyrst into Grece the myste­ries, solemnyties, dedicatyng of I­mages, [Page] and hymnes of their goddes.

Albeit Herodotus sayeth that Ce­crops kyng of Athens fette all suche constitucions and ordinaunces out of Egypte into Grece, Cecrops. and fyrst inuoca­ted Iupiter, founded Images, set vp­alters, and offered sacrifices, that were neuer sene before in Grece. But to God almighty, whō we christians honor and serue Cain and Abel fyrst offered, Cain. Abel. Enos. and Enos fyrst called vpō the name of God.

❧The sixt Chapiter. ¶Who founde the leters, and the nomber of them.

LETTERS, wherein is cōteyned the treasure of memorye, Letters. and by whom thynges notable be pre­serued in freshe remem­braūce, after the opinion of Diodorus, Diodorus. were foūd by Mercury in Egypt, yet some say one Menon an Egyptian diuised them, Menon. The Egypti­ans letters. but in steade of the letters they of Egypte vsed to signify and declare the ententes and conceytes of their myndes by the fy­gures [Page xiii] of beastes, fishes, foules, & tres Plinie sayeth, Plinie. he euer thought that the Assirians excogitated the letters. whiche Cadmus brought out of Phe­nice into Grece, Cadmus founde .xvi. letters. Palamedes added foure letters. whiche were but .xvi in nomber. A. b. c. d. e. g. i. l. m. n. o p. r. s. t. v. to these Palamedes added in the battail of Troy other .iiii. [...]. Simonides found as many [...]. Whose power is cōteyned in our letters. Aristotle sayeth there were .xviii. of y ^e olde [...]. and that Epicarmus put to the other two θ. and ω. Epicarmus. Hermolaus supposeth he put to Υ. Herodotus writeth howe y ^• the Pheniciens that came with Cad­mus to enhabite Thebes, Cadmus. brought letters into Grece, whiche were neuer sene in vse there afore tyme. Some thinke the Ethiopians inuēted them, and then taught them to the Egipti­ans, that were one of theyr ꝓuinces. But Eumolphus telleth vnfaynedly that the beginnyng of letters did procede of Moses, Eumolphus▪ Moses. whiche reignyng long afore Cadmus daies, taught the Ie­wes [Page] the letters, & thence the Pheniciens receiued thē, & the Grekes lerned of thē. Whiche thyng is cōformable to the saiyng of Plinie afore rehersed for Iury is a part of Syria, & the Ie­wes be syrians. Neuertheles I find by Iosephus that writyng was afore Noe his flud, Sonnes of Seth found the letters. for the sonnes of Seth wrote in .ii. pyllers, one of bricke & a­nother of stoone, the science of Astro­nomy, whereof that of stoone, in the tyme of Iosephus remained in Firia. Philo ascribeth the inuēcion of them to Abraham, whiche was elder then Moses, albeit I had rather assigne to Sethes childrē the beginnyng of wri­tyng. As for the Hebrue letters whi­che be nowe, after the mynde of s. Ie­rome, were but newly inuented, & de­uised by Esdras: for afore that tyme the Hebrues & Samarites vsed al one carecters and print of their letters.

Hebrue let­tersThe olde Greke letters the same y ^t the Romaynes vse now, as Plinie cō ­iectureth by a certayne brasen table that came frō Delphos, whiche was dedicated & hāged vp in a librarye in the tēple of Minerua at Rome in his tyme. They were brought into Italy [Page xiiii] by Euander & the Archadiens whiche came into Italy to enhabite there as Ouide telleth in his booke De fastis. Euander brought let­ters into Italy.

The Hetrurians had also a fourme of letters by them selfes, wherin the youth of Rome was enstructed as well as in the Greke letters, whiche one Demaratus a Corinthian taught the Hetrurians. Demaratus taught the Hetrurians letters. And like as the Grecians had enlarged the nombre of theyr letters, so the Italyans folow­yng theyr example put to theirs, f. k. q. x. y. z. h. whiche h. is no letter, but a signe of asperacion f. they receiued of the Aeolians, The letter f. was taken of the Aeolians. whiche both among the olde Romaynes & Aeolians had the same sound & pronunciacion that p. w ^t an asperacion hath, whiche we vse in writyng Greke wordes. And afterward Claudius Caesar, as Quintiliane writeth, appoineted y ^t it shuld be taken in the place of v. consonant as fulgus for vulgus, F. for u. con­sonant. fixit for vixit And euen so oure Englishemen vse to speake in Essere, for they say fineger for vineger, feale for veale, & cōtrary wise a vore for a fore, voure for foure And by processe of tyme it was vsed for ph. in Latyne woordes k. was [Page] borowed of the Grekes, but no good auctoure vseth it in writyng Latyn q. was added because it hath a gros­ser sounde then c. q. letter. x. letter. The letter x. wee had also out of Grece, although (as Quintiliane iudgeth) we might well forbere it, in somuche y ^t they vsed for it ether c. s. or g. s. Lykewise y. and z were fet from the Grecians & be vsed of vs onely to write Greke wordes.

❧The .vii. Chapiter. ☞The inuencion of Grammer.

NEXTE the letters, the inuencion of Grammer must ordinaryly succede, both because it is the foū dacion & ground wheron al other sciēces rest: & al­so for asmuche as it taketh y ^e name of leters. For Grāma in Greke signifi­eth a letter in English. Grāmer is an art that doth cōs [...]st in speakyng and writyng without faulte, so that eue­ry worde haue his due letters, and is diuided, after the mynde of Quinti­liane, Two partes of grammer. into twoo partes: the waye to speake congruite, and declaryng of Poetes. As Tully writeth, ther is re­quired [Page xv] in gramariens, the declaraciō of Poetes, the knowlage of histories exposicion of wordes, and a certaine vtteraunce of pronunciacion. It had the beginnyng of markyng and ob­seruyng what was moost fytte or vn­fittyng in communicacion, whiche thyng menne counterfettyng in their speache made this arte, euen as Rhe­thorike was perceiued. For it is the duetie bothe of Grammariens and o­ratours to haue a regarde & respecte howe to speake. Hermippus saieth that Epicurus fyrst taught the arte of Grammer, Epicurus taught gram­mer first. and Plato espyed and perceiued fyrst the commoditee & pro­fette of it. In Rome it was nothyng estemed tyl one Crates Malotes was sent by kyng Attalus to the senate to teache it betwene the second & thirde battailles of Punike, Crates taught gram­mer in Rome a lytle afore the death of Ennius y ^e Poete. It is of all other sciences the moost speciall, for it sheweth a meane & way to attayne all the rest of the faculties and artes Neither can a man come or attain to any excellencie in any arte, onelesse he haue fyrst his principles of Grammer perfectly knowen, and through­ly perceiued.

[Page]Therfore in olde tyme Grammariens were called iudges and allowers of all other writers, & for that cause they were called Critici.

In this excelled Didimus and An­tonius Enipho, Antonius Enipho a scholemaster. whose schole Marcus Cicero resorted vnto diuerse tymes, after this affayres of the lawe were ended: Nigidius Figulus, Marcus Varro, Marcus Valerius Probus, & the arrogant Palemon with many o­ther. Of the Grekes Aristarcus, A­ristotle, and Theodoces were chiefe.

¶The .viii. Chapiter. ¶Of Poetrie, and Meter, and sun­dery kyndes of the same.

Poetrie. POETRIE is a goodly arte: aswell because no other discipline can bee perceyued, excepte a manne studie it vehe­mently, for it compre­hendeth al other sciences: as for that where other faculties be deuised by the pregnance, of mannes witte, this art onely is geuen of nature by a di­uine inspiracion, w ^tout whiche De­mocritus [Page xvi] affirmeth ther could neuer be excellente Poete: for it procedeth not of art or preceptes, but of a natu­ral inspiracion, and spiritual power. And therfore Ennius called Poetes holy, Poetes be called holy of Ennius. because they be by a special pre­rogatiue cōmended & praised to vs of God. The beginnyng of this arte is very ancient and as Eusebius saieth, Hebrues were auctours of Poetry. it florished fyrst among the Hebrues, that were long afore the Grekes. For Moses the great capitain of the Iewes, Moses. what time he led them out of Egypte into the land of promise, pas­syng the red sea, which by the power of GOD gaue place to them, inspi­red by the holy ghost made a song of Exameter verses, to rendre thankes to God for that benefite.

AND Dauid the holy Prophete of GOD, Dauid after he was dispatched of all his affayres to warre, and escaped the assaultes and daungers of treason, liuyng in great peace, deui­sed many pleasaunt balades and tu­neable Hymnes, The Psalte [...] of Dauid. of the praise of God in sundery kyndes of Meter. For as samet Ierome saieth, the Psalter of Dauid goeth in as good nombre and [Page] measures, as either y ^e Greke Planu­des, or y ^e Latine Horacius, sometyme in Alcaeus nombers, sometyme in the meter of Sappho, sometyme w ^t halfe measures. What is godlyer then the song of Moses in Deutronomie and of Esaias? Salomon. Iob. more auncient then Sala­mon? more perfecte thē Iob? And we maye worthely ascribe the inuencion of it to the Hebrues, but in deede Or­pheus and Linus, Orpheus. Linus and after them Homere and Hesiodus dyd fyrst po­lyshe and adorne the Arte with all kynde of furnature. The Romaynes receiued it not tyll of latter tyme, for Liuius Andronicus (as Tully wry­teth) CCCCC.xiii. yere after the cy­tie was builded, Liuius. An­d [...]onicus. Caius Claudius, Cē to and Marcus Tuditanus beyng cō ­sulles, set furth the fyrste Enterlude or fable a yeare before Ennius was borne. Afore those dayes it was had in suche dispyte, that if one had pro­fessed him selfe to be a Poete, he was takē for a murtherer or ruffian. The beginner of meter was God, whiche proporcioned the world, The worlde was made by meter. with all the contentes of the same, with a certain order, as it were a meter, for there is [Page xvii] noone (as Pithagoras taught) that douteth, but that there is in thynges heauenly and yearthly a kynd of ar­monye, and oneles it were gouerned with a fourmal concorde and discri­bed nombre, howe could it long con­tinue? Al other instrumētes, that we occupye, be all fashioned by a maner of measure. And Diodorus assigneth the inuencion of Meter, whiche the Poetes fulfilled with a spiritual in­fluence, vse in their workes, to Iupi­ter as to almightie God.

Of Meters there be diuers kindes that hath theyr name, Dyuerse kin­des of meter. either of the thyng that is discribed therin, as he­roical Meter is so called of the vali­aunt deades of armes of noble men, Heroical verse. that be cōteined in it, wherin also A­pollo gaue his Oracles, therfore Pli­nie saieth we haue that Meter of Pi­thius Oracle: or of the inuentoure as Aesclepiadical or of the quantitee as Iambus, Archilocus found iambꝰ because it standeth of a shorte and a long, whiche Archilo­cus founde fyrst, or of the nombre of feete, as Exameter and Pentameter whiche is also called Elegiacal the sheppeheardes songes, Daphnis the [Page] sonne of Mercurie founde, Daphnis founde y ^e she­perdes carols and other diuysed other songes, whiche I let passe for my purpose is only to speke of the Inuentours of the Meter, and not to persecute the particulars.

¶The .ix. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of Tragedies, Come­dies, Satyres, and newe Comedies.

TRAGEDIES and co­medies had their begin­ning of the oblacions (as Diodorus writeth) whi­che in olde tyme men de­uoutly offered for their fruytes to Bacchus. Tragedies. For as the aulters were kyndeled with fyre, and the Goate leyed on it, the quyre in honoure of Bacchus songe this Meter called a Tragedie. It was named so, ei­ther because a Gote, whiche in Greke is called Tragos, was the rewarde appoynted for him that was auctour of the song, [...]. or because a Goate, whi­che is noyefull to the vynes, where­of Bacchus was fyrst inuētour, was sacrificed to Liber: or of the groun­des or dregges, whiche in Greke is [Page xviii] called Tryx, with the whiche stage Players vsed to paynte their face, [...]. a­fore that Eschilus diuised v [...]sers The beginner of them, Vys [...]rs were founde by Eschilus. after the mynde of Horace, was Thespis: albeit, Quin­tilianus saith Eschilus setfurth fyrst openlye Tragedies afore any other, Sophocles & Euripides dyd furnishe them more galantly. In Rome Liui­us Andronicus made the fyrst Tra­gedie, wherin Accius, Pacuuius, Famous tra­gedies. O­uidius and Seneca excelled. The Co­medies began what tyme (the Athe­niens beyng not yet assembled into y ^e Cytie) the youth of that coūtry vsed to syng solempne verses at feastes a­brode in the villages, and high way­es for to get monye, they were so na­med of the Greke worde Comos for bankettyng or Come a strete, [...]. and O­de a song. Albeit it is vncertaine a­mong the Grecians who founde it fyrst. In this kynde of writyng Ari­stophanes, Eupolis & Cratinus bare the price: of the Romanes, Liuius Andronicus founde it fyrst. In a Trage­die noble parsonages, as Lordes, A Tragedie. Dukes, Kynges and Emperours be bro­ught in, with an highe style: A comedie. In a co­medie, [Page] amorous daliaunce, matters of loue, & deflouryng of maydens be conteyned. Heuynes is apropried vnto a Tragidie: and therefore, when kyng Archilaus desyred Euripides to write a Tragidie of him be denied it, Archilaus. wishyng that neuer suche thyng should chaunce to him, as should be worthy of a Tragedye, for it hath e­uer a myserable ende, and a Como­die hath a ioyful ende. A Satyre is a poesy. A satyr [...]. rebukyng vyces sharpely not regardyng any persons. There be two kyndes of Satyres, the one is bothe among the Grekes and Roma­nes of auncient tyme vsed, Two sortes of Satires. for the di­uersytie of Meters muche like a Co­modye, sauyng that it is more wan­ton. Demetrius of Tharsus, and one Menippus a bondeman, whom Mar­cus Varro did counterfeit, were wri­ters in this kynde. The seconde ma­ner of Satyres is verye railyng, one­ly ordeyned to rebuke vyce, and de­uysed of the Romaynes vpon this occasion. When the Poetes, that wrot the olde Comodies, vsed to handle for theyr argumentes, not onely fay­ned matters, but also thynges done [Page xix] in dede, whiche although at the fyrst it was tollerable, yet afterwarde, Lybe [...]ye of the old satyre it fortuned by reason that they inuey­hed so liberally, and largely, at their pleasure against euery mā, that there was a law made, that no man should from thencefurth reprehend any mā by name. Then the Romaynes in the place of those Comodies substituted suche Satyres, as they had new­ly imagined. Then also began y ^e new Comedie, New Come­dye. whiche cōcerneth general­ly all men of meane estate: and hath lesse bitternes and railyng, but more pleasauntnes and pastime for the au­ditours. Menander. Of this Menander and Phi­lemon were auctours, whiche aswa­ged all the crabbednesse of the olde writynges. Of them learned Cicili­us, Neuius, Plautus, and Terentius, the fourme to compyle Comodies, al­beit (as Quintiliane saieth) th [...]y vn­neth attayned to the least portion of theyr patrone, because the latin tong is not so fyt to receyue the ornamen­tes of eloquencie, as the Greke tong is. Satires wherof they were named. The Satyres had theyr name of vplandyshe goddes, that were rude, lassiuious, and wanton of behauour, [Page] In this fourme of writyng Lucilius Horatius, Persius, Inuenalis, obtay­ned great fame and praise.

❧The .x. Chapiter. ¶The deuisers of Hystories, Prose and Rhethorike.

Hystories. HYSTORIES of all o­ther writynges be mooste commendable, because it infourmeth all sortes of people with notable ex­amples of liuyng, and doth excite no­ble men to ensue suche actiuite in en­terprises as they reade to haue bene doone by their auncestours, and also discorageth & dehorteth wicked per­sons from attemptyng of any hay­nouse deede or cryme, knowyng that suche actes shalbe regestred in perpe­tual memory to the praise or reproche of the doers, accordyng to the deserte of their endeuoures. Plinie writeth that Cadmus Milesius fyrst wrote hystories among the Grecians, Cadmus wrote the sto­ry of Syrus. whi­che conteined y ^e gestes of Cirus kyng of Persia. Albeit, Iosephus suppo­seth it to bee more probable that Hy­stories [Page xx] were begonne by the olde wri­ters of the Hebrues as in the time of Moses whiche wrote the lyues of many of the eldest Hebrues and the creacion of the worlde: Moses dyd write the fyrst storye. or elles to the priestes of Egypte and Babilon. For the Egyptians & Babilonians, haue bene of longest continuaunce verye diligente in settyng furthe thynges in writyng, insomuche, Priestes of Egypt wrote stories. y ^t their prie­stes were specially appoineted to ap­plye theim selues to that purpose of puttyng in writyng suche thynges as were worthy to be had in memory As concernyng the fyrst writers of Prose, I cannot holde with Plinie, whiche saieth Pheresides a Syrian wrote fyrst pro [...]e in the tyme of kyng Sirus. Pheresides. For it is no doubt but he that wrote hystories, Prose. wrote also prose first and Pheresides was long after Mo­ses, whiche was .ccccccc.lxxxviii. ye­res afore Ioathan kyng of the Ieues In whose tyme the Olimpiades be­ganne, and this Pheresides (as Eu­sebius wryteth) was but in the tyme of the fyrst Olimpiade. Greke stories Latin stories. Of the Gre­tians Xenophon, Thusidites, Hero­dotus, Theopompus, floryshed most [Page] in writyng histories of the Romanes Titus Liuius, & Caius Crispius Sa­lustius with dyuerse other were had in highe estimacion. Afore that tyme they vsed Annals or Cronicles, whi­che contayne onely the geastes and factes of euery daye seuerally. The fyrst office of an historiographer is to write no lye, the seconde that he shal conzel no trueth, for fauoure, disple­asure, or feare. The perfection of an historie resteth in matter and wordes The order of the matter requyreth, obseruaunce of tymes, discripcions of places, the maners, lyues of men, theyr behauoures, purposes, occaci­ons, dedes, saiynges, casualtes, ache­uynges, & finishyng of thynges. The tenour of the wordes asketh a brefe perspicuite and syncere trueth, with moderate and peaceable ornamentes

Rhethoryke.We may be sure that by and by af­ter men were formed, thei receiued of God the vse of speche, wherein what tyme they perceyued some wordes to be profitable, and some hurtefull in vtteryng of theim: they appoynted and gathered an Arte of speache, or communicacion called Rethorycke, [Page xxi] Whiche (as Diodorus dothe saye:) was inuented by Marcurie: Marcurie. Empedocles. but Ari­stotle affyrmmeth that Empedocles was fyrst auctoure of the Oratorial arte. In Rome this feate of eloquēce was neuer forbidden, but in processe (as it was perceiued to be profitable and honest) was had in suche estima­ [...]ion, and so manye, partely for theyr defence, partly for glory and ambiti­on, employed theyr studies in it with suche endeuoure, that verye many of the ignobilitee were promoted into the degree of Senatours, and atche­ued muche worshyppe by it. Corax and Thisias gaue rules of Rhe­thorike. D [...]mosthenes Cicero. Corax, & Thysias, beyng Sicilians gaue fyrst preceptes in writyng of this Science And theyr countremanne Leontinus Gorgias succeded them. Demosthenes o [...] the Gretians was pryncipal, of y ^e Romaynes, Tullius Cicero had no felowe. Nowe as touchyng the effect and property of it, there be in it (as Cicero writeth) fiue partes, fyrst to inuente stuffe of matter to speake, Partes of Rhethorike. then formably to ordre hys deuyses, ne [...]te to polyshe it and furnyshe it with elegance of termes, and picked wordes: & to haue it in perfecte me­morye, [Page] and last of all to vtter it with comely gesture, in suche sorte that it delyte, for it conueniente treatable­nes, teache, and playnely declare the thyng, and moue affections of pytie and fauoure in the heartes of iudges or yf the cause permytte, or tyme re­quire, to excite a cheareful laughyng and abandone graue seueritye. In termes of them that practise this fa­cultie, we haue this difference: we cal him that defendeth matters, and pleadeth causes an Oratour, Oratoure, Rhethoricien. a Rhe­toricien, is he that teacheth or profes­seth to be a scolemaster in that arte. A declamatour is he that is occupied in fayned causes, Declamator. either for his owne exercise, or to enstructe other therby.

¶The .xi. Chapiter. Who founde Musyke, and what efficacie it is of in humayne affayres.

MVSIKE, by the testi­monye of auncient Poe­tes, Orpheus. is verye antique, for Orpheus & Linus bothe borne of the linage of the goddes were very excel­lent [Page xxii] Musicians. And because the one by the swetenesse of his armonie dilinited & modefied the grosse hear­tes, and rude myndes of men, it was fayned that he made the wylde bea­stes, as Lyons and Tygres to folowe him: And the praisynges of Goddes valiaunt prowes, and deedes of ar­mes of Lordes were vsed to be song with Lutes at the royall feastes, as Iompas in Virgil and Demodocus in Homere beare wytnes.

The fynders of Musyke as Plinie supposeth was Amphion the sonne of Iupiter by Antiope. Fynders of Musike after diuers au­thours. Dionisius. zethus. Amphyon. The Greti­ans ascribe the findyng of it to Dio­nisius. Eusebius saith that Zephus and Amphion, whiche were in Cad­mus dayes, inuented Musyke: Soli­nus contendeth that the study of this arte came out of Crete, and was per­ceyued by the ringyng & shryl sounde of bralle, and so brought and tradu­ced into numbers and measures. Po­lybius affirmeth that it came frō the Archadiens, Archadiens, whiche haue an excea­dyng mynde to that science, and Dio­dorus wryteth that Marcury founde [Page] the concordes of singyng. Marcurye found the cō ­cordes. Albeit, it is like that these onely were the fyrst setters out of it in Grece of late time for Iosephus telleth that Tubalcain an Hebrue the sonne of Lamech, Cubalcain. whiche was many ages afore them, vsed muche to syng to the Psaltrie and Lute, notwithstandyng who was fyrst procurer of it, and when it was founde, it is yet vncertayne, for it se­meth to haue bene geuen of nature to mankynde at the beginnyng for a special rewarde, Nature gaue musyke▪ to men. to mittigate the cruell paynes, wherein man is bewrapped and compassed on all handes, for a chylde newe borne ceaseth of his la­mentable crye at the singyng and lullyng of his nursse. In all kyng of la­boures song is comfortable, Labourers passe the time with songes. the Ga­liman, the Plowman, the carter, the car [...]er ease the tediousnes of theyr laboure and iourney with carolynges, leies, and whistlyng: yea, the brute beastes be delighted with songes and noyses, as Mules with belles, Hor­ses with trompettes and shalmes are of a fi [...]arser stomake to theyr appointed ministerye. And of whom I pray you learned the Byrdes theyr diuer­sitie [Page xxiii] of tunes? Who taught the nigh­tyngale so sundry nootes? Doutles euen nature was of this agreable Harmonye the onely scolemasters. But the Egiptians dyd forbyd theyr yong folkes learnyng of Musicke because it seduceth and maketh effemi­nate the hardye courage of men, Musyke ma­keth men ef­feminate. and Ephorus sayeth: it was ordeyned to delude and deceyue men. Neuerthe­lesse, Socrates. Socrates was not ashamed in his olde age to learne to play on the Harp, and Themistocles, because he refused the Harpe at a bancket, Themysto­cles. was reckened vnlearned, the priestes of Mars in Rome, called Salii song ver­ses aboute the Cytie. And speciallye the great Prophete Dauid, Salii marti [...] Dauid. whiche song the misteries of God in Meter▪ frequented syngyng.

¶The .xii. Chapiter. Who found Musical instrumentes and brought th [...]m into Italy.

IT is sayde that Marcurye founde the Harpe fyrst. Harpe. Marcur [...] ▪ For as he walked by the Ryuer Nilus after an ebbe, he foūd [Page] a Tortyse al wythered, and nothyng remainyng but the senewes, whiche as he fortuned to strycke on them, made a certayne sounde: And after the patrone of that he fashioned an Harpe, and accordyng to the thre ty­mes of the yeare, Thre stryn­ges in the harpe. Sommer, Wynter, and Spryngtyme, he putte to it thre Strynges, a Treble, a Base, and a Meane.

Thys instrumente he gaue to A­pollo, and Apollo delyuered it to Orpheus: Some thyncke Amphion founde it. Amphyon. I fynde that the Harpe hadde seuen strynges to resemble the seuen doughters of Atlas, whereof Maia Mercurie his mother was one. And then after that were twoo other putte to, Goddesses of sauoure. to represente the nyne Mu­ses.

Some referre the orygynall of the Harpe and Pype too Apollo, for his Image in Delos (as they saye,) hath in the right hande a bowe, and in the lefte hande the goddesses of fa­uour. Wherof one hath a harpe, an other a shalme, Shalmes. y ^e third a pype. Shal­mes were at the beginnyng made of Cranes legges, & after of great reed: [Page xxiiii] Dardanus Trezenius vsed fyrst to play & syng with them. Dardanius. Trezenus Pype. Panne an vp­landy she god, found the pype of smal reed fyrst to solace his loue. Euse­bius saith Cibele found it, and some suppose it was Apollo. Timarias played on the Harpe or Lute, fyrst withoute dittye, Singyng to the Lute. and Amphion song fyrst to the Lute, but the Harpe was found afore by Tubal and fashioned like the Greke letter delta. Δ

Hermophilus fyrst distributed the pulse and beatyng of the vaynes too certayne measures of Musicke. And the Prophete Dauid founde dyuerse instrumentes, as Regalles and Na­bles. Regalles. Nables. The Troglodites founde the Dulcimers. Pises Terrenes founde the Brasen trompe, Dulcimers. whiche the Ter­renes footemenne vsed in theyr war­res, some thyncke it was Tyrteus or Dyrceus an Athenien. For what tyme the Lacedemonians made war against the Messenians, Brasen trōpe and the warres were long differred, they had an­swere of Apollo, that if they would wynne the feelde, they should haue a capitayne of Athens.

AND the Atheniens in dispyte [Page] sent to them one Dyrceus a lame and one eyed felowe, Dyrceus ca­pitayne of the Lacedemoni­ans. and all out of shape: albeit thei receiued him and vsed his counsail, and he taught them to play on trumpes, whiche were so feareful to y ^e Messenians, by reason of straūgenes of the noyse that they fled furth with, and so they obteyned victorye, but in dede (as Iosephus witnesseth) Moses the valiaunt capitaine of the Hebrues founde the Troumpe and made it of siluer. Moses foūd the trompe Archadiens brought in­strumentes into Italy. The Archadiēs did fyrst bryng al Musical instrumentes into Italye, where afore that tyme thei vsed only vplādishe pypes. Thu­cydides writeth that y ^e Lacedemoni­ans vsed fyrst in war Shalmes, Lacedemonians maner in warre. Cla­rious and Rebeckes, to thentent that when they were ready to the warres by suche plaiyng they myght better kepe array. Drumslades. in warre. The Romaines fotemen ioyned Droumslades with Trumpettes. Haliattes kyng of the Lydians had in the battail againste the Mile­sians Pipers and Fidlers plaiyng together, Pypers and Fidlers. the Gretians, as thei went to warre had Lutes goyng afore them to modefie theyr pase, all other coun­trees (as wee dooe nowe) vsed trum­pettes [Page xxv] in battail.

¶The .xiii. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of Philosophie.

THE science of Philosophie, Philosophie. whiche Tully calleth the studye of wysedome, searcher oute of vertue, expulser of vice after the mynde of di­uerse dyd procede out of Barbary in to Grece. For it is sayd that in Per­sie the Magiciens (for so they called their wise and sage men) were excel­lent in knowlage, Magiciens. Chaldees. in Assirie the Cal­dees, in Inde the Gymnosophistes, hauyng their name, Gymnoso­phistes. because they wēt naked, had their part of wysedome, of whiche faction one Buddas was chief, in Fraūce the Druides, in Phe­nice Ochus, in Thrace Xamolxis, Druides. Ochus. Xamolxis. Orpheus. Atlas. & Orpheus, in Lybie Atlas.

The Egyptians say that Vulca­nus, the sōne of Nilus found the fyrst principles of Philosophie.

[Page] Laertius writeth that Philosophie beganne in Grece, wher Museus and Linus were fyrst learned menne, but Eusebius sayeth that Philosophie, lyke as all other sciences sprong a­mong the Hebrues, and of them the Greke Philosophiers, Hebrues were auctours of Philosophie. whiche were a thousande yere after Moses, lear­ned all their knowledge. As for the name of Philosophie was not vsed among them, Pythagoras calleth him selfe a Philosophier. tyll the tyme of Pytha­goras, for he called him selfe a Philosophier, and his studie of wysedome, philosophie, where afore time it was named wysedome, and they that pro­fessed it had the tytle of wyse menne. There be of it thre partes, one called natural, Thre partes of Philoso­phie, another morall, and the fa­cultie of reasonyng called logike, na­tural treateth of the worlde and con­tentes thereof, whiche Archelaus brought out of Ionia vnto Athens. Moral enfourmeth the life & maners of men, this part Socrates traduced and applied from heauenly thynges, to the vse of life, and to deserne good and bad, Logike inuenteth reasons on bothe partes, and was founde by [Page xxvi] Zeno Eliates, other deuide it into .v. partes, natural, supernatural, Fiue partes. moral mathematical, and logike.

Dialoges, were made fyrst by Pla­to, Dialoges. or at the least furnished with more eloquence, for Aristotle sayeth that they were diuised by Alexamenus Scyreus.

❧The .xiiii. Chapiter. ¶Astrologie, the course of the sterres, sphere, nature of the wyndes.

THE yearth is moste sub­iect to the influence, and operacion of the Planet­tes, and by the temperate seasonablenesse of the cō ­stellacions it bryngeth furthe aboundaunce of fruites: and as Iulius Firmicus supposeth, the sterres haue also a power in the birth of menne to make them of one fashi­on or other, Thre power of the sterres. this or that complexi­on, of good or bad disposicion, accor­dyng to the respectes, coniunctions or opposicions procure. And the E­gyptians [Page] haue deuysed and appoin­ted to euery night and day his pecu­liar God, Obseruyng of daies. and what destenie, & what death shall chaunce to him y ^t is borne on any suche day. Chaldees. And the Chaldees sayd, that to acheue any good or hurtful thyng, the planettes helpe muche

By this occasion men, through di­ligent obseruyng of the celestial bo­dies, Astrologie. inuented Astrologie, wherin the whole mouable course of the heauen, the risyng, the goyng doune, and or­dre or the Planettes bee comprehen­ded, whiche the Egiptians aduaunce thē selues to haue found: Egiptians. Albeit some say Mercurie was auctour of it, and Diodorus affirmeth it to be Actinus the sonne of Phoebus. Mercury. Neuerthelesse, Iosephus plainly declareth, that A­braham enstructed thē, Abraham. and also the Caldees in that arte, & thence it came into Grece, for all the learned menne of Grece, Grecians ler­ned in Egipt. as Pherceides, Pithagoras Thales acknowledge that they were disciples to the Egyptians and Chaldees. But Plinie writeth that Atlas was finder of it, Atlas. & therfore the Poe­tes fayne that he beareth heauen on [Page xxvii] his backe. Seruius thinketh it was Prometheus thar found it. Neuer­theles al these, as I take it, were the beginners of this facultie euery man in his owne coūtree onely, where he dwelled: for euen frō the beginnyng of the worlde, Seth his posteritie. Astrologie. the sonnes of Seth di­uised fyrst the science of the sterres, and for somuche, as they feared least their art should perishe, afore it came to the knowledge of menne (for they had heard their graund father Adam saye that all thynges should bee de­stroyed by the vniuersal fludde, they made two pyllers, one of stone, Two pyllers preserued A­strologie frō the fludde. the o­ther of brycke, to thentent that if the bricke wasted with water or stormes, yet the stone should preserue the let­ters whole and perfecte, and in these pyllers they graued al that cōcerned the obseruaunce of the sterres. And therfore it is credible that the Egyp­cians and Chaldes lerned Astrologie of the Hebrues, and so consequently it spred abrode in other nacions, and thus beganne Astronomie conceyued to seduce mens wittes. Among y ^e Ro­maynes Sulpicius Gallus, in Grece [Page] Thales Milesius perceiued the cause of theclipse of the Sunne and Mone Endymeon marked fyrst the course of the Moone and her changyng as Pli­nie writeth. Eclipse of y ^e Sunne and Moone. Endymion perceiued the course of the Moone. Pythagoras. obserued the day sterre. Archemedes deuised the sphere. The wyndes. Aeolia. Pythagoras (as some say (obserued the course of Venus called the daye sterre, but as Laercius supposeth it was Permenides. The Sphere was diuised by Archemides a Siracusian, but Diogenes taketh it to haue bene Museus, and Plinie a­scribeth it to Anaximāder. The win­des were fyrst obserued by Aeolus, as it is reported, vpon this reason. The inhabitantes of the Ilelandes about Sicile prognosticate by the smoke of the sayde Isles three dayes before, what wynde they shal haue, and for that cause they say that Aeolus hath dominion ouer the wyndes. The windes, as some deuide theim, bee foure accordyng to the foure principall re­gions of the ayre, Foure wyn­des. they that bee more curiouse, make eight. And specially one Andronicus Cyrrestes, Andronicus. whiche buylded in Athens a turret, and sette on euerye syde of it the Images of wyndes, grauen agaynst the region [Page xxviii] whence the wyndes came, and sette them on pyllers of marble, and in the myddle he sette a brasen Image of Triton, Images of wyndes. whiche he had made so that it would turne with the wynde and stand w ^t his face towarde the wynde that blewe, and poincte with a rodde to the Image of the same wynde, Wethercor­kes. Fanes. whiche maner is nowe vsed in al countrees, for they sette vp wethercockes or fanes to shewe out of what quarter the wynde bloweth.

❧The .xv. Chapiter. ¶Who founde Geometrie, Arith­metike, with other thynges.

NILVS THE MOST famouse Ryuer of the worlde, from the tyme, Nilus surun­deth Egypte. that the Sunne bee in Tropico Cancri, vntyl it come to the equinoc­ciall lyne in Libra agayne, with an houge aboundaunce of water dothe [Page] ouerflowe al the douned and playne countries of Egypte: by the altitude and depenes of this fludde the Egip­tians foresee the plentie and scarsitee of fruites to come. Prognostica­cion of plētie and scarsnes. For if it encrease but vnto the depeth of .xii. or .xiii. cu­bites, it portēdeth lacke of sufficience yf it passe .xiiii. and so to .xvi. it im­porteth great plentie: in the tyme of Claudius Caesar it waxed .xviii. cu­bites and that was the greatest tide: the least was in the tyme of the bat­tail at Pharsalia whereby it signi­fied, howe sore that it abhorred the murther of the valiaunt Pompeie. What tyme Nilus with suche inun­dacion had partly minished, partely transposed, and thesame tyme all to­gether putte awaye the meeres and butrelles with whiche they disseuerd their porcions of lande they were cō ­pelled often to measure their bondes afreshe: Egiptians found Geo­metrie. for that cause the Egiptians glory that Geometrie was immagi­ned by them to measure landes. As Arithemetike by the Phenicians by cause to vtter their marchādise. But Iosephus seameth to attribute bothe [Page xxix] to the Hebrues, Hebrues af­ter Iosephus mynde found Geometrie. saiyng that God prolōged the tyme of their liues because of the studiouse labour that they em­ployed in serchyng out of Astrologie and Geometrie, and the Egyptians were ignoraunt in Geometrie and A­rithmetike, Abraham taught the Egiptians. Contentes of Geometrie. vnto the tyme that Abra­ham taught them. Geometrie con­teineth the discripcion of lengthes, bredthes, shapes, and quantities. In this excelled Strabo in Grece in the tyme of Tiberius, and Ptolome vn­der Traianus and Antoninus. In I­taly Plinius and Folinus.

Measures and weightes were foūde by Sidonius (as Eutropius sayeth) y ^e same tyme that Procas reigned in Alba, Aza in Iurye, Measures & weightes. and Hieroboham in Hierusalē. Some write that Mer­curie diuised them in Grece, Plinie ascribeth it to Phidon of Argos, Gellius to Palamedes, Strabo to one Phi­don of Elis in Arcadie. Diogenes sayeth that Pythagoras taught the Grekes weightes and measures, but Iosephus affirmeth that Cain found them fyrst of al.

Nombers some say were inuented Nombers. [Page] by Pythagoras, some by Mercurie. Liuius supposeth that Pallas found them. Maner of re­kenyng yeres The maner of countyng yea­res in Grece was by Olimpiades whiche conteyned the space of fyue yeres, as the Romaynes dyd by Lu­stra whiche conteined the same nom­bre of yeres, and sometyme they no­ted the nombre of yeares by letters, sometyme by nayles. Countyng by nayles. For euery yere the Consul or chief iudge called Prae­tor in the Ides of September faste­ned a nayle in the walle of Iupiters temple nexte ioynyng to the temple of Pallas, to signifie the space of ye­res. Letters to counte with. And we vse to write oure nom­bers with these seuen letters .C.I.D.L.M.V..X. or with these sygnes. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9. whiche, Figures of Arithmetike be­cause they be in quotidian vse, it ne­deth not to declare.

❧The .xvi. Chapiter. ¶Phisike, and the par­tes therof.

[Page xxx] PHISIKE, whiche with remedies proui­ded of God, Inuentours of Phisike. doth much comforte and cure men in their maladies and diseases, that brest furth one euery side, is thought wor­thely to haue bene inuented of the Goddes. For it is supposed that Mercurie founde it among the Egip­cians, some saye it was Apis their god: or Arabus sonne to Apollo. Some referre it to Apollo him selfe. Apollo god of medicines, because the moderate heate of the Sunne is banisher of all sickenesse. Clemente dooeth attribute the fyn­dyng of it to the Egipcians in gene­rall & the amplifiyng and enlargyng of it to Aesculapius whiche besyde o­ther thinges, foūde the pluckyng out of teth. Notwithstādyng, Pluckyng out of tethe. whosoeuer found the notable knowlage of medicines, it is no faile but it was percei­ued by what thinges were wholsome and what vnwholsome. Obseruyng of diete was beginnyng of Phisicke. And as they obserued howe the sicke folkes vsed their diete and marked how some for gredynesse did eate by & by, and some [Page] forbare theyr meate because of faint­nesse of their stomake, and so were re­leued, they learned y ^t abstinence was a helper and furtherer of health: and by lyke obseruaunce other preceptes of Phisike were gathered.

It hath thre partes, one of dietyng another of Medicines, Thre partes of Phisike. the thirde of surgery, for by one of these .iii. waies euery desease is releued. But for so­muche as it is vncertayne and often chaungeth, it ley in extreme darke­nesse tyl Hippocrates dyd renewe it: Hippocrates reduced it to an arte. and wher as they had a custome that the pacient beyng restored to health should write in the temple of the god that healped him, both his name and the maner of healyng, that the exam­ple might helpe the like desease: out of all suche precedences he gathered preceptes of Phisike, and brought it fyrst to a formall arte.

Archagathus the first Phi­sician in Rome.In Rome Archagathus of Pelo­ponesus was fyrst Phisicion, y ^e ccccc.xxxv. yere of the Cytie, Lucius Emi­lius and Marcus Liuius beyng Con­suls, and was made fremanne of the cytie, whiche was fyrst made a Sur­gion [Page xxxi] or woūder, after for the sharpe­nesse of his cuttyng & seryng, he was named a butcher or execucioner and murtherer, and afterward when the nombre begāne to encrease they were expulsed out of Rome and banished by Marcus Cato as Plinie telleth in xxxvi. booke. Marcus Ca­to banished Phisicians out of Rome. The maner of the Egip­tians in their deseases.

In Egypte and Babilon they vsed no Phisicians, but brought the sicke persons into the stretes and common places, that the men, whiche passed by, might tel them what maner diete or meanes thei theim selues had vsed in the lyke desease to escape it: nether was it lawful for anye man to passe by tyll he had commoned with the pacient. In the latter dayes the E­gyptians distributed the arte of Me­dicines, in suche sorte, Eueri desease had a sundry Phisician. that euery de­sease had a diuerse Phisician to mi­nister in it, as one for the eyes, one for the head, other for the entrayles, and semblably other for other sickenesse and so it came to passe that al places were ful of Phisicians.

In this arte excelled Cassius, famous Phi­sicians. Cal­pitanus, Aruncius Rubrius, Anto­nius [Page] Musa, Galenus, Auicenna.

❧The .xvii. Chapiter. ¶The inuentours of Herbes medi­cinable, what remedies menne learned of beastes.

Herbes were create for man. NATVRE doubte­lesse, the mother and gouernour of al thin­ges dyd create Her­bes, as maye appeare by manye examples, partely by the dele­ctacion, and partely for the wealthe and preseruacion of mennes bodies. For Xanthus an historiographer (as Plinie recordeth) telleth how a Dra­gon reuiued his young faune, that was slaine, by the vertue of an herbe called Balin: Herbe called Balin. Hechwal. and the Hechewal if a wedge bee driuen into the hole of her neste (for she maketh her neste in the hole of a tree that she woorketh with her beake) compelleth it to fall oute with an Herbe that she knowethe: [Page xxxii] and some of the Indians lyue onely by Herbes, Appianus wryteth, that the Parthians, whiche Antonie put to flight, Parthians. constrayned by extreme fa­myne, chaunced too eate a certayne Herbe, whose nature was to make theim that eate it, too forgette all o­ther thynges, and onely digge vp sto­nes, as if they would go aboute some greate endeuoure, and after suche extreme trauail died. Of suche me­dicines made with Herbes. Chiron sonne to Saturnus and Phillara was the fynder, Chiron was authoure of medicines & salues. and deuised also salues for woundes, soores, and byles, al­bee it some thynke it was Appollo, some referre it to his sonne Aescula­pius, whom Chiron brought vppe, some to the Samothracians. But I suppose they attributed the inuenci­on of it to Chiron bycause he founde the Herbe Centaurie, Cētauro was found by Chiron. wherewith he healed the woūd, that he had by Her­cules shafres fallyng on his foote, as he was hādlyng of his weapons: notwithstandyng Celsus saieth that the arte of Phisike is verye aunciente, but he maketh no mencion of the au­thoure [Page] of it, Asclepiades abholished Phisike. onely he sayeth, Ascle­piades, whiche was an excellente Phisicion, dyd abholishe the vse of it for somuche as it annoyed the sto­macke and engendered euil humours Mercurie founde the vse of Moly, Moly. Panace. A­chilles Yarowe, Esculapius, Panace and sondery menne founde sonderye Herbes. Medicines of Hony, Sol the sonne of Oceanus inuented: and bea­stes taught men certayne Herbes ne­cessarie for medicines. As the Harte striken with an arrowe driueth it out with Detany: & if he be stynged with a Spider, Detany. he healeth him selfe with eatyng Pilles or a certayn herbe na­med Cancer. Cancer. Selandyne. Selandyne, that is a so­ueraigne herbe for the sighte, was perceyued by the Swallowes, whi­che heled the eyes of their yong ones with it. The Snaile or Torteise, redy to fight with the Serpente, armeth him selfe with Sauery or Maioram. The Bore in his sickenes cureth him selfe with the Iuye. Sauery. Maioram. Of the water Horse in Nilus, Yuie. menne learned to let blodde. Lettyng of blodde. For when he is coarsye & vn­lustye he seketh by the ryuer syde the [Page xxxiii] sharpest reede stalkes, and striketh & vayne in his legge against it w ^t great violence, and so easeth his bodye by suche meane: And when he hath done he couereth the wound w ^t the mudde.

The Ibis a byrde muche lyke the storke, of the same countree taught Phisiciens to minister clysters: For when she is ful, she purgeth her selfe with her croked beake at the founda­ment. The wesyl in chasyng the ser­pente preserueth her selfe with Rue, Rue. Organye. and the storke with Organye. In Grece Orpheus, Museus, Dio­scorides, in Rome Marcus Ca­to, Pompeius Leneus wrote of the nature of herbes. In this tyme Plinie thinketh, that this arte was fyrst receiued among the Romaynes.

¶The .xviii. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of Magike. Driuyng out of spirites, Charmes, prophe­siyng in sundry maners

[Page] MAGIKE had it begin­nyng of medicine, & was the inuencion of Zoroa­stres kyng of the Bactriās, zoroastres found Ma­gike. whiche reigned .viii.C. yere after the siege of Troy, the same tyme that Abraham and Ninus reigned, aboute thre M.C.lxxxv. ye­res after the creacion of the worlde. Lactantius and Eusebius thynke it was set furth among other deuelishe sciences by the euil spirites, and Pli­nie calleth it of al artes the moost de­ceytful. It is compacte, of medicine or phisike, supersticion, and the ma­thematical artes. Thessaly v­sed Magike. The Thessaloniās most specially were slaundered with the frequent vse & practisyng of this facultie: The writer of this art was Hosthanes. And Pythagoras, Empe­docles, Hostanes wrote bohes of Magike. Democritus, Plato w ^t diuers other sayled in far coūtries to learne it: wherin Democritus was most fa­mous CCC. yere after the cytee was builded, in whiche time Hippocrates published the facultie of Phisike. ¶The maner to dryue oute spirites out of men that were possessed with them, Driuyng out of spirites. Charmes. and charmes to heale corporal [Page xxxiiii] maladies, kyng Salomon taught, as Iosephus witnesseth: and he sawe it doone by Eleazar in his tyme afore Vespasianus then emperour. Eleazar dri­ueth out spi­rites. The maner to heale them was suche: He put to the nose of the possessed man a ryng wherein was enclosed a roote that Salomon had shewed, & so dreue out the spirite, and straight way the man fel doune: then he coniured him with suche orisons ande [...]orcismes as were appointed by Salomon, to ba­nishe the spirite out of y ^e Demoniake

The sages or wyse men of Persye, whiche in theyr language bee named Magi, Magi. beyng wholy addict to the ho­noryng of their false goddes, came to suche extreme folye, that they profes­sed openly, that they could not onely by the obseruacion of y ^e sterres know thynges to come, but also by other pretensed artes and mumblyng of a fewe woordes, they could do & bryng to passe auye thyng that they would. ¶Of them were inuented these sixe kyndes of Magike, Necromancye, Negromātie. whiche is by raisyng vppe of deade men, as in Lucane one raysed from [Page] death, telleth the aduentures of the battaile of Pharsalus.

Pyromantie. Pyromantie, that telleth thynges by the fyre and lightnyng as Tana­quilla the wyfe of Tarquinius Pris­cus, prophesied that Seruius Tullius should be kyng of Rome because she se the fyre enuiron his head. The fin­dyng of this Plinie referreth to Am­phiaraus.

¶ Aēromantie that is a kynd of pro­pheciyng by the ayre, as by fliyng, Aēromantie fedyng, singyng of byrdes and straūge tempestes of wynd & hayle. Hydro­mantie, was propheciyng by water: as Varro writeth that a childe did se in the water the Image of Mercury, whiche in C. and fiftie verses told al the chaūce of warre against Mythri­dates kyng of Pontus.

Geomantie, was a diuinacion by openyng of the yearth. Geomantie.

Chiromantie¶ Chiromantie is a coniecturyng by beholdyng the lynes, or wryncles of the hādes called cōmonly Palmistry.

All whiche dayne illusions, & false persuasions, it becōmeth al true chri­stiens to eschewe and abhorre.

¶The .xix. Chapiter. ¶Two kyndes of diuinacion, sothsaiyng castyng [...]ttes, and readyng of dreames.

CICERO maketh .ii. kindes of diuinacions, Two kyndes of prophici­yng. Natural. one natural and another artifi­cial. Natural is y ^t, which procedeth of a certeine cō ­citacion, stirryng, & cōmocion of the mynde, that chaunceth sometyme to men when they be in dreames or sle­pyng: sometymes when they prophe­sye in a maner of fury & rauishyng of mynde, as it dyd to Sibilla & diuerse other religious persons: Of this kind were oracles of Apollo and Iu­piter Hāmon. Albeit they were often false, because thei came of a deuilishe polycie, & mans subteltye: but suche as come of the holye ghost and not of a phrenetike madnes be true.

¶The artificiall consisteth in those thynges whiche come of coniectures, Artificial. olde consideracions, and obseruaun­ces of the entrailes of beastes, fliyng of byrdes, castyng of lottes.

¶The regardyng of the bowels of beastes beganne among the Hetrus [...]ians: Beholdyng the bowels of beastes. For as it fortuned a manne that [Page] plowed, to rayse vp a deaper sorowe then he was wonte to do, all sodeyn­ly arose out of the yearth one Tages, that taught thē al the feates of soth­saiyng, but Plinie sayeth one Del­phus found it.

Fedyng, fli­yng and chit­teryng of birdes.The diuinacions by lokyng on the fedyng of byrdes Theresias a The­bane deuised, Caras fyrst marked the chitteryng of them, and Pythagoras obserued theyr fliyng.

Orpheus added the diuinacion by other beastes. What store we ought to set by suche diuinacions, Mossolanus a Iew techeth vs. When he was in the warres, a certaine prophete cō maunded euery man to stand styll tyl he had taken a coniecture of the bird that flowe by: but Mossolanus toke priuely a bowe and shafte and kylled the byrde, Mossolanus letteth the Augurie. wherewith the wysarde & diuerse other were displeased, then he sayd to them. Why doate you so? can y ^e byrde, whiche knoweth not of her owne death, tel vs the casual ad­uentures of oure iourney? For if she had had any fore knowledge, she wold not haue comon hether to haue bene kylled of me.

[Page xxxvi]Castyng of lottes, Numerius Suf­fusius deuised fyrst at Prenest. Castyng lottes. Dreame rea­dyng.

The expoūdyng of dreames Plinie ascribeth to Amphiction, but Tro­gus assigneth it to Ioseph sonne to Iacob, Clement sayeth the Tel­messians foūd it. But al these were inuēted to seduce men with supersticious errour and for the commoditee of them that vse it.

¶The fyrst Chapiter. ☞The original of lawes, and who made the fyrst lawes.

LAVVE IS a constant and perpetuall good thyng, Lawe. without whiche no house, no cytie, no coun­tre, no state of mē no naturall crea­ture, not the worlde it selfe, can cōsist ferme and stable. For it obeyeth God and al other thinges, ayre, water, lād man be in obedience to it, & Chrisip­pus calleth it a knowledge of all di­uine and humayne matters, cōmaun­dyng equitee, and expulsyng wickednes and wrong.

Thre lawes. Natural.¶There be of lawes three kyndes: one natural, that is not onely appro­pried to man, but also it concerneth al other lyuely thynges either in the yearth, sea, or ayre. As we perceiue in all kyndes of liuyng creatures na­turally a certayne familiaritee of male and female, procreacion of issue [Page xxxvii] and approcliuitee to norishe the same the whiche ꝓcedeth of a natural law engraffed in the heartes of euerye of them: nature her selfe, that is God, was auctour of this.

¶The second is named the law that al men vse, Ius gentiū. generally through all the worlde as to shewe a man the way, to communicate to men the commoditee of the elementes, water and fyre, to this kynde apperteineth the lawe of armes, and it is called in Latyne Ius gentium.

Ciuile lawe is the pryuate lawe of euery countree or cytie, Ciuile lawe. as of the Ro­maynes, Lacedemoniens, and Atheniens. This cōsisteth in decrees of princes, statutes, and proclamacions.

The chiefe & principal lawes were promulgate by God, confyrmed after the moost depured and perfect maner that natural equite could deuise or cō ceyue, and be in stable constance, and subiecte to no transmutacion. After the example of these, man hath inuē ­ted lawes to defende & preserue good men, and to punishe & kepe euyll per­sons in offyce and good order.

Suche lawes Ceres made fyrst, Law makers, Ceres. as [Page] Diodorus supposeth, but other thīke it was Rhadamanthus, & afterward other in diuers coūtries deuised and ordeyned lawes, as in Athens Dra­co and Solon, Mercury. Minos. Licurgus. Phoroneus. Romulus. in Egypte Mercurie, in Crete Minos, in Lacedemony Li­curgus, in Tyre Tharādes, in Argos Phoroneus, in Rome Romulus, in Italy Pythagoras, or after y ^e mynde of Dionisius the Archadians, that were vnder Euander, as their soue­reigne lorde and chiefe capitayne. Not withstandyng the very true au­thoure of lawes was God, God was the true authour of lawes. whiche fyrst planted in vs the law of nature and in ꝓcesse of tyme when that was corrupte by Adam and his posteritee, he gaue by Moses the lawe writen to reduce vs agayne to oure fyrst state and true instincte of nature, Moses pro­mulgated the fyrst lawes in writyng. whiche was afore all other. as Eusebius de­clareth.

¶The .ii. Chapiter. ¶Who ordeyned the fyrst gouernaunce of a cōminaltie, tyranny, with o­ther constitucions.

[Page xxxviii] THE administracion of a common weale, The maner of rulyng the cōmon welth. Monarchie. Aristocracie. is after thre sortes, as Plato de­uideth it, Monarchie, where one ruleth, Aristocratie, when the best menne gouerne, Democratie, Democratie. or popular state where the cōmon people haue a stroke in ru­lyng the publyke weale. Principali­tee or a kyngdome was fyrst begonne by the Egyptians whiche could lyue no while without a kyng or rular: Kyngdome beganne in Egypt. there reigned fyrst, as Herodotus sayeth, Menes, and theyr maner was to chose him among the Priestes of their religion: & if it fortuned, that a­ny straunger obteyned the realme by conquest, he was compelled to be cō ­secrated priest, and so was the electi­on legittimate, when he was kyng & priest. The Diademe, that was the token of the honoure royal had it be­ginnyng by Liber Bacchus.

The Atheniens fyrst ordeyned the state of a publike wea [...]e that was go­uerned by the whole commons, Democratie beganne in Athens. as Plinie thynketh, albeit they had also kynges, whereof Cecrops Di­phyes, which reigned in Moses time [Page] was the fyrst. For as Iustine wryteth euery cytie and nacion had at the be­ginnyng a kyng for theyr chiefe go­uernour, Fyrst kynges howe they be­haued them selfes. whiche attayned to y ^e dig­nitee by no ambicion or fauoure, but by a syngular wyt, and sober modestnes, and reigned with suche loyaltee that he seamed onely in tytle a kyng, in deede a subiecte. Ninus kyng of y ^e Assyrians, Ninus dyd enlarge his empyre. contrary to the olde ryte and custome of an ambicious desyre that he had to beare rule, fyrst arro­gantly vsurped thempyre of al Asia, except Inde. As cōcernyng the insti­tucion of the common wealth, where the cōmon do all thynges, notwith­stādyng the mynde of Plinie. I sup­pose it beganne among the Hebrues, Hebrues or­deyned De­mocratie. whiche were ruled by a popular state many yeares afore that Athens was builded. Aristocratie. The fourme of polycie whi­che is gouerned by the best, as y ^e Ro­maynes common wealth was, I can not well tel where it had it original, oneles I should assigne it to the The­banes, whiche in the tyme of Ninus ruled the Egiptians, whose rule, be­cause the valiant and noble bare the auctoritee, was called a power or po­tencie, [Page xxxix] whiche was the thre thousand C.lxxxv. yere of the worlde. Plinie writeth that after Theseus, Phala­ [...]is was the fyrst tyrante, Theseus first tyrante. whereby it appereth, that he thinketh Theseus was auctour of tyranny, but Nēroth of the Image of Noe, Nemroth▪ not long after the flud vsed tyranny.

¶Bondage, as Plinie taketh it, be­gāne in Lacedemonye and was theyr inuencion: Bondage. neuerthelesse I finde that it begāne among the Hebrues, & had the original procedyng of Chanaan y ^e sōne of Cham, whiche because he had laughed his father Noe to scorne, as he lay dissolutely whē he was drōke, was punished in his sonne Chanaan with penaltee of bondage and thral­dome a thyng to them very straunge, and to his posteritee, greuous. ¶The ordre of manumission in olde tyme was in this maner, the lorde or maister toke the bondmā by the head or some other part of his body saiyng I wyl this felowe be free, The order of manumission & put him furth of his hādes. The coūcel of the Areapagites, whiche were called so of the court or strete of Mars, were instituted [Page] by Solon to iudge of life and death, their custome was to vse suche seueritee, and entegritee in iudgemēt that they hearde all causes and mat­ters in the night, Ariopagites iudged in the night. & not in the day: to the entent they should haue no occa­sion to regarde the parties, but one­ly haue their eye and respecte earnestly to the thyng that was brought a­fore thē. Voyces, whiche be vsed and occupied in consultacions, Geuyng of voyces. iudgemē ­tes and elections were fyrst ordeined by Palamedes.

❧The .iii. Chapiter. ¶The .iii. maner of regimentes in Rome, the beginnyng of ornamentes royal with other matters perteinyng to a common wealth.

ROME whiche was of al the worlde, the moost re­noumed cytee bothe for y ^e valiaunce of armes, and ciuile policie whereby it was gouerned, had thre fourmes of regimentes. In the beginnyng it hadde kynges, Kynges of Rome. for Romulus whiche was builder thereof reigned there, & after him .vi. other vnder whom the [Page xl] principalitee lasted CC.xliiii. yeares after the cytie was buylded. Then Tarquinius beyng banished for the notable cryme and rape of Lucretia, commytted by his sonne, it was or­dered by .ii. cōsuls. Iunius Brutus, & L. Tarquinius Colatinus: They had the name and title of cōsuls, Consuls in Rome. of the cō sultacion & prouision that they made for the cōmon wealth: they ruled the empyre, cōducted hostes, and by these offycers, because they were annual y ^e yeares were counted. Not .xii. yeres after the expulsyng of the kynges, when .xl. cyties of the Latines, Octa­uius Manilius, sonne in lawe to Tar­quinius beyng theyr capitayne, had made insurrection and conspired a­gaynst the Romaynes T. Largius was created dictator or great master, Dictator first in Rome. whiche offyce was highest in aucto­ritee, and as Dionisius thynketh, it was takē of the Grekes, among whō Elymnetae had the same power that Dictators had in Rome. Elymnetae. Liuius re­ferreth the original of thē to y ^e Alba­nes: & y ^e Carthaginiēs had also theyr dictators. This magistrate was ne­uer vsed sauyng in great daungers [Page] of the common welth, The space of the dictators offyce. & it continued but .vi. monethes, duryng that offyce al other magistrates were abrogated except the Tribunate or Prouostship of the cōmons: The consuls duetye was to name and proclaime him, The tyme of denouncyng the dictatour and that no tyme but in the night: albeit what tyme the Veients had wonne y ^e Romaynes campe, A. Cornelius Cosus Marshal of the armye, nede so cō strainyng, denounced Mamercus Ae­milius for Dictatour cōtrary to that statute. Aboute thre hūdreth yere af­ter the buildyng of Rome y ^e publike state was transferred from the cōsulshyp vnto the rule of tenne called de­cem viri whiche endured but thre ye­res, Decrees. for by reason of the outragiouse lust of Appius Claudius against the mayd Virginea, thei were desposed, & consuls were substituted to supplye theyr roume. Then the CCC.x. yere of the cytie, in the place of Consuls were chosen marshals or prouostes of armyes whō they named Tribunes, Aulus Sēpronius, Tribunimili­tum. Attacinus, L. At­tilius Lōgus, & T. Celicius Siculus. The auctorytee of the commons be­ganne daylye sedicions and confede­raties [Page xli] to encrease. In suche sorte, y ^e C. Cunuleius brought to passe that the cōminaltee maried with the no­bilitie, Democratia beganne in Rome. and the Tribunes by theyr earnest instance and sute caused that the highe offyces were permitted to thē of the cōmon sorte. As the .ccc.lv. yere of the buyldyng of the Cytie P. Licinius Caluus was made tribune of the host, P. Licinius a man of the commons. the .CCC.lxxxix. yere L. Sextus Lateranus attayned the con­sulshyp, the .ccc.xcix. yere C. Martius Lateranus was created Dictator.

From this maner of gouernaunce, it was by Sylla and Marius brought to one rular or prince agayne. L. Sylla C. Marius. Thus hath Rome had al kindes of admini­stracion of the cōmon welth. Royal orna­mentes. The em­periall ornamentes of the kynges of Rome, as fardels of roddes, the a [...]e, the garlond of gold, the chayre of I­uory, the kyrtyl or cope, chariot, trap­ped horses, rynges, coote armoures, robes, mantels of estate, enbrodered gounes, with garmentes of baudkyn or motley with all other royal appa­rell beganne among the Tuscanes, whiche Tarquinius Priscus subdued and vsed these fyrst by the permission [Page] and licence of the Senate. The .xii. lictours or sergeantes Romulus fyrst appointed after the maner of the .xii. nacions of the Hetrurians whō he cō quered, whiche gaue to euery of their kynges, when he was crouned a lic­tour or sergeant: whose dutie was to wayte on the magistrates & bere the roddes & are of execucion. The rod­des (as Plinie writeth) were of byr­che. The institucion of taxes or nom­beryng the people, Taxes or subsydes. Seruius▪ Tullius kyng begāne in Rome fyrst, but Mo­ses long afore that nōbred the Israe­lites, & therfore the fyrst taxe, subsi­die, or tribute was ordeyned by Mo­ses among the Hebrues and the coū ­tyng of the nombre of the people.

Prisons, fet­ters, stockes.Prysons, fetters, stockes, gyues, staues, with lyke instrumētes to pu­nishe malefactours, Ancus Martius as Liuie saieth, did fyrst appoint thē to kepe men in feare and good order.

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶Who ordered the yere, the diuersite of it, monthes, nones, Ides, ha­lendes and prime.

[Page xlii] HERODOTVS wri­teth that the Egyptians afore all other men fyrst found out the yere by the course of the planettes, Egyptians foūd the yere. and deuided into twelue monthes. Diodorus assigneth it to y ^e Thebanes, whiche stādeth wel with the opinion of Heredotus, because y ^e Thebanes be a nacion of Egypt, and Egypt was somtyme named Thebe. Seruius saieth that Eudoxus founde it fyrst, & after him Hipparchus. La­ertius semeth to ascribe it to Thales a Milesian, whiche as he testifyeth, Thales. fyrst perceiued the seasons and times of the yere, and parted it into .CCC.lxv. daies: but that as I thynke was but onely among the Grecians. Io­sephus witnesseth that y ^e yere was diuised by the Hebrues in Egypt afore Noe his flud. Diuerse diui­sions of the yere. There be diuerse fashions of diuidyng the yere, the Archa­diens finished their yere in thre mon­thes, the Cariens & Acarneus in .vi. monthes: There was a yere that consisted in .xxx. daies, whiche was coū ­ted by the chaūge of the moone, there was also y ^e great yere y ^t ended, when [Page] all the planettes returned into one poincte or lyne, The great yere. & after the mynde of Cicero it conteyned .xii.M. nyne .C.liiii. yeres of the sonne: Iosephus in the fyrst of his antiquitie sayth it cō ­teyneth but sixe hundreth yere. The other Grecians nombred the ful yere with .CCC.liii. daies: Romulus or­dered the yere Marche. April. Romulus fyrst deuided the yeare into ten monethes whereof Marche, that he named of his father, was fyrst, April the secōd had that name of Venus, because she was borne of the frothe of the sea, whiche is called Aphros, Maye of the auncient men, Iune of the yong men: The other he named of their or­der and nombre as quintilis, sextilis Septēbre, October, Nouembre, De­cember: Albeit afterwarde Quintilis was called Iulius in honor of Iulius Caesar, and Sextilis was chaunged into Augustus, for the memoriall of the emperour Augustus Caesar. Not withstandyng for so muche as this yere, that Romulus ordered, did nei­ther agree to the course of y ^e sōne, nor chaūges of the Mone, Numa applied it to the course of the Moone by put­tyng to .lvi. dayes, Numa added to the yere. whereof he made [Page xliii] ii. monethes, the one he named Ianu­ary of Ianus the fyrst king of the La­tines, Ianuary. February. y ^e other February of theyr god Februus, whiche had the preeminēce [...]u [...]t their purificacions. Afterward Numa of a supersticious opinion y ^t he had, suposyng God to be delighted with odde nōbres, gaue to Ianuary April, Iune August, Septembre, No­uembre, December .xxix. dayes: To Marche, Maye, Quintilis y ^t is Iuly and October .xxxi. and to February xxviii. daies. Iulius Cesar made the yere perfecte. Last of al Iulius Caesar put to the whole yere .x. dayes & syxe houres, wherof he put to these mon­thes, Ianuary, August, & Decēber e­uery of them .ii. daies: And to April, Iune, Septēber, & Nouēber he gaue to eche of thē one day. In this maner Iulius Caesar accōplished y ^e yere per­fectely accordyng to the course of the sunne, & of the .vi. houres euery .iiii. yere amoūteth a day, whiche causeth leape yere (as we cal it) in latine it is named bissextus, Leape yeare bissextus. because euery forth yere we coūte twyse the .vi. calend of Marche. Monthes. ¶The monthes haue their name because they measure the space and course of the Moone. Thus the [Page] yere hath .xii. monthes, Daies of euery month. wherof April Iune, Septēber, and Nouēber haue .xxx. daies, all y ^e rest hath .xxxi. dayes, sauyng February, whiche hath but xxviii. in the yere be .lii. wekes and a day. Daies there be .CCC.lxv. & .vi. houres. The calendes, nones, & ides hath theyr appellacions of y ^e maner of rekenyng of the Romaynes. Calendes. Calē ­des were named of callyng, for at e­uery chaūge the chiefe rular of y ^e sa­crifices called rex sacrificulus called to an assēbly in the Capitoly or place of Rome all them of the coūtree, and sheweth thē theyr festiual daies, and what it was lawful to do y ^e monthe. The Nones had y ^e name because thei were the .ix. day frō the ides, Nones. Ides. whiche ides be y ^e midde daies of euery mōth, and had theyr appellacion of the He­truscanes terme iduare that signifi­eth to deuide or seperate in y ^e middes. This fashion of countyng the month endured to the .CCCC.l. yeare of the cytie, & was kepte secrete among the byshops of theyr religion tyl y ^e tyme that C. Slauius, P. Sulpitius Auer­rio and P. Sempronius Sophullon­gus then beyng Consuls, against the [Page xliiii] mynde of the Senatours disclosed al theyr solemne feates, & published thē in a table that eueri man might haue perseueraunce of them. The Prime, Prime. wherby we fynde the coniunction of the moue, and all mouable feastes as Lent, Easter, Whytsondaye with o­ther lyke, was inuented by the great clarke sainct Barnarde.

¶The .v. Chapiter. ¶Who ordeyned the houres, dyals cloc­kes, deuidyng the day and night.

HOVRES, Houres. whiche beyng in nōber xxiiii. accomplishe the space of a day & night, were so named of the sōne, whiche in the Egyp­tians language is called horus. Horus. Sol. Mercurius Trismegi­stus appoin­ted xii. houres They at the fyrst were appointed but twelue of this occasyon. Hermes Trismegistus, perceiuyng a certayne beast consecrated to theyr God Sera­pis, to make water or pisse .xii. tymes in the day of equall distāce, supposed therfore that y ^e day ought to be deui­ded into .xii. houres. This nōber dyd continue long, but afterwarde y ^t day [Page] parted in .xxiiii. houres Anaximene [...] a Milesian found in Lacedemony the fyrst dyal, Dials. that declareth the houres by y ^e shadow of the Gnomon. It was long afore they were vsed in Rome, for (as Plinie writeth) in the .xii. ta­bles there was onely rehersed the ri­syng & goyng doune of the sunne, & a fewe yeares after, Noone or midday was added, whiche the Bedel or common crier dyd denounce. Bedel denoū ced noone. This was but onely on cleare daies, when they might perceyue the course & altitude of the sōne. The fyrst dyal was set vp on a pyller openly, whiche stode be­hynd the cōmon pulpite or barre cal­led rostra at y ^e cost of M. Valerius, M. Valerius Messala or­deyned a dial in Rome Water dyal. Messala then Consuls in the fyrst battail Punike. The water dial was vsed fyrst in Rome by P. Scipio Nasica y ^e ix.c. yere of the cytie to deuide y ^e hou­res of the day & night. Albeit it was inuēted by C [...]esibius of Alexandria. Afterwarde clockes made of metall were inuented by subtyl wittes, Clockes and sād dials were imagined, Sand dial. whose au­thours be yet vnknowen. In some places the clockes strike .xxiiii. hou­res by order, Strikyng of the clockes. in other some, as in the [Page xlv] West partes of the worlde, it smiteth twyse in the day .xii. houres in suche order that the .xii. houre is at noone and at midnight, whiche is more cō ­modiouse for the rekeners then the o­ther. The daies whiche be rekened in sundry wyse of diuerse nacions, be­gan in Egypt, Sundry diui­sion of daies. where the yere & mon­thes were also deuised, they take all the space from midnight to midnight for one day, and the Romaynes vsed the same maner. For as Plutarche writeth, the sūne risyng is the begin­nyng of all affayres & functions, the night is a tyme of counselyng & ap­paraunce, and they had assigned to e­uery houre a sōdry ministry, as Mar­tial in his Epigramme declareth.

¶The Babilonians called the space betwene the Sunne risynges a day: The Atheniens named all that was betwene the goynges doune a daye. The Vmbrians counte theyr day fro noone to noone: but cōmonly the day is called the space from mornyng tyl night. Partes of the night. The night was diuided into iiii. watches, whereof euerye one (as Hierom wytnesseth) conteyned thre houres.

The .vi. Chapiter. ¶Who set furth bookes fyrst, or made a library, Printyng, paper, parchement arte of memory.

Bokes, BOOKES, whiche cō ­teyne the monumentes of ingeniouse wyttes, and be a regestre of all valiaunt prowesse, in Grece were fyrst publi­shed, as Laertius thinketh by Anax­agoras: as Gellius sayeth, it was Pi­sistratus [Page xlvi] that made the fyrst booke, & exhibited it to be redde openly. Pisistratus made the first booke. Not­withstandyng Iosephus declareth y ^t the Hebrues and priestes of Egypte and Chaldee set furth bookes fyrst.

The Atheniens seriously multipli­ed y ^e nōbre of bookes, Athens made many bookes whiche Xerxes caried frō thence into Persie, & Seleucus kyng of Macedony caused them many yeres after to be conueighed to Athens again. Ptolomeus lybraries. After that Ptolomeus kyng of Egypt gathered together vii C.M. bookes, whiche were all brent in the former battaile of Alexandria. Neuertheles, Strabo recordeth that Aristotle dyd institute the fyrst lybrary, Aristotle had the fyrst lybrary. and left it to Theophrast his dis­ciple, & taught the kynges of Egypte howe they should order theyr lybra­ry: Theophrast left it to Meleus & of him Scepsis receyued it. There was also a lybrarye at Pargamus verye auncient. Asinius Pollio. In Rome Asinius Pollio had the fyrste lybrarye, whiche was occasyon that good wyttes emploied great and graue study in learnyng to the ample furtheraunce and commo­ditee of the common wealth of the cytie. There be at this day many [Page] in Italy, but the most famouse is the liberary, F. Feltrius. whiche Frederike Feltrius duke of Vrbine dyd cause to be edifi­ed. Truely the cōmodite of lybera­ries is right profitable and necessary but in cōparison of the craft of Prin­tyng, Printyng. it is nothyng, both because one manne may Prynte more in one day, then many men in many yeres could write: And also it preserueth bothe Greke & Latine auctours fro the daū ger of corrupcion. It was found in Germany at Magunce by one I. Cu­thenbergus a knight: Iohn Cu­thenbergus found Prin­tyng. he found more­ouer y ^e Inke by his deuise that Prin­ters vse .xvi. yere after Printyng was foūd, whiche was y ^e yere of our lord. M.CCCC.lviii. one Cōradus an Al­mayne brought it into Rome: & Ni­colas Iohnson a Frenchemanne dyd greatly polishe and garnishe it: And now it is dispersed through y ^e whole world almost. Before y ^e vse of Paper men vsed to wryte in leaues of date trees, and somtymes on the barke of trees: Men wrot in plates of lead Afterwarde they wrote y ^e pu­blique writynges in plates or shetes of leade, & their priuate matters in tables & waxe, for tables (as Homer [Page xlvii] testifieth were afore y ^e siege of Troy Paper was deuised by king Alexan­der as Varro affyrmeth, Paper. it was made of a kynd of fenne rishes, that grewe in the marishe groundes of Egypte. But Plinie sayeth, it was vsed in the tyme of kyng Numa, y ^t reigned CCC. yeres afore Alexander, & his bookes, whiche were found in a chest of stone in fyld by L. Pitilius a Scribe, were writen in paper. In processe of tyme paper, that we vse nowe, was inuen­ted: Paper. it is made of lynen clothe beaten together in mylles made for that vse Parchement, as Varro wytnesseth, was found in Pargamus, Parchement. albeit the writers of Hebrewe stories, as Iose­phus sheweth, vsed parchement: they wrote also in goate skynnes & shepe skynnes, in olde tyme as Herodotus declareth. There be diuerse maner of papers, as paper royal, Diuerse ma­ner of Paper paper de­inye, blottyng paper, matchaūtes pa­per. The vsage of writyng by carac­tes is very auncient, and was found by Tyrotullius freman as Eusebius supposeth, and Iulius Caesar vsed it muche in secrete and preuy counsels. The arts of memorye was founde by [Page] Simonides in Thassalye: For what tyme he was boden to a banket at a noble mannes house called Scopa, Arte of me­mory. it chaunsed that he was sente for to speake with .ii. yong men at the gate and straight waye the bankettyng house fel and destroyed al the gestes: Then he, because he remembred in what order and place euery man sate deliuered euery man his frende to be buried. By that facte bothe he per­ceiued the order of the art of memory and what commoditee came to the remembraunce of man by suche places and images as bee conteyned in that feate. In memory e [...]celled Cyrus kyng of Persye, Men of great memory. whiche could call e­uery man in his hoost by name. Cyneas the ambassadour of Pyrrhu [...] the day after he came to Rome salu­ted euery order of nobles by their proper names, Mithridates could speake x [...]ii. languages. Iulius Caesar could wryte, reede, endite, and heare a tale al at ones. Adrianus the emperour could do the same.

The .vii. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of warre with other thynges concernyng the same.

CHIVALRY, Mars au­thoure of chiualrie. wherein is declared the manly co­rage of noble captaynes, was deuised, (as Tully sayeth) by Pallas, as Diodorus thynketh, the maner of warre was found out by Mars. Albeit Iose­phus telleth that Tubalcain, Tubalcain. whiche was afore the flud dyd fyrst practise feates of armes, whereby it appea­reth that y ^e vse of warres is of great antiquitie, but it is vncertayne who was the fyrst warrior. Afore the fin­dyng out of weapons, menne vsed to fight with theyr fistes, feete, and bi­tyng. And thus beganne battaile, as Lucretius writeth.

Afterwarde they beganne to fight with staues and clubbes. Staues. And ther­fore they assigne to Hercules a staffe and a Lyons skynne. For men in the beginnyng vsed staues to reuenge their iniuries and quarels, & couered [Page] theyr bodyes with skynnes of wylde beastes in stead of armoure. Palamedes. array. Watches. Wardyng. Watche wordes. Palame­des ordered and set men fyrst in aray appointed watches and wardyng to be kepte, and watche woordes in the battaile of Troy. At the same tyme Synon excogitated bekons and fyres Plinie saieth that the Pheniciens in­uented fyrst the polycies of warre: Diodorus affyrmeth that Mars for­ged fyrst weapons, and armed soul­diers with thē, and therfore the fin­dyng out of thē is attributed to him: but the instrumentes of warre were foūd by diuers men at sundry tymes.

Helmettes. Swerdes. Speares. Targettes.Helmettes, swordes, and speares, the Lacedemonians founde: yet He­rodotus supposeth the tergattes and salettes to be the inuencion of the E­gyptians, and so to haue comen into Grece.

The haberion was deuised by Mi­dius Messenius, Haberion. Shyldes. shyldes by Pretus and Acrisius as they fought toge­ther.

Leggeharnes Iauelynes Dartes.¶Legge harnes and cristes of salet­tes were inuented by the Cariens, Iauelynes Etolas, Dartes with thonges or strynges by Etolus [Page xlix] sonne to Mars, billes by the Thraci­ens, Iustyng speares. Morespikes. iustyng speares and morespikes by Tyrrhenus: they were vsed first in the siege of Capua, that Fulgius Flaccus laied to it. penthesilea ima­gined poulaxes, Polaxes. Huntyng staues. Bowe and shaftes. Sithes. and Piseus huntyng staues: bowe and shaftes, sithes Iu­piters sonne inuēted, although Dio­dorus ascribeth the inuencion of thē to Apollo. Notwithstandyng, Arta­panus, whō Eusebius reciteth saieth that the inuencion of Armour, began by Moses, whiche beyng very young acheued the first hardy enterprise a­gainst the Ethiopians. Of all engin­nes of warre, the Cretians founde firste the crosse bowes, Crosebowes Quarrelles. Boltes Brakes and slynges. the Sirians quarelles, or boltes, and the Phaeni­ciens found brakes and slinges: howbeit, Vegetius holdeth opinion that Baleares, a people whiche dwell in the Spanishe seas, ordained slinges. Cranes, Cranes or Vernes. or vernes to wynde vp great weightes were the deuise of Ctesy­phon. The rammar called in latyn Aries, Rammer. wherwith walles be ouerthrowen, was made by Aepeus at Troy. Thei sought a tertise called in latyn Testudo too myne walles, Sough. Artemon [Page] Clazemonius instituted. But of all other that euer were deuised to the destruction of man, the gōnes be most deuilishe, Gunnes. whiche was perceiued by a certaine Almaine, whose name is not knowen: After this sorte, it chaun­ced that he had in a morter pouder of brimstone that he had beatē for a me­dicine, and couered it with a stoone, and as hee strooke fyre it fortuned a sparke to fal into the pouder: by and by there roase a greate flame oute of the morter, and lyfte vp the stoone, wherewith it was couered a greate heyght: And after hee had perceiued that, he made a pipe of yron, and tem­pered the pouder, and so finished this deadly engyn, and taught the Vene­tians the vse of it, when they warred against the Genuates, whiche was in the yere of our lord .M.ccc.lxxx. For this inuencion he receiued this bene­fit that his name was neuer knowen lest he might for thys abhomynable deuise, What yere gūnes were found. haue bene cursed and euil spoken of whilest the worlde standeth. The waye to reclayme and ryde hor­ses after y ^e iudgement of Plinie Bel­lerophon taught fyrst: Reclaymyng of horses. whiche rodde [Page l] the swyfte Pegasus into a mountain of Libie called Chimera, as Diodo­rus suppose it was Neptune. Brydels by [...] ­ [...]es. Bry­dels, bittes, horseharnes or trappers the Peletronians a nacion of Thessa­lie found, and as some thinke the cast to breake wyld horses, was lerned of thē. Also the Numidians rode their horses without sadles. Cartes with two horses and waggons the Phrigians vsed fyrst chariotes Richthonius diuised fyrst in Grece, Waggons. Chariotes. Fightyng on horsebackes. fightyng on horsebacke the Centaures found in Thessalie. Notwithstandyng all the cōmodities of such beastes, as horses Mules, Asses, and all other bearyng and drawyng beastes were at the be­ginnyng. For it is manyfest that the Egyptians, and Hebrues, Assirians and Arabians vsed them: but the glo­rious Grecians vsurpe all to theyr owne glorye and ambiciouse praise & commendacion.

The .viii. Chapiter. ¶The institucion of Olimpiades with other shewes and games.

[Page] Plaies or shewes. OF Plaies or shewes in Grece there were foure principall, whereof the moste principall was O­limpiades: whiche were kepte euery .v. yere in the mounte O­limpus, and ordaigned by Hercules. one of the fiue brethren named Idaei Dactyli, in honour and remembraūce of Iupiter. In this game Corilus an Archadien wan first the price as Eu­sebius saieth. Corilus. Plinie affirmeth that Hercules sonne of Alcumena obtai­ned the victory there first. Ther was wrestlyng, runnyng with horses and on foote, Exercises vsed in the Olimpiades. turnyng, lepyng, coursyng, with chariotes: contencion of poetes Rhetoriciens, Musiciens, and dispu­tacions of Philosophiers, and great assembles out of all Grece. The ma­net was then too proclaime warres, or entre leages of peace: the rewarde of the victoures was a garlande of Oliue, The rewarde of the victors whiche tree grew ther beside. By this thei counted their yeres, as the Romanes did bi Lustra and their counsailes. The seconde shewe was Pithii, whiche were in honour of A­pollo, and made by Apollo hymself, [Page li] in memoriall of his actiuitie, in van­quishyng the greate dragon Pithon, that was sente by Iuno to persecute his mother Latona. The third game was Isthmij deuised by Theseus in y ^e worshep of his father Neptunus, as Hercules had dooen to Iupiter: Thei had the name Isthmij of the narrow place in Grece that Corinth stode in where the plaies were celebrated be­side an olde temple of Neptune enui­roned with a darke woodde of peche trees. Thei that wā the mastery, had a garland of pine tree. The .iiii. game was Nemei, Nemei. named of y ^e forest Nemea These feastes the Argiuans kepte solemnely in reuerēce of Hercules, that slewe there the mightie Lion, whose skynne he ware for his coate armour Pirrhus daunce was a kind of daun­cyng, wherin the Lacedemoniās pra­ctised their youth, from thei were .v. yere of age as a preparatiue to grea­ter affaieres of warre. It was firste instituted in Crete by one Pirrhus y ^t was one of y ^e Cibilles priestes. Pyrthus daunce. Thei daunced it in armour and with wea­pons on horsebacke, as Solinus testi­fieth. Naked games. Naked games wer first inuen­ted [Page] by Licaon: Funeral plaies. Wrestlyng. Dyce. Tables. Tennys. and funeral plaies by Acastus, wrestlyng by Mercurie, dice tables, tennys, and cardes were foūd of the Lidians a people of Asia, and begonne not for any lucre or pleasure but for a common wealth. For what­tyme their countre had great scarse­nes & want of corne, insomuche that it was not able to suffice the people, they mittigated & swaged theyr hun­ger and scarsitie in this wise, one day they toke theyr meat moderatly, & an other day by course thei applied such sportes and pastimes to dryue away the tediousnes of theyr famine & hunger. Chesse. The chesse were inuēted the yere of the world .iii.M.CCCCCC.xxxv. by a certaine wise mā called Xerxes, Xerxes. to declare to a tyranne that maiestie or auctoritie without strength, assi­stens, and healpe of his men & subiec­tes was casual, feble, & abiect to ma­ny calamities of fortune: his entent was to breke the fierse cruelte of his heart by feare of suche daungers as might chaunce or come to passe in the lyfe of mā. There is a game also that is played with the posterne bone in the hyndre foote of a shepe, Talus. oxe, goate [Page lii] fallow or redde dere, whiche in latin is called Talus. It hath .iiii. chaun­ces, the ace point, Canis. Chaunces. Venus. that is named Ca­nis or Canicula, was one of the sides he that cast it leyed doune a penye or so muche as the gamers were agreed on, the other syde was called Venus that signified vii. he y ^t cast the chaūce wan .vi. and all that was leyd doune for the castyng of Canis. The two o­ther sydes were called Chius and Senio: Chius. Senio. he that dyd throwe Chius wan iii. And he that cast Senio gained .iiii. This game (as I take it,) is vsed of children in Northfolke, and they cal it the chaunce bone, Chaunce bone. they playe with iii. or .iiii. of those bones together: it is either the same or very lyke to it.

There was in olde tyme a game at the dyce called Vultursii, Vulturcii Hercules Basilicus. and Hercu­les Basilicus, that Plautus maketh mencion of: but the inuentor of those games be yet vnknowen, albeit▪ it se­meth to be a deuise of the Romaines, And likwise the auctour of the game named odde or euen, Odde & euen. and holdyng vp of handes or fyngers is vncertayne. Palamedes. There be some y ^t refer the fīdyng of y ^• cardes & chesse to y ^e noble Palamedes

❧The .ix. Chapiter. ¶Certain plaies of the Romaines.

Lupercal [...]a. LVPERCAL was a Caue at the foote of the Mounte Palatine halo­wed to Pan a misticall God of the Archadiens, where the custome was to sacrifice a Goate, (as Plutarche reporteth) a Dogge, bycause he should kepe the Wolfe from their foldes. The obla­cion was made in February aboute the .xv. kalendas of Marche after this rite & fashion. The yong menne all naked ranne and coursed aboute wantonly and lasciuiously in honor of Pan, The rites of these feastes. with whippes or scourges in their hādes: And the women offered theimselues to bee beaten with their scourges, supposyng that it helped to the fruitfulnesse of children: This pastyme was instituted by Euander, that came out of Archadia, Marcu [...] Antonius in this plaie naked set the Diademe on Iulius Caesers hedde. Circences. There was also another shewe cal­led Circenses whiche were celebra­ted in a place walled aboute named [Page liii] Circus, where was vsed fightyng, & coursyng of horses & runnyng with charettes.

THE Circus that we name listes or tiltes were of greate length, and had barres where the rase should be­gynne and at the other ende was the wager sette, that thei ranne for: ther was vsed in the same place tournyng These were long vsed solemnely of the Romaines and had the title of greate plaies or games. The thirde kinde of plaies wer Saturnalia, Saturnalia. whi­che continued fiue daies in Decem­ber, and were kepte verye costly and sumpteously with greate sporte and gladnesse, and mutuall feastes, and presented ordinarely one another w ^t gyftes. It was also the maner in those feastful daies that seruauntes should haue equal power in thynges and like aucthoritee and sitte at the table with their maisters bycause in Saturnus tyme all thynges wer vsed in common. Ianus ordaigned them in honour of Saturnus (as Macrobius declareth) and some saie thei began in Athens. Sweard [...] pla [...]ers. There was also another game of swearde plaiers vnarmed: [Page] the occasion of their beginnyng be­cause the Romayns when they went to warre should se fightyng, woūdes and sweardes to thentēt y ^t they shuld be y ^e lesse afrayd of their enemies ar­med or be discouraged when thei saw blody woundes in the felde, therfore the chiefe capitayne or Lyuetenaunt of the host should exhibite to the peo­ple a game of fēce or sweard plaiers.

The .x. Chapiter. ¶Who found trus [...], leages, sundrye kyndes of makyng it, triumphe and ouacions.

Truse. TRVSE, that is called a couenaunte of peace for a season was instituted by Licaon: it was takē somtyme for yeres, as y ^e Ro­manes toke truse with the Veientes for .cl. yeres, Truse for yeres. with the Cerites for an hūdreth: Sometyme truse was made for houres as Caius Pontius a Samnite required of the dictator of Rome truse for .vi. houres. Houres. L [...]ages. Cryes.Leages of peace and cryes in cōmon places Theseus dyd ordeyne in Grece, but Diodorus assigneth it to Mercurie. Neuerthe­les [Page liiii] they were in frequent vse long a­fore that tyme in Assirie and Aegipt, and namely among the Hebrues▪ For Iacob made a leage with Labā. Iacob made a leage with Laban. And Moses offered cōdicious of peace to the prynces of the coūtries by whom he passed: Iehosuah w ^t Gabaonites. and after him Iehosuah stroke vp a bonde of peace, and made a loue day w ^t the Gabaonites. Ther­fore it is a great difficultie to appoīct the inuentor of it. Ther were diuerse fashions of makyng leages, as the Romanes maner was of this fashiō. The Heraulde of armes at the com­maundemente of the kyng tooke and smit a hogge appointed for that pur­pose, saiyng: The Romay­nes leage. so let Iupiter smyt him that disanulleth this holye leage, as I stryke this hogge. But Polibius wryteth that the herolde toke a stone in his hand and sayd: If I performe and stande to the couenaunte of this leage without gyle or fraud, the god­des geue me all thynges prosperous: If I either do or thinke the cōtrary, I pray God that I alone be destroy­ed and cast away, as I cast this stone from me, and furth with he threwe doune the stone.

[Page]When the Arabiens make a leage of peace, ther standeth one betwene the twoo parties y ^t cutteth with a sharp stone the holowe of the hande of the cōfederates, and with the blode, that issueth out, he anoynteth with rag­ges taken out of their garmentes .vii sto [...]es that stande betwene them and inuocateth Dionisius and Vrania their goddes: then the soliciter and entreater for the peace findeth sure­tie for the straunger or citezen that was partie. The like order was vsed in amities made emong frindes.

THE Scythiās made leages after this maner: The Scythi­ans leage. thei filled a bowlle of wyne, and mingled it with the bloud of theim that should enter the bonde of peace, and then thei weete in the boule their arrowes, axes, halbar­des and dartes that dooen, thei with many wordes vowed and cursed thē selues and so dronke the wyne bothe thei and all the nobles presente. The same vse was emong traitoures in their cōspiracies at Rome. Barceans leage. The Bar­ceans cōsented on their leages thus Thei made their loue daye ouer a depe Caue verye priuie, and so long [Page lv] as the yearth continued, so the pacte endured. Dionisius, whiche was re­plenished with the spoyles of many countrees led the first triumph, Triumph. and afterward, it was receiued of sundry nacions, as y ^e capitains of Carthage when thei sped well, triumphed. In Rome Romulus, after he had conquered Acron Kyng of the Ceninens, crouned with Laurell and caried in chariot with foure horses entred in­to the citee triūphantly. And dedica­ted his praie and spoyles to Iupiter as Dionisius writeth. Albeit, Eutro­pius saieth that Tarquinius Priscus first triumphed of the conquest of the Sabines. Camillus. Camillus ledde the first so­lemne triumphe with white horses▪ and a gilded chariot, and a garlande of gold, with all the captiues folow­yng the chariot with themes and fetters aboute their neckes. And the se­nate goyng before into the Capitole to Iupiters temple, where thei offe­red a white Bull and then returned. It was lawfull for none to triumph but suche as were dictatour, consull, or pretor, albeit, Cneius Pompeiu [...] beeyng but of the ordre of knightes, [Page] triumphed as Cicero telleth. Oua­cion is a lesse royalte then triumphes and was the worship of suche as had ended any battel or acheued any feat w ^tout blodshedyng, or when y ^e battel lacked any of the due cyrcumstances of apointyng, they that came into the cytie with that pompe, were crouned with a garland of myrtyl. And went a foot into the capitole, al the senate folowing him, & there offered a shepe The fyrst y ^t had any Ouatiō was Po­sthumius Tubertus. Posthumius Tubertus. The offering of the Lacedemonians. The Lacedemo­nians when they vāquished theyr enemies by craft, policie, or deceit offred a bul: when thei did valiantly subdue thē by force of armes, they sacrificed a cocke, of y ^e maner of triumph, reade Appianus Liuius or Iulius Capitolinus.

The .xi. Chapiter. ¶Garlandes or crounes, the diuersity of them, & of oyntmentes.

PLINIE testifyeth that Liber Bacchus did first inuent and ware a gar­land made of Iuye on his heade: Garlondes. Bacchus. and after it was taken in a custome [Page lvi] that when they sacrificed to anye of the goddes, they should bee crouned with a garland, and y ^e oblacion like­wyse.

Notwithstandyng I fynde that the vse of garlandes or crounes is of more antiquitie then Liber Bacchus For Moses, that was manye yeares afore him, Moses. made manye crounes and garlandes of golde. At the fyrst the maner was, in all playes and sacry­fices to wynde garlādes of boughes of trees. And after they were gar­nished with varietie of floures a­mōg the Sicyomans by Pausias and Glycera his lemmanne. Pausias. Not long after the wynter garlādes that be cal­led Egyptian, Wynter ga [...] ­landes. whiche are made of woode splytters or Iuery dyed with manye coloures, beganne to be had in quotidian vsage.

And in processe they made crounes of brasenne plates gylted, Crounes of brasen plate. or couered with syluer, called for theyr thynnes garlandes. Last of all Crassus, the ryche did fyrst set furth in his games and shewes, crounes with siluer and golden leaues.

And cōsequently there were inuēted [Page] many maner of crounes. As the tri­umphant croune that the Emperour or graunde capitain ware in this tri­umph, Corona tri­umphalis. this was firste made of Oliue and afterward of golde. Muralis. The murall or wall croune, that was giuē to him that scaled first the walles. The cāp croune, that was the reward of hym that entered firste in armes into the campe of his enemies. Nauall or sea croune, Naualis. whiche was sette on his hed that first borded his enemies shippe. And all these wer of gold. The Obsi­dionall croune, Obsidional. y ^t was worne of hym, that deliuered a citee besieged, and was made of grasse. There was also a ciuil croune, Ciuilis. whiche was a souerē ­tie that a citizē gaue to him that had valiantly preserued hym from his e­nemies, this was made of Okē bran­ches. And this maner of croune the Atheniens did firste diuise and gaue it to the Pericles. Pericles. There wer moreo­uer crounes of pearles, trenche crou [...]nes, and garlandes composed of the eares of corne, whiche as Plinie wit­nesseth was first in vse emōg the Ro­manes. Garlandes of Sinamome. But garlādes made of Cina­mome, wouen & imbossed w ^t gold Ve­Vespasianus [Page lvii] dyd fyrst consecrate in the capitolie in the tēple of peace. In space of yeares the excesse of crounes was suche that the Grecians in their bākettes crouned both theyr heades, and cuppes also, wherof the Iomās were auctours. Cuppes were crouned. By this sort of crou­nes Cleopatra empoysoned Antony as Plinie writeth, and Artaxerxes vsed crounes or garlādes in his fea­stes, to thys Virgill alluded in his Aeneidos.

Oyntmentes (as Iosephus writeth) notwithstandyng that Plinie sayeth the contrary, Oyntmentes were vsed long afore y ^e battaile of Troye, for Iacob sente to his sonne Ioseph in Egypt oyntmen­tes: And Moses, that was .CCC.l. yere afore the siege of Troy, maketh mencion of oyntmentes concernyng the sāctificacion of the tabernacle, & priestes of the olde testament: Albeit it is not knowen who was fyrst diui­ser of them. Plinie & Solinus reporte that Alexander when he wanne the campe of Darius, found among other [Page] iewels and spoyles a casket of oynt­mētes, that muche pleased him: But Herodotus doth declare that it was in frequent vse afore Darius tyme. For Cambyses Cyrus sonne sent am­bassadours to Aethiopus kyng of the Macrobians with great presentes, Athiopus dis­pised oynt­mentes. wherof a bore of oyntmētes was parcel. When the kyng had learned the maner of y ^e confection of it, he cōtem­ned and neglected it as a thyng of no value. It is not certayne when they came into Rome: But I fynd in Pli­nie that the .CCCCC.lxv. yere of the cytie Antiochus beyng vanquished, & Asia subdued and conquered P. Licinius Crassus and Iulius Caesar then Censours cōmaunded that no forrein nor straunge confection of oyntmen­tes should be sold in the cytie. Oyntmentes might not be solde.

❧The .xii. Chapiter. ¶Who found out metals, smith [...]s toles, fyre, candels, and belowes.

OF al metal, wherin worldly substaunce consisteth▪ Golde, gold, that all men so sore couer to haue, is the most preciouse. For the desyre [Page lviii] herof they haue digged into the depe botomlesse abi [...]se of the yearth, & at y ^e length (as Phaletius sayd) they wyl digge Pluto out of hel for it. And Diogenes what tyme he was asked why gold loke so pale, answered very wel saiyng, because it hath many that lye in wayte for it. Cadmus, as Plinie affyrmeth, Cadmus found gold. foūd it in the moūt Pāgaeus in T [...]race, or as some thynke, it was Thoas and Eaclis that inuented it in Panc [...]aia. Syluer Erichthonius of Athens or Ceacus foūd out. I thinke they reporte that gold was found in Pangaeus, because there is great plē ­tye in that hyl, Syluer. as Herodotus dothe write. The fyue brethren named Idei Dactyli found yron in Crete. Yron. Leade. Mida­c [...]itus fe [...] leade out of the Ilelandes against Spayne called Cassitrides, as Strabo declareth. Brasse was foūd by Ciny [...]as in y ^e ile of Cypres, Brasse. & So­linas [...]ayeth it was found in Crete. Ciny [...]as also deuised the tōges, Tonges. Leuer. Stithe. fyle or tape, leuer, and stythe. Notwith­standyng Clement sayeth that Sel­mētes and Damnameneus two Iues foūd yron fyrst in Cypres, & the Pānoniās brasse. Aristotle holdeth opiniō [Page] that Lydus a Scithian fyrst taught to melte & worke brasse, Meltyng brasse. Theophrast thinketh it was Delas a Phrigian. Strabo writeth that a certayne peo­ple named Telchines wrought yron and brasse fyrst, & they made a swerd named Harpe, which they gaue to Saturne. Harpe. Smythesforge. The smithesforge some thinke the Calibians found, & some suppose it were the Ciclopes, whiche fyrst v­sed the smithes craft. Diodorus hol­deth the opinion that Idei Dactili & Vulcanus were auctours of fyre, Idei Dactili. yrō, brasse, syluer, gold, & al y ^t is wrought with the fyre. Sotheryng of yron. Sotheryng of yron Glaucus founde, and Cadmus mel­tyng of golde. Neuerthelesse I take it that all these afore named foūd the vse of suche thinges in their coūtries where they were inhabitauntes. For the vse of al suche metal was percey­ued in the beginnyng of the worlde by Tubalcain whiche was sonne to Lamech and occupied smithe crafte. Tubalcain. Clement referreth the temperyng of yron to Delas. Fyre is supposed to be the inuencion of Vulcanus: Victri­uius sayeth that the trees tossed and shaken with wyndes, by beatyng to­gether [Page lix] of theyr boughes excited fyre. Fyre. But it had bene more conuenient to haue ascribed the gyfte of it to God, whiche gaue it to man to be remedye against the daūger of colde. Pyrodes stroke fyre out of flinte. Matches. Pyrodes fyrst stroke fyre out of flinte, Prome­theus taught fyrst to kepe it in mat­ches: Plinie telleth howe the spyes in armies and campes, Smityng fyre with wood. or els the she­pardes diuised to smyte fyre by rub­byng of two peces of wood together. Laurel and Iuye be best for that vse. Belowes were found by Anacharsis as Strabo wytnesseth: Belowes. Candels. Candels the Egyptians inuented.

The .xii. Chapiter. ¶Who ordeyned coynes, lokyng glasses, rynges with preciouse stones.

COYNAGE, Mony. of what metal soeuer it was made, as it maye ap­peare by Iosephus, is verye auncient: For Cain Adames sonne was very gredy in ga­theryng together of mony. Herodo­tus wryteth, Lydians. that the Lydians fyrst coyned syluer and gold to bye and sel [Page] with. For afore the siege of Troy as wytnesseth Homere, menne vsed to chaūge stuffe [...]or stuffe. Albeit in the tyme of Abrahā there was mony cur­rant, for he bought the duble caue, to burye his wyfe Sata of the Hethi [...]e Ep [...]ron for .CCCC. sycles of syluce, Sycles. whiche was afore the siege of Troye many yeres. In Rome the fyrst coine of gold was smitten the .ccccc.clvii. yere of the cytie. Golde in Rome. And it was named a ducate, & after it beganne to be vsed in many places at sundry tymes. Phaedon begāne siluer coyne in y ^e ile Egina. Phedon. Syluer was coyned in Egina. It was minted in Rome .cccc.lxxxiiii. yere after the cytie was builded, the printe of it was a Chariot w ^t two horses & some with foure. Ianus coy­nes of brasse. Iänus dyd cause brasse to be coyned with a face on the one syde & a shyp on the o­ther syde, to y ^e entent to gratifye Sa­turnus (whiche arryued there in a ship) by settyng furth his memory to their posteritee & successours. Seruius Tullius. Seruius Tullius fyrst coined brasse with an Image of a shepe and an oxe, as Plinie writeth. Lokyng glasses of siluer were diuised by Praxiteles in y ^e tyme of Pompeius Magnus. Lokyng glasses. There were [Page lx] also inuēted lokyng glasses of steele, leade, christal, glasse, & mingled stuffe wherin we behold our visages. Albeit it is vncertayn who dyd fyrst fynd thē, Sydon. sauyng that Plinie saieth one Sydon imagined thē of glasse. Rynges. Rynges w ^t a pece of stone wrought in them be reported of Plinie to haue bene made of Iupiter for to kepe in memory y ^e punishement of Prometheus, Prometheus for that he deluded the goddes of the element of fyre, & did traduce it to mans vse, but that is a fable of smale credite. For y ^e vsage of rynges & preciouse stones is of great antiquitie, for I rede in Ge­nesis that Iudas gaue his doughter in law Thamar a ryng, & broches, as pledges of his promise. And Moses y ^t was CCC. yere before the battaile of Troy speaketh of rynges & preciouse stones for makyng of the arke & vestures of Aaron, as onyches & smarag­dus or emrode. In Rome at the fyrst they vsed rynges of yron euery mā sauyng the tribunes. Rynges of yron. It was lōg afore the senatours had any ringes of gold and as Macrobie writeth, they vsed thē not so muche for trimmyng & dec­king of thē selues, Rynges ser­ued to seale letters. as bicause to seale [Page] letters w ^t thē: A man might haue but one ryng. insomuche that it was not permitted to any man to haue mo then one, & that was allowed in none but fre men. Afterwarde they began to graue seales in preciouse stones. Rynges were worne on the left hand. And, least thei should be broken with stresse, they ware them on the fynger of the left hand, that is next the lytle fynger, because the lefte hand is not put to muche labour as the right hād or els as Macrobie sayeth, because there goeth a vayne from that finger to the heart. Knightes ware rynges. for a differēce Rynges also were vsed and worne of the knightes of Rome that by them they might be disseue­red and knowen from the cōmon sort of the people.

The .xiiii. Chapiter. ¶The original of glasse, Ambre, Vermi­lon, Mirrha, and Christal.

IN PHENICE whiche is a parte of Syria, marchyng on Iurye at the foote of the mounte Carmel, there is a pole called Candebea, whereof the riuer Belus springeth, in the whiche glasse as Plinie writeth, Glasse. it engendred For it is reported that on a time whē [Page lxi] a marchaūtes shyp, that was fregh­ted w ^t saltpeter (for so some expound nitrum) arriued there. Nitre. And as they romyng on the sādes & sea bākes pre­pared theyr meate, It fortuned that bycause they had no stoore of stoones to bere vp theyr vessels, wherin they sodde theyr meate, they tooke out of their shyp great peces of Nitre to set on theyr victuals, whiche after they chaūsed to be on fyre & mingled with the sand, there rāne bright flakes of this preciouse lycoure. By this riuer is Memnō his toumbe, & as Iosephus writeth, y ^e nature of that water is to turne & trāsforme other metals into glasse. Ambre, Amber. as Diodorus wytnes­seth, was foūd in y ^e Ile Basilia, whi­che lyeth against Scithia aboue Ga­latia in y ^e great Ocean, where it was fyrst cast vp, and was neuer seene nor found in any other place before. Vermilon. Ver­milon or red lead was foūd in Ephe­sus by Callias an Athenien: And it was in Rome coūted & taken for holy insomuche y ^t on theyr feastfull daies, they paīted y ^e face of Iupiters Image with it, & the bodies of them that tri­umphed, & Camillus triūphed so, as [Page] Plinie wytnesseth. Mirrhe. Mirrhe, which is an humoure cōgeled and constipated together with heate, cōmeth out of y ^e east parties & namely out of Carma­nia: Pompeius in his triumph of the pyrates & robberson the sea brought it fyrst into Rome. Christal. Christal is a stone that is congeled of pure water not w ^t cold, but by a power diuine of heate, wherby it reteineth his hardnes, and neuer relēteth or melteth, & receiueth diuerse colours, & this is y ^e mynde of Diodorus. But Plinie holdeth opinion that it cōmeth of the yse, extreme­ly frosen. Neuerthelesse it is vncer­taine yet who found it.

The .xv. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of Imagery, and of Alexanders Image.

CONCERNYNG the vse of makyng Images, Images. from whence it came auc­tours diffre and vary. For Macrobius citeth one Epicadus that sayeth it beganne of a su­persticion of Hercules, Hercules. whiche accor­dyng to the nomber of his cōpanions [Page lxii] whom he lost in his voiage into farre countrees: When he came home into Italy made Images of thē & cast thē doune at y ^e bridge Sublicius into Ti­bre, to thentent they should de caried into theyr natiue coūtries, thinkyng that to be a iust pa [...]entacion for their funerals. Neuerthelesse he taketh it that they came rather of y ^e custome of the Archadians, The Archa­dians maner. which as Diodorus writeth, in their wāderyng abrode repared into Italy, & builded a chapel to Pluto & an alter to Saturne, where they pacified Pluto w ^t the heades of men, & burned the bodies to Saturne. For so they expounded their oracle. An oracle.

¶The sacrifices that were offred to Saturne were named Saturnalia, Af­ter Hercules as he passed through I­taly, when he had cōquered & subdu­ed Ger [...]on, aduertised thē to chaūge that vnlucky sacrifice into fortunate oblacions, and taught them to make Images of lytle boones and to offer [Page] thē to Pluto: And to light tapers of waxe in honoure of Saturne. Lactan­tius sayeth, Prometheus made ymages Prometheus made fyrst Images of soft clay, & taught y ^e way to make statues: Some say, as Dio­dorus writeth, that the Ethiopians foūd the fyrst vse of Images, & of thē the Egyptiens learned. Notwithstā ­dyng I fynd that Images were long afore that tyme: For Rachel when her husbande fled out of Mesopota­mia, from Laban his father in lawe, dyd steale away her fathers goddes, and therfore it appeareth that Ima­gery is of an auncient beginnyng. And some there be y ^t thynke men toke occasyon of God to make Images, whiche willyng to shewe to y ^e grosse wyttes of men some perceiueraūce of him selfe, toke on him the shap of mā, as Abraham sawe him & Iacob also. And the scripture semeth in sundrye places to attribute to him handes, feete, eyes and eares, whiche be par­tes and mēbres of men. And by this meanes men gathered y ^e maner of making ymages of God, bicause to kepe him in freshe memory. And this is the true original of Imagery. Spurius [Page lxiii] Cassius made in Rome y ^e image of Ceres of brasse. Ceres ymage of brasse▪ Afterwarde were made statues of men to excite & encourage valiant heartes to high enterprises. And for y ^t cause y ^e Atheniens set vp y ^e Images of Armodius & Aristogitō that slewe & expulsed the tyrannes. Leontinus Gorgias made him selfe an Image of pure gold not hollowe fyrst and set it at Delphos y ^e .lxxviii. olympiade. Leontinus gorgias made him selfe an ymage of golde. Pharnaces caused one to be made of siluer like him selfe, whi­che Pōpeie in his triumph remoued. In Italy M. Attilius Clabrio made the fyrst statue of gold on horsebacke in remembraūce of his father: M. Attilius made the first ymage in Rome of golde. There were also images made of brasse, yuory, woode, & marble. The maner of y ^e Romaynes was to set vp their Ima­ges couered, but the Grecians vsed to forme thē naked, & the Romaynes al­so had a rite to brēne encense, & light tapers afore them. In this art many were very expert, as Plinie reherseth But Phidias of Athens passed thē al. In Rome the kyndered & familye of the Macrians were accustomed to were on thē the image of Alexander y ^e great grauen: Phidias. as mē in gold or syluer [Page] women in calles & tynges: because it was reported, that he should acheue wel in al affayres whiche did bere on him Alexāders Images either in gold or syluer. Augustus seale. And therfore Augustus Caesar [...]sed long the Image of him in sealyng his letters.

The .xvi. Chapiter. ¶Paintyng, and pott [...]rs crafte, or work [...]ng in y [...]arth.

Paintyng. PORTATVRE, Gy­ges a Lidian, as Plinie thinketh, dyd fyrst inuēt and diuise it in Egypte. In Grece Pyrrhus y ^e co­syn of Daedalus, after A­ristotles mynde. But Theophrastu [...] saieth that Polygnotus an Athenian found it, Polygnotus yet Plinie agreeth nether w ^t Theophrast, nor yet w ^t him selfe: for in his . [...]xxv. booke he saieth that Po­lygnotus a Thasian dyd fyrst paynt women in single apparel, & trimmed theyr he [...]des w ^t calles of sundrye co­lours, & set furth pictures to the she­wyng more decente, in openyng their mouthes, and made theyr tethe to be sightly, & the visages more fauoura­bly [Page lxiiii] to behold, but who found it, it is vncertayne. For the Egyptians saye they had that arte .vi.M. yeres afore it came in Grece: And they of Grece affyrme it was begōne by the Sicyo­mans, & some of the Corinthians. Al­beit all cōfesse it begāne of the draw­yng of a mā with lynes. The begin­nyng of pain­tyng. In ꝓcesse of time it waxed more sumptuouse w ^t colours. Drawyng pictures with lines or shadowes Philodes an Egyptian or Cleantes a Corinthian diuised. Thelephanes a Sicyonian & Ardices of Corinthe vsed fyrst this arte with­out colours, and Cleophantes of the same countries inuēted fyrst colours. Cleophantus inuented co­lours. Pensyl. Apollodorus obtayned muche praise with the pensyl. In this excelled Tymagoras, Pythys Polygnotus Agla [...]phon w ^t other that Plinie reciteth in the .xii. boke: And Raphael Sanctus and Vr [...]inate, is very excellent in ex­pressyng of liuely Images of men in this faculte. The potters occupacion that worketh all thinges in clay and yearth, Potters crafte, Chorebus an Athenian foūd as Plinie in his .vii. booke telleth. In his .xxxv. booke he ascribeth y ^e o­riginal of it to Dibutades at Corinth, [Page] which by helpe of his doughter inuē ted this craft, Debutades worker of clay. for after she vnderstod that a yong man her louer should de­part into a straūge nacion for the ten­der loue y ^t she bare to him, she drewe his Image on a wal after y ^e patron of his shadow by cādel light, which her father fylled & fashioned w ^t clay, and made it into a figure & resēblaunce of his body, & dried it w ^t the fyre & set it in y ^e [...]ōmon hoote house where y ^e mai­des & women kept bathes: And there it remayned tyl Mummius destroyed Corinth. Mummius destroyed Corinth. Some say it was found by Rhetus & Theodorus in y ^e Ile of Samos, And Demaratus father to Tar­quinius Priscus kyng of the Romai­nes brought it into Italy, Demaratus. & after him Eucirapus & Eugrāmus amplified y ^e science more coptousely. Makyng of mouldes, & the way to worke images in thē Lisistratus a Sicioniā inuēted The potters whele or frame, Mouldes Potters frame. as Ephorus saieth Anacharsis a philosopher of the coūtree of Scythia foūd: Some say it was Talus Dedalus sister sōne The special workemen in this arte were Dimophius and Gorgasus.

The fyrst Chapiter. ¶The inuencion of husbandry with other thinges concernyng the same.

HVSBANDRY or tyllynge the ground Diodo­rus sayeth, Husbandry. was excogitat by Dionisius amonge the Egyptians, Dionisius. In Grece & A­sia by Triptole­mus: as Iustine writeth, Triptolemus in Italy Sa­turnus: but Virgil wytnesseth, that Ceres was fyrst inuentrice of it. Ne­uertheles Iosephus declareth that it was perceiued and founde by Cain Adams eldest sōne. Cain. In the beginnyng men liued by Acornes, Men liued by acornes. Ceres. Corne sow­yng. and other fru­tes of the yearth tyl Ceres, as Plinie telleth, taught thē of Athens, Italy, & Sicilie to sowe corne, whiche afore grewe among other herbes. Diodo­rus referreth the inuencion of it to Isis. Albeit, Iustine affyrmeth that Triptolemus found it in the tyme of Herichtheus kyng of Athens, but Diodorus [Page] saieth he lerned of Ceres, and had commaundemente to teache it a­broade. In Italy Saturne instituted sowyng as Macrobie testifyeth, Pi­tumnus taught men fyrst to mucke & compasse their land, and his brother Pilumnus taught menne to bake and grynde, Bakyng and grindyng. but Plinie saieth that Arge­us a kyng in Grece taught menne to dunge their lādes in the tyme of Ho­mere. Dungyng land. And Hercules afterwarde pu­blished it in Italy. Diodorus witne­seth that Dionisius the seconde yo­ked oxen to the plough fyrst, wheras afore it was laboured by hande, Yokyng oxen Bri­ges an Athenien, or as some reporte Triptolemus, & some say one Osiris found the plough: Trogus dyd saye that it was Habis kyng of Spayne that taught fyrst to plowe and sowe. Plough. Instrumentes of husbandry, as Vir­gyl supposeth Ceres founde out, Instrumētes of husbandry but we must take it that these men afore rehersed dyd teache it fyrst in sundry places, for it is manyfest that afore their tyme the Hebrues and Egypti­ans had knowledge of this science, As Iacob, when there was a greate derth of corne in Canaā, sent his son­nes [Page lxvi] into Egipt to bie grain. And therfore without doubt the Hebrues dyd fyrste fynde out the waye of tyllyng corne, grindyng with other rustical instrumentes: Syues & sarces of here we [...]e found in Fraunce, Siues and sarces. as Plinie tel­leth, and bultres of linnen in Spaine In Egipt they were made of fenne rishes, and bulrishes.

The .ii. Chapiter. ¶Wyne, oyle, honye, chese, and strange trees brought into Italy.

DIODORVS saieth y ^t Dionisius dyd fyrst per­ceiue the nature of the vyne, Wyne. and taught men af Grece to plant it, and to presse wyne out of the Grape as Sa­turnus dyd in Italye: Some saye it was Icarus father of Penelope that founde it in Athens, Icarus. And was after­ward slain of the husbandmen, when they were dronken. Athenaeus in one place writeth that Oresteus sonne to Deucalion fyrst foūd the vyne about the moūt Aetna in Sicilie: In another place he saieth that it was found at y ^e cytie Plithina in Egypt. Oresteus. Aruntes [Page] a Tirhene banished out of his coūtre by Lucinon, Aruntes brought into Fraunce. whō he brought vp of a chyld, caried fyrst wyne into Fraūce Seculus the sōne of Ventus inuented the fyrst food of men of the trees, and Eumolphus an Athenian taught the maner of orderyng of them, but afore all these Noe was the fyrst that ei­ther tylled the lande, Noe planter of the vyne or planted the vyneyarde. And when he had dronke of the fruit of y ^e grape, he was dron­ken. Wyne tauernes were set vp fyrst by the Lidians a people of Asia, Wyne tauer­nes. whi­che also foūd diuerse games. Staphi­lus (as Plinie sayeth) deleied wyne fyrst. Deleiyng of wyne. Drynke that is made of barlye whiche we cal ale, and was the com­mon drynke of the Egyptians, was diuised by Bacchus: And he taught it to suche nacions, as had no grapes growyng. And for y ^t cause England, Scotlande, Irelande, Fraunce, and Germany, and all that border on the west and north seas vse this drynke, Albeit, the Germanes put hoppes in it, and cal it bere. In Grece, as Dio­dorus holdeth opiniō Pallas shewed the Oliue, Oliue oyle. Makyng chese. and the way to make oyle. And Aristaeus gathered fyrst y ^e crud­des [Page lxvii] of mylke, and made chese, honye. And the oyle mylle, as Plinie witnesseth, notwithstandyng the Oliue was afore Noes fludde, and Moses speaketh of oyle that was vsed in sa­crifices, wherby it may be perceiued that oyle was inuented of the Iewes Iustine sayth Gargorus kyng of Cu­retes found the fashion of gatheryng of honye, Gargorus. Gatheryng of honye. he dwelled in the forrest of Carchesia in Spain. Ther grewe no Oliue in Italy, Spayne, nor Affrike In the tyme of Tarquinius Priscus the .C.lxxiiii. yere of the cytie. And afterwarde y ^e .cccc.xl. yere of the cytie there were some, howbe it they were nere the sea. But in dede honye was gathered fyrst of the Hebrewes shepherdes. Chery trees. The cheritres L. Lucul­lus brought out of Ponthus the yere of the Cytie .vi.C.lxxx. Zinzipha & Tuberes .ii. kyndes of appletrees S. Papinius cōueighed out of Siria and Affrike into Italy in y ^e tyme of s. Au­gustine. The Plane tree, the Laurel tree, the Fygge tree, & apple trees, w ^t other which is not nedeful to reherse wer brought in by diuers men, whose names are not spoken of by any auc­tours.

The .iii. Chapiter. ¶Who named beastes, instituted sacri­fices, huntyng, fait, pultries.

Adam named beastes. BEASTES after they were all created in theyr kynde were named by A­dam with the same na­mes, that they bee nowe called: Hiperbius. Hiperbius sonne to Mars kil­led them fyrste, but I had rather re­ferre that to Abel Adams sonne: for he dyd fyrst offre to God the fyrst be­gotten of his flocke, Abel. and from him it spredde abroad among the Hebrues, and also other countries. Swyne was most cōmēded in sacrifices. Of al other swyne were the fyrst that were sacri­ficed of the Gentiles. In the sacrifi­ces of Ceres godesse of corne, as Va [...] ­ro witnesseth. In leages of peace, & in Mariages: At lengthe they came to suche outragious crueltee, that they sacrificed mē. Eatyng of fleshe. Fleshe was not vsed to be eaten vntyl the tyme of Noe: and then God permitted it, but many coū ­tries long after that, forbare & kepte great abstinence from fleshe: As in the golden world vnder Saturne men [Page lxviii] onely lyued by fruytes of the yearth. The priestes of Egypt refrayned frō fleshe, egges, and mylke, bycause, Priestes of Egypte. Egges. Mylke. as they thought, egges were but tendre and softe fleshe, and mylke was blod sauyng that the coloure was turned. And the Essenes in Iurye, & Iupiters priestes in Crete eat neuer fleshe. Bā ­kettyng dyshes and delycates were made in Ionia, Bankettes. and then the euyl cu­stome was takē vp by other coūtries: Albeit there were lawes made in La­cedemony by Lycurgus, and in Rome by Fannius. For the abolishyng of suche excessiue feastyng, I would some good man would prescribe now a daies a lawe to be precisely obser­ued of all men, for I thynke there ne­uer was such riot in feastyng as ther is in this tyme. Huntyng. Fishyng. Salte. Huntyng & fishyng the Phenicians found. Salt and the vse therof was perceiued by Misor & Selech. In Rome Q. Hortensius did fyrst setfurth a Pecocke at y ^e Augurs feast. Pecocke. Pultries. Pultries of al kynd of fou­les were instituted by Marcus Laeli­us Strabo a knight of Brundusie. And Alexander Emperour had also suche pultries. Warrens and parkes [Page] wer made fyrst by Fuluius Hirpinu [...] And now they be euerywher vsed but most cōmonly in Englād to the great domage of good pastures, that might feed other cattel. The Wolfe, y ^e minotaure, Beastes that be badges. the horse, the bore, were cogni­saunce of the Romanes armies: And Caius Marius in his seconde consul­shyp appointed the Egle for a badge of his armye and legyon, with many other nowe a daies, whiche be in cote armours of noble men.

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶Who found flaxe and wolle with suche instrumentes and artes as long to the same, and sylke.

Lynnen. LYNNEN or Flare, as Plinie saieth, was found by the beautyfull Ladye Arachne of Lidia, & she taught also the waye of knyttyng nettes to take beastes, Arachne. Knittyng nettes. Spinnyng Weuyng. fyshe, & foules, Minerua in­structed the people of Athens fyrst in spinnyng & weuyng wolle: but in one place Plinie semeth to ascribe y ^e feate of weuyng to y ^e Egyptians. The walkers [Page lxix] or fullers craft was inuēted by Nicias a Megarien: Fullers craft D [...]yng wolle Spindels. The Lidians in Sardes died wolle fyrst.

¶Spindels for wolle were fyrst in­uented by Closter sonne to Arachne. ¶Hangynges of arryse whiche be vsed in halles or chambers Attalus king of Asia, deuised: Arrise clothe. & Pallas taught the vse of clothyng or apparel, as Di­odorus writeth, & Eusebius sayeth one Vso a Silician borne, Vso. Apparel. made fyrst clothyng & apparel for men of beastes skinnes: but in dede Adam whō God dyd fyrst create, Adam made the fyrst coat of lether. made the fyrst lether coates for himselfe & his wyfe Eue our old mother, leauyng therby a pa­tron to al his posterite of that crafte.

The shomakers art one Boethoius found. Shomakers craft. Attalus taught men fyrst to weue golde in clothes. And the Phri­gians inuented broderyng. Enbrodryng. The Gre­kes deuised the mantyle, Mantyle. and the He­trurians found the roobes of estate. And mynglyng of diuerse colours in apparel, Motleys. was the inuēcion of the Ba­bilonians. Sylke, Sylke. whiche in al coun­tries is occasion of muche dissolut be hauour in apparel, was found of the Cerites growyng on theyr trees, and [Page] with wetyng they combe it of and make it fyt for their vses. Spinnyng and weuyng of sylke. Pamphila. Purple co­lour. Hercules. Tyro. Spinnyng and weuyng of sicke that commeth of wormes, Pamphila the doughter of Platis diuised it the Ile Coo. Pur­ple colour was found as Pollux witnesseth by this occasion. As Hercu­les beyng in loue with a beautyfull lady named Tyro, walked on the sea clyffes, his greyhound chaunsed to fynde a shel fishe called a purple, and when he had eaten it, the oryent co­loure of the blodde remayned on his snowt: whiche freshe colour the lady espiyng threatened Hercules that he should neuer company with her more onelesse he brought her a clothe died with that preciouse coloure. Then Hercules willyng to accomplishe his ladies wyll sought the purple fyshe, and caried the blod to his souereigne lady. And thus beganne the purple colour among the Tyrians.

The .v. Chapiter. ¶Buildynges made of clay, bricke, stone, with other matters.

[Page lxx] MEN at the fyrste lyued lyke wyld beastes in ca­ues and wyldernes, and also fed on fruytes and rotes of the yearth: but after they had perceiued the commo­ditie of fyre, and felte therby a great comforte agaynste the vehemencye of colde: Houses. some beganne to edify cotages of boughes of trees, and some digged caues in the mountaynes, and by of­ten experiencyng of suche meanes they attained to a greater perfection in buildyng. And afterward (as wit­tes of men be inuentiue) they learned to fashion buildyng with walles that they set vp with long proppes. Making walles of houses And dyd wynde them aboute with smale roddes and so dawbed them: and to kepe out the stormes, they couered them with reede, boughes or fenne sedges. Thus in processe of time they came to the arte of buildyng, Pallas in­uented buyl­dyng. whiche as Diodorus saieth, is ascribed to Pallas: but I can rather thinke that either Cain or els Iobal sonne of La­mech found out this craft.

Houses of claye, Doxius sonne of Gēllius dyd fyrst inuent and set vp, [Page] takyng example at the swallowes nest. Brykeworke. Brycke buildynges were inuen­ted by Euryalus and Hyperbius two brethrē of Athens, as Plinie iudgeth, albeit Diodorus referreth it to Vesta daughter of Saturnus. Epimenide [...] of Crete fyrste vsed to hallowe his house and feldes with expiations. Blessyng of houses. Tyle and slate to couer houses were the inuencion of Sinyra sonne of A­griopa in the Ile of Cipres. Tyle & slate. Stone delues Stone delues or quarels were foūd by Cad­mus in Thebes, or as Theophrast writeth in Phoenice. Albeit I thinke the inuēcion of suche artes may more iustly be ascribed to Cayn or the po­sterite of Seth: Fyrst pillers. whiche did make two pillers one of brycke and another of stone, and wrote in them al the art of Astronomy, at which tyme I suppose pillers and brycke were fyrste made, wherby it appeareth that the cast of buildyng hath bene from the begin­nyng of the worlde. Neuertheles, I denye not but these afore named dyd begyn edifiyng in sundry countries.

Marble.Marble was vsed in buyldyng at Rome of riche men to shew their sūp­tuouse magnificence. As M. Scaurus [Page lxxi] beyng aediles caused .ccc.lx. pillers of marble to be caried to the makyng of a stage wheron an Enterlude should be played: but Lucius Crassus was fyrst that had pyllers of Marble. M. Lepidus made the gates of his house with Marble of Numedie, Gates of marble. not with­out reproche. He was consul the yere of the cytie .cccccc.lxxvi. Mamurra a knight y ^t was master of Iuli. Mamurca pinned his house with marble. Grauers in marble. Caesars workes in Fraunce, pynned fyrst the walles of his house with brokē mar­ble. In grauyng Marble Dipoenus Scylus borne in Crete floryshed fyrst, afore kyng Cyrus reigned in Persie.

The .vi. Chapiter. ¶Who made the fyrst citie, tentes, temples, and pyttes.

WHEN men wer som­what clamed of their vplādishe behauoure by reason y ^t thei were refreshed of their ex­treme colde by fyre & suche houses as they had deuised, Occasion of making cities they gathered them sub­staunce & goddes to the sustentacion of their housholdes and families. [Page] But after they perceyued that migh­tie and strong men did inuade and dispoile them of suche stuffe as they had they knytte them selues together in a companye, and dwelled in one cir­ [...]uite, whiche they walled about and named it a cytie. Notwithstandyng, there is muche diuersitie of opinions among writers whiche was fyrst. For Plinie sayeth Cecrops buylded the fyrst Cytie, and called it by his owne name Cecropia, Cecropia. whiche was afterwarde called Athens.

Strabo writeth that Phoroneus builded fyrst Argos: Argos. Diospolis, The Egyptians say, that Diospolis in their countrie was long afore: whiche is credible to be so bycause they be a verye aun­cient nacion. Trafon fyrst made wal­les: towers, (as Aristotle saieth,) the Cyclopians edifyed: Walles. Towers. but Theophrast thynketh the Phenicians buylded them.

And Vergil referreth that feate to Pallas. But to say the trueth Cain (as Iosephus declareth,) made the fyrst Cytie, Enochia. and named it Enochia af­ter his sonne Enoch. And the yong men that came of Noe his linage by [Page lxxii] the aduyse of Nembroth buylded the fyrste towre of an exceadyng heyght whiche was called afterwarde Ba­bylon. Babilon. Tentes.

Tentes Iobal sonne of Lamech inuented, notwithstandyng that the Phenicians affirme that the nepheu­es of Seculus found them.

Temples, Temples. as Diogenes supposeth were found by Epimenides in Crete. But Victruuius affyrmeth that one Pythius a Carpenter made the fyrste Temple in Prienne in the honoure of Pallas: Pithius. Herodotus saieth that the E­gyptians instituted the temples fyrst In Rome, Romulus builded the fyrst temple in the worshyppe of Iupiter Seretrius. Salomon. To almightie God Sa­lomon kyng of the Hebrues builded the fyrst temple thre thousande, an hundreth and two yeares after the creacion of Adam in Ierusalem.

Pyttes Danaus dygged fyrst, as Plinie teacheth, after he came out of Egypte into Argos a countrye of Grece. Egyptians. Neuerthelesse to tell the verye origynall of them, Isaac hys shepherdes dygged the fyrste pyttes, Pittes. as appeareth in Genesis. And Moses [Page] caused pittes to be digged in the wil­dernes when he dyd conduct the Is­raelites out of Egypte, Isaac dig­ged pittes. Moses. whiche was. ccc.lxxxxiii. yere afore that Danaus, came into Argos, neither was it Da­naus but his doughters that dygged the pytte at Argos.

The .vii. Chapiter. ¶The Laborynthes, turrettes, sundry fashions of burials.

Laborinthes. LABORINTHES which we may cal Mases, were certain intricate & wyndyng wor­kes with many entri­es and dores, in suche sort that yf a mā were once entred, he could not yssue oute, without ether he had a perfect guide or els a clewe of thredde to be his cō ­ducte. There were foure of them moost notable as it is reported: Foure labo­rinthes, The fyrst was in Egypte, and was called of some the palace of kyng Motheru­des, of some the sepulthre of Meres: but there bee other that saye, it was buylded in honoure of the sonne by [Page lxxiii] kyng Petesucus or Tithoes, albeeit Herodotus saieth it was the commō toumbe of the kynges of Egipt: this stoode a litle from the Poole of My­rios. Crete. Dedalus. The second was made in Crete by Daedalus at the commaundement of kyng Minos, wherein Theseus of Athens slewe the Minotaure. The third was wrought in the Isle Lemnos by Zmilus, Rhodus, Lemnos. and Theo­dorus carpēters of the same countree

The fourthe Porsena kyng of the Hetrurians caused too bee made and sette vp in Italy for his sepulchre, Porsena. it was all of free stone & vaulted. The high steples or turrettes that the E­gipciās cal Pyramides, wer betwene Memphis and Delta twoo citees of Egipte, of suche highte, Piramides. that it was meruaill how the stone and morter could be caried so high. One of them that was greatest, was the worke of three thousande and .lx. menne. in .xx yere, at the coste of kyng Chemis, The greatest spire Chemis made. whom Herodotus nameth Cheopis, Chabreus brother to the same kyng made the second turret not equall in hight. The thirde, kyng Mycerinus caused to bee wrought .xx. [...]ote shor­ter [Page] then his fathers was. The cause of makyng the spires. The occa­siō that thei wer made, as Plinie tel­leth, was leaste the people should bee idle, and Iosephus saieth the Egipci­ans enforsed the Hebrues to buylde those Pyramides, bicause thei should bee in subieccion too theim, and that thei might bee made slaues and drudges: or els leaste the kynges should leaue so muche treasure to their suc­cessours, that it might moue them to sedicion or treason. Mausoleum that was the toumbe of Mausolus kyng of Caria, Mausoleum Artemesia. his wife Artemesia builded moste sumteously, and for that faith­full loue that she bare to hym, she re­maigned a widowe all her life tyme. The maner of buriall in diuerse coū ­trees is of sundry fashions: Rites of bu­riyng. Massagetes. as y ^e Massagetes & Derbians iudge theim that die in sickenesse verie wretches, and therfore when their parentes, & kins­folke waxe aged, thei strangle theim and eate theim, supposyng that it is better that thei should eate them, thē y ^e wormes. Albanes. The Albanes, that dwell by the mount Caucasus, take it to be a mortall crime if thei regard or once name theim that bee ded. The Thra­cians [Page lxxiiii] kepe solemnely the funeralles of the ded corps of men with greate ioye & solace: Thrariēs fa­shion. bicause thei bee dispat­ched by the death of the miseries hu­mane, and rest in felicitee e [...]e [...]ne: and cōtrariwise at the birth of their chil­dren thei make greate sorowe and la­mentacion, bicause of the calamities that thei must sustain in this misera­ble life. The women of Inde take it for a greate honesty and triumphe if thei maie bee buried with their hous­bande: Women of Inde. for it is graunted to her that loued hym beste, there bee other di­uerse maner of buriynges emong the Paganes and Heathen people, whi­che for so muche, as thei excede the bondes of humanitie, & haue in them no hope of resurreccion at this pre­sente I omit and ouer passe thē. The Romaines, The Romai­nes burned their dedde bodies bicause the dedde coarses that died in externe battaill were af­ter their buriall digged oute of the grounde, instituted the maner of bur­nyng the carcases of menne departed whiche rite was executed on Sylla chief of al the house and kyndrede of the Corneliās, Sylla. whiche feared leste he should bee serued as he had vsed Ma­rius. [Page] Thei had also in Rome a maner of deifiyng or hallowyng their em­peroures ded bodies, Deifiyng of the emperour after this sorte Whē the emperour was ded and his body reuerently buried with greate exequies, thei fourmed an Image of the emperour, pale as though he wer sicke, and laied it at the gate of the palace in a bed of Iuory, Herodian. and the phi­sicions resorted thither to the bed .vi daies continually, the lordes of the senate, and noble ladies and matrōs stādyng on euery side of the bed. The seuēth daie the young lordes and no­bilitie bare hym on their shulders in the bed▪ first into the old place of iud­gementes called Forum Vetus and then into the felde named Campus Martius where thei chose their ma­gistrates and highe officers: where thei laied hym in a tente buylded for the nones, like a towre and filled it with drie woode and swete oyntemē ­tes, and after thei had finished the ri­tes and ceremonies of their lawe, he that should succede, in the empire put a fire brande to the tente, and then o­ther laied to the fire good plēty. And by and by after all was burned, thei [Page lxxv] let flie an Egle out of the top of the turret, whiche, as thei supposed, ca­ried the solle of the emperour to hea­uen, and from thence furth thei honored hym as a God. Commendacions to the worship of ded bodies at fune­rales, Commenda­cions. Valerius Publicola first made in y ^e praise of Brutus, and that was long afore the Grekes had any, not­withstandyng Gellius writeth that Solon ordained that lawe in Athens in the tyme of Tarquinnins Priscus. Solon. The Romaines vsed to praise the women at their burialles bicause on a time thei wer contented to giue their goldē iuelles to make a boulle to sēd to Delphos, to the God Apollo. Women had commendaci­ons in Rome

The .viii. Chapiter. ¶Who made spires called Obelisti, the markes of the broches, the Egipci­ans letters, firste Sanctuary.

OBelisti, Obelisti. Broches. whiche maie bee called lōg bruches or spi­res, wer great and houge stones in Egipte made of masons from the botome smaller and smaller of a large lēgth, and were consecrated to the Sonne, bicause thei bee long muche like the [Page] beames of the sonne. The first of thē was instituted by Mitres, Metres. whiche reigned in Heliopolis, beyng commaunded by a vision too make it, and so it was recorded and writtē in thesame. Kyng Sothis set vp foure that were euery of theim, Sothis. xlviii. cubites long: Ramises (in whose tyme Troy was destroyed) reared vp one fourty cubi­tes of length, Ramises. & another of eight hun­dred and nyntene foote, & euery side was foure cubites broade. Ptolomae­us Philadelphus made one at Ale­xandria of fourescore cubites. Prolomeus. And Phaeron set twoo in the temple of the Sonne of an hundred cubites length a pece and foure cubites broade, Pheron. on this occasion: It fortuned that this kyng for a greate cryme that he had committed, was stryken blynde, and cōtinued so tenne yeres, and after by reuelacion at the citee Bucis it was tolde hym that he should receiue his sight, if he washed his yies with the water of a woman, that was neuer defiled with any strange manne, but was alwaie contente with her hous­bande. Firste he tried his owne wife, and afterward many other til at the [Page lxxvi] last he receiued his sight, and maried her by whose vryne he was healed, and recouered his sighte, and all the other with his first wife he caused to bee burned at once. Then for a remē ­braūce he made his oblaciō with the twoo foresaied spires in the tēple of the Sonne. Augustus Cesar remoued twoo. Augustus Caesar brought two of these broches into Rome and sette one in the greate Tilte yarde or Listes, if I maie call Circus in those termes, the other he sette in the felde called Campus Martius: In these broches for the moste parte wer written Images of beastes, The maner of writyng in e­gipte. wherby their posteritie and successoures mighte perceiue the renowme of suche prin­ces, and the maner of their vowes and oblacions.

FOR the Egipcians vsed the I­mages of beastes in the steade of let­ters, and as Cornelius writeth, Emblemes. thei declared their myndes by the figu­res and shappes of beastes, as by the Bee they sygnified a Kyng rulyng his commons with greate modera­ciō and gentlenesse, A Bee. Goshauke. by the Goshauke thei mente spidie perfourmaunce of their affaires.

[Page] Sanctuaries Neuewes of Hercules.Sanctuary (as Stacius writeth) made firste by Hercules neuewes in Athēs, and was called the temple of mercie. From thence it was not law­full to take any manne violētly, that repared thither for ayde and comfort notwithstādyng Moses whiche was lōg afore Hercules did institute three franchised tounes, Moses. wither it was permitted for theim to go, that had doen any murther vnware or by chaunce­medly. Next after hym Romulus or­dained a sanctuary in Roome to en­crease his citezens, Romulus. and to haue more numbre too buylde the citee. There was a sāctuary in the Isle Calauria dedicated too Neptune, Calauria. and another in Egipte at Canobicus consecrated to Hercules, Egipte. & another to Osyridis, & in Siria one halowed to Apollo. And there bee many at this daie in chrstē ­dome, and namely in Englande: but now the libertie and numbre of them is sore minished, Sanctuaries in Englande. bicause thei wer oc­casion of greate crimes & enormites.

The .ix. Chapiter. ¶Of Theatres, and Amphi­theatres, and Bathes.

[Page lxxvii] THEATRES wer cer­tain places, Theatres. as scaffol­des with pentises, wher­in the people of Athens stoode to beholde the en­terludes that were shewed, and thei were made like halfe a circle with benches one aboue another, that thei might without any impedimente see the places. Dionisius. Dionisius did firste insti­tute theim in Athens: in the middes of the scaffolde or theatre stoode the stage, wherin Comodies, Tragedies, with other shewes were exibited too the common sorte. Of theim the Ro­maines toke example to make suche scaffoldes: whiche Quintus Catulus caused to bee couered with linen clo­thes, and hanged it with silke, Coueryng of scaffoldes. where as afore thei had no vaulte to bere of the sonne or raine. But Marcus Scaurus beeyng Aedil, that is, Edili [...]. hauyng the ouersight of all publike and priuate buyldynges, made the firste in Rome that endure [...] for the space of thirtie daies, it was made vp with pillers of Marble. Caius Curio Caius Curio at his fa­thers buriall builded twoo theatres of timber after suche a fashion that [Page] thei might in time of enterludes stād one cōtrary to another in suche wise that neither plaie should disturbe o­ther: and whē it liked hym he turned theim together and made an Amphi­theatre, Amphithea­tres. whiche was a roūde scaffold full of benches of diuerse hightes: wherin he set furth a game of swerde plaiers. Pompeius Magnus made y ^e firste standyng Theatre of free stone, after the patron that he sawe at Mi­tylene, when he had subdued Mithri­dates Kyng of Pontus. Caius Iulius Caesar buylded the firste Amphithe­atre in the felde consecrated to Mars, Iulius Ce­sar buylded an Amphi­theatre. The vse of the Amphi­theatre. In this were sette furthe shewes of wylde beastes, and swearde players: for the maner was that suche, as wer condemned too deathe, or taken pri­soners in warre should bee cast there to the wylde beastes to bee deuoured and slayne. It was strawen with sande, Sand was strawen in the Amphi­theatre leaste the bloude of those that were slayne should defile theim that foughte, or discourage their heartes: and therefore, there were certayne appoyncted too tosse and strawe the sande. Circus. The place called Circus, that wee maie call Listes or Tilte yardes [Page lxxviii] wer places walled about with stone of a greate length, wherin was vsed coursyng and Iustyng, and tourne­yng on horsebacke and on foote by champions and chalengers: thei wer firste named in Tarquinius Priscus reigne, and that was called the greatest. Circus Ma­ximus. After that twoo other wer made one by Flamminius, and the other by Nero.

THE firste coursyng, Iustyng, and runnyng with other exercises in the Listes were what tyme Spurius Marcius, First iustyng in Rome. Philippus wer consuls the yere of the citee fiue hundred three­score and seuen.

HOATE Bathes or Stues wer vsed firste priuately of all menne ac­cordyng to their degree and habilite bycause of the preseruacion of helth as thei pretended: Bathes pry­uate. but in processe thei buylded common Bathes and hoate houses too sweate in, Commō Ba­thes. and the nobles did Bathe and wasshe with the com­mōs, and finally without any shame menne and women were permitted moste lasciuiously to bathe together moste notable bathes were thei that [Page] Agrippa, Notable bathes and Nero, and Titus Ve­spasianus with other Emperoures made, as Iulius Capitolinus wry­teth, thei were bothe greate and also gorgeously dressed like citees & bigge tounes with all places of oportunite too mainteigne excessiue riote in all sortes of menne.

❧The .x. Chapiter. ¶Who founde the Carpenters craft, and instrumentes of thesame, Vesselles of diuerse measures.

Carpentars arte. OAEDALVS, after the mynde of Plinie, firste inuented the art of Carpentrie, with these instrumentes folowyng, the Sawe, Chippe axe, Sawe. Chippe Axe. Plomlyne. Wymble. Glewe. Squire. Lyne. Shaue. and Plū ­line, wherby the euenes of the Squares bee tried whither thei batter or hang ouer, the Augore, or Wymble, and Glewe to ioyne bordes togither. The Squire, the Line, the Shaue, the Pricker or Punche were deuised by Theodor a Samian. Notwithstan­dyng Ouide writeth, that Talus Daedalus sister sonne inuented bothe the Compasse, Compasse. & also fashioned the Saw [Page lxxix] after the patron of the backe bone of a fishe: How y ^e sawe was founde. or as Diodorus saieth by the exāple of the chawe bone of a serpent he founde also the Shaue, & for suche benefites, as he did shewe & bestowe to the vse and profite of men, he was highly commended: Dedalus slewe his neuewe for enuie. Pythagoras rule. but Daedalus en­uiyng that a boye beyng but his prē ­tise should excell his master, cast hym doune out of a towre (as Ouide wit­nesseth) and slewe hym. Pythagoras a Samian diuised also another maner of rule or Squire, then this that wee vse commonly, fitte for all maner of buildynges as Victruuius declareth in the .ix. booke. Penthesilia. Axe. Penthesilea quene of Amazons is reported to haue found the Axe. Albeit I thinke the inuenciō of this arte is more worthy to bee re­ferred either to the Hebrues, whiche occupied suche artes afore Daedalus tyme and in specially in makyng of the tabernacle whiche was curiousli wroughte, or els to the Tyrians, that were in that faculty farre aboue the Hebrues. Tyrians wer connyng car­pentars. For whiche cause Salomō wrote to the kyng of Tyre for worke men to buylde the temple. Makyng of hollowe vesselles as Barelles or [Page] hoggesheddes Speusippus imagined vesselles of Osiare or wicker as bas­kettes, Barelles. Speusippus Baskettes. Ceres. hāpers with suche like Ceres did first diuise as Seruius writeth.

¶The .xi. Chapiter. ¶Who ruled firste on the sea, founde shippes, marchandise.

STRABO writeth that Minos Kyng of Crete had the firste rule of the sea: Who was ruler on the sea firste. but Diodorus saith that Neptunus had the Empire of it afore hym, Neptune. for he inuen­ted the feat in rowyng in boates, Rowyng in boates. and made a nauie, and was made Admi­rall of it by his father Saturnus. And Plinie reporteth that Kyng Erych­thras diuised boates first and rowed in theim in the red sea, Erichthras diuised boa­tes. some saie thei were ordaigned by the Troianes in the narowe seas called Hellespon­rus, some thynke thei were inuented in the English sea, English seas and couered with lether and hides of beastes. Danaus was the firste that vsed any shippe when he sailed oute of Egipte into Grece: Firste shippe. as Plinie recordeth, although some suppose the Samotraciens, and some Atlas that founde it. But too [Page lxxx] speake the trueth Noha was the first that made the shippe wherein he pre­serued from daunger of the water al the liuyng creatures that wer saued too multiplie the worlde: Noha made the first ship. and that was the patron that all other made their shippes after. Iason firste made the Galey, Galey. whiche Sefostris kyng of Egipt vsed after hym, and Erythaeus made the Barge with twoo ordre of Dores on a syde, Barges. Amocles or Corin­the, that with three course of Dores on a side: the Carthagiens, that with foure, & Helichthon of Salamis, that with fiue dores on a side, whiche the Romaines made in the firste battaill Punike Zenazoras Syracusane diui­sed that, with sixe rowe of dores. Hippius a Tyrian conceiued the makyng of the lighter or marchauntes shippe the Cirenens inuented the Noye or Gallion. Lighter. Howe. Keele. Brigantyne. Barke. Boates of one pece. Phoenicians the keele or de­mie barke, the Rhodians the brigan­tyne, Ciprians the barke. Germanes the boates of one pece, Illirians the Cocke boate or Lighters. Rudders wer founde by the Copians, and the broade Dores the Plataeans diuised. Sailes Icarus foūd, albeit Diodorus [Page] saieth it was Aeolus: Corke [...]oate. Rudders. Sayles. Maste. Crosse pece. Ferry boates Ancores. Daedalus fo [...]e the Maste, and the crosse pece where vnto the saile is fastened. Fery boa­tes the Atheniens or the Salaminiēs founde, close galeres were founde by the Thasians, the Tyrrhenes diuised y ^e ancores, and Eupalamius made it with twoo pointes or tethe, but some referre it to Anacharsis, whiche also inuented the Grapull or Tacle of a ship. Grapull. Stemine. Sterne The stemme of the ship Pisaeus imagened. Tiphys founde the strene after the example of the Kyte, whi­che in her fliyng turneth al her body with the turnyng of her taile. Minos made y ^e first battaill on the sea. Battaill on the sea. Marchādise. Mar­chandise was firste instituted for too certifie menne of necessaries, by the waie of exchange: but after, whē mo­ney was coyned, it was occupied more for mennes priuate welth then for any cōmon profite, and for y ^t cause Cicero calleth it a vile and seruile crafte. Philosophi­ers wer mar­chantes. Albeeit Plutarche witnesseth that Thales, Solō, Hippocrates, and Plato [...]erquented this art. The Car­tagiēs found it, Cartagiens firste mar­chantes. as Plinie writeth in the .vii. booke, but Diodorus saieth it was Mercurie that founde it. And [Page lxxxi] Plinie in the .x. booke saieth that Li­ber otherwyse called Dionisius inuē ted the trade of marchaūdise, Dionisius taught the trade of marchaundise. & ther­fore it is to be thought that the Car­tagiens lerned the cast of marchaun­dise of Dionisius. But the Hebrues (as Iosephus witnesseth) vsed biyng and sellyng in the tyme of Noe, Hebrues dyd bye and sel. & Io­seph was sold to marchauntes, & caried into Egypte. The Lidians were fyrst mercers & cariers abrob of stuffe as factours and brokers do with vs. Lidians. Mercers.

The .xii Chapiter. ¶Who instituted stewes, diyng of heare, barbours with other thinges.

VENVS, Venus a common woman which was begotten of the froth of the sea (as Poetes fame) was a common harlot, and brothel of her body, and had many children by sundry men, as by Mars she had Harmonia, by Mercury, Hermaphroditus, by Iupiter, Cupido, by Anchises, Aeneas: And bycause she alone wold not seme to be an hore, Stewes. she ordeyned in Cypres that women did prostitute thē selfes [Page] for mony to al that came. And Iustine telleth, that the maner of the maides of Cypres was to get their mariage good, Maydes of Cypres. by suche fylthy baudry. And to helpe furth the matter, one Melāpus brought out of Egypt into Grece the rites of Bacchus sacrifices, wherein men vse to company dissolutely with women in the nyght, Bacchanalia in suche wyse that it is shame for christen menne to speake of, muche like oure shewes or daunces called maskes in Englande & bonefyres, Maskes. Bonefyres. Spu. Post­humius abro­gated Bac­chus feastes. as they be vsed in some partes of the realme. But Spu. Post­humius, Albinus, and Q. Martius, abolyshed those feastes, I would all maskes and bonefyres were likewise banished from among vs christians. Albeit cōmon women wer long afore Venus tyme. Cōmon wo­men were of long tyme. For it appeareth in Ge­nesis, that Iudas sōne to Iacob med­led w ^t Thamer his doughter in law, bycause he supposed she had bene an hoore by reason of her apparel. But to let that passe, yet it is pytie to se a­mong christen men stewes & baudrye maynteyned, as though it were for a cōmon weale: & honorable matrimo­ny so neglected & polluted without any [Page lxxxii] feare of God. This is a doctrin of the deuil, if there be any. In Moses lawes an aduontrer was stoned to death, and in Grece, Punishment for aduoutry▪ in Rome and in Arabia, and diuerse other countries he was punished by deathe, & among christiēs it reigneth vnpunished: God wyl strike ones for al, therfore let the ministers of the law prouide a godly remedy. I would wishe that women would folowe the pagane Lucretia, or Hebrue Susanna, and men Ioseph, Lucretia. Susanna. Ioseph. Diyng of heare. Medea found the diyng and coloryng of heare, and our women of England haue not forgotten it, and beside that make their foreheades by theyr me­dicines broder then God made them, Brode fore­heades. with other enormities, wherein some of the phisicians be greatly to blame, that teache suche thynkes to y ^e frayle creature. Bunglyng Phisicians are blamed. They be ashamed of Gods creacion & handy worke in thē selues or els they would nor amend it.

Barbours to shaue and roūd, were instituted by the Abantes, Barbours. bycause theyr enemies in warre shoulde haue no occasion to plucke them by y ^• heare P. Ticinius Mena brought them in­to Rome the .CCC.liiii. yeare of the P. Ticinius Mena. [Page] buildyng of the cytie afore they were vnshauen. Africanus was wonte to be shauen euery day. There be many other thynges, Thynges whose auc­tours be not knowen. whose auctours for antiquitie can not be knowen, & some bicause of the negligence of men that wyl not write suche thinges.

As no man can tel who beganne cloc­kes, belles, the shypmans compasse, the gonnes styrops, cappes or bonet­tes, for that is but newely inuented: bycause in olde tyme men wente bare heade, Atheneus in the .iiii. booke sayeth that C [...]essebius a barboure of Alexandria foūd out the orgānes, and bringeth the testimony of Aristotle. water mylles, organnes, & claricymbals, talowcandels, re­claimyng of haukes, rynges, with many other, whiche for the auncientie, or o­uersight of men be in extreme o­bliuion.

The fyrst Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng, and encrease of Christes religion.

CHRISTES religion, Our religion beganne of the Hebrues. wherin onely resteth y ^e whole hoope of our saluacion, beganne of the He­brues, whiche were so named of Heber, and liued very deuoutly, afore there was any law written, onely by a natural inclinacion, & highe corage excited to ensue trueth and iustice.

The fyrst that called on the name of God, was Enos, then Enoche, Enos called fyrst on God. Noe And afther him Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, whiche bycause he had sene God was named Israel, Israel. and of him the Hebrues were surnamed Israeli­tes Of the issue and linage of his .xii. sonnes there came .xii. tribes or gene­rations of Iewes, xii. tribes. euery tribe bering the name of one of thē: Iob. Iob also was a perfecte godly man, albeit an hea­then, Ioseph. and Ioseph was a myrroure of [Page] chastitee. To these men the wyl, pro­mises, and reuelacions of God were shewed fyrst. Notwithstandyng thei dyd not long perseuer in that perfect innocencye of liuyng, but partly for theyr corruptible & poysoned nature prone to vice, and partly by reason of the acquayntaunce, that they had w ^t the Egyptians, Egiptians superstitiouse a kind of people very supersticiouse & geuen to muche Ido­latry, fel from the puritie into suche extreme blindnes of hart, ignoraūcie of God, & idolatry, that they differed in nothyng from the Gentiles & hea­then. But God, as he is al mercyful and long sufferyng, after .CC.v. yea­res that Israel came into Egypt, and cccc.xxx. yeares after Abrahams go­yng thither, by the valiaunt captayn Moses deliuered thē out of the thral dome and bōdage that they were in & brought them through the red sea & wyldernes, Moses deli­uered the Is­raelites from bondage. into the land of promise, the fruitful land of Canaan: And yet they vnkyndly forgat all those bene­fites, and returned to their old wret­chednes, and sinful abhominacions. Last of all, God cōsideryng y ^t neither lawe of nature, Gods mercy is shewed. nor lawe written, nor [Page lxxxiiii] his great benefytes, nor preachyng of sundry prophetes, whom thei most truelly muthered, could turne them from theyr stefnecked, and stubburne obstinacy: God is made man. To shewe al kyndnes pos­sible, sente his onely begotten sonne equal to him in essencial power, to be incarnate of a pure mayde, that at the laste they might by his example and prechyng haue an obedient heart towarde their creatour, whiche was borne (the yere of the world .v. thou­sande .C.xcix. and the .xli. yere of the reigne of Augustus Caesar) of the virgyn Mari to be oure sauiour, What yere Christ was incarnate. and in­tercessour for vs afore the iudgement seate of the father, as his name Ie­sus doth pretend vnto vs.

He by his example, teachyng, and miracles, shewed the pathe of salua­cion, Christ was persecuted to death. but they enuiousely dyd perse­cute him to the vile death of y ^e crosse: neuerthelesse by his diuine power he roase the third day in the .xviii. yere of Tiberius the emperour his reigne and after .xl. daies he ascended to the right hande of God, The yere of Christes deth & resurrection leauyng power and auctoritie with his Apostles to establishe the cōmon welth & religion [Page] of christians and the .x. day after his ascencion he sent the holy ghost into their heartes to strēgthen and teache thē al trueth: The holy gost is sent. This was .xxxiii. yeres & thre monthes after his incarnaciō. Thus oure religion had it oryginall, and the Apostles by their preachyng amplified & enlarged it very muche. For Peter fyrst preachyng to the Ie­wes in Hierusalem of the cruel mur­ther, that they had cōmitted against Christ Iesus, conuerted and baptised in one day thre .M. men and women. Peter conuerted, iii.M. And by the myracle of healyng the lame mā at the beautyful gate of the temple he stayed and confirmed them strongly in the fayth, albeit he suffe­red persecucion greatly for the same: And Stephyn for his faythful testi­mony was stoned to death. Stephyn is martyred. Philippe. Philip conuerted and baptised the Samari­tanes, and a certaine eunuche of Candaces quene of Ethiopia, the eunuch turned the quene with her famylye, and a great parte of that countree to the fayth of Christ. Men were fyrst called christians in Antioche. After in Antio­che the faythfull named them selues Christians.

Thomas preached to the Parthi­ans, [Page lxix] Mathew in Ethiopia, Thomas. Mathewe. Bartlemewe Andrewe. Bartho­lomew in Ynde, Andrew in Scytia, Iohn in Asia, Peter in Galatia, Pontus, & Capadocia. Peter was borne in Bethsaida a cytie of Galile, & bro­ther to Andrew. Peter bishop of Atioche. He was by shyppe of Anthioche .vii. yeares, and conuerted many people of Asia: and after went to Rome in the tyme of Claudius, & there shewed the Gospel with great encrease, at the same tyme Mari the virgine, Mari the virgyn died. and mother of oure sauioure Iesus Christ dyd chaunge her lyfe, and was Assumpted into the nombre of blessed spirites, whiche was the yere of our saluacion .xlvii. Not long after Paule beyng conuerted from his phantasticall tradicions to a preacher of Christes Gospel, Paule is conuerted. was brought to Rome, where he preached boldly the Gospel, notwithstandyng the great persecutions that he suffe­red for it, Paule was headed. Peter was crucified. and afterwarde suffered death by the way of headyng, at the cōmaūdement of Nero, the same day that Peter was crucified on a crosse. Thus dayly the cōgregacion of chri­stians encreased more and more, as the Actes of the Apostles and other [Page] histories doth declare at ful. Albeit there was great trouble and persecu­cion in euerye place, yet God by his power contrary to theyr expectacion turned theyr cruelnes to the furthe­raunce of his worde, confirmacion of the faythfull, and confusion of them that vsed tyranny.

The .ii. Chapiter. ¶The institucion of circumcision and baptisme.

GOD, whiche hadde made promyse to A­braham, y ^t he should be father of many nations, and that al the world should be bles­sed in his seede (that Christ) willyng to stay his farth in y ^e same promise appointed the couenāt of circumcision betwene him & Abra­ham: Circumcisiō. saiyng, euery male shalbe circū ­cised, and the fleshe of his fore skinne shalbe cut round about, for a signe of the leage & confederacy that I make with the. Abraham. circumcised. Vpon this cōmaundement Abraham then beyng .xcix. yeares of age dyd cut his fore skyn, & his sōne [Page lxx] Ismales beyng then .xii. yeares olde, whom he begatte by Agar his bond­mayde, and al his men seruauntes: For this cause (as s. Cyprian saieth) that he might haue the fyrste fruites of the blod, Why y ^e blod was shed. whiche should afterward shede his holy blod for the redempti­on of manye, yea of all that beleue in him. The fashion of it was to cut the fore skynne of a mānes yarde with a knyfe of stone, as God commaunded Iosue that he should make knyues of stone to circumcise all the Israeli­tes the second tyme, The second circumcision. and Moses dyd circumcise his children with a sharpe stone. Chrisostome calleth circumci­sion the fyrst and most auncient com­maundement, for there is no nacion, Circumcisiō. that gaue any preceptes or rules to lyue by afore Abraham or Moses: & therfore it is to be supposed that o­ther countries toke example at the Hebrues to circumcise their chyldrē, Other coun­tries do cir­cumcise. as the Pheniciens, and Arabiens, the Sarrocenes, the Ethiopians, the E­gyptiens, and the Colchians.

This circumcision of y ^e fleshe was a fygure to vs of the circumcision of the heart, What circū ­cision signi­fieth. and cuttyng away of al su­perfluouse [Page] luste, carnal desyres, and importeth a moderacion and mortifi­yng of the affectes & concupicences of the olde Adam I meane the sinnefull body: he that had not this signe was banished out of the nōber of the peo­ple of God, & had no par [...] in the pro­myses made to Abraham. Baptisme wherein is lefte to vs a significacion bothe of the mortificacion of y ^e fleshe and diyng to the world, Baptisme. that we may walke in a newe lyfe, and also of the washyng away of our sinnes by Christes blod, and is the token that we be of the body of the cōgregacion of the faythful, Iohn Bap­test auctoure of baptisme. was instituted by s. Iohn, sonne of zacharye, the .xv. yere of the Emperoure Tyberius reigne, in the wyldernes besyde the famoose riuer of Iordane, wher he baptised muche people. This baptisme and washyng was in the water to signifye the wa­shyng away of our sinnes that shuld be by Christ, whiche baptised in the holy ghost & fyre. There was signes of baptisme in the olde lawe, as the cloud, Signes of Baptisme. the red sea, y ^e riuer of Iordain. The fyrste that was christened of the heathen was Cornelius of Cesaria, [Page lxxi] and the eunuchus of quene Cādaces.

Christenyng of enfantes was insti­tute among vs, Christenyng of enfantes. as cyrcumcision of chyldren was of the Iewes celebra­ted the eight day. Iginius bishop of Rome ordeyned fyrste that chyldren, whiche should be Christened, should haue a godfather and a godmother, for to be wytnesse of the sacrament y ^t it was receiued. Godfather & godmother. And Victor bishop there dyd institute that one might be christened either by a lay man or wo­man in tyme of necessitie, When lay men may christen. bycause en­fantes were often in daunger. There be thre maner of baptismes (as Cy­prian diuideth it). One in water, Thre bap­tismes. wherof Iohn was auctour, another in the holy gost & fyre, wherof Christ was institutour, the third is in blod, wherein the children y ^t Herod slewe, were Christened. It was also the maner in old tyme, The olde cu­stome of baptisyng. that they whiche were growen in age should be bapti­sed in white apparel, and that was wont to be at Easter or Whitsonday only necessitie cōstrayned otherwise: In the meane tyme tyll those daies came, they were taught the misteries of the religion of Christ, whiche they [Page] should professe. Of that custome I suppose the sondaye after Easter is called the white sonday. Whitsonday

The .iii. Chapiter. ¶Of the priesthod of the Hebrues, and degrees of the same.

LYKE as in y ^e christen cō ­mon welth there be two sortes of men, one called the laytie, to whō apper­teyneth the ministracion of the publike wele, Laytie. and all temporl affayres: the other is the Clergie, to whō belongeth the cure & charge of ministryng y ^e word of God, Clergy. sacramentes, & other decent ceremo­nies: so in the olde lawe of y ^e Hebrues there were two iurisdictions, one of thē was capitaynes & gouernours of the cōmons: the other was the priest­hod that did offre vp the sacrifices, & other oblacions. Priesthod. Of this degree of priestes, Aaron and his sonnes were the fyrst, Aaron fyrst priest. ordeyned and cōsecrated by Moses at the cōmaūdement of God. The maner and fashion of halowing of thē and their vestures is declared at large in the booke of Exodus: As [Page lxxi] for Noe, whiche made the fyrst alter, Noe made the fyrst alter. Melchisedech, Abraham, Isaac and Iacob dyd make their offeryng ra­ther of a naturall deuocion then any priestly auctorytee. After that the Leuites whom we vse to cal deacons were created by Moses to minister & serue Aaron in al y ^e sacrifices, Leuites. to beare the arke and tabernacle, the holy vessels, and pitche the campe, and were discharged of al extreme affayres.

Nexte them were chosen the mini­sters, Ministers. whiche dyd make redye the sa­crifice, as Calues, Oxen, shepe with suche other thynges, at the cōmaun­dement of the Leuites, these we may cal subdeacons. Certeyne other were elected to light the tapers and lam­pes named accolytes. Subdeacons

The Sextyns or porters were ap­pointed to kepe out all prophane and vnclene people: Sextyns. And readers to prea­che and reade the law and prophetes on their sabboth daies. Readers.

There were moreouer chaunters & syngers to syng the Psalmes in the temple, Chaunters. whom Dauid and Asaph did institute.

Coniurars were ordeyned by Salomon Coniurars. [Page] to driue euil spirites out of men.

Al these offices went by succession, neither was one promoted frō one to another. Succession in priesthod. Thus was the leuitical priesthod appointed, whiche was but a signe & shadowe of thinges to come that is Christ, in whō resteth the per­fection and cōplete fulfillyng of the lawe.

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶Of our priesthod, howe it is double, what laiyng on of handes meaneth.

Christ auctor of our priest­hod. CHRIST Iesus our sauiour, whiche was kyng & priest after the order of Melchise­deche, in the newe te­stament hath institu­ted among vs a priest­hod to offre and do the functions of this newe law: And it is of two kyn­des or sortes. The one is a spirituall priesthod to offre spiritual sacrifices, Spiritual priesthod. in this kynde Christ offered and gaue vp him selfe a consummate oblacion for the sinnes of the whole world as Peter saieth, Christ died ones for our synnes, he beyng righteouse for vs [Page lxxxix] vnrighteous, that he might gyue vs vp to God mortified as touchyng the fleshe but liuyng in the spirite.

OF this priesthode bee all christen menne, All christen menne are priestes. whiche after the example of Christe muste offer our praiers, than­kes gyuyng, and oure bodies morti­fied: wee bee all of the degree of this kyngly presthode as Peter and also Ihon in the Apocalipse dooe beare witnesse.

THE seconde priesthode is a mi­nistery, Second prie­stehode is a ministery. that Christe did ordain folo­yng the ordre of the lawe, that wee might haue our teachers to enstructe vs in the Gospell, as the Iewes had their scholemasters in the lawe. He did elect twelue bishoppes, whom he called by a newe name Apostelles bi­cause thei wer appoincted to bee em­bassadoures into all partes of the worlde, Apostles. with the mightie woorde of his power the glad tidynges of his Gospell. He assigned also .lxx. disci­ples, Discip [...]s. to whō he gaue the charge and office of preachyng & teachyng, whi­che in steade of Aarōs sonnes, should be emong vs as inferior priestes, Priestes. and s [...]oures of congregacions: and of [Page] these beganne the ordre of our Prie­stes, Bishoppes. as our bishoppes had their ori­ginall of the Apostelles. As for the Apostelles and disciples, whiche wer ministers and disposers of the miste­ries of GOD, had no other maner of consecratyng, but onely the vocacion and eleccion of Christe into the office And so was Mathias chosen in the Actes into y ^e roume of Iudas, The maner of consecratyng in the apostles time so wer the seuen deacons chosen to minister too the poore people of the congrega­cion. And Titus did chose in euery toune and citee of Crete priestes by the laiyng on of handes, whiche was a maner of admission withoute any further ceremonies, Laiyng on of handes. wherby authori­tie was gyuen them ouer the congre­gacion, and boldnes to execute erne­stely his office with the assistence of the holy ghoste. And therefore in the beginnyng of the churche when a bi­shoppe was consecrated there was vsed no other rites or amabges, The fashion of the prima­tyue churche. but onely the people, to whō the eleccion of the bishop belonged, should praie: and after the senioures or priestes by laiyng on their hādes admitted hym too that degree. Of these Peter was [Page lxxxx] called chief and first bicause bothe of his auncientie, and also for somuche as he was firste elected. A bishoppes office. A bishoppes roume is not somuche an honour, as it is an heuye burden, not so muche a laude, as a lode. For his deutie is not onely to weare a mitre and crosear, but also to watche ouer the flocke of the Lorde vigilantly, to teache with the woorde diligently, with example honestly, and in all thynges too go a­fore theim vprightly, and leade them in the waie of trueth, that thei maie folowe the patron of his Godly ly­uyng, and there as it were in a myr­roure beholde howe thei oughte too refourme and confourme their ly­uyng. Scripture [...]e­reth these. And this office of the bishop­ricke & deacons wer instituted by the scripture onely, for priestes in y ^e pri­matiue churche & bishops wer al one

BVT the bishoppes of Rome fo­lowyng the shaddowes of the olde abrogate lawe of the Hebrues haue ordained a swarme of diuerse other orders, as porters, or sextens, Rome made mo orders. reders exorcistes, accollites, subdeacōs, dea­cons, pristes, bishoppes, archebishop­pes, as a certain degree one aboue a­nother, [Page] wherby thei should assend to the highest dignitie. Caius bishoppe Rome did begyn the orders firste, yet some saie: Iginius did ordayne those degrees long afore Caius tyme. And I graunte well that Iginius mighte bee the first diuiser of theim, Iginius did diuise firste orders. & after­warde Caius accōplished the worke, & brought it to a finall consūmacion.

The office of a prieste. THE office of a priest (as Christe ordained it) was too teache, baptise, and minister the Sacramente of the alter, and thankes gyuyng, bynd and lose, and iudge of doctrynes. There­fore, lette theim take hede that admit suche too bee priestes, as cannot per­fourme the deutie of the ministery. For many suppose if thei can mum­ble vp a paire of Matyns and saye Masse thei bee perfecte priestes.

The .v. Chapiter. ¶The maner of shauyng priestes crou­nes, who maie no [...] be prieste, what age he muste bee of.

THE common and gene­rall badge of al Priestes is y ^e shauen croune, The shauen croune is the prestes badge wher by the Clergie is desse­uered from the Layitee, [Page lxci] and bee putte in remembraunce by it how thei ought all together to relin­quishe and dispise all carnall plea­sure, and worldely treasure, and en­sue after heauenly thynges, whiche bee eternall. This as Beda writeth, Occacion of shauyng crounes. grewe into a custome, and was de­creed by a constitucion, to the entente that the thyng whiche was before approbrious, might growe to honour and comelines. For Peter what time he preached at Antioche, Peter was mocked for his baldnesse was scor­ned and mocked bycause of his balde hedde, or shauen croune, and it was a contumeliouse thyng bothe emong the Romaynes and Lumbardes too bee shauen. I thynke the originall cause of it did proceade of the cere­monies of the Nazarees, Shauē crou­nes came of the Nazarees which whē thei had liued lōg tyme) as Iosephus telleth verie deuoutly), thei shaued their heddes and sacrificed the heire in the fire too God whereby thei sy­gnified that thei did dedicate theim selfes wholy to liue in a Godly per­feccion. Samuel was a Nazaree, and Samson also. I suppose, Priestes of Egipte wer shauen. that this rite of the Nazarees came oute of E­gipte where the Priestes were custo­mably [Page] shauen in token of sorowe and heuinesse for the deathe of their God Apis. And thei were also shauen dai­ly bycause thei should bee withoute filth in their quoridian sacrifices.

THE significacion of the priestes crounes is to declare that thei ought to reiecte terrene and yearthely sub­staunce, What the croune signi­fieth. reseruyng to theimselfes on­ly a compitente sufficience. Anacletus forbade prie­stes too haue beardes. Siricius de­cree of theim y ^t were twyse maried. Lame mēne maie not be priestes. Anacle­tus first forbad priestes to haue bear­des, or long side heire.

Siricius decreed that all those men that were twyse maried, or wedded a widdowe should bee no prieste. A­nastasius cōmaunded that none that was lame or maymed should bee ad­mitted to bee a priest. Bonifacius in­stituted that no manne could bee a priest afore he wer thirty yeres olde, The age of priestes. for that was the age of pristes in the olde lawe: But the counsail of Late­rane thought it sufficient if he were xxv. yeres olde, after the example of the Leuites, whiche at that age ministred in the tabernacle. Stallyng a bishoppe. Anacletus al­so appoyncted that euery Bishoppe should bee stalled and consecrated of their other auncient bishoppes.

¶The .vi. Chapiter. ¶Who diuised Parishes, and Dioceses the order of Cardinalles, Notaries and Chamberlaynes.

AFTER that the priesthod was ordai­gned, bothe least the cure should bee ouer greate, and also that euery manne mighte know what his charge was, and how farre his office ex­tended, Dionisius. Dionisius y ^• yere of our lorde cc.lxvii. deuided bothe in Rome and other places, churches, Churches. Churcheyar­des. churcheyar­des, and parishes to curates, and dio­ceses to bishoppes, and commaunded that euery manne should bee conten­ted with his prescript bondes. Parishes. Dioceses. But a fore that Euaristus appoin [...]ted titles of cures to y ^e priestes in Rome, whose dutie was to christen all that wer cō ­uerted from Paganisme to christē re­ligion, Cures in Rome. and resorted thither to receiue the faith, and to bury the dedde. And afterwarde Marcellus decreed that there should bee .xxv. in number. Cardinalles,

THESE bicause thei wer y ^e chief priestes in Rome, and had the prero­gatiue [Page] afore the rest wer named Car­dinalles and of them without doubt the ordre of Cardinalles sprong first whiche for somuche as thei were in daiely presence with the bishoppe of Rome, that then had the primacie of christendome, wer had in great repu­tacion and reuerence. And Innocen­cius the fourth of that name, Innocencius whiche was aboute the yere of our lorde. M twoo hundred fiftie and foure, wil­lyng to augmente and auaunce their dignity, Cardinalles ride. commaunded by decree, that from thencefurthe thei should ryde when thei came to the bishoppes pa­lace, Cardinall hattes. and were a redde hatte, wherby was mente that thei oughte to bee in ar [...]dinesse too auenture theimselfes for the lawe of religion, and spende their bloudde in Christes cause: And Paulus bishoppe ordained that thei should haue scarlet roabes or kittel­les. Scarlet roa­bes. This order standeth of three sor­tes, for some bee bishoppes and be in numbre sixe. The Cardinalles of Hostia, Order of car­dinalles. Sabine, Portua, Tuculane, Prae­nestine, and Albane, the other were either priestes or deacons, albeeit, in no certain or speciall numbre. But [Page xciii] there is another order in Roome of Notaries, Notaries. Who orday­ned notaries. whiche were appoyneted by Iulius the firste of that name, too write the actes of all godly martyrs, and confessoures and registre theim for a perpetual example of constante & verteous liuyng: Albeeit, I thinke it rather to bee the inuencion and di­uise of Clemente, whiche ordained seuen Notaries too enrolle the nota­ble deedes of Martyres. And Anthe­rius after did more firmely ratify it. Also Leo the firste a godly and well disposed manne, seyng the people re­paire thither from all partes of the worlde for pardon, appoyncted cer­tain officers of the priestes, whom he named Chamberlaynes, Chamberlai­nes. too kepe the toumbes and sepulchres of the Apo­stelles and Martyres, that thei per­ceiuyng the holy reuerēce aboute the Apostelles graues mighte bee more enflammed with deuocion.

BVT all suche offices bee nowe peruerted and turned frō that godly purpose to vain worldely osten­tacion and pompe, Offices bee sold in Rome & bee redy marchandise in Rome, the promocions be so great.

❧The .vii. Chapiter. ¶The prerogatiues of the bishoppe of Roome and his eleccion.

ONE special preroga­tyue and preuiledge of y ^e bishopp of Rome is, The bishoppe of Rome mai chaunge hys name. y ^t he maie chaunge his name, if it seme to hym not very plea­saunte too his ear [...]s: As if it bee a malefactor, he maie call his name Bonifacius, if he bee a co­ward, he maie be called Leo, for a carter Vrbanus, and for a cruell manne, Clemens. This was the ordinaunce of Sergius, Sergius inuē ted the chaū ­gyng of his name. and thei saie thei dooe it after the example of Christe, whiche chaunged Simon Bariona his name into Peter: And of this it came too passe that euery bishoppe, when he was elected, chose the name of one of his predicessoures.

Bishoppes of Rome be borne on mennes shulders. THE bishoppe of Rome is also borne on mennes shulders, whiche custome came of the eleccion of Ste­phanus the seconde, whom the peo­ple for his greate vertue, and godli­nesse, with muche ioye of the eleccion bare on their shulders: The maner [Page xciiii] of the pompe of bearyng was admit­ted, but the counterferryng, and fo­lowyng of his vertue and syncere li­uyng was omitted. Albeeit it mighte spryng of a gentle custome, that was [...]mong the Romaines, that euery ri­che manne or highe potestate should bee borne of h [...]s seruauntes in a bed.

THE authoritee too chose the bi­shoppe of Rome belonged firste too the Emperoure of Constantinople, Eleccion of the bishoppe of Rome. & the deputie of Italy, till the tyme of the Emperour Constantyne, whiche licenced the Cardinalles and the people of Rome to elect hym. This was aboute the yere of Christ, cccccc. foure score & fiue. The Empire is remoued in to Fraūce by bishoppes of Rome. A fewe yeres after Gre­gory the thirde with other his suc­cessoures, when thei were vexed by the Lumberdes, seyng thei could not haue redy helpe of the Emperoure of Cōstantinople, required aide of Charles Marcel [...]e, Pippin, and Charles the great kyng of Fraunce. For whi­che benefites Leo the thirde made and denounced Charlemayne Em­peroure, and gaue hym authoritee to ratify and confirme the elecciō of the bishop of Rome: but Nicolas y ^e secōd [Page] restrayned the eleccion onely too the Cardinalles, The cardinalles chose hym nowe. whiche custome remai­neth at this daie.

THE greate possessions that the bishoppes of Rome hath contrary to the example of Christe, whose vicars thei name theimselfes, and Peters pouertie their predecessoure, wer gy­uen them by Charles and Lewes emperoures. Charles gaue the lādes to y ^e sea of Rome. And yet, notwithstandyng all that large benignitee, and kynde­nesse shewed too hym and his aunce­toures, Otho a Ger­main is made Emperoure. Ihon the twelfe made Otho kyng of Germany Emperoure and afterward Gregori the third a Ger­maine borne, bycause too gratifie the Emperoure his countree manne, decreed that the bishoppes of Ma­gunce, Treuerence, and Colyne, the Merques of Brandbrough, Princes Ele­ctoures. Decre by the Bishoppe of Roome. the countie Palatyne, Duke of Saxone, and Kyng of Boemie should haue ful po­wer to chose the Emperoure. Aboute the yere of our Lorde one thousande and twoo.

THVS the bishoppes of Roome haue been enhaunced in worldly po­wer that thei thynke theimselfes e­quall with Princes, Kynges and [Page xcv] Emperoures: But as it was falsely vsurped, so shall it by the woorde of GOD bee roted out and extirped as an vnprofitable tree.

The .viii. Chapiter. ¶The deuidyng of Priestes into sūdry degrees, a maner of swe­ryng, and excomunicacion.

GREGORY surnamed the greate, where afore tyme, Priestes and chiefe Priestes were onely vsed in the congregacion, first deuided theim into Patriarches and Archebishoppes. Patriarches at the firste were of Roome, Antioche, Patriarches Ale­xandrie, Hierusalem, and Constanti­nople: Archbishoppes had their title to bee called Metropolitaines, Archebishop­pes. by­cause their sea was in the mother ci­tee of the prouence. Clement the first ordaigned that all Patriarches, and Archbishoppes should weare a paule whiche dooth signifie mekenesse and iustice, The paule is decreed to the patriarches. wherwith thei should special­ly bee garnished. Then also the infe­rior orders begonne too bee deuided, Archdeacons. as that the Archedeacon should bee [Page] [...] [Page xciiii] [...] [Page] [...] [Page xcv] [...] [Page] aboue Deacon, and Arche-prieste a­boue the prieste, and ouer theim the Deanes, and then wer ordained can­nons, that syng in cathedrall chur­ches Antherius permitted that a bi­shoppe might chaunge his bishoppe­ricke, Chaungyng of bishoppri­ckes. for another vpon an honeste cause, if he wer thought sufficient to discharge a greater, for his learnyng and Godlinesse. Caius firste made a statute, that a prieste might not bee conuented afore a temporall iudge: A priest might not bee con­uented. but least any manne should bee circū uēted by fraude or gyle, Entichianus instituted that the accusacion should bee putte in writyng afore the iudge. Likewise Cornelius decreed that a manne should not take or require an othe of a priest: but onely in matters concernyng our religion and faithe. An oth might not bee required of a priest

THE maner of swearyng was in old time of this sorte: He that should sweare, tooke a stone in his hande, & saied, if I deceiue you to my know­ledge, The maner of swearyng. Iupiter banishe me out of all good mēnes compaignie, preseruyng the reste of the citee, as I cast awaie this stone from me. And (as Plinie dooeth write) it was not lawfull for [Page xcvi] any manne too beare an office fiue daies onlesse he wer sworne. In like maner our bishoppes, kynges, Prie­stes, and other officers sweare afore the [...] bee admitted to the office.

Iustinianus emperour appoyneted firste that menne should sweare by the Gospell, Sweryng by the Gospell. and now a daies al that sweare laie their hande on the booke and kisse it saiyng, so helpe me God and the holy Gospell, bycause as the Gospell of our religion and faithe maie for no cause bee violated, so an othe in no case maie bee broken.

THE fashion of excomunicatyng menne that bee obstinate and dissobediente too the officers: Excomunicacion. Or common transgressours came, as some thinke out of the rites of the Iewes, whiche banished out of their Sinagoge all those that ranne in obstinacy against their tradicions.

AND some suppose it sprong of the religiouse folcke in Fraunce na­med Druides, Druides. whiche (as Caesar re­cordeth) If ether a priuate mā or officer wer not cōformably ordered after their ceremonies, excluded hym out [Page] of their compaignie.

The .ix. Chapiter. ¶Consecratyng Nunnes, takyng of our cappes, kissyng the Popes feete, and washyng of feet.

Nunnes. THE custome to conse­create Virgyns ma­kyng a vowe of cha­stitee was first found by Pius the first whi­che instituted▪ also y ^t none should bee made afore she were twenty and fiue yeres olde: The age of Nunnes at their profes­sion. The tyme of professyng. and that thei mighte bee conse­crated at no tyme but in the Epipha­nie or twelfe daie, Easter euen and on the feastes of the Apostelles oules it were when any vnprofessed wet in poyncte to die. And Sotherus caused that a decre was made that no suche professed should touche coape, Nunnes might touche no coape nor encense. When it be­ganne. or put e [...]sence into the Censoures, the yere of our Lorde GOD an hundred thre score and fiftene: It semeth too haue begonne of the Apostelles, whiche is proued by Paules woordes, wher he saieth: Lette no widdowe bee cho­sen afore she bee three score yeres of age with diuerse like saiynges. [Page xcvii] Linus byshoppe of Rome commaun­ded that no woman should entre into the congregacion or temple with her heade bare, Women may not be bare headed in the churche. whiche appereth to haue bene taken of the Hebrues: for the bi­shoppe in the olde lawe might not vncouer his head, and in Arabia & Car­tage it was takē for an vnhonest, and vnreuerent thyng if a woman should vncouer her head & go bare. The ta­kyng offe of our cappes to our superiours signifieth y ^t wee should disclose and shewe them all suche thynges as we haue in our custodie. Takyng offe of cappes. The rite diabolike of kissyng the byshoppe of Romes feete, tooke it originall of the maner of the Romaynes, whiche in their Paganite vsed to kisse the feete of their priestes and other nobles, Kissyng the bishop of Romes feete. in token of obedience: as Seneca telleth howe Caius Caesar stretched out his left foote that Pompeius a Cartha­gien might kisse it: Pōponius Laetus writeth that the Emperours vsed to gyue their handes to be kyssed of the nobles, and then to take them vp to kysse their mouthes, and the cōmons kyssed their knees, but Caius Cali­gula and Dioclesianus made them to [Page] stoupe to their feete. This Pagane example oure christen bishop and God­des vicar, ful vngodly and vngoodly doeth counterfet. Al other bishoppes vsed to deliuer their right hand to be kyssed of suche as came to salute them: Right hande. for the right hande, as Plinie saieth in the leuenth booke, hath in it selfe a certain religion, and therefore we make all couenaunces and promi­ses with it. Salutyng with kisses. The maner of salutyng with kysses is verie auncient, for it was the vsage of the Hebrues to kisse straungers at their fyrst metyng, as Iacob kyssed Rachel afore he broke vnto her that he was of her kyndred, and Laban, after he knewe him to be his sisters sonne, embraced him with his armes & kissed him. And the Ro­maynes custome was to kysse theyr kinsfolke, but afterward it was extē ded to further familiaritie, & is now frequented very laciuiously. Albeit in Rome it was an ordinaunce that women should kysse their kinsefolke bycause that yf she had dronke any wyne, Law for drinkyng wyne. contrarie to the lawe made a­gainst the women for drinkyng of wyne, by suche meanes she might be [Page xcviii] espied. Washyng of feete on maū ­dy thursday. Washyng of feet on Maun­dye thursday, that the priestes vse among them selfes, and nobles to in­feriour persons, is a counterfeete of the institute of Chryste, whiche to shew them a patron of humilitie and mekenesse, washed the Apostles feet. The kynges and quenes of England on y ^t day▪ washe the feete of so many poore menne and women as they be yeres olde, Kynges and Quenes of England. and geue to euery of them so many pence with a gowne, and an other ordinary almes of meate, and kysse their feete, and afterward geue their gownes of their backes to them that they se most nedy of al the nom­ber. It is a godly institute, I would there were mo suche ceremonies to helpe the poore. For they be now ne­glected & not regarded, but lye dead often in the stretes for lacke of suste­naunce.

The .x. Chapiter. ¶The institucion of priestes called Flamines, with other religions of the Romaynes.

[Page] NVMA Pompilius the seconde kyng of Rome, willyng to reclayme y ^t fierse nacion frō warre and chiuarie, to the re­garde of iustice, and ke­pyng of peace ordayned to the highe God Iupiter a sacred persone called Flamen Dlalis, Flamen Dialis. that is Iupiters priest And to aduaunce the order he set him in a chariot of Iuorie, and a costely robe: but so sone as his wife was di­sceased he was discharged and gaue ouer his office. He neuer rode out nor might not lie one night out of y ^e citee, lest any sacrifices shuld be neglected by suche absence. Sweryng was cleane forboden him, bycause an othe is a maner of punishement to any fre borne manne, and namely to a priest whiche hath charge of all diuine obseruaunces: For his worde should haue the weight of an othe. I would wishe y ^t our bishoppes would marke and folowe bothe those properties of these Heathe [...] religiouse for then the state of our religion should be in bet­ter case then it is, and other would not enforse so lightely a priest to the [Page xcix] necessitie of an othe, whiche should haue no other termes, but yea & naye to confirme or denie their saiyng. Beside this Flamen, y ^t was called Dia­lis bicause he was consecrated to Iu­piter, there were by the same Numa ordeyned two other, one to Mars and another to Quirine, albeit Plutarche saieth it was Romulus that institu­ted priestes to Iupiter and Mars. Virgyns vestals were of his bringyng in also, Vestals. and founded in honour of Vesta daughter to Saturnus. The fyrst that euer was chosen in to y ^e religion, was called Amata, Amata. and of her al were na­med, likewyse, a mayde might not be vnder sixe yeres of age, nor aboue ten if she were created of this religion. These continued in their profession xxx. yeres, whereof the fyrst ten they spent in learnyng the rites, the other ten they ministered, & the last of their yeres they taught other nouices, and when her terme of yeres was expired she might marie, or tarie in that reli­gion styl. They were foūd at the charges of the common cheste, and yf any of them committed any carnall acte with any man, she was borne in the [Page] sight of all the people out of the cytie and at the gate named Collina was buried quicke. They roade in a wagō and other magistrates roase to them, and if they came by in tyme of execu­cion, the condemned was quite deli­uered. Pontifex maximus. This religion begāne at Alba by the institucion of Ascanius, & was renued in Rome by kyng Numa. A highe bishoppe was also deuised by him to haue the chiefe stroke in al ce­remonies of sacrificyng, and he pre­scribed the daies and places, of sacri­fices and in what fourme thei should be done. He ordeined also to gradiuus Mars twelue priestes named Salii, Salii. bi­cause they daunsed in a solemne ma­ner, and went aboute the cytie with songes: they weare a brodered coate, with a brasen brestplate, and a round tergate. It semeth that Numa toke this rite of the Hebrues, for Dauid went afore the Arke of the lorde daū ­sing. Heraldes of armes whiche wer called Facialis Sacerdotes were in­uented by him to haue charge to pro­uide that no battaile were vniustely taken in hande, Faciales Sacerdotes. they also made lea­gues, stablished peace, or if it wer not [Page C] duely made he myght breke it, & offer oblacion, for the offences of the capi­tain and the whole armye. Pater Pa­tratus. Pater Pa­tratus was an officer that made all leagues or bondes, and was created by y ^e Heraldes, as Marcus Valerius first Herald ordeined Spurius Fusius fyrst into y ^e offyce of Pater Patratus. After the expulsyng of kynges, was an office called Rex Sacrificulus ap­poincted, Rex Sacrifi­culus. whiche should do all suche customable obseruaunces as the kin­ges should do, albeit he was vnder y ^e high priest or bishoppe, the fyrst that did beare that office was Marcus Pa­pyrius. Epulones. Epulones had the office of appointyng feastes and solemne ban­kettes to Iupiter & the other god­des: Sodales Titii. these were also called So­dales Titii, whiche were or­dayned by Romulus after he ioyned felowshyp with Titus Tatius.

The fyrst Chapiter. ¶Of the deckyng of churches on holy daies, offeryng of Images of waxe and tables of miracles, solemni­syng first masses of priestes.

THERE be many supersticious customes crepte in among the Christen con­gregacion, whi­che came of a gē ­tile opinion: & bi­cause they could not altogether be a­bolished and extirped, at the lest way they were transposed to a better vse, and remoued from Idolatrie to the garnishyng of churches and temples of the faithful people. Deckyng of churches. As trimmyng of the temples with hāgynges, flou­res boughes, and garlo [...]des, was ta­ken of y ^e heathen people, whiche dec­ked their Idols & houses with suche array. Offeryng Images of waxe or ta­pers. In like maner it is to be thought of the rite of hangyng vp I­mages of waxe, & tapers afore sain­ctes, or as aften as any membre is di­seased, [Page lCi] to offre the same in waxe, as legges, armes, feete, pappes, oxen, horse, or shepe, whiche were hāged vp in the churche afore that saincte, by whom (as they beleued (they had ob­taigned health of the sayd membre or beast: For this came of an olde Pay­nyme fashion of sacrifices, that the Paganes offered to Saturnus & Plu­to in an Isle of Italy named Cotyl­lia, wherof I spake afore. I thynke the beryng of candels, that we vse on the feast of the Purificacion of oure Lady called Candelmasday, Candelmasse day. came of this gentile rite also, that in burnyng them we might worship the sainctes as they honoured their false God Saturne. Lampes. Hangynges. Lightes. Writyng ta­bles of mira­cles. It semeth that lampes & hangyng lightes beganne of the candels that Moses set vp to burne in the ta­bernacle. The fastenyng vp of tables wherin the miracles are written for a monumente and testimony to the po­sterite, came of a custome, as Strabo writeth, that is vsed in Grece, where the maner is, that whosoeuer was re­leued of any sickenesse or maladye, should hang vp a table conteignyng the recouerye of his health, in the tē ­ple [Page] of that God that had preserued him, and specially there were many set vp in Aesculapius temple at Epi­daurus. The vse of feastyng on holy daies, Fyrst Masse of priestes. and at the fyrst Masse of prie­stes was borowed also of Gentilitee, whiche honored the day of consecra­tyng their religiouse as solemnely, as the day of their natiuite, with de­noute and religiouse breakfastes and feastes, callyng it the natiue daye of theyr sacred parsonages: wherof A­puleius, maketh mencion. And it is a good vsage, bycause the daye of the birth bringeth but onely life, the day of consecratyng a priest bryngeth or els ought to procure a good and god­ly life. D [...]inkyng on Maundy thursday. Albeit on Maunday thursday hath bene the maner from the begin­nyng of the church to haue a general drinkyng, as appeareth by s. Paules writyng to the Corinthians, & Tertuliane to his wyfe.

The .ii. Chapiter. ¶The maner of castyng mony to the peo­ple, Newyeres giftes, daunsyng, Ma [...] ­yng, Christenmas lordes.

[Page Cii] IT smelleth also of gē tilite, that the bishop of Rome, emperours, and Kynges at theyr coronacion are wont [...]o scatre mony amōg the commons, Castyng of mony abrode & make royall feastyng, whiche is a pretence or comforte of the benificence or libe­ralitie, that is to come afterwarde. For the old Romaynes vsed the same order and institucion in their trium­phes, games, and funeral, as Sueto­nius recordeth. Newe yeres gyftes. Geuyng of newyeres giftes had it original there likewyse for Suetonius Tranquillus repor­teth that the knightes of Rome gaue yerely on the calendes of Ianuary a presēt to Augustus Caesar, although he were absent. Whiche custome re­mayneth in England, for the subiec­tes send to their superiours, and the noble personages geue to the kynges some great gyftes, and he to gratifye their kyndenesse doeth liberally re­warde them with some thyng again. But I commende more the maner of the Italians, The lauda­ble maner of the Italians. for there the richest and most noble geue to the poore in­feriours, [Page] it is a significacion of good & prosperous fortune of al the whole yere then folowyng.

Daunsyng. THE vse of daūsyng Liuie saieth came from the Hetruscanes to Rome whiche we exercise muche on holye daies as they did, not without slaun­der of our religion, and hurte and da­mage of chastitee, as for maskes they be so deuilishe that none honesty can be pretended to coloure them: Maskes. Za­charias bishoppe of Rome made a de­cree against it, but that auaileth no­thyng. At the calendes of Maie the youthe aswell menne as women are wonte to go a maiyng into the feldes and bryng home boughes & floures to garnishe their houses and gates, Maiyng. and in some places the churches, whiche fashion is deriued of the Romay­nes, that vse the same to honor their godesse Flora with suche ceremonies whom thei named godesse of fruites.

Christenmas lordes. THE christenmas lordes, that be cōmonly made at the natiuitee of our lorde, to whom all the housholde and familie with the master him self must be obedient, began of the equabilitie that the seruauntes had with their [Page Ciii] masters in Saturnus feastes, that wer called Saturnalia: wherin the seruaū tes haue like autorite with their ma­sters duryng the tyme of the sayde feastes.

And this furnishyng of our bellies with delicates, Fastins euen. that we vse on fastin­gham tuiesday, what tyme some eate tyl they be enforsed to forbeare all a­gain, sprong of Bacchus feastes, that were celebrated in Rome with great ioy and deliciouse fare.

AND oure Midsomer bonefyres may seme to haue comne of the sacri­fices of Ceres goddese of corne, Bonefyres. that menne did solemnise with fyres, tru­sting therby to haue more plenty and aboundance of corne: And the disgui­syng and mummyng that is vsed in christenmas tyme in the Northe par­tes came out of the feastes of Pallas, Disguisyng. that were done with visars and painted visages named Quinquatria of the Romaynes.

The .iii. Chapiter. ¶The maner of annoyntyng priestes, kynges,, them that be christened, confirmed or sore sicke.

[Page] WHAT TYME Moses had buylded the tabernable, he was cōmaunded to make a confection of holy oyntmēt, wher­with bothe y ^e worke, the vessels, priestes, and also kynges whiche be called to that office or dig­nitie, Kynges and priestes were anoynted. ought to be enoyled: So that it came to passe that the annoyntyng was the very token & difference wherby kynges were knowen among the Hebrues, Anointyng is the token of kynges. Purple robe is the diffe­rence of the Emperoure. Aaron and Saul fyrst anoynted. as y ^e Emperours in Rome were knowen by their purple robes. Aaron and his sonnes were the fyrst annoynted priestes, and Samuel e­noyled Saul fyrst kyng ouer Israel, and so consequentely it grewe into a custome that priestes & kynges were annoynted. By whiche thyng is sig­nified that they be specially fauored of God, and like as oyle lyeth a lofte on the water, The nature of oyle. or other liquore, so the offyce of a Priest and dignitie of a Prince surmoūteth all other degrees of ministers, both y ^• in actiue and also contemplatiue lyfe.

[Page Ciiii] Siluester bishoppe of Rome orday­ned fyrst that al that were christened, churches, and chalices should be an­noynted with oyle. Our oyle, Anoyntyng of children christened, Churches, Chalices. The cōfecti­on of our oile that is nowe vsed is made of oyle Oliue, and natural Balme, Fabianus com­maunded that it should be renewed euery Maundy thurseday.

Clemente the fyrste ordayned that all children and other that were chri­stened should be annoynted agayne with Crisme, and he instituted also the sacrament of Confirmacion, Chrisme. Cōfirmacion sup­posyng that no manne were a perfect christen manne, yf that rite and cere­monye were by negligence omitted. For this cause, that the holy Ghost might more plentyfully be geuen to them by the handes of the bishop.

This thyng beganne of the exam­ple of the Apostles, whiche sent Pe­ter & Iohn into Samarie to lay their handes on them, that they might re­ceyue the holy Ghost. It is onely mi­nistered by a byshoppe in this wyse, The maner of confir­myng. fyrst he asketh the name of the child & then maketh the signe of the crosse in his forehed with the C [...]isme: saiyng, I signe the with the token of y ^e crosse [Page] and confirme the with the crisme of saluacion. In the name of the father the sonne and the holye ghost, y ^t thou maye be replenished with the holye spirite and haue euerlastyng life, so­beit. And then he smiteth the cheke of the child softely, but if it be of a great age, he geueh a sharpe stroke, that he may remembre that misterie, saiyng, peace be with the. Felix. Felix the fourth did institute that suche aswere in ex­tremes should be enoyled, folowyng the example of the Apostles, Exteme vnction. whiche, as Marke witnesseth, cured manye diseases by annoyntyng them, and saint Iames speaketh of a like thing in his Epistle.

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of mariage of priestes, when it was forboden, with other lawes touchyng mariage.

MOSES the minister of God amonst the Israe­lites, whiche were desirouse to augmente and amplifie their issue, or­dayned that all menne indifferently, as well priestes as laie [Page Cv] people should take wifes, least the debarryng theim from Matrimonie, might bee occasion of greater enor­mitie and inconueniencie emong thē. Albeeit bycause of the dignitie of the order of priesthode he made restraint that thei should mari none, Whē a priest mighte not mary. that was taken prisoner, bonde woman, or de­uorsed from their former houseban­des, and the bishoppes might not bee maried but too maydes. As concer­nyng our priesthod, Siluester. Bishoppes maried maides. A priest might but mary on [...] Siluester the first after the texte of sainct Paule, com­maunded that a prieste should mary but one wife, and after to liue sole a­lone: As Paule had a wife, as maie appeare in his Epistles too the Phi­lippians and Corinthians. And Cle­ment bishoppe of Alexandria and I­gnatius whiche was in Paules time witnesse thesame. Paule.

PETER and Philip had wifues and doughters, Peter & Phi­lip had wifes whom thei bestowed honestly in mariage to housebandes. And sainct Peter seyng his wife led to death for the profession of Christe, with greate reioyce of her constancie saied, wife remembre the lorde. This ordre the Grekes, and all the Easte [Page] partes of Christendome vse, whiche would not consent to the counsail of Nice, wherein it was propounded that the priestes should forsake their wifes: Panu [...]ius withstode the counsaill of Nice. And namely Panutius the ho­ly and chaste bishoppe that came out of the borders of Egipte withstoode that decre very earnesty. Siricius the first forbade the priestes of the West parties and deacōs to mary, the yere of our Lorde thre hundred thirty and seuen. He instituted also that he that either wedded a widdowe, or tooke a second wife, could not be made priest. Pelagius the second enforsed the subdeacons, Subdeacons forsake their wifes. to forsake their wifes. And Gregorius, bicause he thought it vi­olent to deuorce theim ordained that from his tyme none should bee sub­deacon on lesse he vowed chastitee be­fore. Notwithstandyng the lawes a­fore made toke no effect emōg y ^e prie­stes of the Weste parties vntill the tyme of Gregory the seueth whiche was the yere of our lorde .M.lxxiiii. Gregory sta­blished the single life of pri­stes.

AND here Polydore protesteth that the syngle life of priestes dooeth more harme to the religion, shame to the ordre, and griefe to honest menne, [Page Cvi] then their constrained chastite profi­teth: if thei wer restored to the liber­tie, and chose it were no preiudice to the christen common wealth, and ho­nesty for the ordre. In the beginnyng menne maried their sisters and kins­women, Degrees of kindred in­hibited. but Moses restrained theim of the Hebrues from the first and se­conde degrees, and Fabianus forbad the third and fourth whiche custome stādeth now in effect. Theodorus did inhibite first that a manne might not mary that mayde, God brother & God sister. to whō his father was a godfather. It was confirmed firste by Gregory and after by Ale­xander the third, that no man should mary his brothers wife lest it should bee thought to be a counterfet of the Hebrues. Lamech had twoo wifes. Lamech was the first that euer had two wiues, whose example many other ensued afterwarde. The custome of purifiyng was taken of y ^e Hebrues, Purificacion of women at child beryng. but there is no daie or time appoincted for it. Neuerthelesse for an honest order, thei vse cōmonly not to be purified afore the moneth daie, & then with a few honest matrōs she cōmeth accompained to the church, & offereth a waxe taper & the chrisome.

❧The .v. Chapiter. ¶Of the temples, churcheyardes, when the crosse was firste had in reuerence.

IN the old testement, Mo­ses sette vp a tabernacle curiously edified to God wherin supplicacion and intercessiō was made to hym for the sinnes of the people. Moses buyl­ded a taberna­cle. And in that he made the Arke of couenaūt in the whiche he put the twoo tables of stone, The Arke. conteignyng the lawe of the ten commaundementes, Aarons rod, and the potte of Manna. After hym Salomō kyng of the Hebrues made at Hierusalē a temple of costly araie and sumptuously wrought. Salomon made the first tēple to God I cannot (to saie trueth) perfectely tell where the firste churche of christen menne was buylded, The firste churche of christians. but by all coniecture it semeth that it was made of the Apo­stles, either in Ethiopia, where Mat­thewe preached, or in lower Inde, where Bartholomewe taughte, or in Scythia, where Andrewe shewed the worde of God. Where thei doubtles either caused newe churches too bee edified, or els transposed the idolles temples to serue the christen mennes [Page Cvii] vse, abolishyng supersticion, & plan­tyng the true religiō of Christ. Albeit it were not against reason to suppose there was a temple or hous of praier appoyncted by Iames at Hierusalē.

IN Rome the first that I reade of was cōsecrated by Pius bishoppe of Rome in the strete called Patricius at Nouatus bathes in honour of the virgin Prudentia, First churche in Rome. at the requeste and suite of Praxedis her sister. And after Calistus made a temple to the virgin Mari in a place beyōde Tyberis, and instituted a churcheyarde in Appius strete, A churchyard and called it after his owne name: Abraham or­daigned the firste place of buriall. notwithstandyng Abraham was the first that made any place of buriall in Hebron, where he bought of Ephron an Hethite y ^e double caue for thre hundred sicles of siluer with the grounde aboute it, and ther was Sara his wife and he himself buried.

NOHA buylded the firste alter, Noha buyl­ded the first alter. Bonifacius caused alters to be couered with lenyn clothes. and offered vpō it a burned sacrifice to the lord. And Bonifacius the third caused that thei wer couered with li­nen clothes. Constantinus when he had wonne the battaill against Ma­xentius, by reason of a vision that he [Page] sawe of the crosse the daie of the bat­taill, Cōstātine for bade puttyng too death on the crosse. ordained that from thēce furth no manne should suffre death on the crosse. And so in processe of tyme it was had in muche reuerēce and wor­ship. And Theodosius made a lawe that there should no Image of the crosse bee grauen in stone, No Image of the crosse mighte not bee grauen in yearth. Helene found the crosse. marble, or in yearth, lest men should tread on it. Helene Constantines mother a verie vertuouse woman repaired too Hie­rusalem, to seke the crosse of our lord where with greate laboure and dili­gence she found it, and with it the o­ther twoo whereon the theues were hanged, but it was easy to perceiue Christe his crosse by the title, whiche then did remain, albeeit sore wasted and corrupted with antiquitee.

¶The .vi. Chapiter. ¶Of the auncient rite of sacrificyng, feastfull daies, dedicatyng temples, the mi­stery of Fire, holy Water.

Cain and A­bel sacrificed firste. CAIN and Abell the two sonnes of our first father Adam offered in sacrifice to GOD the firste fruites of their goodes. Abell his obla­cion [Page Cviii] was milke. Cain his gyfte was corne. Afterward, whē the priesthode was ordained, Aaron and his sonnes offered diuerse thynges with sundry ceremonies, whiche be shewed at lar­ge in the boke of Leuiticus. The Gē ­tiles almoste all sacrificed to y ^e idols men or women after sundry rites, Menne were sacrifyced by the Gentiles. as appeareth in the histories & Gentile auctours. And if it fortune that thei omitted any suche abhominable ido­latry, thei had greate punishment, Punishmētes that thei suf­fred for omittyng the oblacions. destrucciō of their fruite, corrupcion of their waters, infeccion of y ^e aire deth of catel, greate droughtes, womē had eiuill deliueraunce, with many suche plages, as Dionisius Hilicarnasseus witnesseth, which the spirites of the aire procured to delude & seduce men and confirme theim in their errour.

THE holy daies emong the Ie­wes were diuerse, Holy daies. as the Sabboth daie, the feaste of y ^e newe Moone, the passeouer, the feaste of swete breade, Pentecost, the feast of Tabernacles, the dedicaciō daie: whiche bee al she­wed largely in the olde Testament.

The vsage of dedicating churches is of great antiquitie, Dedicatyng of churches. for Moses did [Page] sacrifice the tabernacle, & Salomon consecrated the temple that he buyl­ded at Hierusalem. And Esdras af­ter, when thei returned from the cap­tiue of Babilō hallowed the temple newe again. Of them we receiue our rite of hallowyng of churches, albeit we haue mo ceremonies thē thei had.

Fire. FIRE was kepte continually on the alter by the priestes, for without it and salte could no sacrifice bee du­ly made or ordinarely offred, and we in oure Masses haue euer a taper of waxe burnyng. And the emperoures of Rome had Fire bourne afore thē, Emperoures of Rome had fire bourne afore theim. & the Vestales had euer perpetual Fire in the tēple where thei serued Vesta.

THE spirites of y ^e aire, that gaue doubtfull answeres to them that re­quired any question of theim, wer at the commyng of Christe all destroyed For what tyme he was caried into Egipte, Oracles sea­sed at Christe his comming whiche is a countree full of supersticion and Idolatry, all the I­doles of that region wer ouerthrowē & fell to the ground at his commyng thither. And in the tyme of Adriane the Emperoure, bothe the wicked sa­crifices wer abholished, and also the [Page Cix] oracles of Apollo at Delphos, Iupi­ter Hammon in Egipte, with like va­nities wer subuerted bi the power of God through his sōne Iesus Christ.

HOLY water was ordaigned by Alexander the first to be consecrated to driue away spitites, Holy Water and was com­maunded that it should bee kepte as well in churches, as in priuate hou­ses for thesame vse: whereof are gro­wen emong the commō people many supersticiouse erroures contrary to the woorde of God, and therefore it wer no harme if the fourme of conse­cratyng therof wer redressed, & chaū ­ged into a more godly fashion.

❧The .vii. Chapiter. ¶Who ordaigned praiyng, why wee loke Eastward, preachyng the Sacramente of the alter.

FOR so muche as wee are created of God after his owne Image, for the entente to ho­noure and serue hym▪ and so finally too en­ioye the eternal enhe­ritaunce of heauen, Praier. whiche we muste attain to by praier acknowledgyng [Page] oure owne infirmitie, and referryng vs to the mercie of our moste louyng father. It shall bee conuenient ther­fore to declare y ^e institucion of praier.

Prayer was at the begin­nyng. PRAIER therefore was frō the beginnyng, as Abel praied, Noha, A­brahā, Isaac, Iacob, with other Pa­triarkes praied to GOD in all their doubtfull affaires, & gaue thankes for the good acheuyng of theim Mo­ses & Aaron with other as Anna the wife of Helcana shewed vs example of praier: Christ prescribed a praier. But Christ is the first that did shewe to vs any speciall fourme of praier, as appeareth in the Gospel of Matthew. Afterward, when men began to coumpte & reken their prai­ers, as though God were in our debt for often beggyng of hym, there wer diuised by one Petrus Heremita a Frenchman of the citee of Amias be­des to saie lady psalters on, Beades. the yere of our Lorde a thousande .xc. that is foure hundred .lvi. yeres ago. The maner of turnyng our faces into the Easte when wee praie, Turning our faces Easte­warde. is taken of the old Ethnikes, whiche as Apuleius remēbreth, vsed to loke Eastwarde and salute y ^e sonne: we take it in a custom [Page Cx] to put vs in remembraunce y ^t Christe is the sonne of righteousnes, that di­scloseth all secretes. But that was not lawfull for the Hebrues as maie seme to vs by the settyng of y ^e taber­nacle, & thei muste euer looke toward the temple as the story of Daniell de­clareth. Moses whē he had receiued the ten cōmaundementes, assembling the people together shewed them the will of God, and that was the firste sermon or preachyng: Preachyng. and the prophetes had without doubt open collaci­ons: Ihō Baptist. And afterwarde Ihon Baptiste in the wildernesse of Iury preached, and so did Christe hymself and gaue autoritie to y ^e Apostles & disciples by special cōmaundemēt to do thesame.

THE blessed sacramēt of the alter was instituted by our sauiour Iesus Christ, The institu­ciō of the sa­crament. a litle before his passiō in Hierusalē at his supper, whē he had en­ded y ^e Paschal lābe, in this wise: He toke bread, & after he had giuen thankes, he brake it, & gaue it to his disci­ples saiyng, take and eate, this is my body y ^t shalbe giuen for you: And ta­kyng the cup gaue likewise thākes, & toke it to theim saiyng, drynke all of [Page] this, for this is my bloudde of the newe testamente, whiche is shed for the remission of synnes. This vnder the fourme of breade & wyne he gaue to theim particularely his body and bloud sanctified in and by the word? And gaue commaundement that like sacrifice should bee made in remem­braūce of hym. Alexander de­creed that the Sacramente should be consecrated of swete breade. Alexander the bishop of Rome did ordain that this oblaciō should be made of swete bread, wher afore it was leuened breade. And he commaunded that water should bee mixte with wyne in the cuppe.

The .viii. Chapiter. ¶Who sacrificed first after Christes tradicion, and encreased the partes of Masse.

EVERY thyng at the first in the miste­ry of the lordes sup­per was plain sincer and without any mi­sture of ceremonies, The olde rite of consecra­tyng. conteinyng more vertue then solemnite. For it is manifest that Peter, whiche either first of all, or els with the rest of Apostelles did consecrate often tymes after the rite [Page Cxi] that he had receiued of Christ by and by after the consecraciō ioyned to the Lordes praier or Pater noster: And I suppose it was not muche differyng from the Masse that is vsed in the churche on good Frydaie. Celestinus ordaigned the praiers that the priest saieth when he reuesteth hymself to Masse or at puttyng on his clothes, that begynneth Iudica me deus. &c. Iudicame deus. Albeeit it semeth by the woordes of Chrisostome in y ^e .xi. homely on Ma­thewe that it was taken of the chur­ches of Grece and Asia, whiche vsed to syng psalmes while the people as­sembled together. Damasus institu­ted the confession at the beginnyng of Masse, Confi [...]eor. and some referre it to Pon­tianus. Kyrië eleëson was frequēted in Grece first, Kyrie eleeson. and Gregorius caused it to bee saied nyne tymes in the la­tine churche. Gloria ī excelsis Gloria in excelsis is a­scribed of some too Telesphorus, of some to Hylarius, of some to Symmachus, and the counsaill of Toletane thynketh that the doctoures of the churche made it: Collectes. Collectes Gelasius & Gregory gathered. Grayle. And the grayle was appoyncted by theim also. Alleluya▪ Alle­luya [Page] was trāslated from Hierusalē to the latyne churche in the tyme of Damasus. The tract Durandus saith was diuised by Telesphorus, and se­quences were inuented firste by one Nothgerus an Abbot. Sequences. Epistle. Gospell. The Epistles and Gospell were (as Hierom wry­teth) vsed in the East churches of ve­rie auncient tyme, wherefore I sup­pose wee had the maner to reade the Epistle & Gospell of those churches: albeit some saie Telesphorus ordai­gned theim, Saincte Hie­rome did de­uide the Epi­stles and Go­spelles. Standing at the Gospell. & some suppose that Hie­rom at the request of Damasus did diuide theim, as we reade them now at this daie. Anastasius commaunded y ^t we should stand at the Gospell in to­kenyng that menne should be in a re­dinesse to defend the doctryne of the Gospell. Credo. The first part of the Crede Marcus ordaigned to bee red, after it was made by the coūsaill of Nicene: And the second part Et spiritum san­ctum, that the counsaill of Constan­tinople composed Damasus caused to be read in y ^e churche. Entichianus instituted the offertory to bee songen whilest the people offred suche thyn­ges, as wēt to the relief and comfort [Page Cxii] of the poore: Offertory. The offertory remai­gneth, but the pouertie is forgotten as though thei had no part in Christ and were vile abiectes of the worlde.

Gelasius made the prefaces, Prefaces. how­beeit in the beginnyng thei vsed but one preface. And Sextus putte to the sanctus out of the Prophete Esaias. Washyng of handes beganne either of the olde testament, Washyng of the handes. where thei did nothyng with vnwashed handes, or els of the Gētiles, whiche afore their sacrifices vsed too washe their han­des, as Hesiodus witnesseth.

BVRNYNG of encense, Ensence. y ^t was occupied in the old testament by Aa­ron and of the Panimes in their su­persticiouse rites, Leo y ^e third ordai­gned to be had in the latyne churche. The priuitie of the Masse called the Canon was made by diuerse perso­nes, as Gelasius made Te igitur. Canon. Si­tirius added Communicātes, and A­lexander the firste, that was long be­fore them, made Qui pridie, Qui pridie. and that was the beginnyng of the Canon be­fore that tyme. For Alexander was three hundred .lx. yeres & more before Gelasius. Hanc igitur Leo ioyned, Hanc igitu [...] [Page] and Gregory annexed three peticiōs in thesame Dies (que) nostros, and so furth. Innocentius the first institu­ted that priestest in the vpper part of the churche, called the Chansell or quire should kisse one another, and that Pax bourne should be bourne to the people. Pax. Blessyng with chalices Blessyng with hādes and Chalices came oute of the Hebrues ceremonies: For Aaron after he had sacrificed, blessed the people. And Christ at his assencion blessed his di­sciples. Agnus dei. Sergius ordained the Agnus dei seuen hundred yeres after Christe to bee song of the Clergy at the tyme of the cōmunion. The often turnyng of the prieste at the alter, Turnyng a­boute of the prieste. when he saieth Dominus nobiscum or Orate fratres, came of the Hebrues rites, wherein sacrifice tyme the priest tur­neth hym to caste the bloudde of the sacrifice on the people, and the Eth­nikes vsed thesame fashion in their supersticions, and therfore doubtles we had these ceremonies of theim.

The .ix. Chapiter. ¶Why wee saie Ite missa est, whereof the worde masse and ceremony came, the first maner of takyng the Sacramente.

[Page Cxiii] WHEN Masse is ended the Deacon turnyng to the people saieth, Ite missa est, Ite missa est. whiche wor­des are borowed of the rytes of the Paganes, & signifyeth that then the cōpany may be dimissed. It was vsed in the sacri­fices of Isis, that when the obseruaū ces wer duely and fully perfourmed and accōplished, then a screl or mini­ster of the religion should geue war­nyng or a watche worde what tyme they might lawfully departe: And of this sprong oure custome of syngyng Ite missa est, for a certayne significa­ciō that the ful seruice was finished.

Masse is an Hebrue word (as Reu­cline saieth) and signifyeth an obla­cion or sacrifice with all circumstan­ces concernyng the same. Masse.

¶The Romaynes called all suche seruyce, as appertained to their god­des, Ceremonies. in one general name ceremonies bycause a certaine people named Ce­rites, whiche receyued deuoutely the reliques, and other obseruaunces of the Romaynes religious, and preser­ued them, for when the Frenchemen [Page] by the valiauntnes of their captaine ( Brennius that was an Englishe-man) had wonne the Cytie, for whi­che benifyte al the rites of their god­des vniuersally were named ceremo­nies.

Alexander inhibited priestes, that they should not sacrifice, but once on the day, One Masse on a day. Thre Masses on Christmas day. and Telesphorus permitted them to saye thre Masses on Chryst­masse day: Fyrst at mydnight what tyme Chryst was borne, the seconde in the mornyng, when the shepherdes visited him, the thyrde at further of the day, where afore tyme it was not lawfull to celebrate afore the thyrde houre of the day.

Felix the fyrst decreed y ^t no Masse myghte be sayde but in places conse­crated, Masse must be sayd in places cōsecrated sauyng in the tyme of necessi­tie, and that none but priestes admit­ted should intermeddle with the mi­steries of consecracion, bycause that auctoritie was onely geuen to the A­postles at the beginnyng, by whom priestes be ment and vnderstand.

Corner mas­ses be forbodden. Anacletus ordained that no Masse should be done, but in the presence of two at the least, lest the priest should [Page Cxiiii] saye in vayne to the walles Domi­nus vobiscum, when none were pre­sent, and therfore they do euyl that consecrate in corners alone. Albeit, Gratianus referreth that to Soterus whiche perchaunce dyd renewe that constitucion.

The Sacrament was vsed of oure predecessours in the primatiue chur­che euerye daye as Luke wytnesseth in the Actes of the Apostles, Dayly com­munion. and A­nacletus caused it to be renewed by a decree vpon payne of excomynica­cion: And Victor denounced that those should be interdited from al seruices, Vncharita­ble persons were interdi­ted from seruice. that when they should receiue the Sacrament wolde not be reconci­led to their neighbours of all grud­ges hatreddes, and displeasures.

Zepherinus an hundreth yeare af­ter Anacletus commaunded that all that ꝓfessed Chryst or bare the name of Christians, beyng of the age of .xii. or .xiiii. yeres should at the least once in the yere at Easter receyue the bles­sed Sacrament. Takyng of the housel at Easter. Fabianus decreed that they should receyue it thryse in the yere.

[Page] Innocentius the thyrde decreed that the Sacrament should be kept in the Churches, Kepyng the Sacrament in Churches. to the intent to be in a redynesse at all tymes, lest they that were sycke should want that spiri­tual comfort in that troublesome tyme of death, and Honorius the third confirmed the same.

The fyrst Chapiter. ¶Auricular Confession.

ALBEIT man redeamed with the precyouse blod of our sa­uiour Christ Iesus is fully re­cōsiled to God, We be reconciled bi Christ and all the hea­uynesse of hys displeasure be appeased: yet the poy­soned nature of mā is suche, the occa­sions of synne be so many and great, that in this slipper way of worldely lyfe we must nede, our infirmitie en­forcyng vs therto, fal into the snares of the deuyl and synne. But God, as he is all mercy, Repentaunce a remedy of synne. willyng the death of no synner, but that he conuerte and lyue, hath lefte vs the comfortable salue of repentaunce, as a present re­medy against all suche incursions of oure enemye, or fragilitye of bodye) whereby we maye with a good hope cal to our heauenly father for the for­geuenes of oure offences and trespa­ses. For as the prophet Ezechiel re­cordeth, [Page] what houre soeuer the sinner doth lament and is repentant for his sinnes, god (for his sōne Iesus sake) wil no lēger [...]ere thē in remēbraunce Therfore whosoeuer with concupi­scence vanquished, Desperacion is forbodden. or by lust inforced by errour disceyued, or by force con­strained doth fal to any spice or kynd of iniustice, let him not dispair in his owne conscience, or mistrust the bot­tomles mercy of God, but with good corage repair to this medicine repen­taunce and cōtricion of heart. Conse­quently it shalbe the penitētes offyce and dutie, after suche heuines taken, as it were by a vomit, to spue out of his cōscience al suche vnholsome thinges as might remayne styl, engendre desperacion, or imbecil his hope in y ^e promises of God. Auticular Confession. For this cause con­fession named auricular, that is made to the priest, was at the beginnyng instituted: that men might therin open their heartes to their curates and re­ceiue at their handes the oyle of the Gospel of Christ to supple their rawe & starke sores. It was the institucion of Innocentius the .iii. that so many, Innocencius dyd ordayne confession to the priest. as were by age subiect or in daunger [Page Cxvi] to cōmit sinne, should at y ^e lest once in the yere be cōfessed to their curates, to whō it cōcerneth to knowe the be­hauour of his parishners, forsomuch as he must rēdre a strait accōpt of his cure. And therfore it is euil in myne opiniō to haue these comon penitēciaries, whiche be occasion, Common pe­nitencers. that both curates geue not their coūsel wher nede is, & also men therby be more bold to synne seyng they shal not be rebuked of suche common confessours, but for their monye haue redy absolucion w ^t smal exhortacion to amend their sin­fulnes. This cōfession is proued of y ^e text of s. Iames where he saieth con­fesse your sinnes one to another, Textes pro­uyng confes­sion. and one pray for another, & also of the .xx, chapter of Iohn, wher Christ saieth, receiue the holy ghost. Whose sinnes soeuer you remitte, they are forgeuen them, and whose synnes soeuer you reteine, they are reteined. Therefore we must receiue confession for the absolucion sake, that is geuen into the handes of the ministers.

The .ii. Chapiter. ¶Matyns, singyng of psalmes by course, Legendes of sainctes.

[Page] Matyns Pryme and houres. MATINS with Pryme and houres wer appoin­ted fyrst by Hierom, for one Eusebius of Cremo­na & diuerse other, that liued with him, to y ^e entent that they might haue certain laudes and prai­syng of God to syng in the churches And the fathers and old gouernours of congregacions receyued them fo­lowyng this verse of Dauid in the .c.xix. psal. Seuen tymes in y ^e day haue I geuen and song praise to the. Ci­priane writeth that the Pryme and other houres toke their originall of Daniel. Whiche after the custome of his countre, thrise in y ^e day, mornyng noone, & euenyng, on his knees vsed to praye. It was also the rite of the Heathen to haue mornyng prayers, Apuleius de asino aureo libro .xi. for Apuleius saieth that their religi­ous, when all thynges were duely fi­nished, song salutacions of the newe light, and shewed that it was Prime of the daye, where he meaneth by sa­lutacions the mornyng songes that we cal Matyns, and there declareth howe the houres of the day were sor­ted and deuided for sacrifices & pray­ers. [Page Cxvii] Pelagius the secōd was the fyrst that cōmaunded priestes to say them daily, Pelagius charged prie­stes to say maryns daily that like as the iust mā falleth vii. tymes on the daye, so by instante & continual praier he might as often ryse and amende. Gregorius put to the beginnyng of euery houre, Deus in ad­iutorium was added by Gregory. Lady matyns Deus in adiutorium, and Gloria patri. &c.

Vrbanus the seconde ordayned the lady Mattyns to be sayd dayly, and cōfirmed them in the counsel, whiche he had at mount Clare in Fraunce.

The diuision of Dauids psalter in to .vii. partes called nocturnes, Nocturnes. accordyng to the .vii. dayes in the weke, was the worke of Hierome at the re­quest of Damasus bishoppe of Rome, whiche also gaue cōmaūdement that it should be redde so in the churches, and added Gloria patri to the end of euery psalme. Who made Gloria pa­tri. The Gloria patri was made in the counsel of Nicene.

Damasus also instituted that the psalmes should be song and sayd by course, Syngyng Psalm [...]s by course. Albeit some say Ignatius did deuyse that afore his tyme, whiche thyng was learned of Dauid or A­saph, for in the olde sinagoge they v­sed to syng their psalmes after that [Page] sorte, but oure singyng is farre from their maner. For our singers cry out so loude, that we heare nothyng saue a noyse, and those that be present can not be edified with the word. It wer great furtheraunce to the religion, if those singers not far vnlike to Iaies were either vanished out of the tem­ples, Our cōmon singers be re­buked. or elles their syngyng were so modifyed with more sobernesse, that the wordes myght be vnderstande to the edifiyng of the layitie, whiche is sore blinded with singyng and sound of instrumentes, that be not fyt to e­difye but to delight the eares. This modest singyng was vsed by the ho­ly Athanasius byshop of Alexandria through all his prouince and diocese, Athanasius as Austen witnesseth. Libro confes. and .x. The Crede was sayd euery houre. Tunes of the hymnes. Legendes. Damasus com­maunded that the cōmon Crede shuld be sayd at euery houre. Vitalianus inuented the decente tunes, wherein the hymnes be song, and ioyned the Organs to them. Legendes of sain­ctes were made the yere of our lorde D.ccc. by Paulus Diaconus and Is­uardus a monk at the desire of Char­les the great. Common Legendes. And forsomuche as the persecucions wer so great that in the [Page Cxviii] time of Dioclesian y ^e emperour there died .xvii.M. christē men within .xxx. daies space, thei could not particulerly write al their lyues, but made cer­taine general Legendes of martyres, Cōfessours, virgyns, whiche we now cal the cōmon, & the fathers cōmaun­ded those to be red in y ^e churche on su­che sainctes daies. Afterward many, thinkyng that they should be hearde rather for their muche bablyng sake, deuised sundrye maners of praiyng & diuerse vses: Vses in the seruice. Benettes vse. as Benettes mōkes had one vse, Barnardes another, and Do­mynickes brethren had one order by thē selues, & euery prouincial byshop made a seueral vse in his diocese, and all were confirmed by the bishoppes of Rome.

The .iii. Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of fastyng, almesse, Aduent, Lent, Embryng daies.

FASTYNGE and Almesse deedes be as sainct Austen saieth, the two wynges of praier, wherewith it is made strōger and lighter to flye into y ^e [Page] presence of God, and be more accep­table in his sight. Fastyng. Fastyng hath bene vsed frō the beginnyng of the worlde What tyme the fruite of the tree of knowing good and euyl was forbod­den to our fyrst parentes in Paradise bycause by suche abstinence thei my­ghte obteyne and enioye the felicitie euerlastyng. Almesse. Almesse in lyke maner sprong of the infirmitie and nedines of the nature of men: for as thei felte hunger, colde, nakednes, and suche o­ther calamities, as be in our mortall lyfe, thei were constrayned to desyre aide and succour of other men, and of almes. Moses made the fyrst lawe of Almesse. Albeit Moses was fyrst that euer prescribed any lawe of gyuyng almes, as apereth in the boke of De­utronomie. Thys charitable almes, must bee so freelye gyuen, that we ex­empte none from the vse and part ta­kyng of it, and as the scripture sayth without respecte of parsonnes.

As for fastyng of that original proceded further, Fleshe was not eaten be­fore Noe. for the vse of flesh and wyne from Adam tyl the time of Noha was vnknowne. And Moses for­bare meate fortie dayes, and Helias dyd lykewyse: Our sauioure Christe [Page Cxix] fasted the same space. And God par­doned the Niniuites of their crimes because they fasted with repētaunce. Example of fastyng.

The Iewes also in their lawe, so ofte as they either asked any benifite of God, or would pacifie his wrath, or render thankes for his benefytes, or kept any solemne feastes vsed commonly to fast. And certees he kepeth, [...] the true fast, True fast. whiche forbeareth [...] or forgoeth his supper, but he that mynysheth his affections, aba­teth his anger, swageth hys pryde, modifieth his desires, mortifieth his lustes, suffereth paciently all aduer­sitie, that chaunseth to him, that mā is the true faster, Albeit the other is a coadiutoure to that thyng and hel­peth muche that purpose. Therfore to the intent we myght reclayme su­che corrupcions of oure olde Adam, The Apostles dyd ordeyne the fast of Lente, Lent. as Hierome in a pistle to Mer­cella doth playnely declare. Wher­fore they that referre it to Telespho­rus, be foulye disceyued, Telesphorus didappoint it afore Easter. for he dyd not institute it fyrst but appoint that it should be kepte afore the Easter. And added another weke to it, that [Page] we cal Quinquagesima. This weke he commaunded priestes to fast more then the layitie, Quinquage­sima. bicause y ^t thei, which ought to be holier then the rest, shuld in this ordinarye fast shewe more ab­stinence thē other. The Apostles also instituted that .iii. wekes afore y ^e Natiuite of our Lord, [...]uent. named Christmas shuld be solemnely fasted, which cōstitucion was a while kept vniuersally but afterward it was resigned to the monkes and religious persons. Cali­stus or as some thynke Vrbanus dyd begyn the Embringdaies quarterly for the preseruacion and amplificaci­on of fruites ordayned for the suste­naunce of man and beast. Embryngdaies. Albeit, I cā rather take it to be an imitacion of y ^e olde Romayne feastes, Romaynes had thre sa­crifices for fruites. whiche thrise in the yere had sacrifices for the pros­perous successe of their corne, one Vinalia for their wynes, the other Ro­bigalia for all their grayne, least it should be mildued. The third Flora­lia for all their fruites. These vayne superstitious old bishoppes of Rome turned to a godly vse, Supersticion turned into religion. and trāsposed their feastyng into fastyng, that the rather at the contemplacion of oure [Page Cxx] praiers and fasting, God might pros­per the increse of al the fruites to the sustentacion of his creatures.

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶Watches were turned into fastes, fastyng of Fridaies and Wednes­daies, namyng the daies of the weke in sundry wise.

IT was the maner, from the begynnyng of oure christen faith, that for so much as it pleased our sauioure to be borne in the night, Watches. priestes dyd ryse in the nighte season, and song the houres canoni­cal otherwyse named the Matyus: & the laye people was accustomed on those sainctes euens, that were any solemne feastes, to watch at the tom­bes of Martyr spraiyng and singyng holy psalmes. Which thing the testi­mony of Plinie doeth well approue, wher he writeth in a pistle to Traia­ne, how that much nomber of people was slaine, in whom he could neuer espye any faulte, sauyng that afore daye at certayne tymes and feastes [Page] they arose, and song of cōmendacion of Christ, whom they called God. But as tyme is corrupter of al thyn­ges worldely, in processe as deuocion beganne to abate, in stead of hymnes they song dissolute balades, & praier was turned into wanton daliaunce.

The youth went about lyght amo­rous companye, the eldest personnes practised baudry, women were not a­shamed to geue them selues to be cor­rupted in al kynd of whordome. Vpō this occasion the olde fathers, seyng least it myght growe to a further in conuenience turned the Vigilles in­to fastyng dayes. Vigilles wer made fastes. Notwithstandyng the priestes vsed their ordinarye ty­mes of seruyse, as they were wont to do, and suche feastes were called by the name of Vigilles, and obserued with no lesse reuerence then the faste of Lent. This remedy was prouided after sainct Hieromes tyme, whiche died the yere of oure Lorde .cccc.xxii. when Bonifacius the seconde was bishoppe of the sea of Rome.

The lyke custome was also obser­ued among the Egyptians, Egyptians rite in wat­ches. whiche on the euens of theyr hyghe feastes [Page Cxxi] fasted, and after thei had slepte thei offered a cowe: Nighte sacri­fices ar abholished. all suche night sacri­fices and obseruances for like causes wer by a perpetuall lawe in Grece a­brogated by Diagundas a Thebane. The faste of wednesdaie and Fridaie was cōmaunded by the fathers, Diagundas. Wednesdaie Fridaie. bi­cause on the one daie Christ was cru­cified, and on the wednesdaie Iudas purposed in his minde to betray him as Apolonius the eloquent oratoure supposed. Siluester the first, bishoppe of Rome, Daies were turned into feries. abhorryng the memorial of the vain Gentile godes, decreed that the daies of the weke, whiche had a­fore the names & titles of the Sonne Moone, Mars, Mercury, Iupiter, Ve­nus, and Saturne, should be called the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixte, seuenth ferie: in semblable maner as the Iewes coumpted their daies frō the Sabboth daie. He did also call y ^e firste ferie Dominicus dies, Dominicus dies. Sundaie. Sabbatum. that we name Sonday, and called Saturday Sabbatum of the olde holy daie and rest of the Hebrues: al these thynges wer dooen at the sute of Constantine then Emperour. Albeit the Apostles afore that tyme had consecrated the [Page] Sondaie to the Lorde, bicause that daie he rose from death, & the Iewes Sabboth was turned into it, as maie appere by the decree of Pius, that or­dained the Easter to bee kepte on the Sundaie, Easter is ap­pointed on y ^e Sundaie. and therfore I thynke Sil­uester did but onely renewe thesame acte of the Sundaie. It was the in­uencion of the Egiptians y ^t the daies wer firste named after the seuen pla­netes, Dayes were called of the Planetes. as Diodorus recordeth. Sācte Gregory was the authour that nei­ther fleshe, nor any thyng that hath affinitee with it, White mea­tes is forbo­dē of fastyng daies. as chese, milke, but­ter, egges should bee eaten on suche daies as were fasted. Wee haue also a maner vsage of hallowyng the ta­ble, and meate afore wee bee set, that begonnen of the imitacion of Christ, whiche vsed thesame fashiō ouer the fiue loues in the wildernesse, and at Emaus also he did insemblable wise consecrate the table in the presence of his disciples: so was the fourme of saiyng grace after supper taken like wise of the custome that Christe com­monly kept at his suppers. Grace at meate. Readyng the bible at meat The ma­ner to reade apart of the Bible at dy­ner tyme hath been of long continu­ance, [Page Cxxii] and did proceade of the Godly doctryne, that Christe instructed his disciples in at all tymes, but namely at his last supper, wherein he treated of y ^e perfecciō of al y ^e misteries of our religiō. And thus our fathers, to kepe in memory suche an holsom instituciō did bryng in this maner of readyng the scripture at meate or meale tyme.

❧The .v. Chapiter. ¶The originall of holy daies, Pa­schall candelles, birthe daies.

LYKE as the Iewes had in their law, whiche was but onely a shadawe of thynges too come, holy daies appoyncted for the e­xecucion of the misteries of their religion, whom thei in one generall terme named Sabboth dais, Sabboth da­yes of the Ie­wes. Holy daies. of the rest and vacasiō that thei had from bodely labours: semblably our fathers haue ordaigned festiuall daies in the new testament, wherein Christen men (all profane businesses, and eiuil maters laied aparte) might wholy apply and bend themselfes to Godly and spirituall meditacions. [Page] As the perusyng and readyng of scri­ptures, Workes due for y ^e holidaie heryng of deuoute sermons, renderyng honor to God by sacrifi­cyng, praiyng, and well dooyng, bee woorkes fete and conuenient for the holy daie, and also reuerencyng the memoriall of sainctes on suche daies as bee assigned to that purpose, is on the holy daie laudable. For oblacion is onely due to God as Paule & Bar­nabas did openly testifie at Listra. For whē he had commaunded by the power of the worde of God, that the man, whiche was lame from his mo­thers wombe should arise and walke the people for wonder and maruaile of the miracle would haue dooen sa­crifice to them, but thei renting their clothes departed out of the prese and with sharpe woordes rebuked their enterprise, as a thyng vnmete to bee dooen to any mortall man, or world­ly creature. Firste of all the feaste of Easter was instituted by y ^e Apostles, Easter is in­stituted bi the Apostles. and prescribed by Pius the first to be solemnised on the Sondaie. After­ward as it chaunsed that alteracion of that matter arose. Victor. Victor that was bishop of Rome aboute the hun­dred [Page Cxxiii] nynetie and sixe yere of our lord decreed that it should altogether bee kepte and celebrated on the Sondaie frō the fourtene daie of the firste mo­neth, that was Marche, Easter is too bee kepte in Marche. vntill y ^e .xxii of the same, least our ordre & coumpte should agree with the Iewes, whi­che kept it somewhat soner then that appoyntemente speaketh of: albeeit many foreyne bishoppes at the firste refused that cōstitucion, bicause thei thought it not out of caurse or amisse to kepe that feaste after the precident of saincte Ihon the Apostle, Sainct Ihon kept y ^e Iewes Easter. whiche renued euer the rite of the Iewes in the feast of Easter.

THE custome of hallowyng Pa­schall candelles on Easter euen was commaunded by Zozinus to bee fre­quented in euery churche. Paschal can­delles.

THE maner of kepyng holy the birthe daie of euery manne was mu­che vsed in Rome, Birthe daies albeit the Persians had that vsage afore theim, for there it is the fashion that euery manne after his habilite [...] should with many obseruances, and greate dentie fea­stes worship the daie of their birthe, and of theim the Romaines receiued [Page] that supersticion.

❧The .vi. Chapiter. ¶Of the institucion of holy daies, and canonisyng.

AS you haue hearde y ^e sanct Ihon the Apo­stle did celebrate the feast of Easter, Easter. euē so the other Apostles as it is saied wer authores not onely of the same Easter feast, but also ordained those daies, wherin our sauiour had doen any mistery concernyng out saluacion or informaciō, should be kept holy, and to the entent thei might be more reuerenced of their posteritee, thei themselfes kepte theim duryng their life very deuoutly: as the Son­daies. Feastes insti­tuted by y ^e A­postelles. Aduent, the Natiuitee, Circū ­cision and Epiphanie of our Lorde, the Purificacion of our lady called Candelmas, Lente, Palme Sondaie, Maundy Thursdaie, when Christ after supper washed his disciples feete Goodfridaie, Easter, the Ascension, and Witsondaie. As for the feaste of Pentecost was afore vsed of the He­brues: Pentecost. for .l. daies after that the lābe [Page Cxxiiii] was sacrificed in Egipt,, y ^e law writ­ten by the handes of God was giuen by Moses in the Mount Oreb in the wildernes of Sinay. And .l. daies af­ter the death of Christ, whiche like a lambe was offered of the Iewes for our Paschal, the Apostles receiued y ^e lawe of the spirite. The feast of transfiguracion came also of the Iewes: Trāsfigura­cion. for like as Moses his face was tran­sposed into a perfect brightnes, after he had commoned with GOD in the Mounte, so nowe after the shadowe and vaile wer taken awaie by Christ his comyng, it pleased God to shewe to his disciples his transfiguracion, as a declaracion of the shadowe past and a figure or significaciō of the im­mortalite to come. In consideracion wherof the holy fathers perceiuyng the vse of suche holy daies cōfirmed and ratified theim by a decree made in the coūsaill had at Liōs in Fraūce & furthermore commaunded that su­che daies, as either our holy sainctes departed this life, orels wrought ani miracle or did any notable deede to y ^e encrease of our religiō should be kept holy, bycause christen people mighte [Page] haue more oportunitee too heare the woorde of God, and more deuoutely serue hym in an vniforme ordre.

Festes instituted at the coū saill of Liōs. THEN were instituted the fea­stes of saincte Stephen, Inuocentes, Siluester, Ihō Baptist, the Apostles daies. Conuersion of Paule, our lady daies, Laurence, Michell, Martyne, and generally of all sainctes, Alhallowday whiche was the constitucion of Bonifacius the fourth. For he caused that the tē ­ple whiche Marcus Agrippa did edifie in honoure of all the Romaynes Idolles, as the name Pantheon doth pretende was by the license of Pho­cas then Emperoure turned into the churche of all Hallowes, and conse­crated the twelfe daie of Maie: Gregori chaū ged Alholow daie. and Gregory the fourth afterward wil­led it too bee kepte the firste daie of Nouember.

Crosse daies. Corpus Christi daie. THE festes of the inuencion and exaltacion of the crosse, and Corpus Christi daie were dedicated by Vr­bane the fourthe, and denounced for holy daies. Lāmas daie. Siluester at the su [...]e and instance of the Emperou [...] Constan­tine assigned the daie of ad Vincula sancti Petri called commonly Lam­mas [Page Cxxv] in memoriall of Peters paines, persecucion, and punishment that he suffered for the religion. Felix y ^e first of purpose to magnifie the gloriouse commendacion of Martyres, Memory of Martyres. made a statute that yerely oblaciō should be had in memoriall of theim: and Gre­gory would that Masse should bee sa [...]ed ouer their bodies, whiche thing Vigilantius thought woorthy to bee reiected, & refused, albeit the reporte goeth that Anacletus was of this cō stitucion the first authour. The same Felix instituted firste that the daie whereon any temple was dedicated, Dedication daies. should bee hallowed of that village or toune, and made also a lawe that suche churches, Reconsiliaci­on of Chur­ches. as menne doubted of whether thei wer consecrated or no, should be hallowed again. And Felix the fourth did ordain that bishoppes onely should dedicate them, and that the same dedicacion daie should bee kepte holy yerely afterwarde.

THE fashiō to deifie menne that had dooen any benefites to the com­mon wealth, Deifiyng of ded menne or women. is one of the moste aun­cient vsages, that I reade of. For an­tiquitee euen frō the beginnyng was [Page] accustomed to make goddes of their kynges, whiche either by aboundāce of benefites, or notable qualites, and prowes had wonnen the heartes of their cōmons. And specially the Ro­maynes did that with greate pompe of circumstaunces: and many obser­uaunces as I did declare afore in the thirde booke out of Herodiane. Of theim our bishoppes learned as by a paterne their rite of canonisyng san­ctes, Canonysyng of sainctes. and the yerely sacrifices, that Gregory and Felix appoyncted, cō ­cerned nothyng els but too declare that those Martyres were sainctes and of the housholde of God. Last of all Alexāder the third ordained that no suche diuine solemnitee should be giuen to any man openly without he wer canonised, The Pope must alowe sainctes, and admitted to bee a saincte by the bishoppe of Rome his bulle, bicause no manne should chose hymself any priuate sainct, or com­mitte any peculiare Idolatry.

❧The .vii. Chapiter. ¶Institucion of yere daies or Obites, and the maner of Mournyng.

[Page Cxxvi] FVNERAL exequi­es, Diriges or e­xequies. that be dooen ouer ded bodies, were the institucion of Pelagi­us albeeit Isidorus a­scribeth the originall of it to the Apostles, and he hymself did augmente the ri­tes, that wee vse in this tyme. Am­brose supposeth that it proceaded of the custome of the Hebrues, whiche lamented Iacob fourty daies, and Moses the space of thirty daies, for that tyme is sufficient for the wise to wepe in. It was also y ^e vsage of aun­cient Romaines to mourne: Mournyng. For Nu­ma Pompilius assigned oblacions to the infernall goddes for the ded, and did inhibite that a childe vnder the age of three yeres should bee beway­led, Lawes of mournyng and that the elder sorte should be mourned no mo monethes then he had lyued yeres. But commonly the lōgest tyme of a widowes mour­nyng was but tenne monethes, Tenne monethes was the commō tyme of weddyng. and if any were maryed within the space agayne, it was coumpted a greate reproche, wherefore NVMA orday­gned that suche as had mourned vp [Page] afore the daie limited, Expiacion of hastye maria­ges. should offer a cowe, that was greate with calfe for an expiacion. Neuerthelesse if that rite wer vsed now a daies and name­ly in Englande, we should haue smal store of veales, there be so many that mary within y ^e tyme prescribed. Plu­tarch writeth that the womē in their mournyng laied a parte all purple, Apparell in mournyng. gold, and sumpteous apparell, & wer clothed bothe thei and their kinsfolk in white apparell, like as thē the ded body was wrapped in white clothes The white coloure was thought fit­test for the dedde, White coloures for mour­nyng. bicause it is clere, pure, and syncer, and leaste defiled, and when the tyme of their wepyng was expired, thei put on their other vestures. Of this ceremonie, (as I take it,) the Frenche quenes toke oc­casion, Frenche que­nes in theyr widowehode weare white clothyng. after the death of their house­bandes the kynges too weare onely white clothyng, and if there bee any suche widdowe, she is commonly cal­led the white quene. The Iewes en­ded their mournyng after .xxx. daies and Englishe men kepe the same rite. Blacke gar­mentes of mournyng. The mournyng garmentes for the moste parte bee altogether of blacke [Page Cxxvii] colour, and thei vse to weare theim a whole yere continually, onlesse it bee bicause of a generall triumphe or re­ioysyng, or newe magistrate chosyng orels when thei bee toward mariage. But the custome of mournyng is no other thyng then mere supersticion, Mournyng is supersticiō & Hypocrisie. specially if womē or men haue a [...]ou­ryng loke, and a laughyng herte. For all suche lamētaciō helpeth nothyng the dedde corps or solle of the decea­sed, and disquieteth sore the liuyng.

THE maner of washyng ded bo­dies, and specially of noble men, Washyng dedde bodies. and anoyntyng thē, was receiued of our auncetrie, whiche vsed to washe the bodies of the dedde, and it was the office of theim, that wer nerest of his kyndred, to dooe it. Solle Masse daie▪ Solle Masse daie that is the second daie of Nouember was begon by Odilo that was Pro­uoste or Prouinciall of the Monkes of Cluniacenses order, Odilo. vpon the oc­casion that he heard about Aetna the moūtain of Sicilie oftentymes great wepyng lamentacion, & criyng: whi­che he supposed to bee the yellyng of eiuill spirites, that bewailed bicause the solles of dedde menne wer taken [Page] from theim by the peticions, and sa­crifices of wel disposed christen peo­ple therfore he perswaded his couēte in the tyme of Ihon bishop of Rome to make a generall obite of all solles the daie next after the feast of al sainctes. Aboute the yere of our lorde. M and twoo our fathers receiued it as a godly instituciō full of pitiful cha­ritee: & thus by processe of this Monkes supposicion, sprong muche vain supersticion.

❧The .viii. Chapiter. ¶Of the seuenth daie, thirty daie, old ma­ner of buriall, hallowyng chalices, prie­stes garmentes with other thynges.

HORATIVS the Poete and Seruius write that the Ro­maynes vsed custo­mably y ^e nynth daie after the buriall to renewe the sacryfi­ces and solemne rites of the funerall whiche thei named in latyne Nouemdialis: Nouemdialis. of this we in our religiō haue gathered the fashion of kepyng the seuēth daie with exequies and other ordinary oblacions. Seuēth daie. And in England [Page Cxxviii] the custome is to kepe the thirty daie or moneth mynde with like Obites, Thirtie daie. as were dooen on the buriall daies. Or els it mighte seme that this ke­pyng of the seuēth daie was brought vp after thesame sort emong vs, as in mariages thei vsed in old tyme to re­newe their vowes the seuenth daie. Mariage vowes renued. For like as that daie was the solēne beginnyng of encreasyng the issue of mankynde, so thesame daie of burial is or should be the complet finishyng and ende of euery thyng. Buriall is an ende of all thynges. Massiliens vsage at buryalles. The Massi­liens in Fraunce passed and spente the daies of their burialles, with pri­uate oblacions, and feastyng of their kinsefolke without any maner lamē ­tacion or sorowe, whiche thyng the Englishe at this daie vse commonly to dooe. In burials the old rite was that the [...]ded corps was borne afore, Rite of bury­alles. and the people folowed after, as one should saie, we shall dye and folowe after hym, as their laste woordes to the coarse did pretende. For thei vsed too saie, when it was buried on this wise, fare well wee come after thee, and of the folowyng of y ^e multitude thei were called exequies. Fare well we shal come af­ter. Albeeit [Page] thei vsed at kynges, and noble men­nes funeralles to goo afore with ta­pers▪ whiche custome we kepe still.

Chalices of woode. CHALICES, wherin the bloud of Christe is consecrated, were at the first of woode, and that was the instituciō of the Apostles, whiche would preuent all occasiō of auarise in prie­stes: but Zepherinus afterward commaunded that thei should consecrate in a vessel of glasse. Notwithstādyng in processe that custome was broken. Chalices of Glasse. And Gratianus decreed y ^t thei should saie Masse and consecrate with cha­lices of siluer or golde, Chalices of siluer or gold orels if those mighte not bee gotten, in chalices of tynne, albeit some referre this to Vr­bane the firste. Sextus the firste com­maunded that the corporaces should bee of linen clothe onely and that of the finest, Corporaces. and purest: and he forbade that any laye manne should handle the hallowed vessels and namely womē wer inhibited. The hallowyng of priestes vestures, Hallowyng of clothes of priestes. and altare clothes, with other ornamētes of the churche and the diuersitee of vestures of sun­dry orders was taken out of the He­brues priesthod, & vsed in our churche [Page Cxxix] fyrst by Steuen bishop of Rome fyrst of that name. For at the beginnyng priestes in their massyng vsed rather inwarde vertues of solle then out­ward apparel of the body, whiche is rather a gloriouse gase, then any godly edifiyng. Sabinianus decreed fyrst that the people should be assembled together to heare seruice at certayne houres of the day by ringyng of bel­les: Ringyng to seruice. And Iohn the .xxii. ordeined that belles should be tolled euerye daye thrise in y ^e euenyng, & that then euery mā should say thrise the Aue maria. Tollyng the Aue belle. Vse of belles came of the Hebrewes.

The vse of belles came fyrst of the Hebrues, wher y ^e high priest or bishop had in the skyrtes of his vppermoost vestures litle belles to ryng, when he was in the holy place within y ^e vaile. And euen the vayle, hangynges, can­delsteckes, with other vessels that we vse in the churche came also of theyr ceremonies. The baners that be han­ged abroad in the easter tyme may be vsed to declare the triumph of Christ ouer death, the deuil, and hel, Baners. & were taken of the heathen, whiche in their victories did beare baners to declare & signifye y ^e cōquest of their enemies.

The .ix. Chapiter. ¶Of vowes, goyng barefoote, Letanies, praiyng for them that neese, crossyng the mouth when men yawne.

WHen we be brought in­to any extreme calamy­tie, or daūgerouse aduē ­ture, y ^t can by no mans power or prouision bee releued, the vrgent ne­cessytie cōstrainyng vs, we fal to praiers, and vowes makyng, as when we promise to set vp cādels, Vowes. Images of waxe, or siluer, w ^t other lyke, suppo­syng therby to obteine remedy of our grief. This custome was borowed of the Hebrues, Vowes came of y ^e Hebrues whiche vsed to make suche vowes to God: & diuerse other coūtries of the Gētiles vsed y ^e ryte to their false gods. In like maner go­yng barefoote was taken vp of the Iewes fashion: Goyng bare­foote. whiche in their sickenes & other misfortunes were wōt to pray cōtinually .xxx. dayes, forbeare wyne, shaue their heare, and after go barefoote to the temple & make obla­cion. This maner of vowe was so er­nestly vsed in the tyme of y ^e emperour Nero, when Florus was president [Page Cxxx] of Iurye, Bernice sister of Agrippa. y ^e Bernice sister to kyng A­grippa went her selfe barefote to the tēpte of Hierusalem, to obteine some gētlenes for her coūtremen at Florus his hādes, but al in vaine, for his auarice was so vnsaciable y ^t no lowlines could pacifie it. Euen so we in any of our afflictions, sickenes or other he­uines make vowes to God & his sainctes, & performe thē goyng to y ^e place barefoote in sēblable maner as y ^e Ie­wes did. Supplica­tions. Supplicacions were ordey­ned in a great yearth quake by Ma­mercus bishop of Vienne in the tyme of Leo the fyrst. These be called of y ^e Greke worde Letanyes, Letanies. & are cōmonly named processions, because the people procede furth a long in array .ii. & ii. together, and go frō place to place praiyng loud. They be called the lesse Letanyes. And Agapetus, as it is re­ported▪ fyrst appointed thē to be song euery sōday in or about the churche: although it seme by Tertulians wor­d [...]s, y ^t they haue be vsed frō the beginnyng of y ^e churche, & therfore it maye be supposed that Mamercus did only renew y ^e custome. Afterward Grego­ry ordeined the great Letanies called [Page] septiformis letania, Letania maior. y ^e same time that muche people in R. perished through a great plage of swellyng of the pre­uy mēbres, whiche came of a corrupt ayre, that was poisoned with adders and snakes, that were cast out of Tyber at a merueilous high tyde.

Nesyng.There was another plage wherby many as they neesed dyed sodeynly, wherof it grewe into a custome, that they, that were present when any mā neesed should say, Why we say Christ helpe. God helpe you.

A like deadly plage was sometyme in yawnyng, wherfore menne vsed to fence them selues with the signe of y ^t crosse: Yawnyng. crossyng of our mouth. bothe whiche customes we re­teyne styl at this day. In al other ex­treme affayres, that we go about we vse to signe our selfes with the tokē of the crosse. And this hath bene the vsage frō the beginnyng of y ^e church.

❧The .x. Chapiter. ¶Of Images, tithes, and who permitted the Clergye to haue possessions.

AT the fyrst there was no I­magery nor pictures in the churches, but all occasions of Idolatry were withdra­wen [Page Cxxxi] accordyng to the cōmaūdement of the olde lawe. Images. Notwithstandyng it crepte in among christans by lytle and lytle, and men made Images of Christ on the crosse after the example of Moses whiche set vp y ^t brasen ser­pent, Abagarus. and Abagarus duke of Edisse­mans a nacion beyond the riuer Eu­phrates sente a Painter to drawe the Image of our sauiour Iesus, but for somuche as he could not beholde the brightnes of his face, Chryst layde a napkyn on his face, wherin he by his diuine power prynted the resēblaūce of his visage, and sent it by the pain­ter to the duke. A lytle napkyn was geuen by him (as it is sayd) to a wo­man, that had the blody flixe, whose name newe writers say was Veroni­ca, Veronica. and Luke the Euangelist had the Image of Mari the virgyn in a table painted. And in the sixt coūsel had at Constantinople by the cōmaundemēt of Cōstantine & Iustiniane, the second his sonne, Images were cōmaunded to be honored it was decreed that Ima­ges should be receyued into the chur­ches, and worshypped with great re­uerence, as a thing wherby the laitie might be instructed, as in steade of [Page] scripture, and that encense might be burned, and tapers lighted afore thē. This was about the yere of our lord vi.C.xxxii. or as some take it aboute the .vii.C.iii. yere of our lorde, what tyme Agathus was bishop of Rome. Afterward Constantine bishop there confirmed that decree, and caused I­mages in the churche of sainct Peter and pronounced Philippe the empe­rour an heretike, Philip empe­rour is pro­clamed an heretike. bycause he had sha­uen & scraped away y ^• Imagery that was in sainct Sophies temple. Not long after they were ratified & esta­blished in the counsel of Nice where were assembled by the procurement of Hyrene mother of Constantine the sixt .CCC.l. byshoppes. Hyrene. The great prophet of God Moses, and his suc­cessour Iosue diuided the land of Canaan among y ^e Israelites, assignyng no parte therof to the tribe of Leuye, because they were the lordes por [...]ion sauyng that he gaue thē habitacions in euery tribe, Tythes. and a lytle pasture for their nee [...]e, shepe, and other cattel. Therefore, because they m [...]nistred in the tabernacle of the lord, and execu­ted suche ceremonies, as apperteined [Page Cxxxii] to theyr religion, he appointed for them the fyrst fruites and tenthes to liue on. And after this sorte begāne the paiyng of tithes by the instituciō of Moses.

And Origene on the boke of Numery affyrmeth that this commaunde­ment is to be obserued of vs after the letter, Origenes opinion of tithes Homelia .xi. without any allegory or misti­cal interpretacion.

And it appeareth by Christes wor­des, Luke .ii. Christ allow­eth tythes. that he alloweth the litterall sense of the olde lawe, wher he sayth in y ^e gospel, wo be vnto you Scribes and Pharises, ye that tythe Mynte and Rue, and al maner of Herbes, & passe ouer iudgemēt & y ^e law of God, these ought to haue bene done, & not to leaue the other vndone, where you maye perceyue howe that as he com­maundeth one, so he would not haue the other omitted, that be signified there litterally, Eutichianus, bicause in the olde testament the fyrst fruites were offered to the lorde, ordeyned that corne should be consecrated on the alter: as Oyle and encense was burned in the Hebrues Synagoge, and that decree remayneth styl in [Page] effect in some places. But so the prie­stes vertue is so olde, and mennes de­uocion waxeth so colde, that in stead of the fyrst fruites, nowe a daies the people vse to bryng on the sondaies a fewe loaues of bread, in some places two or thre as they bee disposed, Holy bread. and those the priest consecrateth, and parteth by peeces among the people, that where as in time past they vsed to re­ceyue the sacrament on those dayes, now they eate this bread halowed in memorial of it. And this they do af­ter the paterne of Christ, whiche was euer wōt to halowe bread afore he ei­ther eat it or gaue it to his disciples. Other naciōs also vsed to offer their fyrst fruites & tithes, Fyrst fruites were offered of diuers countries. as the Romay­nes offered to Hercules, and Bacchus offered to Iupiter, Mars gaue to Iu­piter the tenth of his pray of Lydia. Vrbanus a man of godly liuyng, and singular learnyng aboute the yere of our lord .CC.xxii. decred that it was lawfull for priestes to receyue suche rentes or landes, Possessions are permitted [...] the clergy. as were geuen thē: Albeit there was nothyng priuate to any man, but cōmon to all. And thus by lytle & lytle the spiritual possessi­ons [Page Cxxiii] were enlarged, and bishoppes of Rome were greatly enriched. Luci­na an holy mayd of Rome made Marcellus byshyp there, her heyre and executour, and afterward Con­stantine dyd largely endowe the same bishop.

The fyrst Chapiter. ¶The beginnyng of the solytary lyfe of religiouse persons.

THE MATTER hath bene long in controuersy who fyrst begāne to enhabite wil­dernes, for some (as s. Hierome witnesseth) that haue ransaked y ^e vttermost, say that Helias and Iohn Baptist were auctours of the life so­lytary, but as y ^e one was more then a prophete, so the other was aboue the state and condicion of Monkes.

Beginnyng of religions.Some assigne the original of it to Antony, other referre it to one Paule a Thebane surnamed Heremite, by­cause he laide the foūdacion of y ^e ma­ner of liuyng solytary. Neuertheles for so muche as euery mā may speake his phantasye in a thing doubtful, I thynke y ^e institucion of this monasti­cal life to haue proceded of y ^e Essees, Essees. a religiouse brotherhod among y ^e Hebrues, that liued after a greater per­fection then the Monkes did in their supersticiouse & phātastical tradiciōs as appeareth by the .viii. boke of Eu­sebius [Page Cxxiiii] de preparatione euangelica.

Of their precedence Antonye, and Paule the Thebane toke example of orderyng the rules and preceptes of theyr religiouse scolars. Albeit, Paule the hermite. it shal agre of good right to ascribe the oryginal of it to Antony, whiche, al­though he were not the fyrst, yet he did specially encorage the endeuours of al other to lead that lyfe, and auc­thorised the discipline of Monkes in Egypt: And afterwarde Basilius in Grece, and Hilarion in Syria dyd muche augment & amplifie that pur­pose. Hilarion. For this Hilarion a man of great vertue, by callyng on the name of Iesus, healed at the cytie of Gaza the sonnes of a noble woman, wher­vpon the brute of him was so noysed that many out of Syria & Egypte re­payred vnto him, & he foūded abbeys in Palestine, & instructed thē w ^t rules of liuyng. Antony [...]s perfection. As for Antony he liued in the wildernes of Thebais in Egypt, & builded there an abbeye, where he him selfe, w ^t Sarmatas, Amatas, and Macarius his disciples liued in so er­nest contemplacion and praier▪ Disciples of Antony. that they liued onely with bread and wa­ter: [Page] his holynes was suche, that He­lena, mother of Constantine dyd commende her selfe and her sonne to his praiers, He dyed in the wyldernes, when he was an C.v. yeres olde, Antony liued an C.v. yere. the yere of oure saluacion .CCC.lxi. his disciples Amatas and Macharius en­creased muche the religion after his death, & Sarmatas was slayne by the Saracenes. Religiō hath growen to supersticion. The institucion of this state of liuyng came I graunte of a good zeele to godlynes, but the deuil peruerter of all good thynges dyd so empoysone the heartes of them, that folowed, that they had more trust in their workes, then fayth in Christes blod, & then euery man beganne new rules of workes to be theyr owne sa­uiours, and went so supersticiousely to worke, that al was out of rule and abhominable in the sight of God.

❧The .ii. Chapiter. ¶The diuision of monastical life into sundry sec [...]s and [...]actions.

Benet, AN hundreth .lxvi. yeare af­ter y ^e death of Antony, Be­net an Italiā borne at Nur­sie in Vmbria, when he had [Page Cxxxv] liued long in solitarines, resorted to a cytie of Italy named Sublaque a cytie of the Latines forty miles from Rome. And forbecause he was greatly delited with wyldernes, and also the people preased there muche to see and heare his preachynges, he depar­ted thence to Cassine. And in y ^e tyme of Iohn the fyrst about y ^e yere of our lord .CCCCC, Benet buil­ded an abbay at Cassinum. xxiiii. he buylded ther an abbey and assembled the Monkes that were dispersed alone in diuerse places, into one couente, and ordered them with instructions of maners, & rules of liuyng confyrmed with thre vowes, that is chastitee, wylfull po­uertie, and obedience, because they shuld al together mortify their owne wyl and lustes.

These thre forenamed vowes Basi­lius bishop of Gesaria did fyrst insti­tute and publishe in the yere of oure lorde .CCC.lxxxiii. Thre vowes Basilius or­deyned. And also assigne the yere of probacion or trial, that re­ligiouse persons had afore they were professed. The yere of probacion.

The order of Cluniacēses were or­deyned by one Odon an abbotte at Masticense, a village of Burgundie, Cluniacēses▪ [Page] And Williā duke of Aquitany gaue them on house, the yere of our lorde. ixC.xvi. in the tyme of Sergius the thyrd. Not long after the religion of Camaldimenses was begōne by Ro­moaldus of Rauenna in the mounte Apenninus, Camaldimenses. the yere of our lord .viii.C.l. they kept perpetual silēce, euery wednesday & friday they fast bread & water, they go barefoote, & lye on the ground. In a part of the same moun­tayne called Vallis Vmbrosa or the shadowed valey in y ^e yere of Christes incarnacion M lx. vnder Gregory y ^e vi. Iohn Gualbert begāne a new sect of Monkes, Shadowed valle order. & named thē of the place where the abbey stode, the shadowed valie order. The Monkes of Oliuere sprong vp as a fruite of discorde the same yere that the variance was amōg the thre bishops, Monkes of Oliuere. & were instituted by Barnardus Ptolomeus y ^e yere of Christ M.cccc.vii. vnder Gregory the .xii. The faction of Grandi­montensers beganne by Steuen of A­uerne in Aquitany or Guyen the yere of our lord .M.lxxvi. vnder Alexan­der the second, Grandimon­tensers. & had theyr tytle of y ^e mountayne where their abbey stode. [Page Cxxxvi] A litle after y ^e same tyme Robert ab­bot of Molisme, in Cistercium a Fo­rest of Burgundie dyd institute y ^e or­der of Cistercians, Cistercians order. albeit some ascrib this to one Ordingus a Monke, that persuaded Robert to the same, aboue the yere of our lord: M.xcviii. vnder Vrbane the second: Of this religion was the great clerke s. Barnarde. Almost an .C. yere after this in y ^e yere of our lorde .M.C.lxvi. The order of Humiliates was diuised by certeine persons exiled by Fredericus Barbarussa, which, Humiliates. when thei were restored to theyr coūtre, apparelled the selfes in white, & liued by a kynd of vow, in praiers, penury, & workyng wulle, & were admitted by Innocentius the thyrd, and other his successours. Celestines were founded by Celesti­nus the fyfte of that name bishop of Rome in the yere of our lorde .M.C.xcviii. Celestines. In England saint Gylbert at Tyrington, & Sempringham begāne an order called after him Gylberti­nes in the tyme of Eugenius the fourth, Gilbertines. the yere of Christes incarna­cion. Mcxlviii.

The Iustinianes were inuented by Iustinians. [Page] Lewes Barbus a religiouse man of Venice. In the abbey of sainct Iu­stine at Padway, the yere of our sal­uacion .M.CCCC.xii. in the daies of Iohn the .xxiii.

There were also orders of Nūnes diuised after the same rules of supersticion, Nunnes. as the other be.

❧The .iii. Chapiter. ¶Of the Hierominians, Chanons, Chatterhouse Monkes, Whyte frears, Crouchefryes with other.

HIERONIMIANS had theyr beginnyng of s. Hierome, Hieronimi­ans. whiche leauyng his natyue coūtre went into Iu­ry, and ther not farre frō Bethlehem builded him an house where he liued very deuoutly the lat­ter ende of his life, in the tyme of In­nocentius the .vii. The yere of our lorde .M.CCCC.v. After his exam­ple other counterfetted a resemblant of perfeccion namyng thē selues Hieronimians, wearyng their cloothes of whyte, and a coope playted aboue [Page Cxxxvii] ouer their coate girde with a leather gyrdel.

There were also certayne Heremi­tes called Hierominians of the foun­dacion of one Charles Grauel of Florence, Heremites Hicronimiās which made him selfe an Her­mite of the same religion in the moū ­taynes of Fessulus: other there be, y ^t say one Redo earle of mount Granel did institute them in Fessulus in the tyme of Gregorye the .xii. Yet there be, that say that the originall of this brotherhod was instituted of Hierom in deserte, & that Eusebius of Cremo­na with other deuoute and holy men, Eusebius Cremonēris. whiche kept conuersacion with him did enlarge and augment the familie of that profession.

As concernyng the Channons re­guler, ther be two opinions: Chānon re­guler. for some saye that Austen by and by after he was created byshoppe broughte hys Chānons in this rule and fourme of liuyng, wherin they haue bene so lōg trayned and noseled vp: other some bragge and make their vaunt, that it was deuised of the Apostles, and of this opinion was Thomas of Aquine But howsoeuer the matter go: Austen [Page] was doubtles ether the inuentour of the secte, or renewer of it, and ther­fore maye be iustlye taken for an au­toure of that faction, and so was he likewyse of Augustines Hermites. The Chanons clothyng was a white cote, Chanons apparel. & a linnyn rochet vnder a blacke coape with a scapuler to couer their head and shoulders: Hermites Augustines. The Hermites haue a contrary vesture, a blacke coat with alike scapuler and another coat of whyte, & a lether gyrdle. Of these there be diuerse orders. As y ^e order of s. Sauiour of the scopettines, The order of Chanons or Hermites. Scopettines. whiche wer ordeined by one Steuen & Iames two men of Senes in the tyme of Vr­bane the .v. the yere of Christ .M.ccc.lxx. and Gregory the .xi. by his con­sent confirmed thē in their hipocrisie

The Frisonaries is another brood which began among the Hetrurians in the countie of Luces, Frisonaries. that is other wise called lateraneuse, by the diuise of Iames Britiane in y ^e tyme of Ihō the .xxiiii. the yere of Christ .M.cccc.xii. & thei were amplified & encreased bi Eugenius the .iiii. The .iii. order is titled y ^e brethred of s. Gregory, Brethren of saint Grego­ry de Alga de Alga, this was ordeyned at Venece by [Page Cxxxvii] Laurence Iustinian in the time of In­nocencius the .vii. y ^e yere of our lord. M, cccc.vii. with diuers other orders whiche forsomuche as they rise sodē ­ly like toad stoles in a raine, I wyl o­mit thē. Bruno of Colen, y ^e red some­time the philosophi lecture at Paris did institute the Charterhouse mon­kes in the diocese of Gracianopolis, Charterhous monkes. at a place named Cartusia in the yere of our lord .M.lxxx. vnder Gregorye the .vii. their life was outwardly ful of painted holines, in forbering flesh fasting bread and water eueri friday, ful of solitarines, muche silence, euer pinned in, and women were banished out of the house, with other sembla­ble ceremonies. The Carmelites or white friers wer, Carm [...]lites. as some say begon in mount Carmelus after the exam­ple of Helias y ^e prophet, which liued their lōg solitary, they wer fyrst assē ­bled together by Almericus B. of Antioch, y ^e yere of our lord .M.clxx. in y ^e time of Alexander the .iii. & they wer so called our Lady friers of a chapel of our lady y ^t was in y ^e hil Carmelus. Neuertheles vpon .cccc. yeares after in the tyme of Innocentius the third [Page] they were reformed by Albartus by­shop of Hierusalem, Carm [...]lites clothyng is chaunged. accordyng to the rule of Basilius, and the colowre of their coape was turned into whyte by Honorius the third where afore it was russet.

The order of Pemōstratenses was instituted in the diocesse of Laudune by Northbergus a priest, Piemonstra­tenses. and the pre­ceptes of that couent were gathered out of s. Austens rules, and admitted for good by Calixtus the seconde, in the yere of our lorde .M.C.xx.

The Crouch or crosse Friers began about the yere of our lorde .M.cc.xv. by the diuise of Cyriacus bishoppe of Hierusalem, Crochfriers. whiche shewed Helene mother of Constantine wher y ^e crosse lay hyd: And in memorial of y ^e crosse, he caused this brotherhod & colledge of Friers to beare the crosse, And yet they neuer knew what y ^e crosse weied in their bodyes or in their heartes, & forsomuche as they were sore wasted Innocentius the .iii. renewed the re­ligion.

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶Blacke, and Gray friers, the Trinite order, Brigidians, Iesuates, new Hermites and Bonhomes.

[Page Cxxxix] ABOVTE the tyme of Innocentius the third a­rose two famouse foun­ders of two supersticious sectes, Dominicke. Fraunces. I meane Domi­nicke the Spaniarde, and Frauncis the Italian, of the countrie of Vm­bria.

Dominicke at the fyrst was a Cha­non, Friers Do­minickes. but bycause he could not suffre to haue a superior, and was also we­ry of the cloyster, he inuented a newe fraternite named Dominicans, black Friers, or Friers preachers, bycause they had the charge to preache y ^e Gospel, without mixture of any pharisa­ical leauen. The newe guyse of their vesture made innocente Innocentius to wonder.

But Honorius the .iii. by his bulle honorably admytted them, Dominicke is canonised. the yeare of our lorde .M.CC.xx. and Gregory the ninth putte the matter out of all doubt canonised Dominicke, and by his bulle vnder lead alowed him for a sainct.

Frauncesse, Fraunces. that was fyrst of y ^e fri­ers Austens, thinkyng that secte not to be sufficiently furnished with hi­pocrisie, [Page] beganne a newe trade of li­uyng in the mounte Appoeninus in a place named cōmonly Iauerna doubt­les a ground worthy for suche a foū ­dacion, as was besyde the worde of God, it was set vp in the tyme of Ho­norius aforesayd. They were named Minores of the humilitie & lowlynes of hart that thei shuld haue, Minorites. but that was smally regarded & furthest from their study. Two yeres after, y ^t was the yere of oure Lorde .M.CC.xxix. Frauncisse was sanctified by Grego­ry, Frauncisse is made a sainct & made a sainct, Fraunciscanes afterward fel at cōtencion for the rules of their profession. They that fayled somewhat of y ^e vnperfecte perfection of them, retayned the name of Mi­norites styl, the other titled them sel­ues obseruauntes more worthy to be called obstinate.

Obseruātes.The latter felowes were broughte into England by kyng Edwarde the iiii. & were greatly enhaunced by the famouse prince kyng Henry the .vii.

Clara.At the same tyme was Clara the Vyrgyn, countrie woman to sayncte Frauncisse, whiche was a great foundresse of Nunnes of y ^e same rule that [Page Cxxxix] Frauncesse gaue his couent: of them sprōg the basterde penitencers in the dayes of Iohn the .xxii. and the yere of our lord .M.CCC.xv. Penitencers.

The order of the Trinite vnder the sayd Innocentius was begonne by Iohn Marta, Order of the Trinite. and Felyx Anachori­ta in Fraunce, in the countrie of Mel­dine. Then also was founded, or els not long after in the tyme of Martin the fourth the brotherhod of Mayres seruauntes by one Philip of Floren­cia a Phisician, and Benedicte the .xi confirmed it in the yere of our Lorde M.CCC.lxxxv.

The order of Brigidians was instituted by Brigidia a wyddowe, Brigidians. that was princesse of Sueta vnder Vrbane the .v. in the yeare of oure Lorde .M.ccc.lxx. it was aswell of men as wo­men, albeit thei dwelled seuerally by them selues. Iesuites. The familie of Iesuites was the inuēcion of Iohannes Colū ­binus in the citie of Senes in the time of the same Vrbane, the yere of oure lord .M.ccc.lxviii. they were no prie­stes nor consecrated persons, but wer men of the laye sort geuen & addicted to praiers, & had the name of Iesuites [Page] bycause the name of Iesus should be often in their mouth, they be muche like to our bedemen in England.

Newe her­mytes.The secte of new Hermites began in Vrbine a cytie in Italy in the coū ­tre of Vmbria, where Polidor Ver­gile was borne, and was the deuise of one Petrus an Hetruriane, and they had in the same cytie a goodly hospi­tal or guylde hal.

Bonhomes.The Bonhomes were instituted in England by Edmunde sonne of Ry­chard erle of Cornewel, whiche was brother to Henry the .iii. and was e­lected kyng of the Romanes, & heyre apparant to the Empyre by the prin­ces electours aboute the yere of oure Lorde .M.CC.lvii. The special head place of that religion was Astrige, wher the noble kyng Henry the .viii. hath nowe a goodly Palace. This Edmund brought the blood of our sa­uiour, as it was sayd into the realme

The .v. Chapiter. ¶The original of sacred knightes and white secte.

[Page Cxli] WHILEST the cy­tie of Ierusalem, a­fore our christenmen had cōquered it in y ^e yere of our lord .M.xcix. was in subiec­cion to the Saracēs, Grauekepers or sepulchre knightes. the Latine christians, that liued ther tributaries, purchased a lycence to buylde nere vnto the holye sepulchre dwellyng houses, and among other they made an hospital of our lady to receyue the straunge pilgrimes, and appoincted a prouost to entertain thē This was in Siluester the fyrst hys tyme, the yere of our Lorde .ccc.xiiii. and renewed the yere of Chrst .M.ccc xcvii. in the tyme of Celestine the .iii. bishop of Rome.

After the paterne of this house was deuised a like house of virgyns in me mortal of Mari Magdalen, Magdalene systers. to receiue the women that resorted thether. It beganne in the .ii. Vrbanes daies, the yere of our Lorde .M.lxxxxix. Not­withstandyng because the multitude of latine pilgrimes waxed very great they builded thre hospitals of s. Ihō Baptiste, as some saye, albeit, some [Page] thynke it was of Iohn Eleemosina­rius, that was the patriarke of Alex­andria in the reigne of the emperour Phoca. This secte one Gerardus ad­ourned with a white crosse in a black vesture: grand captain of these knightes was Ramundus, Ramundus. when Clement the .v. had the sea of Rome, about the yere of our Lorde .M.ccc.x. yet some affirme that the beginnyng of them was in the .iii. Alexanders dayes, the yere of Christ .M.c.lxxix. and they be called of y ^e order of s. Iohn, Knightes of the Rhodes. or knigh­tes of the Rhodes, because thei wāne the Rhodes from the Turkes, which afterwarde they lost againe in Ianu­ary, in the yere of oure saluacion .M.CCCCC.xxiii. albeit, they dyd long defend it manfully.

The templers order was begon in Gelacius the .ii. his daies, Templer knightes. in the yere of Christes incarnacion .M.C.xxviii. by Hugo Paganus, and Gaufradus de sancto Alexandro: they were na­med templers, bycause they kept in a parte of the buyldynges neare to the temple, they kepte Barnardus rule in their liuyng. But Clement the .v. de­posed thē partly for that they renoū ­ced [Page Cxli] the faith, & conspired w ^t the Tur­kes, & partly forother notable crimes

The order of Tentonickes or dutch Lordes beganne in Hierusalem by a Dutche manne whose name is not knowen: Duch lordes. Their office was to fight a­gainst the enemies of Christes crosse, it began in the dayes of Clement the third, the yere of Christes incarnaci­on .M.C.xc. Petrus Fardinandus a Spaniarde began the order of sainct Iames knightes, Knightes of sainct Iames that lyued after s. Austens rule, vnder Alexander y ^e .iii. and in the yere of our lord .M.c.lx.iii the same bishoppes daies.

¶ Sāctius a kyng ordeyned the facti­ons of Calatrauean knightes, which professed the rule of y ^e Cisterciences. Calatrauean knightes. Of the same profession be they of the order of Iesus Christes knightes, Knightes of Iesus Christ. whiche were instituted by Iohn the xxii. bishop of that name in Portin­gale to resist the Saracens.

Alexandrians brotherhod of knightes in the realme of Castel, Alcantarian knightes. y ^t begonne in Gregories tyme the .ix. aboute the yere of oure saluacion M.CC.xl. but who was auctor of thē is vncertaine. Iames kyng of Aragonia dyd foūd [Page] ii. sectes of knightes, one named of s. Mari, Knightes of sainct Mari de Mercede Mountesiās de Mercede of those the office was to raunsom suche as were taken prisoners in warres against the Tur­kes: The other sect is called Monta­sian knightes, and they were a redde crosse, both these orders Gregory the xi. did alowe the yere of our lord .M.

Minimes.The order of Minimes or lest bre­thren were founded by one Francis­cus Paula a Silician after the exam­ple of Frauncisse his Mmorites.

Apostolike br [...]thren.The Apostolike brethren begāne in the yere of our lord .M.cclx. by the institucion of Gerardus Sagarelus in the toune named Perma in Lōbardie in the tyme of Alexander the fourth.

Whyte secte.The whyt sect sprong vp in the Al­pes, & descended into Italye hauyng apriest for their captayn. But Boni­facius perceiuyng they should do no good to his honourable estate if they continued, caused their captain to be headed at Viterbium, as attainted of some heresie, the yere of our lord .M.cccc. They wer a great nomber, & dyd no other thyng but lamēt the state of mākynd, & bewayle the sinnes of the people. Theren as of this fashion [Page Cxliii] both men & women, & were called the whit sect, because they weare whyte clothyng.

The .vi. Chapiter. ¶The Niniuites, Assirians, Anto­nians, and Ceretanes.

NO lesse supersticion is in the fraternite of the Ni­niuites, Niniuites. although they a­uaunce thē selues to haue receyued their maner of liuyng of y ^e Apostles: for the end of their doynges is to worke their owne saluacion by dedes satis­factory to God, wher in dede they derogate the effecte and power of Chri­stes blod. The rites be specified with outward holines: Rites of Ni­niuites. as often assēblyng to praier hiryng of chauntry priestes supportyng pouertie, & be clothed in sackcloth and scourge one another w ^t whippes. Of this painted penaunce they call them selues Niniuites, as though they appeaced Gods wrathe in the same wyse, as they of Niniuie dyd, where in deede they had heartie cōtricion for their offēces, these haue but pretenced holines and penitence: they beganne vnder Clement the .iiii. [Page] the yere of our lorde a thousand two hundreth threscore and fiue.

The maner of theyr whyppyng came of the Romayne sacrifices and Lupercalia, Whippyng whēce it came Lupercalia whereof I spake afore, for thei vsed the same custome of a supersticious opinion: Or if a manne wold be curious in boultyng out the original of their beatyng, it may ap­peare to haue proceded of an obser­uaūce of the Egyptiens. For y ^e vsage was there, An vsage of the Egiptiās that whilest they offered a cow with many ceremonies to their gret Idole, as Herodotus witnesseth during y ^e burnyng therof, they shuld, one beate another miserably with wandes or roddes. The title of their fraternitie came of the Romaynes, whiche had diuers felowshyppes as Sodales Titii, Fraternities. and Fratres Aruales that sacrificed to Ceres Goddesse of corne. Another sort there is not onely idle, but also theuishe, & they be cal­led Assirians, the same that we name commonly Egyptians: Assirians. These, as all men haue hearde, Egyptians. and many haue by experience proued, be so lyght fynge­red, and suche rigbies chyldren, that they wyll fynde two thynges, afore [Page Cxliii] they lose one.

The men by suche pyllery, thefte, and playne stealyng, and women by palmestrye, blessynges, Craftes of y ^e Egytians. with lyke o­ther sorcery, and wytchecrafte furni­shed with lyes, seduce and deceyue a great nomber of symple people in e­uery country and region.

And bicause they should haue more libertie to spede their purposes, The Egypti­ans excuse. they saye, it is their vowe, and penaunce is geuen them to go in continual pil­gremage. Fye on that pylgremage, that is mayntayned by pickyng, and redoundeth to the profit of none, but to the extreme losse of manye as well countries as men.

The occasion that these vacabun­des stray thus abrode came of an old Idol that they worshypped in their Paganisme named the goddesse of Siria: Goddesse of Siria. Libro .viii. de asmo aureo. wherwith they vsed to gadde frō place to place to begge monye, wyne, mylke, chese, corne, and other stuffe as Apuleius writeth.

The same people nowe thei be chri­stened, playe theyr partes in like ma­ner with sundry subtilties: and that they get by liyng, pickyng, stealyng, [Page] brybyng, they make monye of, and so returne home laughyng to scorne all those symple persons, that they haue thus deceyued.

Seyng all other supersticions be a­bolished and roted vp, it is pitie that this should take styl effect, and be vnpunished. The Antonians were a counterfect of Antonies perfection, Antonians but they differ as muche frō his holynes as whyte frō blacke, they haue a The token of Antonians. on their brest, that meneth Tolle, teaching them to take what they can get be it cowe, oxe, calfe, or pigge, for they offer swyne to him, as they dyd sacrifice shepe to Bel in Babilon, thei were instituted in the yere of Christ .CCC.xxiiii.

Ceretanes.The Ceretanes began in Ceretum a cytie of Vmbria, & euer they vsed to go a beggyng at the latter end of haruest when the barnes were stuft with corne, and so like drones deuour that that other haue gottē with the swet of theyr browes.

Of these valiant beggers there be in euery place mo then a great meny: Ceretanes play in somer and begge in wynter. but I cānot tel what tyme they were instituted, and howe sone they be put doune it skylleth not.

❧The .vii. Chapiter. ¶The originall of Ma­hometes sect [...].

OF all these superstic [...] ­ouse sectes afore re­hersed ther is not one so diabolicall, as the sect of Mahometanes as well for the filthi­nesse of al vnlawfull lustes, Mahometa­nes. as other outrageouse naugh­tinesse, that thei occupie daily, to the greate endomagyng of christendome, and encrease of their owne infidelite

OF this vnreuerent religion, Mahomete. Ma­homete a noble manne, borne in Ara­bie, or as some reporte in Persie was authoure: & his father was an Hea­then Idolater, and his mother an I­smaelite, wherfore she had more per­ceueraunce of y ^e Hebrues lawe. This wicked plante brought vp and foste­red vnder his parentes, and enstru­cted like a mungrel in either of their lawes: be came experte, and of a redy witte: And after the deathe of his fa­ther and mother, he was in houshold with one Abdemonaples an Ismae­lite, Abdemona­ples. whiche putte hym in truste with [Page] his marchandice, and other affaires, and after his decease he maried his mastresse a widdowe. There he fel in acquaintaunce with the Monke Ser­gius an heretike of Nestors sect, Sergius. that fled from Byzans into Arabie: and by his counsaill and aduise this Ma­homete aboute the yere of our Lorde sixe hundred and twentie, and the .xii yere of the reigne of the Emperoure Heraclius began in Arabie to found a newe secte, Mahomete preached se­diciously. & by sedicious sermons seduced muche people and many coū ­trees. He conquered by helpe of the Arabians diuerse landes, and sub­dued theim as tributories, and com­pelled theim too liue after the tradi­cion of his lawes, that he gathered out of the newe, and olde Testamen­tes, and diuerse heresies of Nicolai­res, Maniches, and Sabellians. He died the fourtie yere of his age, When Ma­homete died. and his body was caried by the Sarace­nes into a citee of Persia called Me­cha, Mecha. Caliphas. and laied in a coffyne of Iron. Caliphas succeded Mahomete but he was deposed for his supersticiō, and another of the same name was substituted in his roume. Homar. Homar was the [Page Cxliv] thirde, Homar wan Hierusalem▪ that reigned and he after the conquest of the Persians, wanne Hierusalem, and all Siria, the yere of our Lorde fi [...]e hundred and fourescore in the tyme of Agathö bishop of Rome and Constantyne the fourthe Empe­roure. This secte waxeth daily big­ger and bigger, partely throughe the discorde of Christen princes, and par­tely by reson of our synfull liuyng, y ^• daily groweth to greater enor­mities, that deserue the heuy hande of GOD ouer vs.

❧The firste Chapiter. ¶Of Reliques, stacions, the yere of Iubilie, Pardons.

NOT LONG after the mar­tyrdome of Peter and Paule, Reliques. bothe many, & that of diuerse sortes as well men as women [...] the example of their constā ­cie, were enco­raged to suffre sundery kindes of tormentes in seuerall partes of y ^e world for the mainteignance of Christe his religiō. Many bisho­pes of Rome suffered mar [...]tyrdome. But namely in Rome muche murther of innocente bloudde was committed of tyrantes by many ma­ner of punishementes, and a greate number died in Chrstes cause, emong other certain bishoppes to the soume of thirty and twoo were slain by ex­treme persecusion, onlesse it were se­uen of theim, whiche by deathe were preuented afore thei attaigned the croune of Martyres. Therefore con­sideryng [Page Cxlvii] that muche martyres bloud was spente, & that specially in Rome and many from other places wer cō ­ueighed thither, Cletus and Anacle­tus bishoppes there did seriously go about to reuerence them. For the one appoin [...]ted a place, Martyres wer seuerally buried. where Martyres should seuerally haue their sepultu­res aparte from the laye people, and the other by degree denounced hym accursed as a sacrilege, that by word or deede hyndered mennes deuocion from visityng the toumbes of the A­postles. Vpon this occasion Calistus the firste buylded beyonde Tyber a churche in honoure of our Lady, Churches of our Lady. and Constanstyne Emperoure edified to Peter, Paule, and Laurence temples This matter was by Gregory the sainct sette forwarde to the encrease of supersticious deuocion: Peters chur­che. For he ap­poyncted these Letanies of sainctes with Ora pro nobis too bee songen with Masses on certayne solemne daies in the chief temples of the citee promisyng theim▪ Letanies. that repaired thy­ther at suche solemne feastes cleane remission of synnes by his pardone. And he named the pompouse sacrifi­ces [Page] staciōs bycause thei wer celebra­ted on certain daies limited and pre­scribed by statute. Stacions. Bonifacius the eight in the yere of our Lorde a thou­sande three hundred, appoyncted the yere of Iubile, or grace, to bee kepte euery hundred yere with cleane re­mission A pena & culpa to all theim that visited the temples of the Apo­stelles Peter & Paule. Iubile euery hundred yere. And this was taken vp of the example of the He­brues, albeet thei did kepe it euery .l. yeres or els as some thynke be assi­gned the yeres accordyng to the olde feastes of Apollo and Diana whiche the Romaynes Heathen solemnised euery hundred yere, and of that thei were called Ludiseculares. Aboute fifty yeres after. Ludiseculares. Clemente the sixte decreed that it should bee celebrated euery fifty yeres as the Hebrues rite was, Iubile at fifti yeres. bycause no manne was able to attain the olde iubile of an hundred yeres. Laste of all Sextus the fourth restraygned the yere of grace to the xxv. yere, Iubile at .xxv yeres. and he hymself kepte it at that daie, whiche was in the yere of Goddes grace shewed by his sonne Iesus Christe too the worlde a thou­sande [Page Cxlviii] foure hundred three score and fiftene. Pardons. Aboute the same tyme Par­dons were very [...]ief, and muche vsed but who was the firste authoure of theim I haue not redde in any wry­ter, sauyng that saincte Gregory (as I saied a fore) proclaymed Pardons as a reward for theim, Pardōs wer profitable to the purse. that came too his Stacions. This seede sowen by Gregory grewe too a ripe haruest in the tyme of Bonifacius the .ix. whi­che reaped muche money for y ^e chaffe. After this Alexander the sixte that was in the yere of our Lorde a thou­sande fiue hundred assinged the Iu­bilee and Stacions to bee had insun­dery prouinces and countrees, Iubylee was sente into all countrees for money. to the entent that lesse thrōg of people and more thrifte of money might come to Rome, and so the people should only lose their money and saue their la­boure. Moses was first authour of the Iubilee But Moses was the firste authoure of the Iubilee, as appea­reth by Iosephus in the olde Testa­ment.

❧The second Chapiter. ¶The bishoppe of Romes titles Colla­ges of Scribes, sealyng Bulles with Leade, Annates,

[Page] Titles of the Bishoppes of Rome. FOR somuche as no­thyng is so decent for a priest as gentlenesse nothyng so fitt as lo­linesse, nothyng more comly thē humblenes according to y ^e saiyng of our sauioure, lerne of me for I am meke and loly in herte, nor nothyng more against their ordre then pride & arrogauncie: Diuus Grego­rius. Seruus seruorū dei. Gregory the sainct, bi­shop of Rome named hymself seruus seruorū dei, whiche thyng he did not onely vsurpe in title but also ex­presse in deede. This name & preface was receiued a [...]d vsed of his succes­soures, but his hertie mekenesse was refused, as a thyng that diminished their pontificall estate. Cle [...]us added to salutē & Apostolicam benedictionem, Salutem & A­postolicam bene­dictionem. as a salutacion condigne and apperteinyng to the vertue & godlinesse and a resemblāt to Christes gretyng, whiche was peace bee vvith you, Christes gre­tyng. or of the Hebrues, that vsed too saie in their metynges peace bee vvith thee: The Hebrues salutyng. And this all our bishoppes haue reserued to them selfes as a peculiar [...] salutyng.

Scribes. AS concernyng the Scribes, that [Page Cxlix] vsed to write the letters Apostolicall where afore tyme thei were wont to write for nothyng, or els asked verie litle, Ihon the .xxii. desirouse too en­crease & enlarge his substaunce foun­ded a co [...]lage of Scribes that should write & endite letters of their owne deuise, and doo other offices, Collage of Scribes. but thei must be chosen out of his owne clearkes, and muste paie and bee dismissed of money, afore thei could bee admit­ted to y ^e roume. He did also institute the taxe or subsidie, y ^t thei paie, Taxes of be­n [...]fites. whi­che haue benefites of his gifte & pre­sentacion. All suche thynges, as be­long to the Apostolicall penetencers, Penitencers. Benet the .xii. diuised first, Price of all wryttes. and deter­mined the price of al writtes & bulles The custome of sealyng the bishop of Romes bulles with lede was taken vp by Stephen the third and Hadrian the first to the entent thei should en­dure longer, Bulles sealed with leade. where afore tyme the v­sage was to sele in waxe with a ring. And this was the yere of our Lorde vii.c.lxxii. at whiche tyme Hadriane was bishop afore those daies I finde no mencion of sealyng with leade, as afore Carolus Magnus none of the [Page] Romaine Empiroures sealed letters with gold. Carolus ma­gnus sealed first w ^t golde Breuiatours Pius the second did create Breuiatours, and set thē in an order, whiche Paule deposed, but Sextus afterward renewed the roume, as com­modious for the purse: and also insti­tuted the new collage of Solicitours and proctors, Solicitours. by whose counsaill and aduise all bulles and grauntes were made and ratified. He also ordayned i [...]. Notaries of the treasure Apostolical, Notaries. & assigned to euery of them certa­in fees and profettes, that he mighte haue spedy vtteraunce of the roumes Innocencius that succeded next Sex­tus diuised y ^e collage of Secretaries, and Alexander the sixt encreased the number of writers of his Breefes to the sume of foure score and aboue. Collage of secretaries.

Somoners. THE Somoners, and catchpolles that wer hangers on to those breuia­tors were by Nicolaus the third put out of office, leaste all the poore shepe should be [...]leied to the quicke. But al this riffe raffe filled not so muche the popes cofers in seuē yeres as his Annates did in one. Annates. Annates he calleth the yerely reuenewes or half part of the fruites of a benefice or spirituall [Page Cxlx] promocion, that he receiued of the newe Incumbentes. These beganne firste at his owne benefices whereof he was patrone, and Clement the .v. generally decreed it, A general de­cree of Anna­tes. in y ^e yere of oure lorde .M.CCC and v. Bonifacius the ix. and Ihon the .xxii. renewed the decree for feare of forgettyng bycause it helpeth muche the purse.

❧The thirde Chapiter. ¶Of the secte of Symoniakes, Heretikes, Schismes.

PHILIPPE the dea­con, what tyme he had by his preachyng con­uerted theim of Sama­ria to Christes religiō, emong many other he turned one Symon a Magicien and inchāter, and baptised hym. Simon Ma­gus. In short space after, Peter and Ihon wer sent thyther to confirme thē in the faithe by gyuyng theim the holy Ghooste throughe laiyng on of handes, this Symon perceiuyng the feat of Peter that he could by laiyng on of handes giue the holy ghoste, Simō profe­red monei for too haue po­wer too gyue the holi ghost profered to giue a large sume of money too haue that power taught him, wheras he should [Page] rather haue obtained it by faith and godlines. Peter moued at those wor­des, with anger saied, th [...] money shal turne to thy destrucciō, bicause thou supposedest the gyftes of God to bee boughte with money, neither shalte thou haue one porciō or doale of this charge, for thy herte is not vpright afore God. Thus reiected of his sute he became a greate enemie to Peter, and in Rome seduced by his magike muche people in somuch that he was taken, and proclaimed by Nero his charter a god with this title, Symon was made a God. Simon deus sanctus. But Peter with the swerde of Goddes worde, after long conflicte of woordes, and contencion of miracles, betwene the Capitoly or counsaill chamber and the Mounte Auentine caused that, as he was by his Magicall exorcismes lifted vp, & fliyng in the aire, Simō did fly in the ayre. Symō brake his legge. he had suche a fall, that he brake his legge & it coste hym his life in Aretia, wher he laie at sur­gery for the healyng of his legge. Of hym al, that buie or sell the gyftes of the holy ghoste, and saie the worlde was not of the creacion of God, but proceded of a power aboue, were na­med [Page Cli] Simoniakes, Simoniakes and so we cal them that bie or sell benefices and spiritu­all promocions, whiche thyng (al­though it bee often vsed) is playnely forboden by the scriptures. Next Si­mon succeded his disciple Menander a Samarytane borne, Menander. Samaritanꝰ whiche called hymself a sauiour sente from heauen to preserue and saue menne, and pro­mised theim▪ [...] receiued his baptisme should liue immortally, he did more harme, and peruerted more then his master Simon had doen. In thesame tyme the heresie of the Nicolayans beganne, Nicolaians. whiche taughte that wifes should bee vsed in common as the A­nabaptistes dooe nowe at this tyme. Then also Corinthus enterprised to mixte the newe lawe with the olde, Corinthus. affirmyng that circumcision oughte too bee obserued and kepte, and that after the resurreccion menne should liue a thousande yeres in carnall lu­stes and pleasures. Hebion. Ihō did write his Gospell against Hebiō At those daies Hebion his heresie broke oute, whiche saied that Christe was not afore his mother, agaynste this felowe Ihon wrote his Gospell laste of all the E­uangelistes. Aboute that tyme were [Page] other diuerse heretikes, Basilides. as Basilides that affirmeth there wer twoo beginnynges or principall causes of thyn­ges contrary, & his scholer Marchion a Stoicien, Marchion. that denied Christe to bee the sonne of GOD, Valencianus and Valenciane, that saied Christe tooke no fleshe of the virgins body, but passed through her, as it were through a pipe or con­dute, Montanus. thē also Montanus named hym self, the comforter or holy ghoste. A­pelles was then also, Apelles. whiche saied Christe was but a phantasie in the sight of men, Sabellius. and Sabellius, that said the father, the sonne, & the holy ghost wer but one persone, and Paulus Sa­mosatenus, Paulus Sa­mosatenus. whiche denied the twoo natures to bee in Christe, and that he beganne but of his mother, and that she had after hym mo children by Iosephe. And thus beganne heretikes firste to spryng vp. As for Schismes, whiche sprong of suche heresies and erronious opinions, Schismes. Nouatianus Nouatianus a prieste of Rome was authoure of the firste in the yere of our Lorde twoo hundred fifty and fiue in the tyme of Cornelius bishoppe of Rome: Mundi. he na­med his disciples Mundi that is pure [Page Clii] and cleane, and offēders he affirmed that thei ought not to bee admitted, but reiected although thei wer peni­tente for their synnes: whiche openiō the Anabaptistes now maintain. He was condemned [...]i Cornelius bishop of Rome as an heretike with all his adherentes. Aboute foure score yeres after in the reigne of Constantine the greate Arrius a priest of Alexandria was the beginner of a secte & schisme that denied the sonne too bee of the substaunce of GOD the father, Arrius. but this was conuicte in the counsaill of Nicene, albeet not extincted. A Schisme,

THE thirde Schisme was when Damasus was bishop of Rome, wher in thei contended not onely with voi­ces and woordes: but also with vio­lence and weapons, by reason of the ambicion of the bishoppes there assē ­bled. Schisme of a later tyme. Other Schismes haue sprōgen in our tyme to the great disquietnes and confusion of Christen religion, & destruccion of common welthes, wh [...] che I praie God maie bee redressed & staied to the honor of hym, to the con­firmaciō of y ^e faithfull, to the subuersiō of hipocrisy, to the auanncemēt of [Page] Goddes woorde, too the mitigatyng of the trouble of poblike weales, too the establishement of perpetuall vni­tee of herte, and continuall peace, all discencion and warre extinguished.

¶The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶When the firste generall counsaill was kepte, and whiche wer a­lowed by the fathers.

Counsailes. THE custome of assem­bling coūselles, to take deliberaciō of thynges doubtefull, or matters seriouse, is of a greate ancientie aswel emong the Hebrues, as other nacions: And by suche a maner counsail was Mat­thias surrogated and substituted in the steade of Iudas, Matthias elected by a counsaill. into the number of the Apostelles. And by a counsaill holden at Hierusalem the Apostles discharged the Gentyles of Moses lawe. Corneliꝰ cal­led the firste counsaill. Cornelius was the first, as plainly appeareth, that called to gether any counsaill and that was in Rome of sixe hundred bishoppes, as many priestes, with a greate multitude of deacons, In this counsail the heresie of the Nouatianes was cōuicted, and [Page Cliii] at thesame tyme satte also a counsail at Carthage where sainct Cypriane was bishoppe. Counsail of Cartage. Eusebius writeth also that once in the dayes of Dionisius, and likewyse in y ^e tyme of Felix, the fathers somoned another counsail at Antioche to condemne Paule Samo­satene, Counsail of Antioche. whiche denied the two natu­res of Christ, as is aforesayd.

FIVE other counsailes wer cele­brated in the reigne of Constantine the Emperour, Counsail of Nicea. and al were in Grece one at Nicea a cytie of Bithine, wher were gathered thre hundreth & .xviii. bishoppes to confu [...]e Arrius and his secre. This was the yere of Christ thre hundreth twenty and foure, the same tyme that Siluester y ^e fyrst was bishoppe of Rome.

THE seconde was at Constati­nople, Counsail at Cōstātinople when Damasus was bishoppe of Rome, wherein Macedonius and Eudoxus wer cōdemned bicause thei dyd deny the holy ghost to be God.

HHE thirde was at Ephesus Ce­lestyne the fyrst, Counsail at Ephesus. then occupiyng the sea of Rome. There was Nestor his heresie abholished, that sayd Mari the virgyne was mother of Christ a [Page] man, but not as he was of God, and that the persone of the God hede and his manhod wer .ii. sundry persones.

Counsail at Chalcedonie. THE fourth was at Chalcedonie vnder Leo the fyrst, where Entiches an heretike was improued: these .iiii. sainct Gregorye thought worthye to be admitted and allowed to the esta­blishyng of our religion.

THE .v. was solēnely kept at By­zance at the cōmaundement of Vigi­lius bishop of Rome: Counsail at Byzance. and in this was Theodorus reasoned with, whiche affirmed that Marie dyd beare onely a man and not God and man: For that cause the counsail there, then de­creed that Christes mother should be called Theotocos or Deipara that is bearer of God, Deipara. and the actes of this counsail were receiued by Gregorye.

THE sixte counsail, Constantine the fourth, at the request and suite of Agathon, called also at Byzance, where two hundreth bishoppes con­demned Macarius of Antioche. Another coū ­sail at Bizāce This counsail was accepted by Hadriane the fyrst. No counsaill may be called without the popes cōsent That no counsail might be legitimate, or lawfully assēbled without the bishoppe of Rome his consent [Page Clv] and assente was the constitucion and decree of Marcellus the fyrst, and af­terwarde, Iulius, Damasus, and Gregorie ratified the same.

Martine the fifth made a law that euery tenth yere the bishop of Rome, Counsailes should be cal­led euery tēth yere. and al Christen princes should meete together to consulte of matters con­cernyng our religion, & christen faith. It was decreed at the counsail of Nicene that euerye bishop should twise yerely haue a sinode or senes general within his diocese to correcte and re­fourme suche thynges as were out of order. Senesin eue­ry diocese. But now the matter is so han­deled that senes be onely courtes to gather their senage and proxie with a procession, and a sermon that the half vnderstand not: other correction I heare of none.

The .v. Chapiter. ¶Of the fyrst persecutours of the christen, and fyrst Martyres.

CHRISTE, Christ was a witnesse of the trueth. whiche came into this worlde, and was incarnate to beare witnesse vnto the trueth, had for his trewe testimonie greate enuye of the [Page] Iewes, insomuche that they persecu­ted him to the vile death of the crosse for his earnest recorde and reporte of the trueth: and they dyd no lesse pursue y ^e Apostles and messengers of the trueth. For when they folowyng the example of their maiester did openly declare the worde of trueth, and na­mely Peter dyd sore rebuke the wic­kednesse of the Iewes in puttyng to death Christ the authoure of life, ad­uertisyng them to repente & amende: the Iewes were so furiouse & woode, that fyrst they murthered Steuen, as the Actes of the Apostles testifie, by­cause he was a vehement witnesse of the trueth. This Shephyn dyd two yere continually after Christes death dispute with all the learned menne of Alexandria, Stephyn di­sputed with al the learned men of Iury. Cirene, Cilicia, and Asia, and by heauenly wisedome con­founded their worldely reasons and humayne learnyng. Wherfore they wer so sore vexed with heate and ma­lice against him, that they violently thrust him out of the cytie, Stephyn is stoned to death. Stephin first open defēder of oure faith. and then cruelly stoned him to death: Thus Stephyn was the fyrst open mainteyner & defender of our christen religiō [Page Clv] Afterward, as Luke telleth, so bitter and sharpe persecucion dyd brast out agaynst the Christians that were in Hierusalem, that they were enforsed to straye abrode, and were scattered throughout all Iurye and Samarie, sauyng that the Apostles remaygned & soiourned stil at Hierusalem. Not­withstandyng, this persecucion was the occasion of great furtheraunce of the Gospel, by reason they seased not but preached styll the worde euerye where with great encrease, and aug­mentyng of the faithful nomber.

Among the Heathen nacions Nero was the fyrst prince that persecuted oure religion vniuersally: Nero fyrst persecutour of al the hea­then princes. and putte Peter and Paule to death, and conse­quently many other innocentes were slain cruelly. For when of a deuilishe minde that he had, he could not spare euen his countrie, but either for dis­pleasure of the ruinouse houses whi­che greued him to beholde, or els de­sirouse to se a resemblant of the bur­nyng of Troye, he set on fire the more parte of the cytie of Rome, with so houge a flame, Halfe Rome was burned by Nero▪ that it burned sixe daies and sixe nightes cōtinually, to [Page] the impouerishyng of many thousād riche citezens. Then to mitigate the shamefull & abhominable deede, and to stinte the brute and slaūderouse re­porte that went on him for that fla­giciouse fact, there were forged false witnesses to say the christen men dyd this act, and so many simple innocēt smarted for that tirannes pleasure: And to obdurate him self in mischief, he proclaimed an open persecucion a­gainst all, that professed the name of Christ. Persecucion done by the Emperour. Not long after Domitiane renewed afreshe another affliction of the christians, & Traianus raysed the fourth, Marcus Antonius & Lucius Aurelius Commodus stired vp the v. persecucion. Aelius Pertinax moued the sixte. Maximinus procured the seuēth, Decius the eight, Valerianus the .ix. and Aurelianus caused the .x. And Dioclesianus began the .xi. whi­che was sorest, Dioclesiane made the greatest persecu­tion. sharpest, and of longer cōtinuance then any of all the rest: in suche sorte, that scripture bokes wer burned and churches plucked doune, christen magistrates that dyd beare any office, were deposed, souldiours were enforsed to denye their faith, or [Page Cliii] els forgoo their goodes and forbeare their liues by a general proclamaciō. Neither were the thre cruel tyrānes, Maxentius, Licinius, Maxencius. and Maximia­nus behynde with their partes, but were as busie as the best, to procure trouble to the christen people.

Constantinus borne in Englande, Constātinus first staied the christen faith was the fyrst christen emperour, that auaunced and defended the causes of our religion, & preserued christen men in peace & quietnesse. In al these per­secucions manye dyd suffer martyre­dome, as diuers histories recorde, but Stephyn was fyrst martyre of y ^e new testament. Stephyn was the fyrst martyre. For Iohn Baptist died a­fore the cōsummacion of the old law. After his example many other en­sued and susteined like crosses for the trueth sake, whiche al now reigne with God, to whom alone be al glory, honour, & praise worlde without ende. Sobeit.