For said they (of whom Pythagoras also had, and taught this errour) if
the soule apperteined at the first to a king, and he in this estate
did not leade his life worthie his calling, it should after his
[Sidenote: Metempsuchôsis.]
decease be shut vp in the bodie of a slaue, begger, cocke, owle, dog,
ape, horsse, asse, worme, or monster, there to remaine as in a place
of purgation and punishment, for a certeine period of time. Beside
this, it should peraduenture susteine often translation from one bodie
vnto another, according to the quantitie and qualitie of his dooings
here on earth, till it should finallie be purified, and restored
againe to an other humane bodie, wherein if it behaued it selfe more
orderlie than at the first: after the next death, it should be
preferred, either to the bodie of a king againe, or other great
estate. And thus they made a perpetuall circulation or reuolution of
our soules, much like vnto the continuall motion of the heauens, which
neuer stand still, nor long yeeld one representation and figure. For
this cause also, as Diodorus saith, they vsed to cast certeine letters
into the fire, wherein the dead were burned, to be deliuered vnto
their deceased fréends, whereby they might vnderstand of the estate of
such as trauelled here on earth in their purgations (as the Moscouits
doo write vnto S. Nicholas to be a speach-man for him that is buried,
in whose hand they bind a letter, and send him with a new paire of
shooes on his feet into the graue) and to the end that after their
next death they should deale with them accordinglie, and as their
merits required. They brought in also the worshipping of manie gods,
and their seuerall euen to this daie sacrifices: they honoured
[Sidenote: Oke honored whereon mistle did grow,
and so doo our sorcerers thinking some spirits
to deale about ye same, for hidden treasure.]
likewise the oke, whereon the mistle groweth, and dailie deuised
infinit other toies (for errour is neuer assured of hir owne dooings)
whereof neither Samothes, nor Sarron, Magus, nor Druiyus did leaue
them anie prescription.
These things are partlie touched by Cicero, Strabo, Plinie, Sotion,
Laertius, Theophrast, Aristotle, and partlie also by Cæsar, Mela, Val.
Max. lib. 2. and other authors of later time, who for the most part
doo confesse, that the cheefe schoole of the Druiydes was holden here
in Britaine, where that religion (saith Plinie) was so hotlie
professed and followed, "Vt dedisse Persis videri possit," lib. 30.
cap. 1. and whither the Druiydes also themselues, that dwelt among the
Galles, would often resort to come by the more skill, and sure
vnderstanding of the mysteries of that doctrine. And as the Galles
receiued their religion from the Britons, so we likewise had from them
[Sidenote: Logike and Rhetorike out of Gallia.]
some vse of Logike & Rhetorike, such as it was which our lawiers
practised in their plees and common causes. For although the Greeks
were not vnknowne vnto vs, nor we to them, euen from the verie comming
of Brute, yet by reason of distance betwéene our countries, we had no
great familiaritie and common accesse one vnto another, till the time
of Gurguntius, after whose entrance manie of that nation trauelled
hither in more securitie, as diuers of our countriemen did vnto them
without all danger, to be offered vp in sacrifice to their gods. That
we had the maner of our plees also out of France, Iuuenal is a
witnesse, who saith;
Gallia causidicos docuit facunda Britannos.
Howbeit as they taught vs Logike and Rhetorike, so we had also some
Sophistrie from them; but in the worst sense: for from France is all
kind of forgerie, corruption of maners, and craftie behauiour not so
soone as often transported into England. And albeit the Druiydes were
thus honored and of so great authoritie in Britaine, yet were there
great numbers of them also in the Iles of Wight, Anglesey, and the
Orchades, in which they held open schooles of their profession, aloofe
as it were from the resort of people, wherein they studied and learned
their songs by heart. Howbeit the cheefe college of all I say,
remained still in Albion, whither the Druiydes of other nations also
(beside the Galles) would of custome repaire, when soeuer anie
controuersie among them in matters of religion did happen to be
mooued. At such times also the rest were called out of the former
Ilands, whereby it appeareth that in such cases they had their synods
and publike meetings, and therevnto it grew finallie into custome, and
after that a prouerbe, euen in variances falling out among the
princes, great men, and common sorts of people liuing in these weast
parts of Europe, to yeeld to be tried by Britaine and hir thrée
Ilands, bicause they honoured hir préests (the Druiydes) as the
Athenians did their Areopagites.
[Sidenote: Estimation of the Druiydes or Druiysh preests.]
Furthermore, in Britaine, and among the Galles, and to say the truth,
generallie in all places where the Druiysh religion was frequented,
such was the estimation of the préests of this profession, that there
was little or nothing doone without their skilfull aduise, no not in
ciuil causes, perteining to the regiment of the common-wealth and
countrie. They had the charge also of all sacrifices, publike and
priuate, they interpreted oracles, preached of religion, and were
neuer without great numbers of yoong men that heard them with
diligence, as they taught from time to time.
[Sidenote: Immunitie of the cleargie greater vnder idolatrie
than vnder the gospell.]
Touching their persons also they were exempt from all temporall
seruices, impositions, tributes, and exercises of the wars: which
immunitie caused the greater companies of scholers to flocke vnto them
from all places, & to learne their trades. Of these likewise, some
remained with them seuen, eight, ten, or twelue years, still learning
the secrets of those unwritten mysteries by heart, which were to be
had amongst them, and commonlie pronounced in verse. And this policie,
as I take it, they vsed onelie to preserue their religion from
contempt, whereinto it might easilie haue fallen, if any books thereof
had happened into the hands of the common sort. It helped also not a
little in the exercise of their memories, wherevnto bookes are vtter
enimies, insomuch as he that was skilfull in the Druiysh religion,
would not let readilie to rehearse manie hundreds of verses togither,
and not to faile in one tittle, in the whole processe of this his
laborious repetition. But as they dealt in this order for matters of
their religion, so in ciuill affairs, historicall treatises, and
setting downe of lawes, they vsed like order and letters almost with
the Grecians. Whereby it is easie to be séene, that they reteined this
kind of writing from Druiyus (the originall founder of their religion)
and that this Iland hath not béene void of letters and learned men,
euen sith it was first inhabited. I would ad some thing in particular
also of their apparell, but sith the dealing withall is nothing
profitable to the reader, I passe it ouer, signifieng neuerthelesse,
that it was distinguished by sundrie deuises from that of the common
sort, and of such estimation among the people, that whosoeuer ware the
Druiysh weed, might walke where he would without any harme or
annoiance. This honour was giuen also vnto the préests in Rome,
insomuch that when Volusius was exiled by the Triumuirate, and saw
himselfe in such danger, as that he could not escape the hardest, he
gat the wéed of a preest upon his backe, and begged his almes therein,
euen in the high waies as he trauelled, and so escaped the danger and
the furie of his aduersaries: but to proceed with other things.
[Sidenote: Bardus.]
After the death of Druiyus, Bardus his sonne, and fift king of the
Celts, succéeded not onelie ouer the said kingdome, but also in his
fathers vertues, whereby it is verie likelie, that the winding and
wrapping vp of the said religion, after the afore remembred sort into
verse, was first deuised by him, for he was an excellent poet, and no
lesse indued with a singular skill in the practise and speculation of
musicke, of which two many suppose him to be the verie author and
[Sidenote: _Gen. 4. 21._]
beginner, although vniustlie, sith both poetrie and song were in vse
before the flood, as was also the harpe and pipe, which Iubal
inuented, and could neuer be performed without great skill in musicke.
But to procéed, as the cheefe estimation of the Druiydes remained in
the end among the Britons onelie, for their knowledge in religion, so
did the fame of the Bardes (which were so called of this Bardus for
their excellent skill in musicke, poetrie, and the heroicall kind of
song, which at the first conteined onelie the high mysteries and
secret points of their religion. There was little difference also
[Sidenote: The Bards degenerate.]
betwéene them and the Druiydes, till they so farre degenerated from
their first institution, that they became to be minstrels at feasts,
droonken meetings, and abhominable sacrifices of the idols: where they
sang most commonlie no diuinitie as before, but the puissant acts of
valiant princes, and fabulous narrations of the adulteries of the
gods. Certes in my time this fond vsage, and thereto the verie name of
the Bardes, are not yet extinguished among the Britons of Wales, where
they call their poets and musicians Barthes, as they doo also in
Ireland: which Sulpitius also writing to Lucane remembreth, where he
saith that the word Bardus is meere Celtike, and signifieth a singer.
Howbeit the Romans iudging all nations beside themselues to be but
rude and barbarous, and thereto misliking vtterlie the rough musicke
of the Bardes, entred so farre into the contemptuous mockage of their
melodie, that they ascribed the word Bardus vnto their fooles and
idiots, whereas contrariwise the Scythians and such as dwell within
the northweast part of Europe, did vse the same word in verie
honourable maner, calling their best poets and heroicall singers,
Singebardos; their couragious singers and capiteins that delited in
musicke, Albardos, Dagobardos, Rodtbardos, & one lame musician Lambard
aboue all other, of whose skilfull ditties Germanie is not
vnfurnished, as I heare vnto this daie. In Quizqueia or new Spaine, an
Iland of the Indies, they call such men Boitios, their rimes Arcitos,
and in steed of harps they sing vnto timbrels made of shels such
sonnets and ditties as either perteine vnto religion, prophane loue,
commendation of ancestrie, and inflammation of the mind vnto Mars,
whereby there appeareth to be small difference betwéene their Boitios
and our Bardes. Finallie of our sort, Lucane in his first booke
writeth thus, among other like saiengs well toward the latter end;
[Sidenote: _Lucani. li._ 1.]
Vos quóq; qui fortes animas, bellóq; peremptas
Laudibus in longum vates dimittitis æuum,
Plurima securi fudistis carmina Bardi.
Et vos barbaricos ritus, morémque sinistrum
Sacrorum Druiydæ, positis recepistis ab armis.
Solis nosse Deos, & c[oe]li numina vobis,
Aut solis nescire datum: nemora alta remotis
Incolitis lucis. Vobis authoribus, vmbræ
Non tacitas Erebi sedes, Ditisque profundi
Pallida regna petunt, regit idem spiritus artus
Orbe alio. Longæ canitis si cognita, vitæ
Mors media est, certe populi, quos despicit arctos,
F[oe]lices errore suo, quos ille timorum
Maximus haud vrget leti metus: inde ruendi
In ferrum mens prona viris, animæque capaces
Mortis: & ignauum est redituræ parcere vitæ.
Thus we sée as in a glasse the state of religion, for a time, after
the first inhabitation of this Iland: but how long it continued in
such soundnesse, as the originall authors left it, in good sooth I
cannot say, yet this is most certeine, that after a time, when Albion
arriued here, the religion earst imbraced fell into great decaie. For
whereas Iaphet & Samothes with their children taught nothing else than
such doctrine as they had learned of Noah: Cham the great grandfather
of this our Albion, and his disciples vtterlie renouncing to follow
their steps, gaue their minds wholie to seduce and lead their hearers
headlong vnto all error. Whereby his posteritie not onelie corrupted
this our Iland, with most filthie trades and practises; but also all
mankind, generallie where they became, with vicious life, and most
[Sidenote: What doctrine Cham and his disciples taught.]
vngodlie conuersation. For from Cham and his successours procéeded at
the first all sorcerie, witchcraft, and the execution of vnlawful
lust, without respect of sex, age, consanguinitie, or kind: as
branches from an odious and abhominable root, or streames deriued from
a most filthie and horrible stinking puddle. Howbeit, &
notwithstanding all these his manifold lewdnesses, such was the follie
of his Ægyptians (where he first reigned and taught) that whilest he
liued they alone had him in great estimation (whereas other nations
contemned and abhorred him for his wickednesse, calling him
[Sidenote: Chemesenua.]
Chemesenua, that is, the impudent, infamous and wicked Cham) and not
[Sidenote: Chem Min.]
[Sidenote: Cham made a god.]
onelie builded a citie vnto him which they called Chem Min, but also
after his death reputed him for a god, calling the highest of the
seuen planets after his name, as they did the next beneath it after
Osyris his sonne, whom they likewise honored vnder the name of
Iupiter.
[Sidenote: Translation of mortall men into heauen how it began.]
Certes it was a custome begonne in Ægypt of old time, and generallie in
vse almost in euerie place in processe of time (when any of their
famous worthie princes died) to ascribe some forme or other of the
stars vnto his person, to the end his name might neuer weare out of
memorie. And this they called their translation in heauen, so that he
which had any starres or forme of starres dedicated vnto him, was
properlie said to haue a seat among the gods. A toie much like to the
catalog of Romish saints, (although the one was written in the
celestiall or immateriall orbes, the other in sheeps skins, and verie
brickle paper) but yet so estéemed, that euerie prince would oft hazard
and attempt the vttermost aduentures, thereby to win such fame in his
life, that after his death he might by merit haue such place in heauen,
among the shining starres. Howbeit, euerie of those that were called
gods, could not obteine that benefit, for then should there not haue
béene stars enow in heauen to haue serued all their turnes, wherfore
another place was in time imagined, where they reigned that were of a
second calling, as the Semones who were gods by grace and fauour of
[Sidenote: _Cyril, aduersus Iul. lib. 6. sect. 8._]
the people. "Semones dici voluerunt (saith Fulgentius In vocibus
antiquis) quos c[oe]lo nec dignos ascriberent, ob meriti paupertatem;
sicut Priapus Hyppo. Vortumnus, &c. nec terrenos eos deputare vellent
per gratiæ venerationem," as also a third place that is to say an
earth, where those gods dwelled which were noble men, officers, good
gouernours and lawgiuers to the people, and yet not thought worthie to
be of the second or first companie, which was a iollie diuision.
Thus we sée in generall maner, how idolatrie, honoring of the starres,
and brood of inferiour gods were hatched at the first, which follies
in processe of time came also into Britaine, as did the names of
Saturne & Iupiter, &c: as shall appeare hereafter. And here sith I
haue alreadie somewhat digressed from my matter, I will go yet a
little farder, and shew foorth the originall vse of the word Saturne,
Iupiter, Hercules, &c: whereby your Honor shall sée a little more into
the errours of the Gentils, and not onelie that, but one point also
[Sidenote: Which were Saturni, Ioues, Iunones, and Hercules.]
properlie called of the root of all the confusion that is to be found
among the ancient histories. Certes it was vsed for a few yéeres after
the partition of the earth (which was made by Noah, in the 133. yeere
after the floud) that the beginners of such kingdoms as were then
erected should be called Saturni, whereby it came to passe that
Nimbrote was the Saturne of Babylon: Cham of Ægypt: and so foorth
other of sundrie other countries. Their eldest sonnes also that
succeeded them, were called Ioues; and their nephewes or sonnes
sonnes, which reigned in the third place Hercules, by which meanes it
followed that euerie kingdome had a Saturne, Iupiter and Hercules of
hir owne, and not from anie other.
In like sort they had such another order among their daughters, whom
they married as yet commonlie vnto their brethren (God himselfe
permitting the same vnto them for a time) as before the floud, to the
end the earth might be thoroughlie replenished, and the sooner
furnished with inhabitants in euerie part therof. The sister therefore
[Sidenote: Isis, Io and Iuno all one.]
and wife of euerie Saturne was called Rhea, but of Iupiter, Iuno,
Isis, or Io. Beyond these also there was no latter Harold that would
indeuour to deriue the petigree of any prince, or potentate, but
supposed his dutie to be sufficientlie performed, when he had brought
it orderlie vnto some Saturne or other, wherat he might cease, and
shut vp all his trauell. They had likewise this opinion grounded
amongst them, that heauen & earth were onlie parents vnto Saturne and
[Sidenote: C[oe]lum or C[oe]lus.]
[Sidenote: Ogyges.]
[Sidenote: Sol.]
[Sidenote: Pater deorum.]
Rhea, not knowing out of doubt, what they themselues did meane, sith
these denominations, Heauen, Ogyges, the Sunne, Pater Deorum, and such
[Sidenote: * Tydea.]
[Sidenote: Vesta.]
[Sidenote: Terra.]
[Sidenote: Luna.]
[Sidenote: Aretia.]
[Sidenote: Deorum mater.]
like, were onelie ascribed vnto Noah: as [*]Terra, (the Earth) Vesta,
Aretia, the Moone, Mater deorum, and other the like were vnto Tydea
his wife. So that hereby we sée, how Saturne is reputed in euerie
nation for their oldest god, or first prince, Iupiter for the next,
and Hercules for the third. And therefore sith these names were
dispersed in the beginning ouer all, it is no maruell that there is
such confusion in ancient histories, and the dooings of one of them so
mixed with those of another, that it is now impossible to distinguish
them in sunder. This haue I spoken, to the end that all men may see
what gods the Pagans honored, & thereby what religion the posteritie
of Cham did bring ouer into Britaine. For vntill their comming, it is
not likelie that anie grosse idolatrie or superstition did enter in
among vs, as deifieng of mortall men, honoring of the starres, and
erection of huge images, beside sorcerie, witchcraft, and such like,
whereof the Chemminites are worthilie called the autors. Neither were
[Sidenote: Fr[=o] whence Brute did learne his religion.]
these errors anie thing amended, by the comming in of Brute, who no
doubt added such deuises vnto the same, as he and his companie had
learned before in Græcia, from whence also he brought Helenus the
sonne of Priamus, (a man of excéeding age) & made him his préest and
bishop thorough out the new conquest, that he had atchieued in
Britaine.
After Brute, idolatrie and superstition still increased more and more
among vs, insomuch that beside the Druiysh and Bardike ceremonies, and
those also that came in with Albion and Brute himselfe: our
countriemen either brought hither from abroad, or dailie inuented at
home new religion and rites, whereby it came to passe that in the
[Sidenote: Dis or Samothes made a god.]
stead of the onelie and immortall God (of whom Samothes and his
posteritie did preach in times past) now they honored the said
Samothes himselfe vnder the name of Dis and Saturne: also Iupiter,
Mars, Minerua, Mercurie, Apollo, Diana; and finallie Hercules, vnto
whome they dedicated the gates and porches of their temples, entrances
into their regions, cities, townes and houses, with their limits and
bounds (as the papists did the gates of their cities and ports vnto
Botulph & Giles) bicause fortitude and wisedome are the cheefe
vpholders and bearers vp of common-wealths and kingdoms, both which
they ascribed to Hercules (forgetting God) and diuers other idols
[Sidenote: _Mela. Diodorus, Strab. 4. Plin. Cæsar. 5._]
whose names I now remember not. In lieu moreouer of sheepe and oxen,
they offred mankind also vnto some of them, killing their offendors,
prisoners, and oft such strangers as came from farre vnto them, by
shutting vp great numbers of them togither in huge images made of
wicker, réed, haie, or other light matter: and then setting all on
fire togither, they not onelie consumed the miserable creatures to
ashes (sometimes adding other beasts vnto them) but also reputed it to
be the most acceptable sacrifice that could be made vnto their idols.
From whence they had this horrible custome, trulie I cannot tell, but
that it was common to most nations, not onlie to consume their
strangers, captiues, &c; but also their owne children with fire, in
such maner of sacrifice: beside the text of the Bible, the prophane
histories doo generallie leaue it euident, as a thing either of
custome or of particular necessitie, of which later Virgil saith;
Sanguine placastis ventos & virgine cæsa, &c.
As Silius dooth of the first, where he telleth of the vsuall maner of
the Carthaginenses, saieng after this maner;
Vrna reducebat miserandos annua casus, &c.
But to procéed with our owne gods and idols, more pertinent to my
purpose than the rehersall of forreine demeanours: I find that huge
temples in like sort were builded vnto them, so that in the time of
Lucius, when the light of saluation began stronglie to shine in
[Sidenote: _Ptol. Lucensis._]
Britaine, thorough the preaching of the gospell, the christians
discouered 25. Flamines or idol-churches beside three Archflamines,
whose préests were then as our Archbishops are now, in that they had
superior charge of all the rest, the other being reputed as
inferiours, and subiect to their iurisdiction in cases of religion,
and superstitious ceremonies.
[Sidenote: Monstrous proportions of idols.]
Of the quantities of their idols I speake not, sith it is inough to
saie, that they were monstrous, and that each nation contended which
should honour the greater blocks, and yet all pretending to haue the
iust heigth of the god or goddesse whom they did represent. Apollo
Capitolinus that stood at Rome, was thirtie cubits high at the least;
Tarentinus Iupiter of 40.; the idoll of the sonne in the Rhodes, of 70
(whose toe few men could fadam;) Tuscanus Apollo that stood in the
librarie of the temple of Augustus, of 50. foot; another made vnder
Nero of 110. foot; but one in France passed all, which Zenoduris made
vnto Mercurie at Aruernum in ten years space, of 400. foot. Wherby it
appeareth, that as they were void of moderation in number of gods, so
without measure were they also in their proportions, and happie was he
which might haue the greatest idoll, and lay most cost thereon.
Hitherto yee haue heard of the time, wherein idolatrie reigned and
blinded the harts of such as dwelled in this Iland. Now let vs sée the
successe of the gospell, after the death and passion of Iesus Christ
our sauiour. And euen here would I begin with an allegation of
[Sidenote: _Theodoret._]
Theodoret, wherevpon some repose great assurance (conceiuing yet more
[Sidenote: _Sophronius._]
hope therein by the words of Sophronius) that Paule the Apostle should
preach the word of saluation here, after his deliuerie out of
captiuitie, which fell as I doo read in the 57. of Christ. But sith I
cannot verifie the same by the words of Theodoret, to be spoken more
of Paule than Peter, or the rest, I will passe ouer this coniecture
(so far as it is grounded vpon Theodoret) and deale with other
authorities, whereof we haue more certeintie. First of all therfore
let vs see what Fortunatus hath written of Pauls comming into
Britaine, and afterward what is to be found of other by-writers in
other points of more assurance. Certes for the presence of Paule I
read thus much:
Quid sacer ille simul Paulus tuba gentibus ampla,
Per mare per terras Christi præconia fundens,
Europam & Asiam, Lybiam, sale dogmata complens,
Arctos, meridies, hic plenus vesper & ortus,
Transit & Oceanum, vel qua facit insula portum,
Quásq; Britannus habet terras atque vltima Thule, &c.