one pertaynyng to Aphrique, the other to Asie. The one whiche at this daie
is called Inde, hath on the east the redde sea, and the sea named
Barbaricum, on the northe it toucheth vpon Egypte, and vpon that Libie that
standeth on the vtter border of Afrike toward the sea. On the west it is
bounded with the other Libie that standeth more into the mayne londe. The
residue that runneth toward the south, ioyneth vpon the netherland Ethiope,
whiche lyeth more southerly, and is muche greater. It is thought that these
Ethiopes toke name of Ethiopus Vulcanes sonne, that (as Plinie saieth) was
gouernour there. Or els of the Greke wordes aythoo and ops, whereof the
former signifieth to broyle, or to bourne vp with heate, and the other, in
the eye or sight. Whiche sheweth in effecte, that the countreie lyeng in
the eye of the Sonne, it must nedes be of heate almost importable. As in
diede it lyeth in the full course of the sonne, and is in continuall heate.
Toward the weast it is hilly, in the middes grauell and sande, and on the
easte waste and deserte. There be in it dyuers peoples of sondry phisonomy
and shape, monstruous and of hugly shewe. They are thought (as I saied) to
haue bene the fyrst of all men, and those whiche of all other maye
truelyest be called an homeborne people. Neuer vnder the bondage of any:
but euer a free nacion. The first wae of worshippyng God (say thei) was
deuised and taught emonge theim: with the maners and ceremonies there to
appertinent. They had two kyndes of letters, one, whiche ware knowen onely
to their priestes for matters of Religion, whiche they called misticall,
and another for the vse of the people hidden from none. Yeat ware not their
Letters facioned to ioyne together in sillables like ours, but Ziphres, and
shapes of men and of beastes, of heades, and of armes, and artificers
tooles, which signified in sondrie wise echone accordyng to his propertie.
As by the picture of an hauke swiftenes and spiede, by the shape of a
crocodile [Transcriber's note: 'crocoiled' in original] displeasure or
misfortune, by the figure of an eye, good watche or regarde, and so forthe
of other. Emong their priestes, loke whome they sawe startle aboute as
haulfe wood, [Footnote: Mad, from the Saxon _wod_. See "Two Gentlemen of
Verona," ii., 3, and "Mids. N. Dr.," ii., 3.] him did iudge of all
othermooste holy, and making him their king, they fall downe and worship
him, as thoughe there ware in him a Godhead, or as thoughe at the least he
ware by goddes prouidence giuen them. This king for al that, must be
gouerned by the lawe, and is bounde to all thinges after thorde of the
contry. He his selfe maye neither punishe or guerdon any manne. But loke
vpon whome he wyl haue execution done, he sendeth the minister appoincted
for the purpose, to the person with a token of deathe: whiche when he hath
shewed, the officier retourneth, and the persone what soeuer he be,
incontinent fordoeth him self. So greatly ware they giuen to thee honour of
their kynges, suche a feruencie had they towarde them, that if it fortuned
the king through any mishap, to be maymed or hurte in any parte of his
bodye, as many as ware towarde him, namely of householde, voluntarily
woulde giue them selues the lyke hurt, thincking it an vnfitting
[Transcriber's note: original 'unsitting'] thing the kynge to lacke an eye
or the vse of a legge, and his frindes neither to halt, ne yet to lacke
parte of their sight. Thei say it is the manier also, that when the king
dieth, his friendes should wilfully dispatche theim selues and die with
hym, for this compte they glorious and a testimony of very friendship. The
moste part of them, for that they lye so vnder the Sonne, go naked:
couering their priuities with shiepes tayles. But a feawe of them are clad
with the rawe felles [Footnote: Skin. "To feed on bones, when flesh and
fell is gone." _Gasc. Steel Glass_ (Chalm. Poet.), ii., 556, etc.] of
beastes. Some make them brieches of the heares of their heades vp to the
waeste. They are comonly brieders and grasiers in commune together. Their
shepe be of very small body, and of a harde and roughe coate. Their dogges
also are neuer a whitte bigger, but thei are fierce and hardie. They haue
good store of gromel and barly, wherof they vse to make drincke. All other
graine and fruictes thei lacke, excepte it be dates whiche also are verye
skante. Some of them lyue with herbes and the tender rootes of cannes or
Riedes. Other eate flesshe, milke, and chese. Meroe, was in time past the
heade citie of the kyngdome, whiche stondeth in an Isle of the same name
facioned like a shielde, stretching it self thre thousand furlong alongest
by Nilus. Aboute that Islande do the cattle masters dwelle, and are muche
giuen to hunting, and those that be occupied with tilthe of the grounde
haue also mines of gold. Herodotus writeth that thethiopians named
Macrobij, do more estieme latten then thei do golde whiche thei put to
nothyng that thei compt of any price. In so muche that the Ambassadours of
Cambises, when thei came thether, found the prisoners in the gaole fettred
and tied with Chaines of golde. Some of theim sowe a kinde of graine called
Sesamus, and other the delicate Lothom. Thei haue greate plenty of Hebenum,
a woode muche like Guaiacum, and of Siliquastrum. Thei hunte Elephantes and
kyll them to eate. There be Lions, Rhinocerotes, Basiliskes, Pardales, and
Dragones, whiche I said enwrappe thelephauntes, and sucke them to death,
for their bloude. There be found the precious stones called the Iacinthe,
and the Prasne. There is also cinamome gathered. Thei occupie bowes of
woode seasoned in the fire, of foure cubites long. Women be trayned also to
the warres, and haue for the moste parte a ring of latton hanging throughe
their lippe. Certeine of theim worshippe the Sonne at his vprijste, and
curse him moste bitterly at his doune gate. Diuers of them throwe their
dead into Riuers, other cofer them vp in earthen cofres, some enclose them
in glasse, and kepe them in their houses a yeare, and in the meane season
worship them deuoutly, and offre vnto them the first of all their encreace.
In the naming of a newe king, they giue their voice chiefly to him that is
moste goodly of stature, moste conning in brieding of cattle, and of
strength and substance passing the reast. The lawe hath bene, that the
priestes of Memphis shoulde haue the aucthoritie to sende the Kinge the
token of deathe, and to set vp another in the place of the deade, whom they
thoughte good. They haue an opinion that ther are two Goddes, one
immortall, by whome all thinges haue their beginning and continuance vnder
his gouernement, and another mortall, and he is vncerteine. Their king, and
him that best deserueth of the city next vnto him, they honour as Goddes.
This was the state of Ethiope from the beginning, and many yeares sence.
But at this daye as myne Authour Sabellicus saieth that he learned of those
that are enhabitantes in that countrey: The King of Ethiope (whom we
commonly calle Pretoianes or Presbiter Ihon) is a man of suche power, that
he is reported to haue vndre him thre skore and two other kinges. If the
heade Bysshoppess of the Realme desire to do, or to haue aughte done, al is
referred vnto him. Of him be giuen al benefices, and spiritual promocions,
which prerogatiue the Pope hath giuen, to the maiestie of kinges. Yet is he
him selfe no priest, he hath any maner of ordres. There is of
Archebisshoppes (that is to say of superiour and head bisshoppes) a great
nombre, whiche haue euery one vndre them at the least twenty other. The
Princes, Dukes, Earles, and head Bishoppes, and suche other of like
dignitie, when they come abrode, haue a crosse, and a basine of golde
filled ful of earthe caried before them: that thone [Footnote: The one.]
maye put them in remembraunce that earth into earth must again be resolued,
and the other renewe the memory of Christes suffering. Their priestes to
haue yssue, mary one wyfe, but she ones beyng dead, it is vnlawfull to mary
another. The temples and churches ther, are muche larger, much richer, and
more gorgeous then ours, for the moste part voulted from the floore to the
toppe. They haue many ordres of deuout men, moche like to our ordres of
Religious: as the ordre of S. Anthony, Dominique, Calaguritani, Augustines,
and Machareanes, whiche are bound to no colour but weare some suche one as
Tharchebysshoppe shall allowe. Next vnto the supreame and souereigne GOD,
and Mary the virgin his mother, they haue moste in honour Thomas sirnamed
Didimus. This King, of all other the worthiest, whome they call Gias (a
name giuen him of his mightiness and power) is of the bloud of Dauid,
continued from one generation to another (as they are perswaded) by so many
yeres of succession. And he is not as the moste of the Ethiopians are,
blacke, but white. Gamma the chiefe citie, and as we terme it the chambre
of the king, stondeth not by building of masonrie, and carpentrie as ours,
but strieted with tentes and pauilions placed in good ordre, of veluet and
saten, embrauded with silkes and purples of many diuers sortes. By an
auncient ordre of the realme, the king liueth euer in presence and sighte
of his people, and neuer soiourneth within the walles aboue two daies.
Either for that they iudge it an vncomely thing, and a token of delicate
slouthfulnes, or elles for that some law doth forbid it. His army in the
warres is ten hundred thousande men, fiue hundred Elephantes, and horses,
and Cameles, a wonderfull nomber, and this is but a meane preparacion. Ther
are througheout the whole nacion certeine houses and stockes, that are
pencionaries at armes, whose issue is as it ware branded with the marcke of
the crosse, the skinne beyng pretely slitte. Thei vse in the warres, Bowe,
Pique, Habregeon, and helmette. Their highest dignitie is priesthode, the
next, thordre of the Sages, whiche thei cal Balsamates, and Tamquates. They
attribute moche also to the giltelesse and vprighte dealing man, whiche
vertue they estieme as the firste staier to climbe to the dignitie of the
sages. The nobilitie hath the thirde place of dignitie, and the
pencionaries aforesaid, the fourthe. When the iudges haue giuen sentence of
life, or of deathe, the sentence is brought to the headborough of the Citie
(whom we call the Mayour) and they Licomegia: he supplieth the place of the
King. Lawes written thei occupy none, but iudge accordyng to reason and
conscience. If any man be conuict of adulterie he forfeicteth the fourtieth
parte of his goodes, but thadulteresse is punished at home, accordyng to
the discretion of the partie offended. The men giue dowrie to those whom
thei mary withal, but not to those that thei purchase besides. Their womens
attire is of Golde, (whereof that country hathe plentie) of pearle, and of
Sarsenette. Bothe men and women are apparelled in long garmentes downe to
the foote, slieued, and close rounde aboute of al maner of colours, sauing
only blacke for that in that contry is proper for morning. They bewaile
their dead xl. daies space. In bancquettes of honour, in the place of our
fruicte (which the latine calleth the seconde boorde) they serue in rawe
flesshe very finely minced and spiced, whervpon the gestes fiede very
licouricely. [Footnote: Gluttonously, daintily. (N. Wiley's Dictionary,
1737).] They haue no maner of wollen webbe, but are eyther cladde in
sarsenettes, or in linnen. One maner of speache serueth not througheout the
whole contry, but sondry and diuerse, aswel in phrase as in naming of
thinges. Thei haue twise in the yere haruest, and twise in the yere somer.
These Ethiopians or Indianes excepted, al the reste of the people of Libia
Westward, are worshippers of Mahomet, and liue aftre the same sorte in
maner, that the Barbariens do in Egipte at this present, and are called
Maures, or Moores, as I thincke of their outleapes and wilde rowming. For
that people was no lesse noysome to Lybie in those cursed tymes (when so
greate mutacion of thinges happened, when peoples ware so chaunged, suche
alteration of seruice, and religion broughte in, and so many newe names
giuen vnto contries) then the Sarasens ware.
¶ The v. Chapiter
¶ Of Aegipte, and the auncient maners of that people.
Aegipte is a Countrie lying in Affrike, or as some hold opinion, borderyng
thervpon, so named of Aegiptus, Danaus brother, where afore it was called
Aeria. This Aegipte (as Plinie recordeth in his fiueth boke) toucheth on
the East, vppon the redde Sea, and the land of Palestine; On the West
fronteth vpon Cirene, and the residue of Afrike. On the South it stretcheth
to Aethiope: And on the Northe is ended with the sea, to whom it giueth
name. The notable Cities of that Countrie, were in tyme past, Thebes,
Abydos, Alexandrie, Babilon, and Memphis, at this daie called Damiate,
alias Chairas or Alkair, and the seate of the Soldan, a citie of notable
largenesse. In Aegipt as Plato affirmeth, it was neuer sene rain. But Nilus
suppliyng that defaulte, yerely about saincte Barnabies tide, with his
ouerflowynges maketh the soile fertile. It is nombred of the moste parte of
writers, emong the Islandes: For that Nilus so parteth hymself aboute it,
that he facioneth it triangle wise.
The Aegiptians firste of all other, deuised the names of the twelue Goddes,
builte vp Altares, and Images, erected Chappelles and Temples, and graued
in stone the similitude of many sondrie beastes. All whiche their doynges,
dooe manifestly make, that thei came of the Aethiopes, who (as Diodore the
Sicilian saieth) ware the firste inuentours of all these. Their women in
old tyme, had all the trade of occupiyng, and brokage [Footnote: To _broke_
i.e. to deal, or transact business particularly of an amorous character.
(See Fansh. Lusiad, ix., 44; and Daniel, Queen's Arcadia, iii., 3.)]
abrode, and reuelled at the Tauerne, and kepte lustie chiere: And the men
satte at home spinnyng, and woorkyng of Lace, and suche other thynges as
women are wonte. The men bare their burdeins on the heade, the women on the
shulder. In the easemente of vrine, the men rowked [Footnote: To bend.]
doune, the women stoode vprighte. The easemente of ordure thei vsed at
home, but commonly feasted abrode in the stretes. No woman tooke ordres,
either of God or Goddesse. Their maner of ordres, is not to make seuerally
for euery Goddesse and God, a seuerall priest, but al at a shuffe, in
generall for all. Emong the whiche, one is an heade, whose sonne enheriteth
his roume by succession. The men children, euen of a custome of that
people, did with good wil kepe their fathers and mothers, but the women
children (yf they refused it) ware compelled. The moste part of men in
solempne burialles, shaue their heades, and let theyr beardes growe, but
Thegiptians shaued their beardes and let their heades grow. They wrought
their doughe with their fiete, and their claye with their handes. As the
Grecians do beleue, this people, and their ofspring, are they that vsed
circumcision. Thei ordre their writyng from their right hande towarde their
left, contrary to vs. It was the maner emong them, that the menne should
weare two garmentes at ones, the women but one. As the Aethiopes had, so
learned they of them, two maner of lettres; the one seuerall to the
priestes thother vsed in commune. Their priestes, euery thirde daye shaued
their bodies, that there might be none occasion of filthinesse when they
shold ministre or sacrifie. Thei did were garmentes of linnen, euer cleane
wasshed, and white: and shoes of a certeine kinde of russhes, named
Papyrus, whiche aftre became stuffe, to geue name to our paper. They
neither sette beane their selues, ne eate them where soeuer they grewe: ne
the priest may not loke vpon a beane, for that it is iudged an vncleane
puls. They are wasshed euery daye in colde water thrise, and euery nighte
twise. The heades of their sacrifices (for that they vsed to curse them
with many terrible woordes) did they not eate, but either the priestes
solde them to such strangiers as had trade emonge them, or if there ware no
suche ready in time, they threwe them in to Nilus.
All the Egiptians offer in sacrifice, neither cowe, ne cowe calfe, because
they are hallowed to Isis their goddesse, but bulles and bulle calues, or
oxen, and stieres. For their meate they vse, moche a kynde of pancake, made
of rye meale. For lacke of grapes they vse wyne made of Barly. They liue
also with fisshe, either dried in the Sonne and so eaten rawe, or elles
kept in pikle. They fiede also vpon birdes, and foules, firste salted, and
then eaten rawe. Quaile, and mallard, are not but for the richer sorte. At
all solempne suppers, when a number is gathered, and the tables withdrawen,
some one of the company carieth aboute in an open case, the image of death,
caruen out of woode, or drawen with the pencille as niere to the vine as is
possible, of a cubite, or two cubites long at the moste. Who shewyng it
aboute to euery of the gestes, saieth, loke here: drinke and be mery, for
aftre thy death, suche shall thou be. The yonger yf they miete their
auncient, or bettre vpon the way, giue them lace, going somewhat aside: or
yf the aunciente fortune to come in place where they are sitting, they
arise out of their seate, wherein they agre with the Lacedemoniens. When
they miete in the waye, they do reuerence to eche other, bowing their
bodies, and letting fall their handes on their knees. They weare long
garments of lynnen, hemmed about the skirtes beneth, which the call
Casiliras: ouer the which they throwe on another white garment also. Wollen
apparelle thei neither weare to the churche, ne bewry any man in.
Nowe for asmoche as they afore time that euer excelled in anye kinde of
learning, or durste take vppon them, to prescribe lawe, and rule of life
vnto to other, as Orpheus, Homeire, Museus, Melampode, Dedalus, Licurgus,
Solon, Plato, Pithagoras, Samolxis, Eudoxus, Democritus, Inopides, and
Moses the Hebrue, with manye other, whose names the Egiptians glorie to be
cronicled with theim: trauelled first to the Egiptians, to learne emongest
them bothe wisedome, and politique ordre (wherein at those daies they
passed all other) me thinketh it pleasaunte and necessarie also, to stande
somewhat vpon their maners, ceremonies and Lawes, that it may be knowen
what they, and sondry more haue borowed of them, and translated vnto other.
For (as Philip Beroalde writeth in his commentary vpon Apuleius booke,
entituled the Golden Asse) the moste parte of the deuices that we vse in
our Christian religion, ware borowed out of the maner of Thegiptians. As
surpluis and rochet, and suche linnen garmentes: shauen crownes, tourninges
at the altare, our masse solempnities, our organes, our knielinges,
crouchinges, praiers, and other of that kinde. The kinges of Egipte (saieth
Diodore the Sicilian in his seconde booke) liued not at rouers [Footnote:
From the expression _to shoot at rovers_, i.e., at a mark, but with an
elevation, not point blank.] as other kinges doe, as thoughe me lusteth
ware lawe, but bothe in their monie collections, and daily fare and
apparell, folowed the bridle of the lawe. They had neither slaue that was
homeborne, ne slaue that was forein bought, appointed to attende or awaite
vpon them. But the sonnes of those that ware priestes of honour, bothe
aboue thage of twenty yeres, and also singulerly learned. That the king
hauing these attendant for the body both by daie and by night, restrained
by the reuerence of the company about hym might commit nothing that was
vicious, or dishonourable. For men of power are seldome euil, where they
lacke ministres for their vnlawfull lustes. There ware appoincted houres,
both of the daie and the night, in the whiche the kinge mighte lawfully
doe, what the Lawe did permit. In the morning, assone as he was ready, it
behoued him to peruse al lettres, supplicacions, and billes: that knowing
what was to be done, he might giue aunswer in tyme: that all thinges might
rightlie, and ordrely be done. These being dispatched, when he had washed
his bodie emong the Pieres of the Realme, he put on some robe of estate,
and Sacrificed to the goddes. The maner was, that the Primate, or head of
the spiritualty (the beastes appoincted for the sacrifices being brought
harde to the altare, and the Kyng standing by) should with a loude voyce,
in the hearing of the people, wysshe to the king (that bare him selfe
iustely towarde his subiectes) prosperous healthe, and good fortune in all.
And should further particulerly recite the vertues of the king, his
deuoutnes and reuerence towarde God, and clemency towarde men. Commende him
as chaste, iuste, and vpright: of noble and great coinage, sothfaste,
liberal, and one that well brideled al his desires. Punisshing thoffendour
vnder his desertes, and rewarding the well doer aboue his merites. Making a
processe of these, and such other like: in the ende with the rehersalle of
the contrary vices, he cursed the wicked and euil. Then absoluing the King
of his offences, he laied all the faulte vpon the ministres, and
attendauntes, that should at any time moue the king to any thing vnright,
or vnlawfull. These thinges beinge done, he preached vnto the King the
blessednes of the life, led accordyng to the pleasure of the goddes, and
exhorted him thervnto: as also to frame his maners and doinges vnto vertue,
and not to giue eare to that, that leude men should counsaile him, but to
followe those thynges that led vnto honour and vertue. In thende, whan the
King had sacrificed a bulle, the priest declared certain preceptes and
examples of excellente, and moste worthy men: written in their holy
scripture. To thende that the Kynge admonisshed by the example of theim,
might ordre his gouernaunce iustlye, and godly, and not geue hym selfe to
couetous cloinyng, [Footnote: Probably from the old French, _encloyer_, to
glut, or surfeit.] and hourdyng of tresure. He neither satte to iudge, ne
toke his vocacion, ne walked abrode, ne washed at home, ne laye with his
Quiene, ne finally did any maner of thing, but vpon the prescripte of the
lawe.
Their fare was but simple, nothing but veale, and goose, and their wine by
measure appoincted. So that thone should nether ouerlade the bealy, ne the
other the heade. To conclude, their whole life so bounde vpon temperaunce,
that it might be thoughte raither to haue bene prescribed them by a
discrete Phisicen to preserue helthe, then by a politique Lawyer. It
siemeth wondrefull that the Egiptians mighte not rule their owne priuate
life, but by the Lawes. But it semeth more wonderfull that their King had
no liberty of him selfe, either to sitte in iudgement, to make collections
of money, or topunishe any man, vpon wilfulnes, stoute stomacke, angre,
displeasure, or anye vniuste cause: But to be holden vnder lawe as a
commune subiecte, and yet not to be agreued therwith, but to thincke them
selues moste blessed in obeyeng and folowyng the lawe, and other in
folowing their lustes most vnhappy, as being led by them into many
daungiers, and damages. For suche oftentimes, euen when they know them
selues to do euill, either ouercome with malice, and hatred, or some other
mischiefe of the minde, are not able to witholde theim selues from the
euille. But they which by wisedome and discretion, gouerne their liues,
offende in fewe thinges. The kinges vsing suche an equitie, and vprightnes
towarde their subdites, are so tendred againe of them, that not onely the
priestes, but all the Egiptians in generall, haue more care for the health
and the welfare of the King, then for their wiues, their children, or any
other princes.
He that to his death continueth in this goodnesse, him being dead, do they
in general lamente. They teare their clothes, they shut vp the churche
dores, they haunte no place of wonte commune concourse, they omytte all
solempne holy daies: and girding them selues vnder the pappes with brode
Ribbond of Sarsenet, two or thre hundred on a company, men and women
together, renewe euery daye twise, thre skore and xii. daies together, the
buriall bewailing, casting dirte on their heades, and singing in rithme the
vertue of the Kinge. They absteine from al flesshe of beastes, all meates
that touche fire, all wine and all preparation of seruice at the table.
They bathe not, thei smel of no swietes, they go to no beddes, they
pleasure not in women: but as folkes that had buried their beste beloued
childe, all that continuance of time they lamente. During these seuenty and
two daies (hauyng prepared all thinges necessarie for the funerall pompe):
the laste daye of all, the bodie beyng enbaulmed and cofred, is sette
before the entrie of the Toombe. Thereaftre the custome, one redeth an
abridgemente of all the thinges done by the king in his life. And if there
be any man disposed to accuse the deade, libertie is giuen him. The
priestes are present, and euer giue praise to his well doings, as they be
recited. There stondeth also rounde about the Toombe a multitude of the
communes, which with their voices allowe asmuche as is trew, and crie out
vpon that, that is false, with vehement gainsaienges. Wherby it hath
happened, that sondry kynges by the repugnynges of the people haue lien
vntoombed: and haue lacked the honoure of bewrialle, that the good are
wonte to haue. That feare, hath driuen the kynges of Aegipte, to liue
iustly, and vprightly, lesse the people aftre their deathes, might shewe
them suche dishonour, and beare them perpetuall hatred. This was the maner
specially, of the aunciente kynges there.
The whole realme of Egipte was diuided into Shieres: and to euery Shiere
was appoincted a Presidente, whiche had the gouernaunce of the whole
Shiere. The reuenewes of the realme ware diuided into iii. partes: whereof
the companie of the priestes had the first parte, which ware in greate
estimacion emong them, both for the administration of Goddes Seruice, and
also for the good learnyng, wherin thei brought vp many. And this porcion
was giuen theim, partely for the administracion of the Sacrifices, and
partely for the vse and commoditie of their priuate life. For thei neither
thincke it mete, that any parte of the honour of the Goddes should bee
omitted, or that thei, whiche are Ministres of the commune counsaill and
profecte, should be destitute of necessary commodities of the life. For
these menne are alwaie in matters of weighte, called vpon by the nobles,
for their wisedome and counsaille: And to shewe (as thei can by their
connyng in the Planettes, and Starres, and by the maner of their
Sacrifices) the happe of thinges to come. Thei also declare vnto them, the
stories of men of olde tyme, regested in their holy Scripture, to the ende
that accordyng to them the kynges maie learne what shall profighte, or
disprofighte. For the maner is not emong them, as it is emong the Grecians,
that one manne, or one woman, shoulde attende vpon the sacrifices and
Ceremonies alone: but thei are many at ones aboute the honour of their
Goddes, and teache the same ordre to their children. This sorte of menne is
priuileged, and exempte from all maner of charges, and hath next vnto the
kyng, the second place of dignitie and honour.
The second portion cometh to the king to maintein his owne state, and the
charges of the warres: and to shewe liberalitie to men of prowesse
according to their worthinesse. So that the Communes are neither burdoned
with taxes nor tributes.
The thirde parte do the pencionaries of the warres receiue, and suche other
as vpon occasions are moustered to the warres: that vpon the regard of the
stipende, thei maie haue the better good wille and courage, to hasarde
their bodies in battaile. Their communaltie is deuided into thre sortes of
people. Husbande men, Brieders of cattle, and men of occupacion. The
Husband-men buyeng for a litle money a piece of grounde of the Priestes,
the king, or the warriour: al the daies of their life, euen from their
childhode, continually applie that care. Whereby it cometh to passe, that
bothe for the skoolyng that thei haue therin at their fathers handes, and
the continuall practisyng fro their youthe, that thei passe all other in
Husbandrie.
The Brieders, aftre like maner, learnyng the trade of their fathers,
occupie their whole life therabout. We see also that al maner of Sciences
haue bene much bettred, yea, brought to the toppe of perfection, emong the
Egiptians. For the craftes men there, not medlyng with any commune matiers
that mighte hindre theim, emploie them selues onely to suche sciences as
the lawe doeth permit them, or their father hath taught them. So that thei
neither disdaine to be taughte, nor the hatred of eche other, ne any thing
elles withdraweth them from their crafte.