dwell. These giue no names one to another as other peoples do, but echeman
is namelesse. When the sonne passeth ouer their heades, they curse him, and
reuyle him with all woordes of mischiefe: for that he is so broiling hote,
that he destroieth bothe them and ther countrye.
They eate of no kinde of beaste, neither dreame in their sliepe. The Aphres
(whice are all brieders of catteile) liue with flesshe and milke, and yet
absteine they fro cowes milke, and all cowe fleshe, according to the maner
of the Egiptians, and therefore kepe they none vp. The women of Cyrene
thincke it not lawfull to strike a cowe, for Isis sake that is honoured in
Egipt, to whome also they appoincte fasting, and feastefull daies, and
obserue them solempnly. But the women of Barcea absteine bothe from cowe
fleshe and sowe flesh. When their children are iiii. yeare olde they vse to
cauterise them on the coron [Footnote: Query, frontal.] vaine (and some on
the temple also) with a medecine for that purpose, made of woolle as it is
plucked fro the shiepe: because thie should not at any time be troubled
with rheumes or poses, [Footnote: A local name for a cold in the head. (See
N. Bailey's Dict., vol. i.)] and by that meanes they say they liue in very
good health. Thei sacrifie after this maner. When in the name of their
firste frutes they haue cutte of the eare of the beaste, they throwe it
ouer the house. That done, they wring the necke on the one side. Of all the
goddes they offre sacrifice to no more but Sonne and Mone. All the Aphres
burye their deade as the Grecians doe, sauing the Nasamones, which bury
them as thoughe they ware sitting: wayting well when any man lieth in
drawing on, to set him on his taile, leaste he should giue vp the ghoste
lieng vpright. Their houses are made of wickers, and withes, wrought aboute
trees, moch like vnto those that we calle frankencence trees, and in suche
sorte that they may tourne them rounde euery waye. The Maries, shaue the
lefte side of their heade, and lette the heare growe on the right. They die
their bodie in redde, and vaunte that they come of the Troianes. The women
of the Zabiques (which are the next neighbours to the Maries) driue the
cartes in the warres, in the which the men fight. Ther are a people called
Zigantes, wher beside the great plentye of hony that they gather fro the
Bies, they haue also certeine men that are makers of honye. They all die
them selues with red, and eate apes fleshe, wherof thei that dwel in the
mounteines haue great plentye. These al being of the part called Libye,
liue for the moste parte a wilde lyfe abrode in the fieldes like beastes,
making no household prouision of meate, ne wearing any maner of appareil
but gotes felles. The gentlemen, and men of honour emong them, haue neither
cities nor townes, but Turrettes builte vpon the waters side, in the which
they laye vp the ouerplus of that that they occupy. They sweare their
people euery yere to obeye their Prince, and that they that obey in diede,
shoulde loue together as felowes and companions: but that the disobediente
shoulde be pursued like felons and traitours. Their armour and weapon, are
bothe acording to the nature of the country and contrimen: for wher thei of
themselues are very quicke, and deliure [Footnote: Nimble. "All of them
being tall, quicke, and deliver persons." _Hollinshed_, vol. ii., ccc. 5.]
of bodye, and the country champaigne, and playne, they neither vse swearde,
dagger, ne harneis, but onely cary thre Iauelines in their hande, and a
nombre of piked and chosen stones, in a case of stiffe leather hanging
aboute them. With these they vse bothe to fight and to skirmishe. In his
coming towarde the ennemy, he throweth his stone, fetching his ronne, and
maketh lightlye a narowe mysse, thoughe it be a good waye of: suche
continuall practise they haue of it. They kiepe neither lawe ne faithe.
The Troglodites (whiche are also named of the Grecians pastours, for their
fieding and brieding of catteille) a people of Ethiope, do lyue in
companies, and haue their heade ouer them, whome they call Tiraunte. But
not meaninge in him so much tirany in diede, as some time some of our
gouernours vnder a fayrer name do execute. None of them hathe any seuerall
wife, and therfore no seueral children, but bothe those in commune, the
tiraunte excepted: Who hathe but one wyfe onely. To the which yf any manne
do but approach or drawe nighe: he is condempned in a certeine nombre of
cattaile to be paied to the Tiraunte. From the beginning of Iuly vntle
about middle August (at the which time thei haue great plenty of raine)
thei nourishe them selues with milke, and bloude, sodden a litle together.
The pasture vplond being, dried away with the heate of the Sonne: They
sieke downe to the marshe, and lowe groundes, for the whiche onely they be
often at debate. When their catteil waxeth olde or sicke, they kyll them,
and eate them, and altogether liue vpon such. They do not giue the childe
the name of the father, but name him aftre a bull, a rambe or an eawe. And
those call thei father (the beastes I meane of the masle kinde) and thother
of the femel kynde, they call mother, because their daily fode is giuen by
them. The people called Idiote, vse for their drincke the iuyce of a whinne
named Paliurus. But the men of worshyp and gentlemen vse the iuce of a
certeine floure they haue emonge them, whiche maketh drincke moche like the
worste of the Renishe muste. And because thei cary great droues of catteile
with them, they chaunge their soile often. Their bodies are all naked,
sauing their priuities, whiche they hide with felles of beastes. All the
Troglodites are circumcised aftre the maner of the Egiptians, sauing only
the Claudians: whiche they so terme of claudicacion or limping. They onely,
dwellinge from their childe hode within the country of the Hesternes, are
not touched with rasour or knife. The Troglodites that are called
Magaueres, carye for theyr armour and weapon, a rounde buckler of a rawe
oxe hide, and a clubbe shodde with yron. Other haue bowes, and Iauelines.
As for graues or places of buriall, they passe not. For they binde the
heade, and the fiete of the dead together with witthes of Paliurus, and
then setting it vp vpon some hilly place, haue a good sporte to all to
bethwacke it with stones, vntle they lie heaped ouer the corps. Then laye
they a goates horne on the toppe and departe, biddinge sorrowe go plaie
him. They warre one with another, not as the Griekes vpon rancour and
Ambicion, but onely for foode sake. In their skirmishes, firste they go to
it with stones, as afore ye haue hearde, vntle it fortune some nombre to be
hurte. Then occupieng the bowe (wherin they are very sure handed) thei
kille one another vpon hepes. Those battayles are attoned by the women of
mooste auncient age. For when they be ones comen into the middle emong them
(as they maye do withoute harme, for that is compted abhominacion in any
wise to hurte one of them) the battaille sodenly ceaseth. They that are
nowe so fiebled with age, that they can no longer followe the heard:
winding the tayle of an oxe aboute their throte choke vp and die. But he
that differreth to rydde him selfe in this sorte: It is laweful for another
(aftre a warninge) to doe it. And it is there compted a friendly
benefaicte. Men also diseased of feures, oranye other incurable malady,
they doe in lyke maner dispatche: iudginge it of all griefes the woorste,
for that manne to liue, that canne nowe nothinge doe, why he shoulde desyre
to lyue. Herodote writeth, that the Troglodites myne them selues caues in
the grounde, wherin to dwell. Men not troubled with anye desire of riches,
but raither giuing them selues to wilfull pouertie. They glory in nothing
but in one litle stone, wherin appere thre skore sondry colours: which we
therfore calle Exaconthalitus. They eate sondry kindes of venemous vermyne.
And speake any distincte worde they cannot, but sieme rather to busse or
thurre betwene thetiethe, then to speake.
There is another people dwelling in that Ethiope that lyeth aboue Egipte,
called Ryzophagi, whiche bestowe muche time in digging vp of the rootes of
Riedes growing niere aboute them, and in wasshing and clensing of the same,
whiche afterward they bruse betwixt stones till thei become clammie, and so
makes wiete cakes of them, muche facioned like a brick a hande broade.
Those bake thei by the Sonne, and so eate them. And this kinde of meate
onely, serueth them all they life tyme plentifully and enough, and neuer
waxeth fulsome vnto theim. Thei neuer haue warre one with another, but with
Lions, whiche comyng out of the deserte there, partly for shadowe, and
partly for to praie vpon smaller beastes, doe oftymes wourie diuers of the
Æthiopes, comyng out of the Fennes. In so muche that that nation had long
sences bene vttrely destroyed by the Lions, excepte nature of purpose, had
shewed them her aide. For toward the dogge daies, there come into that
coaste, infinite swarmes of Gnattes, without any drifte of winde to enforce
them. The men then flieng to the fennes, are not harmed by them. But thei
driue the Lions with their stingyng and terrible buszyng, cleane out of
that quartre. Next vpon these, bordre the Ilophagi and Spermatophagi, the
one liuynge by suche fruicte as falleth from the trees, in Sommer, and the
residew of the yere by suche herbes as thei picke vp in the shadowed
groundes. The other, the Ilophagi, siekynge to the plaines with their wiues
and their children, climbe trees, and gather, eate, and cary home: the
tendre croppes and buddes of the boughes. And thei haue by continualle
practise, suche a nimblenes in climbyng, that (a wondrefull thynge to be
spoken) thei wille leape from boughe to boughe, and tree to tree like
Cattes or Squirelles, and by reason of their slendrenes and lightenes,
wille mounte vp on braunches and twigges, without daunger or hurte. For
thoughe their fiete slippe, yet hange thei feste by the handes: and if thei
bothe faile theim, yet falle thei so light, that thei be harmelesse.
These folkes go naked, and hold their wiues and children in commune. Emong
them selues they fighte for their places without weapon: but against
foreiners with staues. And wheare thei ouercome, there chalenge thei
Lordeshippe. Thei communely dye for hongre, when their sight faileth them:
whiche was their onely instrumente to finde their foode. The residewe of
the countrie there aboute, do those Æthiopians holde, which are named
Cynecy, not very many in nombre, but muche differing in life from the rest.
For their Countrie beyng wooddie, and wilde, fulle of thicquettes, and
skante of watre, thei are forced by night, for feare of wilde beastes, to
slepe in trees: and toward the mornyng, all weaponed together, to drawe
doune to the waters, wher thei shroude them selues into couert, and so
abide close till the heate of the daie. At the whiche tyme the Bugles,
Pardales, and other greate beastes, what for the heate, and what for
thriste, flocke toguether to the watres. Assone as thei haue druncken, and
haue well laden their beallies with watre, the Ethiopes startynge out vpon
them with stakes, sharpened and hardened in the fire, and with stones, and
with arrowes, and suche like weapon, at this aduauntage, slea them vpon
heapes, and deuide the carkesses by compaignies to be eaten. And sometyme
it happeneth that thei theim selues are slaine by some beast of force,
howbeit very seldome. For thei euer by their pollicies and traines, doe
more damage to the beastes, then the beastes can doe vnto them. If at any
time thei lacke the bodies of the beastes, then take thei the rawe hides of
suche as thei lateliest before had slaine, and clensyng them cleane fro the
heare, thei sokynglie laie them to a softe fire; and when thei be throughly
hette, deuide them emong the compaignie, whiche very griedely fille
themselues of them.
They exercise their children whilest thei be boies, to throw the darte at a
sette marke, and he that hitteth not the marke receiueth no meate. By the
whiche maner of trainyng, hongre so worketh in the boies that thei become
excellente darters.
The Acridophagie (a people borderyng vpon the deaserte) are somewhat lower
of stature then the residewe, leane, and exceding blacke. In the Spring
time, the Weste, and Southwest winde, bringeth vnto them out of the
Deaserte, an houge nombre of Locustes, whiche are of verie greate bodie,
and of wynge very filthily coloured. The Ethiopians well accustomed with
their maner of flighte and trade, gather together into a long slade
betwixte two hilles, a great deale of rubbeshe and mullocke, from places
nighe hande, apte for fingry, and the grasse and all wiedes there aboute.
And laieng it ready in heapes aforehande, a long the slade, when thei see
the Locustes come with the winde like cloudes in the aire, thei set al on
fire, and so swelte theim in the passing ouer, that thei bee skante full
out of the slade, but thei fall to the grounde in suche plentie, that thei
be to all the Acridophagi, a sufficient victuallyng. For thei poudre them
with salte (wherof the countrie hath plentie) and so continually from yere
to yere, liue by none other foode. For thei neither haue any kinde of
catteille, ne fisshe can haue, beyng so farre fro the sea. And this maner
of meate siemeth to theim, verie pleasaunte and fine.
Of bodie thei are very lighte, swifte of foote, and shorte liued as not
passyng xl. yeres, he that liueth longest. Their ende is not more
incredible, then it is miserable. For when their drawe into age, their
briedeth a kinde of winghed lice in their bodies, of diuers colours, and
very horrible, and filthie to beholde: whiche firste eate out their
bealies, and then their brest, and so the whole body in a litle space. He
that hath this disease, first as thoughe he had on hym some tickelyng
ytche, all to beskratcheth his bodie with suche pleasure, as is also
mingled with some smart, And within a litle while aftre, when the lyce
beginne to craule, and the bodie beginneth to mattre, enraged with the
bittrenes and grief of the disease, he teareth and mangleth his whole bodie
with his nailes, putting furth in the mean while many a greuous grone. Then
gussheth there out of hym, suche aboundaunce of lice, that a manne would
thinke they had bene barelled in his body: and that the barel now broken,
the swarme plomped out. And by this meanes, whether throughe the enfectious
aire, or the corrupcion of their fieding, thei make a miserable ende.
Vpon the Southe border of Affrike, dwell there menne called of the Grekes
Cynnamie, and of their neighbours Sauluages: Bearded, and that with
aboundaunce of heare. Thei kiepe for the saufegarde of their liues, greate
compaignies of wilde Mastiues: for that from midde Iune, till midde Winter,
there entreth into their countrie, an innumerable sorte of Kine of Inde.
Whether thei flie thether to saue them selues from other beastes, or come
to sieke pasture, or by some instincte of nature vnknowen to manne, it is
vncertaine. Against these, when the menne of their owne force, are not able
to resist: thei defende themselues by the helpe of their dogges, and take
many of them. Whereof thei eate parte whilest thei are freshe, and parte
reserue thei in pouldre, for their aftre niede. Thei eate also many other
kindes of beastes, whiche thei hunt with their dogges.
The laste of all the Affriens Southewarde, are the Ichthiophagi. A people
borderyng vpon the Troglodities, in the Goulfe called Sinus Arabicus:
whiche vnder the shape of man, liue the life of beastes. Thei goe naked all
their life time, and make compte of their wiues and their children in
commune. Thei knowe none other kindes of pleasure or displeasure, but like
vnto beastes, suche as thei fiele: neither haue thei any respecte to
vertue, or vice, or any discernyng betwixte goode or badde. Thei haue litle
Cabanes not farre from the Sea, vpon the clieues sides: where nature hath
made greate carfes, diepe into the grounde, and hollowe Guttres, and
Criekes into the maigne lande, bowting and compayng in and out, to and fro,
many sondrie waies. Whose entringes thenhabitauntes vse to stoppe vp with
great heapes of calion and stones, whereby the criekes serue them now in
the steade of nettes. For when the sea floweth (which happeneth there twise
in the daye, aboute the houres of thre, and of nyne) the water swelleth so
highe, that it ouerfloweth into the maigne shore, and filleth those
crieques with the sea. And the fisshe folowing the tide, and dispersinge
them selues abrode in the maigne londe to seeke their foode: at the ebbe
when the water withdraweth, retiring together with it alway to the dieper
places, and at laste remaining in these gutters and crieques, they are
stopped in with the stone heapes, and at the lowe water lye drie. Then come
the enhabitauntes with wyfe and children, take them, and laye them oute
vpon the rocques against the midday sonne, wher, with the broiling heate of
the same, they be within a while skorched and parched. Then do they remoue
them, and with a litle beating separate the fysshe fro the bones. Then put
they the fisshe into the hollowes of the rocques, and beat it to pomois,
minglinge therewith the side of the whynne Paliurus. And so facion it into
lumpes muche like a bricke, but somewhat longer. And when they haue taken
them againe a litle by the sonne, they sitte them downe together, and eate
by the bealy.
Of this haue thei alway in store, accordinge to the plenty that Neptune
gyueth them. But when by the reason of tempest the sea ouerfloweth these
places aboue his naturall course, and tarieth longer then his wonte, so
that they can not haue this benefight of fisshing, and their store is all
spent: they gather a kynde of great shelle fysshe, whose shelles they grate
open with stones, and eate the fisshe rawe, in taste muche like to an
oyster. If it fortune this ouerflowing by the reason of the winde, to
continue longe, and their shellefysshe to fayle them: then haue they
recours to the fysshebones (which they do of purpose reserue together in
heapes) and when thei haue gnabeled of the softest and gristely partes with
their tiethe, of those that are newest and beste, they beate the harder
with stones into pieces, and eate them. Thei eate as I haue said in the
wilde field together abrode, reioicing with a semblaunte of merinesse, and
a maner of singyng full vntuned. That done they falle vppon their women,
euen as they come to hande withoute any choyse: vtterly voide of care, by
reason they are alwaye sure of meate in good plentye.
Thus foure daies euer continual, busied with this bealy bownsing chiere,
the v. daie thei flocke together to go drincke, al on a droue, not vnlike
to a heard of kiene to the waters, shouting as they go with an Yrishe
whobub. And when they haue dronke till their bealies stonde a strutte, so
that they are skant able to retourne: euerye bodie layes him downe
dronckardelike to reste his water bolne bealy, and that daye eateth
nothing. The next daye agayne they fall to their fyshing: And so passe they
their lyfe continually.
Thei seldome falle into any diseases, for that they are alway of so
vniforme diete. Neuerthelesse they are shorter lyued then we are. Theyr
nature not corrupted by any perswasion taken of other, compteth the
satisfieng of hongre, the greatest pleasure in the world. As for other
extraordenary pleasures, they seke them not. This is the maner of liuing
propre vnto them that lye within the bosome of the sayde Arabique sea. But
the maner of them that dwell without the bosome, is moche more merueilous.
For thei neuer drinke ne neuer are moued with any passion of the mynde.
These beynge as it ware by fortune throwen oute into the desertes, farre
from the partes miete to be enhabited, giue them selues altogether to
fyshing, which they eate haulfe rawe. Not for to auoyde thirste (for they
desire no moyste thynges) but rather of a nature sauluage and wilde,
contented with such victualle as commeth to hande. They compte it a
principall blessednes to be withoute those thinges what so euer they be,
that bringe sorowe or griefe to their hauers. Thei are reported to be of
such patience, that though a manne strike them with a naked sweard, thei
will not shonne him, or flye from him. Beate them, or do theim wronge, and
they onely wil looke vppon you, neither shewinge token of wrathe, nor
countenaunce of pitie. Thei haue no maner of speache emong them: But onely
shewe by signes of the hande, and nodding with the heade, what they lacke,
and what they would haue. These people with a whole consent, are
mayntayners of peace towarde all men, straunger and other. The whiche maner
althoughe it be wondrefull, they haue kept time oute of mynde. Whether
throughe longe continuance of custome, or driuen by necessitie, or elles of
nature: I cannot saye. They dwell not as the other Icthiophagi doe, all in
one maner of cabanes, but sondry in diuers. Some haue their dennes, and
their cabanes in them opening to the North: to the ende they might by that
meanes be the bettre shadowed fro the sonne, and haue the colder ayre. For
those that are open toward the Southe, by the reason of the greate heate of
the sonne, caste forthe such a breathe, fornais like, that a manne can not
come niere them. They that open towarde the Northe, builde them preaty
Cabanes of the ribbes of whales (whiche in those seas they plentuously
find) compassing them aboute by the sides, accordynge to their naturall
bendinge, and fasteninge them together at bothe endes with some maner of
tyenge. Those do they couer with the woose and the wiedes of the sea
tempered together. And in these they shroude them selues fro the sonne:
nature by necessitie diuising a way how to helpe and defende her selfe.
Thus haue ye hearde the lyfe of the Icthiophagi, and now remaineth there
for Aphrique onely the Amazones to be spoken of, which menne saye in the
olde tyme dwelte in Libye. A kinde of warlike women, of greate force, and
hardinesse, nothing lyke in lyfe vnto our women. The maner amonge them was
to appointe to their maidens a certein space of yeres to be trayned, and
exercysed in the feictes of warre. Those beynge expired, they ware ioyned
to menne for yssues sake. The women bare all the rule of the commune
wealthe. The women ware princes, lordes, and officiers, capiteines, and
chiefteines of the warres. The menne had noughte to doe, but the drudgery
at home, and as the women woulde appoincte them. The children assone as
thei ware borne, were deliuered to the men to nouryshe vp with milke, and
suche other thinges as their tendrenes required. If it ware a boye, they
eyther brake the right arme assone as it was borne, that it mighte neuer be
fytte for the warres, or slue it, or sente it oute of the country. If a
wenche, they streighte ceared the pappes, that thei might not growe to
hindre them in the warres. Therefore the Grecians called theim Amazones, as
ye woulde saie, pappelesse. The opinion is, that thei dwelt in the Ilonde
named Hespera, which lieth in the marsshe, named (of a riuer that runneth
into it) Tritonis, ioyning vpon Ethiope, and the mounte Atlas, the greatest
of all that lande. This Ilonde is very large and greate, hauyng plentie of
diuers sortes of fruictes, whereby the enhabitauntes liue. Thei haue many
flockes of shiepe, and goates, and other small catteile, whose milke and
flesshe they eate. They haue no maner of graine, ne knowe what to doe
therwith.
OF ASIE.
THE SECONDE PARTE.
¶ The first Chapitre.
¶ Of Asie and the peoples moste famous therin.