The famous hystory of Herodotus - Book 2 (Euterpe)

Herodotus his ſecond Booke entituled Euterpe.

AFter the death of the moſt noble & vertuous King Cyrus, there ſucceeded him in ye empyre a ſon of his, named Cambyſes, born of Casſandana daughter to Pharnasphus, who dying long tyme before ye king hir spouſe, was greatly bewayled by him, and his whole empyre. The younge prince Cambyſes makinge none other accounte of ye Iönes, then of his lawfull ſeruaūts left him by the due right and title of inheritaunce, went in expedition againſt the Ægyptians, preparing an army aswell out of other countreys as alſo out of the regions & borders of Greece, which were vnder his gouernment. The Aegyptians before ſuch time as Pfammetichus held the ſupremicy, thought them ſelues to haue bene the firſt and moſte auncient people of ye world.¹ This king in time of his raigne and gouernaunce in Ægypt, for the great deſire hee had to know by what people the earth was firſt inhabited wrought an experience whereby the Ægyptians were broughte to thinke that the Phrygians were the moſt old & auncient people of the earth, and them ſelues to be nexte in antiquity to them. For Pfammetichus by all meanes indeuouringe to know who they were that firſt and before al others came into the world, finding himſelfe hardly satisfied with ought he could heare: practiſed a deuiſe and feate of his owne braine. Two young infants borne of baſe parentes, hee gaue to his Sheepheard to bring vp & nouriſh in this maner. He gaue cōmaundement yt no man in their preſence or hearing ſhould fpeake one word: but that being alone in a ſolitary & deſerte cabyne farre from all company, they ſhould haue milke and other foode brought & myniſtred to them in due & conuenient time. Which thinges were done & commaunded by him, to the intent yt when they left of their childiſh cries & began to prattle and fpeake plainly, he might know what ſpeach & lāguage they would firſt vſe: which in proceſſe of time fell out and, happened accordingly.² For being of y^e age of two yeares, it chaunced that the ſheepheard (who was their Nourice & bringer vp) approching neere to the dore of the Cottage & entring in, both the litle brats sprawling at his feete, & ſtretching forth their hands, cryed thus: Beccos, Beccos: which at the firſt hearing, the Paſtour noted only and made no words: but perceyuing him ſelfe alwayes saluted after one fort: and y^t euermore at his entraunce the children ſpake ye fame word, the matter was opened to ye king: at whoſe cōmaundement he brought the children and deliuered them vp into his hands: whom when Pſammetichus alſo himſelfe had heard to chat in the fame maner, he made curiouſe ſearch what people vſed ye word Beccos in their language, & in what meaning they toke it. Whereby he came to know yt the word was accuſtomably vſed by ye people of Phrygia to ſignifie bread. For which cauſe the Ægyptians came into opinion, yt the Phrygians were of greater time & longer continuance then them ſelues. Of all which matter, & the maner of doing thereof. I was credibly informed by the prieſtes of y^e god Vulcane, abiding at Memphis. Howbeit many fond fables are recited by the Grecian writers, that Pfammetichus geuing y^e children to certaine women of the country to ſucke & bring vp, cauſed their tongues to bee cut out yt they might not fpeake to them. Thus much was rehearſed by them of ye trayning vp & education of the infants. Many other things alſo were told me by the holy and religious Chaplaynes of ye god Vulcane, with whom I had often conference at Memphis. Moreouer, for ye fame occaſion I toke a iourney to Thebs & Heliopolis,³ which is to wit, ye city of ye ſunne, to ye end I might ſee whether they would iumpe all in one tale & agree together. For the Heliopolitans are fayd to bee the moſt prudent & witty people of all ye Ægyptians.⁴ Notwithſtanding of diuine & heauenly matters, as touching their gods, loke what they told me I am purpoſed to conceale, ſaue onely their names, which are manifeſtly knowne of all men: of other matters I meane to keepe silence, vnleſſe by the courſe of the Hyſtory I ſhall perforce bee broughte into a narration of the fame. In all their talke of mortall and humane altayres, they did rightly accord & conſent one with an other: faying this:⁵ that yt Ægyptians firſt of all others foūd out the circuite & compaſſe of yt yeare, deuiding the fame into 12 feuerall moneths according to yt courſe and motion of the starres: making (in my fancy) a better computation of the time then the Grecians doe, which are driuen euery thirde yeare to adde certaine dayes to ſome one moneth, whereby the yeares may fall euen & become of a iust cōpaſſe. Contrarywiſe, the Ægyptians to three hundred dayes which they parte & diſtribute into twelue moneths, making addition of fyue odde dayes, cauſe the circle and courſe of their yeares to fall out equally & alwayes a like. In like maner the Ægyptians firſt inuented and vſed the ſurnames of the twelue gods:⁶ which y^t Grecians borowed & drew from them. The ſelfe fame were the firſt founders of Aulters, Images, & Temples to the gods: by whom alſo chiefly were carued the pictures of beaſts and other creatures in ſtone, which thing for yt moſt parte they proue & confirme by lawfull teſtimonyes & good authority: to this they ad besides yt the firſt king yt euer raygned was named Menes,⁷ vnder whoſe gouernaunce all y• lande of Ægypt except the prouince of Thebes was wholly couered & ouerwhelmed with water, and yt no parte of the ground which lyes aboue the poole called Myris was then to be ſene: into which poole from the ſea is 7. dayes ſayling. And truly as concerning y^• country they ſeemed to fpeake truth. For it is euident to all men (who hauing neuer heard thereof doe but onely beholde it) how that parte of Ægypt whereat the Grecians are wont to arryue is gayned ground, and as it were the gyft of the ryuer. Likwiſe all the land aboue the poole for the ſpace of thr•: dayes fayleing: whereof notwithſtanding they ſpake nothing at all. Beſides, there is another thing from whence no ſmale profe may be borowed: to wit, the very nature and quality of the Aegyptian ſoile: which is ſuch that being in voyage towards Ægypt, after you come within one dayes ſayling of the lande, at euery founde with the plummet, you ſhall bringe vppe great store of mud and noyſome filth, euen in ſuch place as the water is eleuen ells in depth: whereby it is manyfeſt that ſo farre y• ground was caſt vppe and left bare by the waters. The length of Ægypt by the ſea coaſte is 423. miles and a halfe: according to our lymitation which is from the coaſte of Plynthines, to the poole named ſelbonis, wherevnto reacheth an ende of y• great mountayne Caſſius: on this ſide therefore Ægypte is ſixety ſcheanes, which conteyne the number of myles before mentioned. For with y• Ægyptians ſuch as are ſlenderly landed, meaſure⁸ their groūd by paces, they which haue more, by furlongs, vnto whom very much is allotted, by the Perfian myle named Paraſanga: laſtly ſuch as in large and ample poſſeſſions exceede the reſt, meete their torritory by Schoenes. The meaſure Paraſanga contayneth thirty furlongs,the Schoene threefcore, whereby it cōmeth to paſſe that the lande of Ægypt along the ſea is 3600. furlongs,⁹ from this parte towarde the citie Heliopolis and the middle region: Ægypt is very wyde and broade a playne and champion countrey, deſtitute of waters, yet very flimie and full of mudde. The iourney¹⁰ from the ſea to Heliopolis by the higher parte of the region, is welnigh of the fame length with that way, which at Athens leadeth from the aulter of the twelue gods to Pifa, and y• palace of Iupiter Olympius, betwene which two wayes by iust cōputation can hardly bee founde more then fifteene furlonges difference: for the diſtaunce betwene Athens and Pifa is ſuppoſed to want of 1500 furlongs, fiftene, which number in the other of Ægypt is ful, complet, and perfit: trauayling from Heliopolis by the hills you ſhall finde Ægypt to be ſtraight and narrowe compaſſed, banked on the one ſide by a mighty hill of Arabia, reachinge from the North towardes the ſouth which by degrees waxeth higher and higher, and beareth vpwards toward the redd ſea.¹¹ In this mountayne are fundry quaries out of the which y^t people of Ægypte hewed their ſtone to builde the Pyramides at Memphis: one this ſide, the hill draweth and wyndeth it ſelfe towarde thoſe places whereof we ſpake before. The ſelfe fame mountayne hath another courſe from the Eaſte to the Weſte ſtretching ſo farre in length as a man may trauayle in two monethes: the Eaſte ende hereof yeldeth frankincenſe in great aboundaunce: likewiſe one the other ſide of Ægypt which lyeth towards Africa, there runneth another ſtony hill, wherein are builte certayne Pyramedes very full of grauell & groſſe Sande, like vnto that parte of the Arabian hill that beareth toward the South: ſo that from Helyopolis the wayes are very narrowe not paſſing foure dayes courſe by ſea. The ſpate betwene the mountaynes is champion ground, being in the narroweſt place not aboue two hundred furlongs from the one hill to the other: hauing paſſed this ſtraight, Ægypt openeth into a large and ample wideneſſe extendinge itſelfe in great breadth: ſuch is the maner and ſituation of the countrey. Furthermore, from Heliopolis to Thebs is nyne dayes iourney by water, being feuered from each other in diſtance of place foure thowſand eight hundred and ſixty furlongs, which amounteth to y• number of foure fcore and one schoenes: of the furlongs aforefayd, three thowſand and ſixe hundred lye to the ſea, as wee declared before: Now from the ſea coaſte to the city Thebs are 6120. furlonges of playne ground, & from Thebs to the city Elephantina, 820. Of all the region and coūtrey. Ægypt whereof wee haue fpoken the moſt parte is borrow*** ground, wherein the waters heretofore haue had their cour***foall the whole bottome which lyeth betwene the two mountaines aboue the city Memphis ſeemeth to haue bene a narrow ſea, much like vnto thoſe places that lye about Ilium, Teuthrania, Epheſus, and the playne of Meander: if it be not amiſſe to bring ſmale things in compariſon with greater matters: foraſmuch as none of thoſe ryuers¹² which held their paſſage in the places forenamed, are worthy to be mentioned where any one of the feuen ſtreames of Nylus are brought into talke: there be alſo other floudes not comparable in bigneſſe to Nylus, which haue wrought ſtraunge effectes and wonderfull thinges in the places where they haue runne: amongſt whom is the famous ryuer Achelous, which flowing through Acarnania into yt ſea of the Iles Echinades, hath ioyned the halfe parte of the Iles to the mayne and continent. In the countrey of Arabia, not far from Ægypt there is a certaine arme or boſome of the ſea, hauing a breach & iſſue out of the red ſea, the length whereof beginning at the end of yt angle or creeke & continuing to y• wyde mayne, is foure dayes ſayle: the breadth eaſy to be cut ouer in halfe a day: in this narrow ſea the waters ebbe & flow, raging and roaring exceedingly againſt a forde or ſhalow place, wherat the ſtreame beateth with great violence: ſuch a like creeke I ſuppoſe to haue bene in former ages in the lande of Ægypte, which brake out from the North ſea, and continued his courſe towards Æthyopia: like as alſo the Arabian ſea (whereof we haue fpoken) floweth from the ſouth waters, towards y^t coaſts of Syria, both which ſtraights welnigh in their furtheſt corners concur & meete together being ſeparrted by no great diſtaunce of groūd: were it then that yt ryuer Nilus ſhould make a vent, & ſhed it ſelfe into the narrow ſea of Arabia, what might binder, but yt in 200000 yeares, by yt cōtinuall & daily courſe of yt ryuer, the creeke of the salt waters ſhould be cleane altered & become dry: for I think it poſſible, if in 10000 yeares before me, fundry ryuerſ haue chaūged their courſes & left the groūd dry whereas firſt they ran: an arme of the ſea alſo much greater then y^t may bee dryuen besides his naturall boſome, eſpecially by the force of ſo great a ſtreame as the riuer Nilus, by whom diuerfe things of greater admiration haue bene brought to paſſe. The reporte therefore¹³ which they gaue of the ſoyle I was eaſely brought to beleue, aſwel for that yt country it ſelfe bringeth credite to the beholders, as alſo yt in the very hills & mountaynes of the region are found a multitude of ſhel fiſhes, the earth likewiſe sweating out a certaine salt and bryniſhe humour, which doth corrupt and eate the Pyramides. Agayne, it is in no point like to any of the countryes that lye next vnto it, neither to Arabia, Lybia, nor Syria, (for the Syrians inhabite the ſea coaſte of Arabia) being of a blacke and brittle moulde, which commeth to paſſe by the greate store of mudde and flimy matter which the ryuer beinge a flote bringeth out of Æthyopia into the lande of the Ægyptians. The earth of Lybia is much more redde and ſandy vnderneath. The moulde of Arabia and Syria drawe neere to a fatte and batile claye, beynge vnder grounde very rockye and full of ſtone. Lykewyſe, for proofe that the Region in tyme paſt was watery ground the prieſts alleadged how in the time of kinge Myris his raygne the floud aryſing to the heighth of 8. cubits watered the whole countrey of Ægypte lying beneath Memphis, ſcarſe 900 yeares being paſt & expired ſince the death and deceaſe of Myris: whereas at theſe dayes¹⁴ vnleſſe it ſwell and increaſe 15. or 16. cubits high, it cōmeth not at all into yt coaſt, which aforeſaid coaſt, if accordingly to ye fall of ye riuer it grow ſtill in loftyneſſe and become higher, the earth receyuinge no moyſture by the ſloude, I feare ye Ægyptians themſelues that dwell beneath ye lake Myris both other, & alſo the inhabitants of the lande of Delta, will euermore be annoyed with the fame plague and inconuenience, whych the Gretians (by their accounte) are ſometimes like to abyde. For the people of Ægypt hearing that the whole countrey of Greece was moystned and watered by the ſeaſonable fall of rayne and ſhowers, & not by floudes and ryuerſ lyke vnto their owne: they prophecy that ye day would come, when as the Greekes being deceyued of their hope would all peariſhe through famine and hunger: meaning that if y^e gods did not vouchſafe to ſend thē raine in due ſeaſon, from whome alone they haue their moyſture, the whole nation ſhoulde goe to wracke for want of ſuſtenaunce. Thus farre is pleaſed them to deſcant of the fortune of Greece. Let vs nowe conſider in what eſtate and condition they ſtand them ſelues if then(as we fayd before) the lowe countrey of Memphis¹⁵ (for in theſe is the gayne and increaſe of grounde ſeene) waxe & augment accordingely as in former times, our friendeſ of Ægypt ſhall ſhew vs the way, what it is to be famiſhed and dye by hunger: if neyther theyr land be moystened by the ſweete and timely ſhowres of rayne, nor by the ſwelling and ryſing of the riuer. For as now, they haue an eſpeciall aduauntage aſwell of all men els, as of the reſt of their countreymen yt dwell higher, in that they receiue the fruite and increaſe of the ground without eyther tilling or weeding the earth, or doing ought els belonging to huſbandry: wherefore immediately after the ryſeing of ye waters, ye earth being moyste and ſupple, & the ryuer returned agayne to his olde courſe, they ſowe & ſcatter their ſeede euery one vpon his owne ground & territory: wherinto hauing driuē great heards of ſwine¹⁶ that roote and tread the grayne and moulds together, they ſtay till the time of harueſt, attending the increaſe and gaine of their ſeede. Being full growne and ripened, they ſend in their hogges afreſh to muzle and ſtampe the corne from out the eares, which done, they sweepe it together, and gather it. If we follow¹⁷ the opinion of the people of Ionia, as touching the land of Ægypt, who affirme, that the true countrey of Ægypt is in very deede nothing elſe ſaue the prouince of Delta (which taketh his name of the watchtowre or Caſtle of espiall made by Perſeus) teſtifying beſides, that by the ſea coaſt to the salt waters of Pelusium, it ſtretcheth forty ſcheanes in length, and reacheth from the ſea toward the hart of the region, to the city of the Cercafians (neere vnto which ye riuer Nilus parteth it ſelfe into two feueral mouthes, the one whereof is called Pelusium, the other Canobus) and that all the other partes of Ægypt are belonging to Arabia and Africa, we might very well inferre and prooue heereof, that the countrey of Ægypt in former times was none at all. For the land of Delta (as they ſay, and we eaſily beleeue)was grounde lif• voyde and naked by the water, and that of late yeares alſo and not long ago: wherefore if they had no countrey at all, what cauſed them ſo curiously to labour in the ſearching out and blazing of their auncienty, ſuppoſing themſelues to be the chiefe of all people, the knowledge and intelligence whereof, was not worth the two yeares triall and experiment which they wrought in the children. I my ſelfe am fully perswaded, that the Ægyptians tooke not their beginning together with the place of Delta. but were alwayes ſince the firſt beginning and originall of mankinde, whoſe countrey gayning ground, and increaſing by the chaunge and alteration of the riuer, many of them went downe from the high countrey, and inhabited the low places, for which cauſe, the City Thebes, and the countrey belonging thereto, was heeretofore called Ægypt, the circuite and compaſſe whereof is 6120.furlongs. Be it ſo then that our opinion accord and conſent wyth truth, the Graecian writers are in a wrong boxe, but if they fpeake truely, yet in other matters they recken without theyr hoſte, making but three partes of the whole earth, Europa, Aſia, and Africa:whereas of neceſſity Delta in Ægypt ſhould be accounted for the fourth, ſithens by their owne bookes it is neyther ioyned with Aſia, nor yet with Africa. For by this account, it is not the riuer Nilus that diuides Aſia from Africa, which at the poynt and ſharpe angle of Delta, cutting it ſelfe into two fundry ſtreames, that which lyes in ye middes ſhould equally pertayne both to Aſia and Africa. But to leaue the iudgement and opinion of the Greekes, we ſay and affyrme, that all that countrey is rightly tearmed Ægypt, whiche is held and poſſeſſed by the Ægyptians, euen as alſo we make no doubt to call thoſe places Cilicia and Aſſyria where the Cilicians and Aſſyrians do dwell. In like manner, according to truth, Aſia and Africa are diſfeuered and parted betweene themſelues by none other borders, then by the limits and boundes of Ægypt. Howbeit, if we followe the Graecians, all Ægypt¹⁸ (beginning at the places called Catadupae and the city Elephantina) is to be diuided into two partes, which draw their names of the regions wherevnto they are adioyned, the one belonging to Africa the other to Aſia. For the riuer Nilus taking his beginning from the Catadupae ſo called, and flowing through the middeſ of Aegypt, breaketh into the ſea, running in one ſtreame til it come to the city of the Cercafians, and afterwards leuering it ſelfe into three fundry chanels. The firſt of theſe chanels¹⁹ turneth to the Eaſt, and is called Pelusium, the ſecond Canobus, the third ſtreame flowing directly in a ſtraight line, kepeth this courſe, firſt of all scouring through the vpper coaſtes of the countrey, it beateth full vpon the point of Delta,²⁰ through the middeſt whereof, it hath a ſtraight and direct ſtreame euen vnto the ſea, being the fayreſt and moſt famous of all the reſt of the chanels, and is called Sebennyticum. From this ſtreame are deriued two other armes alſo,²¹ leading to the salt waters, the one being called Saiticum, the other Mendeſium. For as touching thoſe braunches and ſtreames of Nilus, which they tearme Bolbitinum and Bucolicum, they are not naturally made by courſe of the water, but drawne out and digged by the labour of men. I followe not the fantasies of mine owne brayne, nor imagine any thing of my ſelfe, for that the countrey of Aegypt is ſo wyde, and of ſuch amplitude as we haue deſcribed it, I appeale to the oracle of the god Hammon which came into my minde, beeyng in ſtudy and meditation about theſe matters. The people of the two cities Maerea and Apia²² that inhabite the borders of Aegypt next vnto Africa, eſteeming thēſelues to be of the linage and nation of the Africans, not of the Aegyptians, became weary of their ceremonies and religion, and would no longer absteyne from the fleſhe of kyne and feamale cattell, as the reſt of the Aegyptians did, they ſent therefore to the prophecy of Hammon,²³ denying themſelues to be of Ægypt, becauſe they dwelt not within the compaſſe of Delta, neither agreed with them in any thing, wherefore they deſired ye god that it might be lawful for them without reſtraint to taſte of all meates indifferētly: but the oracle forbade thē ſo to do, ſhewing how all that region was iustly accounted Aegypt which the waters of Nilus ouerranne and couered, adding heereto all thoſe people that dwelling beneath the city Elephantina,²⁴ dranke of the water of the fame floud. This aunſwere was giuen them by the oracle. Nowe it is meete wee know, that Nilus at what time it riſeth aboue the banckes, ouerfloweth not Delta alone, but all the countrey next vnto Africa, and likewiſe the other ſide adioyning to Arabia, couering the earth on both partes the ſpace of two dayes iourney or thereabout. As touching²⁵ the nature of the riuer Nilus, I could not bee ſatisſyed either by the prieſts, or by any other, being alwayes very willing and deſirous to heare ſomething thereof, firſt, what the cauſe might be that growing to ſo great increaſe, it ſhoulde drowne and ouergo the whole countrey, beginning to ſwell the eyght day before the kalends of Iuly, and continuing aflote an hundred daies, after which time, in the like number of dayes it falleth agayne, flowyng within the compaſſe of hys owne banckes tyll the nexte approch of Iuly. Of the cauſes of theſe thynges the people of Aegypt were ignoraunte themſelues, not able to tell mee anye thing whether Nilus had any proper and peculiar: vertue different from the nature of other flouds. About which matters being very inquiſitiue,²⁶ mooued with deſire of knowledge, I demaunded inoreouer the reaſon and occaſion why this ſtreame of all others neuer ſent foorth any miſte or vapour; ſuch as are commonly ſeene to aſcend and riſe from the waters, but herein alſo I was faynt to neſtle in mine owne ignorance, deſiring to be lead of thoſe that were as blind as my ſelfe. Howbeit, certayne Graecian wryters²⁷ thinking to purchaſe the price and prayſe of wit, haue gone about to diſcourſe of Nilus, and ſet downe their iudgement of the nature thereof, who are found to varry and diſſent in three fundry opinions, two of the which I ſuppoſe not worthy the naming, but onely to giue the reader intelligence how ridiculous they are. The firſt is, that the ouer flow of Nilus commeth of none other cauſe, then that the windes Eteſiae ſo named, blowing directly vpon the ſtreame thereof, hinder and beate backe the waters from flowing into the ſea, which windes are commonly wont to ariſe, and haue their ſeaſon a long time after the increaſe and riſing of Nilus: but imagine it were otherwiſe, yet this of neceſſitie must follow, that all riuerſ whatſoeuer hauing a full and direct courſe againſt the windes Eteſiae, ſhall in like maner ſwell and grow ouer their bankes, and ſo much the rather, by how much the leſſe and weake the flouds themſelues are, whoſe ſtreames are oppoſed againſt the fame. But there be many riuerſ as well in Syria as in Africa, that ſuffer no ſuch motion and change
as hath bin fayd of the floud Nilus. There is another opinion of leſſe credite and learning, albeit of greater woonder and admiration then the firſt, alleadging the cauſe of the riſing to be, for that the riuer (ſay they) proceedeth from the Ocean ſea, which enuironeth the whole globe and circle of the earth. The third opinion being more caulme and modeſt then the reſt, is alſo more falſe and unlikely then them both, affirming, that the increaſe and augmentation of Nilus commes of the snowe waters molten and thawed in thoſe regions, carying with it ſo much the leſſe credit and authority, by how much the more it is euident that the riuer comming from Africa through the middeſt of Æthiopia, runnes continually from the hotter countreys to the colder, beeing in no wiſe probable, or any thing likely that the waxing of the waters ſhould proceede of ſnowe. Many found proofes may be brought to the weakening of this cauſe, whereby we may geſſe how groſſely they erre whiche thinke ſo greate a ſtreame to be increaſed by ſnowe. What greater reaſon may be found to the contrary, then that the windes blowing from thoſe countreys are very warme by nature. Moreouer, the lande it ſelfe is continually voyde of rayne and yee, being moſt neceſſary that²⁸ within fiue dayes after the fall of snowe there ſhould •ome rayne, where by it commeth to paſſe that if it snowe in Ægypt, it must alſo of neceſſity rayne. The fame is confirmed and eſtabliſhed by the blackneſſe and swartneſſe of the people, couloured by the vehement heate and scorching of the ſume: likewiſe by the ſwalowes and kytes which continually keepe in thoſe coaſtes: laſtly by the flight of the cranes toward the comming of winter, which are alwayes wont to flye out of Scythia and the cold regions to theſe places, where all the winter ſeaſon they make theyr abode. Were it then that neuer ſo little snow could fall in thoſe countreys by the which Nilus hath his courſe, and from which he ſtretcheth his head and beginning, it were not poſſible for any of theſe things to happen which experience prooueth to be true. They which talke of Oceanus,²⁹ grounding their iudgement vppon a meere fable, want reaſon to prooue it. For I thinke there is no ſuch ſea as the Ocean, but rather that Homer or ſome one of the auncient Poets deuiſed the name, and made vſe thereof afterwardeſ in their tales and poetry. Now if it be expedient for me hauing refuted and diſalowed other mens iudgements, to ſet downe mine owne.³⁰ The reaſon why Nilus is ſo great in ſommer I take to be this. In the wintertime the ſunne declining from his former race vnder the colde winter starre, keepeth hys courſe ouer the high countreys of Africa, and in theſe fewe wordes is conteyned the whole cauſe. For the ſunne the neerer he maketh his approch to any region, the more he drinketh vp the moyſture thereof, and cauſeth the riuers and brookes of the fame countrey to runne very lowe. But to fpeake at large, and lay open the cauſe in more ample wyſe, thus the caſe ſtandeth. The bringer to paſſe and worker heereof is the ſunne, beeing caryed ouer the hygh countreys of Africa: For the ſpring time with them beeyng very fayre and cleare, the land hote, and the wyndeſ colde, the ſunne paſſing ouer them workes the fame effecte as when it runneth in the middeſt of heauen in ſommer,³¹ forſomuch as by vertue of his beames gathering water vnto him, he cauſeth it to aſcend into the ſuperiour regions, where the windeſ receuing it, diſpearſe the vapours and reſolue them againe, which is chiefely done by the ſouth and ſouthweſt winde that blowe from theſe countreys, beeing ſtormy and full of rayne. Now the water drawne out of Nilus by the ſunne, doth not in this fort fall downe agayne in ſhowres and drops of rayne, but is quite ſpent and conſumed by the heate. Toward the ende of winter, the ſunne drawing towards the middeſt of the ſkye in like manner as before, ſucketh the water out of other riuers, which is the cauſe that being thus drawne vntill much rayne and ſhowres increaſe them agayne, they become fleete and almoſt drie. Wherefore the riuer Nilus, into whome alone no ſhowres fall at any time, is for iust cauſe loweſt in winter, and bigheſt in ſommer, foraſmuch as in ſommer the ſunne draweth moyſture equally out of all riuerſ, but in winter out of Nilus alone, this I take to be the cauſe of the diuers and changeable courſe of the riuer. Heereof alſo I ſuppoſe to proceede the dryneſſe of the ayre in that region, at ſuch time as the ſunne deuideth his courſe equally, ſo that in the high countreys of Africke it is alwayes ſommer: whereas if it were poſſible for the placing and ſituation of the heauens to be altered, that where North is, there were ſouth, & where ſouth is, North, the ſunne towardes the comming and approach of winter departing from the middeſt of heauen, would haue his paſſage in like fort ouer Europe, as now it hath ouer Africke, and worke the fame effects (as I iudge) in the riuer Iſter,³² as now it doth in Nilus. In like maner, the cauſe why Nilus hath no miſt or cloude ariſing from it according as we ſee in other flouds, I deeme to be this, becauſe the countrey is exceeding hote and parching, being altogether vnfit to ſende vp any vapours, which vſually breathe and ariſe out of cold places. But let theſe things be as they are and haue bene alwayes. The head and fountayne of Nilus³³ where it is, or frō whence it cōmeth, none of the Ægyptians, Graecians,or Africans that euer I talked with, could tell me any thing, besides a certaine ſcribe of Mineruas treaſury in the city Sais, who ſeemed to me to fpeake merily, faying, that vndoubtedly he knewe the place, deſcribing the fame in this manner. There be two mountaines (quoth he) ariſing into ſharpe and spindled tops, ſituate betweene Syêne a city of Thebais, and Elephantina, the one called Crophi, the other Mophi.³⁴ from the vale betweene the two hilles doth iſſue out the head of the riuer Nilus, being of an vnſearchable deapth, and without bottome, halfe of the water running towardes Ægypt and the North, the other halfe towardes Aethiopia and the ſouth. Of the immeaſurable deapth of the fountayne, the scribe affirmed, that Pfammetichus King of the Ægyptians had taken triall, who founding the waters with a rope of many miles in length, was vnable to feele any ground or bottome: whoſe tale (if any ſuche thyng were done as he fayde) made me thinke, that in thoſe places whereof he ſpake, were certayne gulfes or whirlepooles very ſwift, violente and raging, whiche by reaſon of the fall of the water from the hilles, would not ſuffer the line with the ſounding leade to ſinke to the bottome, for which cauſe, they were ſuppoſed to be bottomleſſe. Beſides this, I coulde learne nothing of any man. Neuertheleſſe, trauelling to Elephantina to behold the thing with mine owne eyes, and making diligent inquiry to knowe the truth, I vnderſtoode this, that takyng our iourney from thence ſouthward to ye countreys aboue, at lēgth we ſhall come to a steepe & bending ſhelfe, where ye ryuer falleth with great violēce, ſo yt we must be forced to faſten two gables to each ſide of ye ſhip, & in that fort to hale and draw her forward, which if they chaunce either to ſlip or breake, ye veſſell is by and by driuē backwards by ye intollerable rage & violēce of ye waters. To this place frō ye city Elephantina is four daies ſaile, whereaboutes ye riuer is ful of windings & turnings, like the floud Meander, and in lēgth ſo cōtinuing twelue scheanes, all which way the ſhip of neceſſity must be drawne. After this, we ſhall arriue at a place very ſmooth and caulme, wherein is ſtanding an Iland incompaſſed rounde by the ryuer, by name Tachampſo. The one halfe heereof is inhabited by the Aegyptians, the other halfe by the Aethiopians, whoſe countrey is adioyning to the ſouthſide of the Ile. Not farre from the Iland is a poole of woonderfull and incredible bigneſſe, about the which the ſhepheards of Aethiopia haue their dwelling: whereinto, after we are declined out of the mayne ſtreame, we ſhall come to a riuer directly running into the poole, where going on ſhore, we must take our voyage on foote the ſpace of forty dayes by the waters ſide, the riuer Nilus it ſelfe beeyng very full of ſharpe rockes and craggy ſtones, by the which it is not poſſible for a veſſell to paſſe. Hauing finiſhed forty dayes iourney along the riuer, take ſhipping againe, and paſſe by water twelue dayes voyage, till ſuch time as you arriue at a great city called Meroe,³⁵ which is reputed for the chiefe and Metropolitane city of the countrey, the people whereof, only of all the gods worſhip Iupiter and Bacchus, whome they reuerence with exceeding zeale and deuotion. Likewiſe to Iupiter they haue planted an oracle, by whoſe counſayle and voyce they rule their martiall affayres, making warre how oft ſoeuer, or againſt whomeſoeuer they are mooued by the fame. From this city Meroe by as many dayes trauell as yee take from Elephantina to ye fame, you ſhall come to a kind of people named Automoly, which is to ſay, traytours or runnagates, the fame alſo in like manner being called Aſmach, which emporteth in the greeke tongue ſuch as ſtande and attende at the Kings left hand. Theſe men³⁶ being whilome ſouldyers in Aegypt to the number of eyght thouſand and two hundred, they reuolted from their owne countreymen, and fled ouer to the Æthiopians for this occaſion. Being in ye time of King Pſammetichus diſperſed and diuided into fundry garriſons, ſome at the city of Elephantina, and Daplinae Pelusiae, againſt the Æthiopians, other againſt the Arabians and Syrians, and thirdly at Marea againſt the Africans (in which places agreeably to the order and inſtitution of Pfammetichus, the Perfian garriſons alſo did lie in munition) hauing continued the ſpace of three yeares in perpetuall gard and defence of the lande, without ſhift or releaſe, they fell to agreement amongſt themſelues to leaue their King and countrey, and flye into Æthiopia: which their intente Pfammetichus hearing, made after them incontinently, and hauing ouertaken the army, humbly beſought them with many teares, not to forſake by ſuche vnkind and vnnaturall wiſe their wiues, children, and countrey gods, vnto whoſe plaint and intreaty, a rude royſtrell in the company ſhewing his priuy members, made this aunſwere,³⁷ whereſoeuer (quoth he) theſe be, there will I finde both wyfe and children. After they were come into Æthiopia, and had offered themſelues vnto the King of the ſoyle, they were by him rewarded on this manner. Certayne of the Æthiopians that were ſcarſely found harted to the King, were depriued by him of all their lands and poſſeſſions, which he franckly gaue and beſtowed on the Ægyptians. By meanes of theſe, the people of Æthiopia were brought from a rude and barbarous kind of demeanour, to farre more ciuill and manlike behauiour, being inſtructed and taught in the maners and cuſtomes of the Aegyptians. Thus the riuer Nilus is founde ſtill to continue the ſpace of foure monethes iourney by lande and water (leſſe then in which time it is not poſſible for a man to come from Elephantina to the Automolians)³⁸ taking hys courſe and ſtreame from the Weſt part of the world, and falling of the ſunne. Howbeit in this place I purpoſe to recite a ſtory told me by certayne of the Cyraeneans, who fortuning to take a voyage to ye oracle of Ammon, came in talke with Etearchus King of the Ammonians, where by courſe of ſpeache, they fell at length to diſcourſe and common of Nilus, the head whereof was vnſearchable, and not to be knowne. In which place Etearchus made mention of a certaine people called Namaiones of the countrey of Afrike, inhabiting the quickſands, and all the coaſt that lyeth to the eaſt. Certayne of theſe men comming to the court of Etearchus, and reporting dyuers ſtrange and wonderfull things of the deſerts and wild chaſes of Africa, they chaunced at length to tell of certayne yong Gentlemen of theyr countrey,³⁹ iſſued of the chiefe and moſt noble families of all their nation, who beeing at a reaſonable age very youthfull and valtant, determined in a brauery to go ſeeke ſtraunge aduentures, as well other, as alſo this. Fiue of them being aſſigned thereto by lot, put themſelues in voyage to go ſearch and diſcry the wilderneſſe, and deſert places of Africa, to the ende they might ſee more, and make further report thereof then euer any that had attempted the fame. For the ſea coaſt of Africa poynting to the North pole, many nations do inhabite, beginning from Ægypt, and continuing to the promontory named Soloes, wherein Africa hath his end and bound. All the places aboue the ſea are haunted with wilde and ſauage beaſtes, beeing altogether voyde and deſolate, peſtered with ſand, and exceeding drye. Theſe gentlemen trauellers hauing made ſufficient prouiſion of water, and other vyands neceſſary for theyr iourney, firſt of all paſſed the countreys that were inhabited: and next after that, came into the wylde and waſte regions amongſt the caues and dennes of fierce and vntamed beaſtes, through which they helde on theyr way to the weſt parte of the earth. In which manner, after they had continued many dayes iourney, and trauelled ouer a great part of the ſandy countreys, they came at length to espy certayne fayre and goodly trees, growing in a freſh and pleaſaunt medowe, wherevnto incontinently making repayre, and taſting the fruite that grewe thereon, they were suddenly ſurpriſed and taken ſhort by a company of little dwarfes, farre vnder the common pitch and ſtature of men, whoſe tongue the gentlemen knew not, neither was their ſpeache vnderſtoode of them. Being apprehended, they were lead away ouer fundry pooles and meares into a city, where all the inhabitauntes were of the fame ſtature and degree with thoſe that had taken them, and of colour swart and blacke. Faſt by the ſide of thys city ranne a ſwift and violent riuer, flowing from the Weaſt to the Eaſt, wherein were to be ſeene very hydeous and terrible ſerpents called Crocodyles. To this ende drew the talke of Etearchus King of the Ammonians, ſaue that he added beſides how the Namaſonian gentlemen returned home to theyr owne countrey (as the Cyraeneans made recount) and how the people alſo of the city whether they were broughte, were all coniurers, and geuen to the ſtudy of the blacke arte. The floud that had his paſſage by the city,⁴⁰ Etearchus ſuppoſed to be the riuer Nilus, euen as alſo reaſon it ſelfe giueth it to be. For it floweth from Africa, and hath a iust and direct cut through the middeſt of the fame, following (as it ſhould ſeeme) a very like and ſemblable courſe vnto the riuer Iſter. Aſter⁴¹ beginning at the people of the Celts, and the city Pyrene (the Celts keepe without the pillers of Hercules, being neere neighbours to the Cynefians, and the laſt and vtmoſt nation of the weſterne people of Europe) deuideth Europe in the middeſt, and scouring through the coaſt, it is helde by the Iſtryans (people ſo named and comming of the Mileſians) it laſtly floweth into the ſea. Notwithſtanding Iſter is well knowne of many, for that it hath a perpetuall courſe through countreys that are inhabited, but where or in what parte of the earth Nilus hath his ſpring, no man can tell, forſomuch as Africa from whence it commeth, is voyde, deſert, and vnfurniſhed of people, the ſtreame and courſe whereof, as farre as lyeth in the knowledge of men, we haue ſet downe & declared, yt end of the riuer being in Ægypt where it breaketh into y^e ſea. Aegypt is welny oppoſite & directly ſet againſt ye mountaines of Cilicia, frō whence to ſynopis ſtanding in ye Euxine ſea, is fiue daies iourney for a good footemā, by ſtraight & euen way. The Ile Synopis lyeth iust againſt the riuer Iſter, where it beareth into the ſea, ſo that Nilus running through all the coaſt of Africa, may in ſome manner be cōpared to y^e riuer Iſter, howbeit, as touching ye floud Nilus be it hither to ſpokē. Let vs yet proceede to fpeake further of Ægypt,⁴² both for that the countrey it ſelfe hath more ſtrange wonders then any nation in the world, and alſo becauſe the people themſelues haue wrought fundry things more worthy memory, then any other nation vnder the ſunne, for which cauſes, we thought meete to diſcourſe more at large of ye region & people. The Ægyptians therefore as in the temperature of the ayre, and nature of the riuer, they diſſent from all other: euen ſo in theyr laws and cuſtomes they are vnlike and diſagreeing from all men. In this countrey⁴³ the women followe the trade of merchantdize in buying and ſelling: alſo victualing and all kinde of ſale and chapmandry, whereas contrarywyſe the men remayne at home, and play the good huswiues in spinning and weauing and ſuch like duties. In like manner, the men carry their burthens on their heads, the women on their ſhoulders. Women make water ſtanding, and men crouching downe and cowring to the ground. They diſcharge and vnburthen theyr bellies of that which nature voydeth at home, and eate their meate openly in the ſtreetes and high wayes, yeelding this reaſon why they do it, for that (ſay they) ſuch things as be vnſeemely and yet neceſſary ought to be done in counſayle, but ſuch as are decent and lawful, in the eyes and viewe of all men. No woman is permitted⁴⁴ to do ſeruice or minIſter to the gods or Goddeſſes, that duty being proper and peculiar to men. The ſonne refuſing to nouriſh and ſuſteyne his parents, hath no lawe to force and conſtrayne him to it, but the daughter be ſhe neuer ſo vnwilling, is perforce drawne and compelled thereto. The prieſts and miniſters of the gods in other countreys weare long hayre, and in Ægypt are all raſed and shauen. Likewyſe with other people it is an vſuall cuſtome in ſorrowing for the dead to powle theyr lockes, and eſpecially ſuch as are neareſt touched with griefe, but contrarywyſe the Ægyptians at the deceaſſe of their friends ſuffer their hayre to growe, beeing at other times accuſtomed to powle & cut it to ye stumps. Moreouer,⁴⁵ the people of all lands vſe to make difference betweene their owne diet & the foode of beaſtes, ſauing in Ægypt, where in barbarous and swiniſh maner men and beaſts feede ioyntly together. Besides this, ye people elſewhere haue their greateſt ſuſtenāble by wheate, rye, & barly, which ye Ægyptians may not taſte of without great reproch & contumely, vſing neuertheſſe a kind of wheate whereof they make very white and fine bread, which of ſome is thought to be darnell or bearebarly. This at the firſt hauing mingled it with licour, they worke & mould wt their feete, kneading the fame afterwards with their hands. In this countrey alſo the manner is to circumciſe and cut
round about the ſkinne from their priuy parts, which none other vſe, except thoſe that haue taken letter, and learned the cuſtome from the Aegyptians. The men go in two garments, the women in one, ſtitching to the inſide of the veſture a tape or caddeſe to gird their appare. I cloſe to them, which y^e people of other regions are wont to weare outwardly. The Graecians in writing and caſting account,⁴⁶ frame their letters, and lay their counters from the left hand to the right, the Aegyptians contrarywiſe proceede from the right to the left, wherein alſo they frumpe and gird at the Graecians, faying, that themſelues do all things to the right hand, which is well and honeſtly, but the Graekes to the left, which is peruerſely and vntowardly. Furthermore, they vſe in writing two kind of charecters or letters, ſome of the which they call holy and diuine, other common and prophane. In the ſeruice and worſhip of the gods, they are more religious and deuout then any nation vnder heauen. They drinke out of braſen pots, which day by day they neuer fayle to cleanſe and wash very fayre and cleane, which manner and cuſtome is not in a few of them, but in all. They delight principally to go in freſh and cleane linnen,⁴⁷ conſuming no fmall part of the day in washing their garmentes. They circumciſe their ſecret partes for deſire they haue to be voyde of filth and corruption, eſteeming it much better to be accounted cleane, then comely. The prieſts and churchmen:⁴⁸ ſhaue their bodies euery third day, to the end that neyther lyee nor any kind of vncleanneſſe may take hold of thoſe which are dayly conuerſaunt in the honour and ſeruice of the gods. The fame are arrayed in one veſture of ſingle linnen, and paper ſhoes, without ſufferance to go otherwiſe attired at any time. They purge and wash themſelues euery day twice in the daye time, and as often in the night, vſing other ceremonies and cuſtomes welny infinite that are not to be rehearſed. The ſelfefame prieſts haue no fmall aduantage or commodity in this, that they liue not of their owne, neither spend or conſume any thing of their priuate goodes and fubſtaunce, but haue dayly miniſtred and ſupplied vnto them foode in great aboundance, as well the fleſh of oxen as of geeſe.⁴⁹ Their drinke is wine made of grapes, which in like maner is brought them in allowance. To take any kind of fiſhe, they hold it vnlawfull: and if by fortune they haue but ſeene or lightly behelde any beanes, they deeme themſelues the worſſe for it a moneth after, forſomuch as that kind of pulſe is accounted vncleane. The reſt alſo of the Aegyptians and common forte vſe very ſeldome or neuer to ſowe beanes: and to eate the fame either rawe or ſodden, they hold it a greeuous ſinne.⁵⁰ The prieſts take their orders in ſuch wiſe, that euery one by turnes and courſes doth ſeruice to all the gods indifferently, no man being clarked or choſen to be the feuerall miniſter of any one god alone. All theſe are gouerned by one generall preſident or Archbiſhop. If any man dye, his ſonne taketh the prieſthoode in his ſtead. All neate and bullockes of the malekinde they hold ſacred to Epaphus, whereof if they be in minde to ſacrifice any, they ſearche and trie hym whether he be cleane or no after this manner.⁵¹ If in all hys ſkinne there appeare any one blacke hayre, they by and by iudge him impure and vnfit for ſacrifice, which triall is made by ſome of the prieſts appoynted for the fame purpoſe, who taketh diligent view of the oxe both ſtanding and lying, and turned euery way, that no part may be vnſeene. After this, ſearch is made alſo of his mouth and tongue, whether all the ſignes and tokens appeare in him that ſhould be in a pure & vnspotted beaſt, of which ſignes we determine to fpeake in another booke. To make ſhort, he curiously beholdeth the hayres of his tayle whether they growe according to nature, and be all white. If all theſe markes agree, they tye a ribaund to one of his hornes, and ſeare a marke on the other, and ſo let him run, and if any man aduenture to offer vp an oxe, whoſe hornes are not marked with the publike ſeale or brandyron, he is by and by accuſed by the reſt of his company, and condemned to dye. Theſe are the meanes⁵² which they vſe in ſearching and ſurueying theyr cattell, ſuch as are to be offered to the gods. Moreouer, in the time of ſacrifice and oblation, this is their manner. The beaſt that is ſealed on the horne, being brought to the aultare and place of immolation, incontment a fire is kindled, then ſome one of the Chaplaynes taking a boule of wyne in his hands, drinketh ouer the oblation with his face towarde the temple,⁵³ and calling with a loude voyce vpon the name of the god, giueth the beaſt a wound and killeth him, the head and hyde whereof, they beare into the market place, with many deteſtable curſſes, and diueliſh bannings, making ſale thereof to the Merchaunts of Greece. Such of the Aegyptians as haue no place of ſale or vſe of Merchaundiſe with the Graecians, caſt both head and hyde into the riuer Nilus. In curſſing the head of the ſlaine beaſt they vſe this manner of imprecation, that if any euill or miſfortune be to happen either to thoſe which do the ſacrifice, or to the whole realme and dominion of Aegypt, it would pleaſe the gods to turne all vpon that head. The like vſe and cuſtome about the heads of ſuch cattel as are killed in ſacrifice, and in time of offering for the prieſt to drinke wine, is in all places alike throughout all the churches of Aegypt, in ſo much, that it is growne into a faſhion in all the whole land, that no Aegyptian will taſte of the head of beaſtes ſacrificed. Howbeit, there is choyſe and diuerſity of ſacrifice with thē, neyther is the fame manner and forme of oblation kept and obſerued in euery place. Now we will ſhew and declare which of all the Goddeſſes they chiefly honour, and in whoſe name they ſolemnize and celebrate the greateſt feaſt. Hauing therefore moſt deuoutely ſpent the eue or day before the feaſt in ſolemne faſting and prayer, they ſacrifice an Oxe, whoſe hyde incontinently they pull off and take out his entrayles, ſuffering the leafe and fat to remayne within him. After that, they hewe off the shanke bones, with the lower part of the loyne and ſhoulders, likewiſe the head and the necke, which done, they farce and stuffe the body with halowed bread, hony, rayſons, figges, franckincenſe, myrrhe, and other precious odours. Theſe things accōpliſhed they offer him vp in ſacrifice, pouring into him much wine & oyle, and abiding ſtill faſting, vntill ſuch time as the offering be finiſhed. In the meane ſpace while the ſacrifice is burning, they beate and torment themſelues with many ſtripes, whereby to satisfy and appeaſe the wrath and diſpleaſure of the gods. Hauing left off on this manner to afflict and crucifie their fleſh, the reſidue of the ſacrifice is ſet before them, where with they feaſt and refreſhe their hunger. It is a cuſtome⁵⁴ receyuen throughout all the region, to offer bullocks and calues of the malekinde, if in caſe they be found immaculate and pure, according to the forme of their lawe: howveit, from kine and heiffers, they absteyne moſt religiously, accounting them as holy and conſecrate to the goddeſſe Iſis, whoſe image is carued and framed like a woman, with a paire of hornes on hir head, like as the Graecians deſcribe and ſet foorth Iö. Hereof it proceedeth that the people of Aegypt do moſt of all other beaſtes worſhip and reuerence a cowe, for which cauſe, none of that nation neither men nor women will eyther kiſſe a Graecian, or ſo muche as vſe hys knife to cut any thing, his ſpit to rost, his pot to voyle, or any other thing belonging to them, diſdayning and loathing the very meate that hath bin cut with a Graecians knife, for ſomuch as in Greece they feede of all neate indifferently both male and feamale. If an oxe or cowe⁵⁵ chaunce to die, they bury them on this wiſe, the kine and females they caſt into the riuer, durying the oxen in ſome of the fuburbes with one of his hornes ſticking out of the ground for a token; lying on this maner vntill they be rotten. At an ordinary and appoynted time, there ariueth a ſhip frō y• Ile Proſopitis ſituate in yt part of Ægypt which is named Delta, being in compaſſe nine scheanes, which is 63. miles. In this Iland are planted many cities, one of the which continually furniſheth and ſends foorth the aforeſaid ſhip, hauing to name Atarbeehis, wherein ſtandeth a faire and goodly temple dedicated to Venus. From this city Atarbechis, many people are woont to ſtray and wander into other townes of Aegypt. The ſhip comming to land at euery city, takes vp the bones of the dead oxen, and caries them all to one place where they are buryed together. The law alſo cōmaundeth the ſelfefame manner to be kept and obſerued in the ſepulture and burying of other cattell that dye in the land, from the ſlaughter of the which generally the Aegyptians absteyne. Neuertheleſſe, ſuch as abiding in the prouince of Thebes in the temple of Iupiter Thebanus, are inueſted with the orders of prieſthoode, vſe the fame abſtinence from ſheepe, and ſlayne goates vpon the aultars of the gods, for in Ægypt the fame gods haue not the fame kinde of diuine honour in euery place and with euery people, ſauing Iſis and Osyris, the one a goddeſſe, the other a god, which are of all men worſhipped alyke. This Osyris is of the Ægyptians thought to be Bacchus, albeit for ſome respect they name him otherwiſe. Contrary to theſe, ſuch as are belonging to the pallace of Mendes,⁵⁶ and are conteyned within the precinct and limits of that ſheere, withholde themſelues from goates, and make ſacrifice of ſheepe. The Thebaries therefore, and ſuch as following their example eſchew and auoyde the ſlaughter and killing of ſheepe, teſtifie themſelues to be mooued heerevnto by a law, becauſe that Iupiter on a time refuſing to be ſeene of Hercules who greately deſired to behold him, at his inftant prayers cut off the head of a ramme, and ſtripping off the fell, caſt it ouer him, and in ſuch manner ſhewed himſelfe to his ſonne, where of the Ægyptians framing the image of Iupiter, made him to haue a rammes head, of whome, the Ammonians tooke that cuſtome, which are an offpring and braunch growne from two fundry nations the Ægyptians and Aethiopians, as well may be ſeene by their lāguage which is a medley of both tongues: who ſeeme for this cauſe to haue named themſelues Ammonians,⁵⁷ for that they hold the oracle of Iupiter whome the Ægyptians call by the name of Ammon. In this respecte the Thebanes abſteyne from the bloud of rammes and ſheepe, eſteeming them as holy and diuine creatures. Howbeit, one day in the yeare which they keepe feſtiuall to Iupiter they kill a ramme, and taking off the ſkynne, they couer therewith the image, wherevnto incontinent they bring the picture of Hercules, after which,they beate the naked fleſh of the ramme for a good ſeaſon. The ſacrifice being in this fort accompliſhed, they bury the body in a religious and halowed veſſell. This Hercules they recken in the number of the twelue gods, as for the other Hercules of whome the Graecians make mention, the Ægyptians are altogether vnacquainted with him, neyther do they ſeeme at any time to haue heard of him. This name I ſuppoſe to haue come firſt from Ægypt into Graece, and to haue bene borrowed of them, howſoeuer the Graecians diſſemble the matter, to make the inuention ſeeme their owne: wherevpon I grounde wyth greater confidence, for that the parents of Hercules, Amphytrio and Alomaeea are by countrey and lynage Ægyptians.⁵⁸ Likewiſe in Ægypt, the name of Neptune, and the gods called Dioſcuri, was very ſtraunge, and vnheard of, neyther would they be brought by any meanes to repute them in the fellowſhip and company of the gods. And it in caſe they had taken the name of any god from the Graecians, it is very credible that as well as of the reſt, nay aboue the reſt, they would haue made choſe of Neptune and the other, were it that at thoſe days trade of merchandiſe, and voyaging by ſea were vſed eyther by them into Graece, or by the Graecians into Ægypt, which I ſuppoſe and thinke to haue bene. It is therefore moſt ſounding and agreeable to truth, that if any thing had bene borrowed by them, the name of Neptune rather then Hercules had crept into their manners and religion. Beſides this, the god head and name alſo of Hercules is of greate coutinuance and antiquity in Ægypt,⁵⁹ inſomuch that (by their faying) 17000. yeares are paſſed, ſince the raigne of King Amaſis, in tyme of whoſe gouernaunce, the number of the gods was increaſed from eight to twelue, whereof Hercules was then one. Heere in not contented with a ſlippery knowledge, but mooued with deſire to learne the truth, I came in queſtion with many aboute the fame cauſe, & tooke ſhipping alſo to Tyrus a city of Phoenicia, where I had heard ſay that the temple of Hercules was founded. Being landed at Tyrus, I beheld the pallace beautyfied and adorned with gifts of ineſtimable price, and amongſt theſe, two croſſes, one of tried & molten gold, another framed of the precious gemme Smaragdus, whiche in the night ſeaſon ſent foorth very bright & shining beames, forthwith falling into parle with the chap••ines & prieſts of ye temple, I demaunded them during what ſpace the chappell had ſtoode, and how
long ſince it was built; whoſe talke and diſcourſe in nothing agreed with the Graecians affirming, that the temple tooke his beginning with the city, from the firſt foundation & groundley whereof, two thouſand and three hundred yeares are exſpired. I ſaw alſo in Tyrus another temple vowed to Hercules ſumamed Thesius. In like fort; I made a iorney to Thaſus, where I light vpon a chappell erected by the Phaenicians, who enterpriſing a voyage by ſea to the knowledge and diſcouery of Europe, built and founded Thaſus, fiue mens ages before the name of Hercules was knowne in Greece. Theſe teſtimonies do plainely prooue that Hercules is an auncient god and of lōg durance. For whiche cauſe amongſt all the people of Greece they ſeeme to haue taken the beſt courſe, that honour Hercules by two fundry temples,⁶⁰ to one they ſhew reuerence as to an immortall god, whome they call Hercules Olympius, to another, as to a chiefe peere, and moſt excellente perſon amongſt men. Many other things are noyſed by the Graecians, albeit very raſhly and of ſlender ground: whoſe fond and vndiſcret tale it is, that Hercules comming into Ægypt, was taken by the Ægyptians, and crowned with a garland, who were in full mind to haue made him a ſacrifice to Iupiter. Vnto whoſe aultare being lead with greate pompe and celerity, he remayned very meeke and tractable, vntill ſuch time as the prieſt made an offer to ſlay him, at what time recalling his spirits, and laying about him with manfull courage, he made a great ſlaughter of all ſuch as were preſent & ſtroue againſt him. By which theyr fabulous & incredible narration they flatly argue, how ignoraunt and vnaquaynted they be with the maners of Ægypt, for vnto whome it is not lawfull to make oblation of any brute beaſt, but of ſwine, oxen, calues and geeſe: coulde they ſo farre ſtray from duty and feare of the gods, as to ſtayne and blemiſh their aultars with the bloud of men: Agayne, Hercules being alone in the hands of ſo many Ægyptians, can it ſtande wyth any credence or lykelyhoode that of hymſelfe he ſhould be able to ſlay ſo greate a multitude: But let vs leaue theſe fables, and proceede forwarde to the truth, ſuch therefore of thys people as flye the bloudſhead and ſlaughter of goates (namely the Mendefians)⁶¹ lay for theyr ground, that Pan was in the number of the eyght gods which were of greater ſtanding and antiguitie then the twelue. The forme and image of the god Pan, both the paynters and canuers in Ægypt franie to the fame ſimilitude and reſemblance as the Graecians haue expreſſed and ſet him foorth by, making him to haue the head and shankes of a goate, not that they thinke him to be ſo, but rather like the other gods. Notwithſtanding the cauſe whereby they are mooued to portray and fhadow him in ſuch fort, is no greate and handſome tale to tell, & therfore we are willing to omit it by silence, ſufficeth it that we knowe how as well bucke as dooe goates are no pety saincts in this countrey, in ſomuch that with the Mendefians goateheards are exalted aboue the common forte, and much more ſet by then any other degree of men, of which company, ſome one is alwayes of chiefe eſtimatiō, at whoſe death, all the quarter of Mendeſia is in great ſorrow and heauines, whereof it commeth, that as well the god Pan himſelfe, as euery male-goate is called in ye Ægyptian ſpeach Mendes. In theſe parts of Ægypt⁶² it hapned that a goate of the malekinde in open ſight cloſed with a woman, whiche became very famous and memorable throughout all the countrey. An hogge is accounted with them an vncleane and defiled beaſt, which if any paſſing by fortune to touch, his next worke is to go waſhe and dowſe himſelfe clothes and all in ye riuer, for which cauſe, of all their proper and natiue countreymen, only ſuch as keepe ſwine, are forbidden to do worſhip in the temples. No man will vouchſafe to wed his daughter to a ſwineheard, nor take in marriage any of their diſcent and iſſue feamale, but they mutually take and yeeld their daughters in mariage betweene themſelues. Of the number of the gods onely Liber and the Moone are ſacrificed vnto with hogges, whereof making oblation at the full of the moone, for that ſpace alſo they feede of porke and hogsfleſh. The reaſon why the people of Ægypt kill ſwyne at this time, and at all other times boyle in ſo great deſpight and hatred againſt them, bycauſe mine eares glowed to heare it,⁶³ I thought it maners to conceale it. ſwyne are offered vp to the Moone in this manner: the hogge ſtanding before the aultare, is firſt ſlayne, then taking the tip of hys tayle, the milt, the call, & the ſewet, they lay them all together, ſpreading ouer them the leafe or fat that lyeth about the belly of the ſwine, which immediately they cauſe to burne in a bright flame. The fleſh remayning they eate at the full of the moone, which is the fame day whereon the ſacrifice is made, abhorring at all other times the fleſh of ſwine as the body of ſerpent. ſuch as be of poore eſtate, and ſlender fubſtaunce, make the picture & image of a hogge in paast or dowe, whiche beeing conſequently boyled in a veſſell, they make dedication thereof to their gods. Another feaſt alſo they keepe ſolemne to Bacchus, in the which towarde ſupper they ſticke a ſwyne before ye threſhold or entry of their dwelling places, after which, they make reſtitution⁶⁴ thereof to the ſwinehearde agayne of whom they bought it. In all other pointes pertayning to thys feaſt, ſo like the Graecians as may be, ſauing that they ſquare a little, and vary heerein. For the manner of Greece is in this banquet to weare about their neckes the ſimilitude of a mans yard named Phallum, wrought and carued of figtree, in ſtead whereof, the Ægyptians haue deuiſed fmall images of two cubites long, whiche by meanes of certayne ſtrings and coardes they cauſe to mooue and ſtirre as if they had ſence and were liuing. The cariage of theſe pictures is committed to certayne women that beare them too and fro through the ſtreetes, making the yard of the image (which is as bigge as all the bodye beſides) to daunce and play in abhominable wiſe. Faſt before theſe marcheth a piper, at whoſe heeles the women followe incontinent with fundry pſalmes & ſonets to ye god Bacchus. For what cauſe that one member of the picture is made too big for the proportion & frame of ye body, and alſo why, that, only of all the body is made to mooue, as they refuſed to tell for religion, ſo we deſired not to heare for modeſty. Howbeit, Melampus ſonne of Amytheon⁶⁵ was falsly ſuppoſed to haue bin ignoraunt in the ceremonies of Ægypt, in the whiche he was very ſkilfull & cunning. By whom the Greekes were firſt inſtructed in the due order and celebration of Bacchus feaſt (whome they worſhipped by the name of Dionyſius) & in many other ceremonies and religious obſeruations pertayning to the fame. Notwithstāding ſomething wanted in this deſcription, which was after added, and in more perfect and abſolute manner ſet downe by certayne graue and wiſe men called Philoſophers,⁶⁶ which liued in the ſecondage after him. Moſt euident it is that the picture of Phallium worne of the Graecians in the feaſt of Bacchus; was found out and deuiſed by him, whoſe diſcipline in this point the Graecians obſerue at this day. This Melampus was a man of rare wiſedome, well ſeene in the art of diuination and ſouthfaying, the author and firſt founder to the Graecians as well of other things which he had learned in Aegypt, as alſo of ſuch statutes and obſeruances as belong to the feaſt of Dionyſius, only a few things altered which he thought to amend. For why, to thinke that the Graecians and Ægyptians fell into the fame forme of diuine worſhip by hay hazard or plaine chaunce, it might ſeeme a very hard and vnreaſonable geſſe, ſithence it is manifeſt that the Greekes both vſe the ſelfeſame cuſtome, and more then that, they kept it of olde. Much leſſe can I be brought to ſay, that either his faſhion or any other hath bene translated and deriued from Greece into Ægypt I rather iudge that Melampus comming from Phaenicia into Beotia, accompanyed with Cadmus and ſome other of the Tyrians, was by them made acquaynted with all ſuch rites and ceremonies as in the honour of Dionyſius are vſed by the Greekes. True it is, that the names by which the gods are vſually called, are borrowed and drawne from the Aegyptians, for hearing them too be taken from the Barbarians as the chiefe inuenters and deuiſers of the fame, I haue found not only that to be true, but alſo that for the moſt parte they are brought out of Ægypt. For ſetting aſide Neptune and the gods called Dioſcuri (as before is declared) luno, Venus, Thetis, the Graces, the Nymphes Nereides, all the names of the gods and goddeſſes haue bene euermore knowne and vſurped in Aegypt. I fpeake no more then the Ægyptians teſtify, which auouch ſincerely that neyther Neptune nor the gods Dioſcuri were euer heard of in their land. Theſe names I iudge to haue bene deuiſed by the Pelaſgians, except Neptune, whoſe name I ſuppoſe to be taken from the people of Africa, for ſomuch as from the beginning no nation on the earth but only the Africanes vſed that name, amongſt whome, Neptune hath alwayes bene reuerenced with celeſtiall and diuine honours, whome the Ægyptians alſo denie not to be, albeit they ſhewe and exhibite no kinde of diuine honour towardes him. Theſe and ſuche like cuſtomes⁶⁷ (which we purpoſe to declare) haue the Greekes borrowed of the Ægyptians: neuertheleſſe, the image of Mercury, who is framed with the ſecret member porrect and apparent, I rather deeme to haue proceeded from the maners of the Pelaſgians, then from the vſuall and accuſtomed wont of Ægypt, and principally to haue growne in vſe wyth the Athenians, whoſe fact conſequently became a paterne and example to the reſt of the Graecians. For the ſelfe fame ſoyle was ioyntly held and inhabited both of the Athenians (which were of the right lignage of Hellen) and likewiſe of the Pelaſgians, who for the fame cauſe began to be reckoned for Graecians. Which things are nothing maruaylous to thoſe that are ſilfull and acquaynted with the worſhip and religion whych the Graecians yeeld to the three ſonnes of Vulcane named Cabiri,⁶⁸ which diuine ceremonies are now freſh in Samothracia, and were taken and receyued from the Pelaſgians. The cauſe is, that thoſe Pelaſgians whome we ſaid before to haue had all one territorie with the Athenians, dwelt ſometime alſo in Samothracia, by whome the people of that ſoyle were taught and indoctrined in the ceremonies appertinent to Bacchus. Firſt therefore the people of Athens following the ſteps of the Pelaſgians, cauſed the picture of Mercury to be carued in ſuche forte as we haue heard. For authority & proofe why the image ſhould be thus framed, the men of Pelaſgos recited a myſterie out of holy bookes, which is yet kept and conſerued in the religious monuments of Samothracia. The ſelfeſame in prayerand inuocation to the heauenlye powers, made ablation of all creatures indifferentlye, and wythout respect (whyche I came to knowe at Dodona) geuing no names at all to the gods, as beeyng flatly ignoraunte howe to call them. Generally they named them θεοὶ gods, in that θέντες ἔιχον κόσχω that is, they diſpoſed and placed in order all the countreyes and regions on earth. In tract of tyme, the names and appellations of the powers diuine vſed in Ægypt, grew alſo in knowledge with the Greekes:enſuing which, the name alſo of Dionyſius, otherwiſe called Bacchus, came to light, albeit, long after that time and in later dayes. A fmall time exſpired, the Greekes counſayled with the oracle in Dodona⁶⁹ to the fame ende and purpoſe. This chayre of prophecy was in thoſe dayes the only and moſt auncient ſeate in the land of Greece, whether the Pelaſgians repayring, demaunded the oracle if the ſurnames of the gods receiued and taken from the Barbarians, might be lawfully frequented in Greece: whereto aunſwere was geuen, that they ſhoulde be reteined: for whyche cauſe, yeelding ſacrifice to the gods, ſuch names were helde by the men of Pelaſgos, and laſtly obſerued of ye Graecians. Howbeit, what original or beginning the gods had,⁷⁰ or whether they were euermore time out of mind: finally, what forme, figure, or likeneſſe they bare, it was neuer fully and perfectly knowne till of late dayes. For Hesiodus and Homer (which were not paſſing. 400. yeares before vs) were the firſt that euer made the gods to be borne and sproong of certaine progenies like vnto men, aſſigning to euery one a byname, proper and peculiar honours, fundry crafts and sciences wherein they excelled, not leauing ſo much as the fauour and portraytour of any of the gods ſecrete and vndeſeried. As for ſuche poets as are ſaide to haue gone before theſe, they ſeeme to me to haue liued after them. The firſt of theſe things (I meane the names of the natures celeſtiall) to haue bene planted in Greece in ſuch forte as hath bene declared, the prieſts at Dodona do iustly witneſſe. Now for this of Hesiode and Homer to be no other wyſe then is ſaid, I pawne mine owne credit. Furthermore, of ye oracles in Africke and Greece⁷¹ the Ægyptians blaſe this rumor, and principally ſuch as are employed in the ſeruice and minIſterie of Iupiter Thebanus: by whome it is fayde, that certaine men of the Phaenicians comming to Thebes; ſtate priuily from thente two women accuſtomed to minIſter in the temple of Iupiter, one of the which they ſold in Lybia, the other in Greece, by whoſe meanes and aduiſe it came to paſſe, that in each countrey the people created an oracle. Heereat ſomewhat abaſhed, and requeſting earneſtly how and in what manner they came to knowe this, they made we aunſwere, that leauing no corner vnſearched whereby to come to knowledge of their women, and not able to finde how they were beſtowed, newes was brought at length of their plight and condition. Thus farre was I certified by the Thebane prelates, wherevnto I deeme it conuenient to adde ſuch things as were notified vnto mee at Dodona by the prieſts there, who vndoubtedly affyrme how in times forepaſt and long ago, two blacke pigeons⁷² tooke theyr flight from the countrey of Thebes in Ægypt, scouring with ſwift courſe through the sky, one of the which fortuned to light in Africa, the other in that part of Greece where Dodona is now ſituate, where pointing vpon a mighty •all beech, ſhe was heard to fpeake in a voice humane, like vnto a man, warning the people to erect an oracle or ſeate of diuination in that place, being ſo thought good, and prouided by the deſtinies. Whiche admonition the people taking (as well they might) to come by the inſtince and motion of the gods, did as they were commaūded by the done. In like manner it fell out that in Lybia the people were ſtirred vp and in•enſed by the other done to the planting and erection of a ſeate propheticall, named the oracle of Ammon, being alſo cōfecrate to the name of Iupiter. Theſe things we receiued of the credite and authoritie of the Dodoneans, confirmed: and eſtabliſhed by the generall conſentē of thoſe that had the •aſe and charge of the temple. Of theſe women prieſts reſident in the temple of Dodona, the eldeſt & moſt aunciēt had to name Promenca, the ſecond Timareta, the third and yougeſt Nicandra. Neuertheleſſe of theſe matters ſuch is my iudgement. If any ſuch religions and holy women were by stealth of the Phenicians transported and caryed away into Lybia and Greece. I condecture that the one of theſe was ſold at Theſprotus, in that parte of the region which earſt was in y^e poſſeſſion of the Pelaſgians; and is at this preſent reputed for a portion of Hettus: where, hauing ſerued certayne yeares, in proceſſe of time ſhe brought *** diuine ceremonies of Iupiter, vnder ſome beach tree growing in ſhoaſe coāſtes. For what could be more likely con•emente, then for her to eſtabliſh ſome monument in the ſacred honour of Iupiter, in whoſe ſeruice and religion ſhe had bene long time conuerſaunt at Thebes in Ægypt Which her ordinance at length grewe into the cuſtome of an oracle. The fame beeing perfect alſo in the Greeke language, diſcouered vnto them in what fort the Phenician had likewiſe made ſale of hir ſiſter to the people of Africa. The ſacred and deuoute women of Dodona resyaunt in the pallace of the great god Iupiter, ſeeme for none other cauſe to haue called theſe Ægyptian pufits two doues, then for that they were come from harbarous countreys, whoſe tongue and manner of pronouncing ſeemed to the Graecians to founde like the voyce of bites. And whereas they ſhewe that in time the doue began to vtter playne language, and fpeake like men, naught elſe is meant heareby then that ſhe vſed ſuch ſpeech as they knew and vnderſtood, being ſo long eſteemed to emusate and follow the noyſe of birds as ſhe remained in her harbarous kind of ſpeach and pronunciation. For how is it credible that a pigeon in deede could haue uſurped the voice and vtteraunce of a many and alleadging yet further that it was a blarke doue,
they argued her more playnely to haue bene a woman of Aegypt, the flower of whoſe beauty is a fayre browne blew, •anned and burnt by the fyery beames of the ſunne. Agayne, the oracles themſelues, that of Thebes, and this of Dodona, are wel•ye in all poyntes agreeable. Thfpeake nothing of the maner and order of ſouthfaying in the comples of Greece, which any man with halfe an eye may eaſily diſcerne to haue bene taken from Ægypt. Let it ſtand alſo⁷³ for an •••ent and vndoubted verity, that aſſemblies at feſtiuals, pompes and pageants in diuine honour, talke and communication with the gods by a mediatour or interpretour, were inuented in Ægypt, and conſequently vſed in Greece. Which I thinke the rather, for that the one is old and of long continuance, the other freſhe and lately put in practiſe. It is not once in a yeare that the Aegyptians vſe theſe ſolemne and religious meetings,⁷⁴ but at fundry times and in fundry places, howbeit, chiefly and with the greateſt zeale & deuotion at the city Bubaſt, in ye honour of Diana. Next after that at Buſiris, in the celebration of Iſis feaſt, where alſo ſtandeth the moſt excellent and famous temple of Iſis, who in the Greeke tongue is called Δήμητρη, which is to wit, Ceres. Thirdly, an aſſembly is held in the city Sars in the prayſe and reuerence of Minerua. Fourthly, at Heliopolis in honour of the ſunne.⁷⁵ Fiftly at Batis in remembraunce of Larona. In the ſixt and laſt place nor the city Papſſis, to the dignity & renowne of Mars.⁷⁶ Moreouer, ſuch of this people as with encyre. and affectionate zeale moſt religiously obſerue theſe astat. Bubaſtis, behaue and beare themſelues on this maner. Certayne ſhippes being addreſſed, wherein infinite numbers of men and women fayle towards the cat•, in the meane ſeaſon whiles they be in voiage on ye water, certaine of the womē play vpō drums & taders, making a great found & noyſe, ye men on pipes.⁷⁷ Such as want theſe implemēts, clap their hands & ſtraine their voice in ſinging to ye higheſt degree. At what city ſoeuer they ariue, happely ſome of the women of continue their mirth & diſportion y^e timbrels, ſome other raiſe, reuiſe & wold at the daiees of the city beyond meaſure: *** trau***aunce motionly: other caſt vp their clothes, & openly diſcouer and being an*he in ſhame, doing this in all thoſe cities yt are neere adioyning to the riuers fitie. Being aſſembled & gathered together at Bubaſtis, they honoured the fe••h day with *** all ſolemnity, making large offrings to Diana, wherein is greater or *** of groupe wiſe they all the yeare beſides. To this place by the *** of the countrey are want to repay X 7000 en & wo ***, *** fides thildrē, and thus they paſſe the time at Bubaſtis. Now in what maner they ſolemnize ye ſacred day of Iſis at ye city▪ Buſinis, we declared before, where in the *** age is after ye deeper furnāce & accompliſhment of ye Sacrifice, to whip & •toge thēſelues *** In mind table wiſe, and yt not one or *** many thouſandes of *ache degree both men & women* *nouor the leſſe, by what meanes, or where with al they beate & vexe their bodies in this fort, I may not diſcloſe. Howbeit ſuch of the people of Caria as ſoiourne & make their abode in Ægypt. ſtricken with a deeper remorſe of ſinne, in this point of zeale & *** go beyond ye Ægyptians,
in that they hackle & slice their forehead with kniues & daggers: where *** it is plainely *** to vnderſtande that they come of forreine nations, and not of the homeborne & naturall people of the land. Inlike manner meeting (as before) at the city Sais, there to accompliſhe the rites and ceremonies due to the day, at the approche and neere poynt of the euening,⁷⁸ they furniſh and beſet their houſes with torches and lampes, which being repleniſhed with pure oyle mingled with salte, they giue fire to the weike, and ſuffer them to continue burning till the next morning, naming the day by the feaſt of lampes. ſuch as refort not to this feaſt, do neuertheleſſe at their owne homes giue due honour to the night, placing in euery corner of theyr houſe an infinite number of tapers and candles, the cuſtome being not only kept at Sais, but ſpread and ſcattered throughout the whole region. But for what ende this night is helde ſolemne by lighting of lampes, a certayne myſticall and religious reaſon is yeelded which we must keepe ſecret. At Heliopolis and Butis onely, ſacrifice, without execution of any other ceremonies, is done to the gods Likewiſe at Papremis they remyne the fame cuſtome of diuine ſeruice and worſhipping as in other places. At the ſunne going downe, certayne choſen men of the prieſts,⁷⁹ being few in number, and ſeriously held and buſied about the image, the moſt parte ſtanding before the dore of the temple armed with clubs as much as they can weilde: ouer againſt whome on the contrary ſide, other, more then a thouſand mē (of the number of thoſe that come to worſhip) all ſtrongly furniſhed & prepared with bats in their handeſ. The day before the feaſt, the picture or image framed of wood, is by meanes of a few (aſſigned to the minIſtery and cure of ye woodden god) conueyed out of a fmall temple made of light timber gorgeously gilded: into another ſacred and religious houſe, being thither drawne by the minIſter & themſelues vppon a wayne of foure wheeles, wheron the temple itſelfe is placed, & the image alſo conteined therein. Drawing neere to ye temple with their cariage, the clubbes ſtanding before the dore wyth threates & cruell manaces forbid thē to enter: incōtinēt ye band: of men oueragainſt them tōming with might & maine to aſſist the image, and encountering with thoſe that kept the temple, laye on ſuche rude bloastes, that hardly eſcapeth without hys crowne crackt in manye places. Wherein alſo I ſuppoſe that many men miſcarry and came ſhort home, albeit they flatly denie that of a wound ſo taken any man euer periſhed. The homelings and peculiar people of that countrey alleadge this reaſon of the battell. In this temple⁸⁰ (ſaye they) did ſometimes inhabite the mother of the god Mars, who ſeeking at the eſtate of ripe yeares againſt the lawe of nature to haue ſociety with his owne mother, tooke the repulſe, and was reiected by her minIſters that knew him not, whereat the god ſtorming in great rage, purchaſed ayde out of the cities adioynaunt, and made way perforce, to the greate diſcomfiture and dammage of thoſe as ſought to reſiſt him, for which cauſe, they yet ſolemnize to Mars a feaſt of broken pates⁸¹ and bruſed coſtards, enacting moreouer by the vertue of their religion, that no man ſhould haue carnall copulation with a woman in the temple, neyther attempt to ſet his foote within the dores of any ſuche houſe of religion, vnleſſe after the fleſhly knowledge of women he firſt wash and cleanſe his body wyth pure water, whiche cuſtome onely taketh place amongſt the Graecians and Ægyptians, beeing the vſe in other nations to accompany with their women in the churches and palaces of their gods, and alſo preſently after ſuch ſecret actes, without any regard of purifying themſelues, to rush into the houſes of diuine honour, making no difference betweene men and other brutiſh and vnreaſonable creatures. For it is ſeene (ſay they)⁸² how other things that haue life and ſence, meddle themſelues each with other euen in ſuch places as the gods were worſhipped, which if it were a thing ſo odious and diſpleaſaunt in the eyes of the higher powers, no doubt the beaſtes themſelues would eſchue and auoyde it, whoſe doings together with their iudgement I flatly diſalow. Howbeit, vnderſtand we, that as well in theſe things whereof we haue intreated, as in all other the Ægyptians are led with a ſingular ſuperſtition. Ægypt alſo itſelfe albeit it abutte and poynt vpon the countrey of Lybia, yet is it not ouermuch peſtered with beaſtes. Such as the
lande bringeth vp and fostereth, are reputed holy, and by no meanes to be violated or harmed by any, ſome of which haue their nouriture and foode together with the people of ye ſoyle: otherſome are more wilde, fierce, and intractable, refuſing ſo gently to come to haud. The cauſe of theſe things, why creatures vnreaſonable are ſo highly honoured of this people, I may not without breach of piety reueale: which things of ſet purpoſe I haue endeuoured to conceale and keepe ſecrete, vnleſſe by the neceſſary courſe of the hiſtory I haue bene brought to the contrary.

Furthermore,⁸³ about the beaſtes that breede and multiplye in the region, ſuche is their order. Generally they are helde with a moſt tender and reuerent care for the mayntenaunce and fostering of them, in whiche kinde of honour (for it is accounted a greate honour with them, to haue regard of beaſtes) the ſonne euermore ſucceedeth the father. To theſe brute creatures, all ſuch as are reſident in the cities of Ægypt, performe and pay certayne vowes, makyng humble ſupplication to ſome one of the gods, in whoſe patronage and protection that beaſt is, which thing they accompliſh after this manner. Shauing the heads of their ſonnes, eyther wholly, in halfe, or for the moſt parte, they waigh the hayre in balaunce, ſetting agaynſt it the iust weight in ſiluer, whiche done, they deliuered it to him that hath the charge and ouerſight of any ſuche cattell, by whom are bought heere with fmall peeces of fiſhe which they giue the beaſtes to eate, and ſuch is the meanes whereby they nouriſhe and bring them vp. The ſlaying of any of theſe done of malice and ſet purpoſe, is preſent death to the killer, but committed by chaunce a mule• or pe•ne at the diſcretion and arbitriment of ye prieſts. To kill an hauke⁸⁴ or the bird which is called Ibis, is loſſe of life, in what fort ſoeuer it be done. ſuch beaſts⁸⁵ as are tame and come to hand, hauing their food together with mē, albeit they be many in number, yet wold they much more increaſe, were it not for ye ſtrāge nature of cats in yt countrey. The feamale hauing once kitled, alwayes after eschueth the male, keeping her ſelfe ſecrete and couert from him, which the Ægyptians ſeeing, kill ye kitlings, & vſe thē for foode. The feamale bereaued of her yong ones, and finding her neſt empty, is by that meanes brought to fubmitte hir ſelfe to the bucke, beeing of all creatures moſt deſirous of increaſe. In time of fire, or ſuche like miſfortune, the cats are mooued with a certaine diuine kind of fury & inspiration. For the Ægyptians behauing thēſelues ſecurely in the appeaſing & extinguiſhing the flame, the cats lie couertly in waight, & ſodeinly courſing towards the place, mount and skip quite ouer the heads of the people into the fire, at which chaunce whenſoeuer it commeth to paſſe, the Ægyptians are extreamely ſorrowfull.⁸⁶ In what houſe ſoeuer there dies a cat, all of the fame family shaue their eyebrowes: but if a dog dye, their head and body. A cat dying, is ſolemnely caryed to the temple, where being well powdered with salte, ſhe is after buried in the city of Babaſtis. A bitch⁸⁷ is euermore buryed in the fame city where ſhe dieth, yet not without the honour of a ſacred tombe, burying their dogges after the fame fort, and chiefly houndes of the malekinde, whiche they moſt of all others eſteeme and ſet by. Likewiſe fmall ſerpents called in their tongue Mygalae, and haukes of all kinde, if they fortune to dye, they take and bury them at the city Butis. Beares, ſuch as be halowed, & wolues not much bigger then foxes, are couered in ye fame place where they be found dead. The nature alſo of the Crocodyle⁸⁸ is thys. Foure monethes in the yeare, and chiefly in the winter ſeaſon it liues without meate. And albeit it haue feete like a land beaſt, yet hath it a nature middle & indifferent, liuing as well in the water as one drie land. Her egges ſhe layes on the ſhore, where alſo ſhe couereth & hatcheth the fame, biding the moſt part of the day abroade on the dry land, but all the night tyme in the water, being much more hoate then the cold deawe that falleth in the night. Of all creatures I iudge none of ſo fmall & ſlender a beginning, to waxe to ſuch huge and infinite greatneſſe, the egge at the firſt not much bigger then a gooſe egge, which meaſure the broode it ſelfe exceedeth not when it fyrſt commes out of the ſhell, howbeit, in durance of time, it growes to bee monſtrous, ſurmounting the length of ſeauenteene cubites.⁸⁹ The Crocodyle hath eyes like a ſwine, teeth of paſſing bigneſſe, accordyng to the meaſure and proportion of her bodye, extendyng and bearyng outwarde, beeyng alſo very rough and grating lyke a ſawe: and of all other creatures is only without a tongne:⁹⁰ the ſelfefame, contrary to the nature and property of all other beaſtes, hath the neather moſt chap stedfaſt and without moouing, and champeth her foode with the vpper iawe. Her clawes are very ſtrong and great, a scaly ſkynne, and aboute the backe impenetrable, that no weapon be it neuer ſo ſharpe can pearce it. In the water as blinde as a moale, on lande of an excellente ſharpe and quicke ſight. Liuing in the water, it commeth to paſſe that her mouth is euermore full of horſeleaches. No foule or beaſt can abide to ſee or come nye a Crocodile, ſaue only the bird Trochilus,⁹¹ with whome ſhe is at a continuall truce for the ſingular commodity ſhe receyueth by him. For the Crocodile at what time ſhe forſaketh the water, and commeth out onlande, her quality is with wide and opened mouth to lye gaping toward the Weſt, whome the bird Trochilus espying, flyeth into her mouth, and there deuoureth and eateth vp the horſeleaches, which bringeth ſuch pleaſure to the ſerpent, that without any hurt in the world ſhe ſuffereth the bird to do what ſhe will. To ſome of the Ægyptians Crocodiles are in place of holy creatures, to other prophane and noyſome, which chace and purſue them as moſt odious and peſtilent beaſtles. Thoſe that geue honour to them, are ſuch as inhabite about Thebes, and the poole of Maeris, who are wont commonly to traine vp a Crocodyle to hand,⁹² and make it tame, being in all poyntes ſo gentle and tractable as a dogge. At whoſe eares they hang gemmes of ſingulare price, likewiſe golden eareings, hampering a chayne to the forefeete. This tame one they cheriſh and bryng vp with great care, ſetting very much by it while it liueth, and being dead, they powder the body with ſault, and lay it vnder the ground in a veſſell accounted holy. Vnlike to theſe are the people dwelling at Elephantina, who be ſo farre from thinking ſo reuerently of ſuche venemous ſerpents, that for hate they ſtay, and in diſdayne eate them. The Ægyptians call thē not Crocodyles, but Champſi,⁹³ this name being brought vp by the people of Ionia, for that in ſhape they reſemble thoſe Crocodyles which amongſt them ingender and breede in hedges. Diuers are the meanes whereby they are taken, yet amongſt other deuyſes this one ſeemeth to mee moſt worthy rehersall. ſuch as laye for them and ſeeke all wayes to take them,⁹⁴ bayte their hookes with ſwynes fleſh and caſt it into y^e
myddeſt of the ryuer: immediately ſtanding on the ſhore they beate a younge porkling and cauſe it to cry exceedingly: which the Crocodile hearing followeth the cry, and drawing neere to the place, findeth the bayte and ſwalloweth it vp at one morſel. Being faſt intangled and drawne to lande, they firſt blinde and
ſtop vp hir eyes with clay and rubbiſhe, which cauſeth hir to lye ſtill and ſuffer all thinges quietly, which otherwiſe they coulde neuer obtaine and come by without much a doe. Likewiſe, the Ryuerhorſe⁹⁵ (a beaſt ſo called) in all the borders of Papremis is reputed holy: being of this ſhape and figure. He hath foure feete clouen in ſunder, and houed like and Oxe: a flat noſe: and taile and Mane like an Horſe: teeth apparaunt & ſtanding out: in founde and cry neighing ſo like a horſe as may be: in higneſſe reſembling a mighty Bull, of ſo groſſe and thicke an hyde that being well dryed, they make thereof Darts of exceeding ſtrength and ſtiffneſſe. There be alſo founde to breede in the ryuer certaine beaſtes much like a Beuer and liue like
an Otter, which in Ægypt are of great accounte and thought holy. In the fame degre of ſacred honour are all kinde of ſcale fiſhe and Eeles. ſuch is alſo their opinion and reuerence towards birds and fowles of the ayre, as wilde Geeſe & ſuch like. There is alſo an other bird of whom aboue all other they think moſt diuinely, called a Phoenix:⁹⁶ which I neuer ſaw, but protrayed and fhadowed in coloures. For the cōmeth very ſeldome into that countrey (as farre as I could heare ſay by the Heliopolitans) to wit, once in 500. yeares, and that alſo when hir parent or breeder dyeth. If ſhe be truely drawne by the Ægyptians this is hir forme and bigneſſe:⁹⁷ hir feathers partly red and partly yealow, glittering like Golde: in forme and quantity of the body not much differing from an Eagle. Of this Phoenix,⁹⁸ Ægyptians haue bruted a ſtraunge tale, which I can hardly credit: faying that the Phoenix flying from Arabia, to the temple of the ſunne in Ægypt, carieth in hir tallaunts the corps of hir dead ſire, embaulmed & roled in Myrrhe, which ſhe accuſtometh to bury in that place. Adding alſo the maner whereby ſhe inureth hir ſelfe to cary ſo great a burthen. Firſt ſhe gathers a great quantity of Myrrhe and works it into a lumpe, as much as ſhee canne well beare, whereby to make cryall of hir owne ſtrength. After this perceyuing hirſelfe able to weylde it. ſhee maketh an hole with hir Beake in the ſide of the balle, framing it very hollow and empty within, wherein ſhe incloſeth the body of hir breeder. This done, and the hole cunningly filled vp againe, ſhe poyſeth the whole maſſe in hir tallaunts: and finally, ſhe transporteth it to Heliopolis to the temple Pallace of y^e Sunne: ſo ſkilfully handling hir cariage, that the Myrrhe body and all waygheth no more then the whole balle did before.

This they mention as concerning the Phoenix. Knowe wee beſides,⁹⁹ that in the region of Thebs in Ægypt, there vſe to haunte a kinde of ſerpents, had in dyuine worſhippe: of body ſinale, & nothing norſome or hurtfull to men. Theſe haue two hornes growing out of their heads, & euermore dying are laide
in Iupiters temple, vnto whom they are holy and conſecrate.

In Arabia there lyeth a place of no great diſtaunce from the city Batis, whether I went of purpoſe, hauing heard of certayne wynged ſerpents there to bee ſeene. And being come: I behelde the ribbes and bones of ſerpents in number welnigh infinite and not to bee reckoned whereofſome were greater, and ſome leſſe. The place where the bones are layde, is a ſinale and narrowe bottome betweene two Mountaynes, opening into a wyde and waſte champion.

The ſpeach goeth, that out of Arabia at the poynte of the Sprynge, many hydious and terrible ſerpentes take their flght into Ægypt: which ye fowles called Ibides meeting with,¹⁰⁰ ſtraight wayes kill and deuour them: by which meanes ye ſoile is rid & deliuered of a great plague. For this cauſe ye bird Ibis (whereto the Arabians likewyſe accorde) is had in great price and eſtimation of the Ægyptians. The faſhion & protrayture of this bird is ſuch:¹⁰¹ hir feathers as black as I eat: long shanks like a Crane: an hooked beake: much about ye bignes of a Daker hen. And in this forte is the fowle bis rightly figured, that killeth ye ſerpents as they come into ye land. There is alſo another of theſe which are brought vp, & liue amongſt men, hauing
a ſinale head, a ſlender necke, white plumed in all partes of the body, ſauing in the head & necke, the hinder parte of y^e wyngs and the taile, which are of a dark & black hue: the legges & uyll in all poynts like ye other. The ſerpents themſelues in forme and making and much like to ye peſtilent & infectious beaſt Hydra,¹⁰² that liueth in ye water. They haue wyngs not of feathers, but of smothe and naked ſkin like vnto the wings of a Bat or Reremouſe. But let it ſuffice vs hyther to to haue continued y^e diſcourſe and hyſtory of ſuch beaſtes as with this people are had in chiefe and principall honour, exhibiting towards them
a certayne religious, holy, and diuine worſhip.

Now it vehoueth vs to know that ſuch of the Ægyptians¹⁰³ as dwell in the corne Countrey, & are moſt of all conuerſant in deſcrying to the poſterity the acts & affayres of auncient momory, and of all the nation the moſt famous & principall. Whoſe kinde of lyuing is after this maner. Thriſe euery moneth they cleanſe and purifie them ſelues, both vpwards by vomitting & downewards by purginge: hauinge eſpeciall regarde of their health and welfare: euermore ſuppoſing all maladies & diſeaſes to grow and ariſe of the meate which they eate. For otherwiſe the Ægyptians are of all men liuing the moſt founde and healthfull except ye Libians:¹⁰⁴ the cauſe whereof I iudge to proceede of the immutable & conftant courſe of ye yeare, which with them neuer varieth but falleth out alwayes alike: the greateſt cauſe of defect & ſickneſſe in men, aryſing of the chaung & mutability of ye fame. Their bread is cōtinually made of fine wheat: their wyne for ye moſt part cōpound of barley: the conntry bearing no vynes at all. They liue by fiſh partly raw and dryed agaynſt the ſunne: ſometimes powdred with salt. Likewiſe by raw byrds well salted, as Duayles, Duckes, and other ſmale fowle. In like maner, of other Creatures that haue neere affinity either with fiſh or fowle they make their prouiſion and furniture, roſting ſome and boyleing other. The rych and wealthy men of the lande in greate aſſemblies haue an vſuall cuſtome, that by ſome in the company there ſhoulde bee caryed about in a ſmale coffine the liuely & expreſſe image of a deade man one or two cubits in length,¹⁰⁵ which hauing ſhewne and reuealed to all that are preſente, hee ſayth thus: Beholde here, and amiddeſt thy pleaſure and delighte remember this, for ſuch a one after thy death ſhalt thou bee thy ſelfe. Such is their order in feaſtes and banquets, contenting them ſelues alwayes with the cuſtomes of their owne countrey and refuſing to be ruled by ſtraunge and forraine maners.¹⁰⁶ Amongſt whom are diuerfe faſhions, very conuenient and well appoynted: in the number of theſe an excellente Poeme or Ditty, which the Grekes call Lynus. And in truth meruayling at other things in Ægypt, I am not a litle amazed at this, whence the name of Lynus ſhould come. The ſonge they ſeeme to haue kept & retained from all antiquity. Lynus in the Ægyptian gibberiſhe is called Maneros, who (as they ſay) being the onely ſonne of their firſte Kinge, was ſurpriſed and taken away by vntimely death,¹⁰⁷ whom the Ægyptians bewayle and lament in this pitious and dolefull verſe. Herein they iumpe and agree with the Lacedaemonians, in that the inferiour meeting with his elder, yeeldeth the way, and ſheweth him a dutifull obeiſaunce in riſeing from his ſeate, if happily hee bee ſitting as he paſſeth by: in which poynte they are vnlike all y^e reſt of the Grecians beſides. Meetinge in the way in place of mutuall salutation, they vſe humble and curteous reuerence each towarde other, bendinge their hands to each others knees. Cōmonly they goe clothed in linnen garments made faſt with a lace about the thigh, which kinde of attyre they call Calaſyris: ouer this they caſt alſo another beſture of linnen very cleane & white.¹⁰⁸ Garments of woollen are neuer caried into the houſes of religion, neither will any man shrowd him ſelfe in a woollen veſture, which is accounted prophane. This hath ſome agreement with y• ceremonies vſually kept in y• ſacred feaſts of Bacchus & Orpheus, which partly were taken from y• Ægyptians, & partly deuiſed by y• Pythagoreans. For ſuch as haue bene partakers of thoſe ryts, haue euermore abhorred to be buried in woollen garments. Whereof alſo an holy reaſon is geuen which we dare not diſcloſe. Many other thinges haue bene invented by y• Ægyptians, as what day and moneth is proper and appertinent to euery god. Likewiſe in Aſtrology¹⁰⁹ what fortune is incident to him that is borne one ſuch a day, how hee ſhall proue in lyfe, by what meanes hee ſhall miſcary by death: which thinges haue bene vſed, of many that haue laboured in the Arte, and Science of Poetry. Alſo, more wonders, and ſtrange ſightes and euentes haue bene diſcuſſed and interpreted by them, then by any other. Nation liuinge. For as any ſuch thing hath happened at any tyme they commit it to memory, awaighting dilligently what iſſue it hath: and if the like fall out at any time after, they coniecture of the ende and effect thereof by the example of the firſt. The knowledge of diuination is ſo practiſed by them, that they impute not the inuention thereof to the will of men, but to certayne of the gods. In their lande there bee theſe Oracles. The prophecy¹¹⁰ of Hercules, Apollo, Minerua, Diana, Mars, and Iupiter, moſt of all retterencing the diuine ſeate of Latona, helde at the city Batis. Theſe prophesies are not all inſtituted after the fame faſhion, but haue a difference and diuerſity betweene them. Phisieke¹¹¹ is ſo ſtudyed and practyſed with them that euery diſeaſe hath his feuerall phiſition, who ſtryueth to excell in healing that one diſeaſe, and not to be expert in curinge many: whereof it commeth that euery corner is full of Phyſitions. ſome for the eyes, other for the head, many for the teeth, not a fewe for the ſtomacke and belly. Finally, ſuch as are of knowledge to deale with ſecret and priuy infirmities.

In like forte, the maner of mourninge,¹¹² and funerall ſorrow at the death of friendes: alſo the maner of ſepulture and vuryall which they vſe, is moſt worthy memory. When as any of their familiars or domeſticall friendeſ fortune to deceaſe, (bee hee of regarde amongſt them) all the women of that family besmere and gryme their heads and faces with myre & droſſe: and leauing the forlorne and languiſhed corps amongeſt their friends & acquaintaunce, they them ſelues being ſtraight gyrded, with their breaſts all bare and naked, accompanied with al the women of their kindred, wander about y• ſireets with moſt piteous lamentation and howling: on the other ſide, y• men faſt gyrte about the loynes, thump & beate themſelues, as the moſt miſerable, infortunate, & wretched perſons in the world. After this they cary out the body to embalme and preſerue. Certaine there be definitly appointed for the fame purpoſe, that make an occupation and trade hereof. Theſe when the corſe¹¹³ is brought vnto them, propounde & ſhew to the bringers, fundry formes & pictures of the dead, paynted or carued in wood, one of which is wrought with moſt curiouſe arte and workmanſhip (which we thinke impiety to name): the ſecond of leſſe pryce: the third meaneſt of all: demaundinge of the bringers, to which of theſe paterns & examples their friend ſhalbe reſſed. Being agreed of the price they depart, leauing the body with y• salyners: who incontinent ſeaſon & preſerue the corps with al induſtry, drawing the braynes out by the nosthrills with a croked inſtrument
of Iron, in place whereof they fill the Brayne pan with moſt ſweete and pleaſaunt oyntments. This done and finiſhed, they cut and rip vp the Bowells with a ſharp ſtone of Æthyopia, taking thereout the paunche & entrals, and clenſinge the belly with wyne of Palme tree: ſecondly, with freſh water mingled with moſt fragrant & delightfull spyces: in place hereof they force and stuffe the belly it ſelfe with myrrhe, of the fineſt force brayed and pounded in a morter. Likewiſe, with Caſſia & all kinde of pleaſaunt odours, except frankincenſe. Hauing thus done, they ſowe it vp agayne, & embalming the body, preſerue it for the terme of •0. dayes: longer then which they may not keepe it. The dayes exspired & drawne to an ende, they take the corſe and wash it ouer a freſh, annoynting the body with gum (which is to the Ægyptians in ſteede of Glue) and attyring it in a fine lynen drawne together with a lace, they ſend him back againe to his friends. His friends in y• tyme, while the ſaliners haue him in hand, procure an Image to be made to the likenes
and reſemblaunce of him that is dead, wherein being holow & vauted within, they cauſe him to be incloſed, layinge both the Image and the body therein contayned in a toumbe together. Howbeit they which in meaner eſtate and fortune cannot reach ſo high, order the bodyes of their frindeſ in forme as followeth. Firſt of all they fill a clyster with the oyntment of neder which without any maner cuttinge or opening the belly, they ſtrayne it into the body by the inferiour partes & Fundament, preſeruinge the corſe: as before, 70. dayes. The laſt day of all they dreyne out the oyle from the bowels of the dead: which is of ſuch vertue, that it bringeth out with it all the inner parts of the belly corrupted and feſtered. Herewith alſo they inſtil & power into the body Saltpeter, which is of force to depratie, taynt, and conſume the fleſh, leauing nothing but ſkin & bones: which done, they eftſones deliuer the body to y• owners. There is alſo a third kinde of vsage accuſtomably practiſed about the bodyes of the dead: that if any one be deceaſed whoſe friends are very poore and of ſmaleſt fubstance, they only purge the belly, and preſeruing the corps with salt for terme of like time as before, in fine, redeliuer him to the bringers.

The wyues of noble men,¹¹⁴ and ſuch as are very fayre and of great respect for their hearty, are not preſently vpon pointe of their death, geuen to be embalmed, but three or foure dayes after, fearing leaſt they ſhould be abuſed by the inordinate luſt of ſuch as dreſſe them: alleadging moreouer, that a Saliner ſometimes working ſuch abuſe vpon y• dead body of a woman, was taken in the maner, and his villany diſcryed by one of his owne company. If it fortune any one either of the Ægyptians, or of forraine countries to be drowned and caſt on ſhore, the City in whoſe borders he is founde must ſuſtaine the charge of the funeralles, which in honorable maner must be executed, and the body buried in the ſacred and holy Monumentes. Being not lawfull for his friends and allies any whit to intermeddle or touch the dead, but the Preists aſſigned to the worſhip of the ryuer Nylus intoumbe and bury him ſo nicely and ſolemnly as
if it were the body of a god. The cuſtomes of Greece they will in no wiſe follow: vtterly eſtraunging themſelues from all orders borowed and deryued from other Nations.

Albeit Chemmis¹¹⁵ a great City in the Prouince of Thebs not farre from the City Nëa, wherein ſtandeth the Temple of Perſeus, ſenne of Danäe, builte foureſquare and incompaſſed rounde aboute wyth a ſpringe or Groue of Date trees: hauing alſo a large entry of ſtone, on each ſide whereof are placed two Images of paſſing greatneſſe: within the pallace is contayned ye carued monument of Perſeus, whom the Chemmyts auouch often times to appeare vnto them out of the earth, and not ſeldome in the church: at which time they ſtude his ſupper which he was wo••s to weare, two cubytes in length & affyrminge that at ſuch times as that is ſeene, the yeare proueth very fertile and proſperous throughe out all Ægypt. This towne (I ſay) hath ordayned certayne games of exerciſe in the honour of Perſeus, after the maner of Greece. Theſe being dmaunded of mee why Perſeus ſhould appeare to them alone, and for what cauſe in the celebration of their
games, they diſſented from the reſt of ye Ægyptians: they made anſwere, that Perſeus was iſſued of theyr city, adding moreouer, that Danaeus and Lynaeus were alſo Chēmmyts and ſayled into Greece: in blaſing whoſe Pedagree they came at lēgth to Perſeus, who comming into Ægypt for the ſelfe fame cauſe as the Grecians teſtify, namely, to fetch the heade of Gorgon out of Africk, came alſo to them and called to remembraunce his kinred and linage, of whom hauing taken acquayntaunce, and hearing his mother to fpeake of the name of Chem, he inſtituted a game of all exerciſes, which according to his appointment and firſt ordinaunce they obſerue till this day. Theſe are the maners of thoſe that lye aboue the Fennes, ſuch as dwell in the Maryſes differ not from the reſt, neither in other things, nor in eſtate of mariage, euery one inioying the priuate fellowſhip of his owne wyfe, in ſemblable maner to the Grecians. Notwithſtanding for the eaſie prouiſion of their foode and ſuſtenaunce other thinges haue bene ſoughte out and deinied by them. For in time of the floude¹¹⁶ when the ryuer ouergoeth the countrey, there ariſe in the water great plenty of syllyes, which the people of Ægypt call Lotos. Theſe they reape and dry them in the Sunne. The ſeede whereof (growing in the middeſt of the flower, ſomewhat like vnto Popy ſeede) they boyle, after which they kneade it into cakes, & bake it for breade. The roote of this is very rothſome, pleaſant & good to eate: being of forme very rounde, & in bigneſſe like an aple. There is alſo another kinde of lyllyes much like to roſes, which in like maner haue their growth in the water, from whoſe roote ſprings a bud vnlike to the former, bearing fruite in maner & likeneſſe of an hony Combe: herein are contayned certayne ſmale kernells reſembling the ſtone of an Olyue, not vnfit for ſuſtenance, and cōmonly eaten of the Ægyptians, aſwell freſh as wythered. The ſelfe fame people when the ſeaſon of the yeare ſerueth, are buſily conuerſant in gathering a kinde of Rush called Byblis, the top whereof they crop & turne it into vſe of foode: the reſidue being much about one cubyte in length, they partly eate & partly ſell. ſuch as be deſirous to make fine and delicate meate of this Rush, vſe to caſt it into an Ouen & broyle it: ſome there be that lyue only by fiſh, which hauing taken, they incontinently draw them & parch them in the ſunne like ſtockfiſh,¹¹⁷ and being
well dryed they eate them. The cōmon forte of fiſh vſed among them, breede not in ye ryuer, but in pooles, being of this nature. Toward the time of spawning they leaue the fennes & make repayre generally to ye ſea, the male fiſhes in maner of captaines leading the ranke. Theſe male fiſhe as they paſſe ſtill onwarde ſhed theyr ſeede by the way, which their femals following after immediatly deuour, and thereof ſhortly after breede theyr ſpawnes. Now at the pointe of breede, the femals forſaking y^e ſalt waters, stower backe agayne to the maryſes to their accuſtomed haunte, leadinge the males that follow after them: and
in ſwiming backe agayne, they voide spawne, being very ſmale cornes, like the graynes of mustard ſeede which lightinge vpon the male fiſhe in the tayle of the rancke, are ſwallowed vp and deuoured by them. Not one of theſe litle graynes but will grow to a fiſhe, as well may bee ſeene by thoſe that eſcape the males, and are vndeuoured: which being nouriſhed by the waters growe to ſmale Frye. ſuch of theſe fiſhes as are taken ſwimminge to the ſea, are founde to haue the left ſide of theyr heads very much worne and gauled: and in comming from the ſea, the right ſide: the cauſe being this, that both in going and comming they continually grate agaynſt the ſhore and bancks of the ryuer, as a direction to them in paſſinge to and fro, leaſt that floting in the middeſt of the ſtreame, they chaunce to ſtray and wander out of the right courſe. At ſuch time as the ryuer Nilus beginneth to ſwell, all the lowe places in the coūtrey and Ponds neere adioyning to the ryuer doe likewiſe increaſe: being then to bee ſeene great store of younge Fry in euery litle puddle: whereof theſe ſhould breede, this ſeemeth to be a probable cauſe. That the yeare before, at the fall and decreaſe of the water, the fiſh which together with the ryuer departe them ſelues, leaue behinde them their spawne in the mudde, which at the ryſing of the nexte floude, being eftſones moyſtned, by the waters, recouer vertue, and growe to bee fiſh. As touchinge which thinges let it ſeeme ſufficient thus much to haue fpoken.

The Ægyptians that keepe in the fenne countrey, vſe a certaine oyle made of a tree, which the Apothecaryes call Palmachri.¹¹⁸ Theſe trees (that ſpringe naturally in Greece) the Aegyptians accuſtome to plant and ſet by the banckes of Pooles and ryuers, which is the cauſe that they beare fruite, but very ſtrong and rancke of ſauoure. The fruite being gathered, ſome of them bruiſe it againſt the fyre, other ſome frie it in a pan, reſeruing that which commeth of it, which ſerueth them partly for Oyle, partly for the vſe of their Lamps and candles, yielding (as they fayd before) a deyne very loathſome and vnſauory. Likewiſe, agaynſt gnats and flyes, wherewith their lande aboundeth aboue meaſure, certaine remedies are founde out by them. ſuch as dwell aboue the Fennes are holpen herein by towers and high garrets, wherein they take their sleepe, foraſmuch as the winde will not ſuffer the Gnats to fly high. The people of the Fennes in ſteede of Turrets are fayne to worke this deuiſe. Each man hath his Nets,¹¹⁹ wherewith in the day time they goe on fiſhing, and in the night pytche them aboute their chambers wherein they reſt, by whych meanes they come to take a nappe of nyne houres longe: whereas otherwiſe (were they neuer ſo well wrapped in clothes) the
Gnats with their ſharp nebbes woulde pier• and ſtinge quite through all, being not able in like maner to paſſe through the Nets. Their ſhippes vſed for burthen or caryage are made of a kinde of Thorne, not farre vnlike the tree Lotos growing in Cyrene, from the which there iſſueth a certayne kinde of gumme. Of the body of this thorne they ſawe and ſquare out certaine boardeſ two cubits longe, and faſhioned like a tileſheard, which they frame and compact together after this maner. Firſt they vnite and ioyne the plancks together with an infinit number of nayles and pynnes, binding the fame to many tranſomes that goe both croſſe and longe wayes for the ſtrength of the veſſell. Their wood they frame not in compaſſe, after the maner of other Nations, but faſten and knit the ioyntes together with Bullruſhes and ſuch like. They haue only one Helme or Sterne, which is made to goe throughe the hinder parte of the ſhippe. The Maſt is
likewiſe of thorne, the ſayle of the Ruſhe Byblus. Theſe kinde of veſſells are not able to cut againſt the ſtreame, but are haled and drawne forward by land. Downe the ſtreame they paſſe in this wyſe. They frame an hurdle of the buſhe Tamariſk, faſt bounde and tyed together with the peelings of greene Cane or Reedes: prouydinge moreouer a mighty ſtone wyth an hole through the middeſt, two talents in weight: which done, they caſt the hurdle into the ſtreame beinge made faſt with a Rope to the noſe of the Veſſell: contrariwiſe, the stonne they tye behynde wyth an other Gable, geuinge it ſo much ſcope that it may ſinke to the bottome. By which meanes it commeth to paſſe that the ſtreame caryinge on the hurdle, cauſeth the ſhippe to follow, with exceedinge ſwiftneſſe: and the ſtone on the other ſide drayling behinde, directeth the fame in euen and ſtedfaſt courſe. At ſuch time as the ryuer ouerrunneth the ſoyle, the Cityes are only apparent and vncouered, reſembling in ſhew the Iles of the ſea Aegêum, all the land beſides being in maner of a ſea. The Cities which in time of the floud are extante, be in place of Portes for the ſhips to lye at rode in. During which time they ſayle not in ye mayne ryuer, but through y^e midſt of the fieldes. They that take ſhipping from the Citye Naucrates to Memphis, haue their courſe by the Pyramides: albeit there be another way alſo ***ndinge to the fame place, ſtrykinge ouer by the Neb of Delta, and the City of the Cercafians. Likewiſe as we take our voyage from the Sea coaſte, and the city Canobus to Naucrates through the wyde and open fieldes, we ſhall paſſe by Anthylla a towne ſo named: in like manner arryuinge, at the city Arcandry.¹²⁰ Anthylla a city of chiefe renowne, is euermore geuen and allotted by the Kinge of Ægypt to his Queene, that then is, to finde her ſhoes, which are purchaſed by the reuenewes of the fame. Which cuſtome hath remayned ſince the tyme that the Perfians gonerned in Ægypt. Archandry ſeenieth to haue taken the name of Archander, ſonne in lawe to Danaeus, and the lawfull ofſpringe of Phthius Achaeus: not denying but that
there might bee another besides him: but howſoeuer it is, the city Archandry can in no wyſe be made an Ægyptian name. Hytherto haue I ſet dawne ſuch thinges as eyther by my ſelfe I haue ſeene and knowne: or bene conftantly aduertyſed thereof by the people of the region, determining henceforth to proſecute ſuch matters, as I haue onely by hereſay, interlaceing the fame otherwhiles, with ſuch thinges as of myne owne knowledge I am able to iuſtifie.

Menes¹²¹ the firſte Kinge of Ægypt (as the pryeſts make reporte) by altering the courſe of the ryuer, gayned all that grounde whereon the City Memphis is ſituated: the floud being wonte before time to haue his courſe faſt by the ſandy mountayne which lyeth towarde Lybia.

This Menes¹²² therefore damminge vppe the boſome of the ryuer towardes the ſouth Region hauinge caſt vppe a pyle, or bulwarke of Earth much after an hundred Furlonges aboue the City, by that meanes dryed the old Chanell, cauſinge the ryuer to forſake and abandone his naturall courſe and runne at randame amiddeſt the hills. To which damme alſo the Perfians that rule in Ægypte euen at this day haue a dilligent eye: yearely fortifyinge and repayringe the fame wyth newe and freſh Earth. Through the which if by fortune the ryuer ſtryuinge to recouer his olde courſe, ſhould happily make a breach, the city Memphis were in daunger to bee ouerwhelmed with water. By the ſelfe fame Menes firſte bearinge rule and authority in Ægypt (after y• by turning y• ſtreame of Nilus he had made dry ground of that where erst the ryuer had his paſſage) in the fame plot of land was the city it ſelfe founded & erected, which (as well may bee ſeene) ſtands in the ſtraight and narrow places of the countrey. More then this, to the North & Weſt (for Eaſtward Memphis is bounded by the courſe of the riuer) hee cauſed to be drawne out of the ryuer a large and wyde poole: beinge alſo the founder of Vulcans temple in Memphis, one of the fayreſt buildinges and of chiefeſt fame in all the countrey of Ægypte. Three hundred & thirty Prynces¹²³ that by mutuall ſucceſſion followed Menes, the prieſts alſo readily mentioned out of y^e books of their Monuments: of which number 18 were by Countrey Æthyopians, and one a forraine & outlandiſh women, whoſe nation they knew not, al the reſt being ſprong of their owne land. This woman y^e aſpired to y^e crowne, bare the name of y^e famous Queene of Babylon, & was called Nitocris:¹²⁴ whoſe brother in y^e time of his empire being ſlaine by y^e Ægyptians, Nitocris wearing y• crowne after him ſought meanes ſecretly how to reuēge his death, whith ſhe brought to paſſe by a ſtraunge deuice and pollicy. Hauing therefore builte for hir owne vſe a fayre & gorgeous courte, ſhe cauſed an hollow Vaut or caue to be caſt vnder the earth, pretending for the time a reaſon of hir deuice, albeit farre different from hir ſecret minde & purpoſe. The work ended, ſhe inuited thither the moſt part of hir nobles to a banquet, ſuch as ſhee knew to haue bene y• authors and workers of hir brothers death, who being all aſſembled and ſet together in an inner Parlour, expectinge their cheere, the water was let in at a priuy grate and ouerwhelmed them all.

Theſe thinges they ſpake of Nitocris, adding besids, that hauing wrought this feate, ſhee caſt hir ſelfe into an houſe full of Aſhes to eſcape vnpuniſhed.

By the reſt of the kinges of Ægypt the prieſtes coulde recyte no glorious acte that ſhoulde bee accompliſhed, ſauing by the noble king Moeris¹²⁵ the laſt and lateſt of all this crewe. To whom they attribute y^e building of y^e great porches belonging to Vulcans temple, ſtanding on the North parte of y^e Pallace. By the fame alſo was a certaine fenne delued and caſt vp, wherein were builded certaine mighty Towers called Pyramides, of whoſe bygneſſe, as alſo of y^e large cōpaſſe and amplitude of the Poole, wee will ioyntely intreate in another place.

Theſe thinges were done by Moeris the laſt king. The reſt conſuminge the time of their raygne in silence and obſcurity, whom for the fame cauſe I will paſſe ouer, and addreſſe my ſpeache to him who came after them in time and went before them in Dignity: namely, the worthy Prynce Seſoſtris.¹²⁶ Him the Pryeſtes recounte firſte of all the kings of Ægypt to haue paſſed the narrow ſeas of Arabia in longe Ships or Gallyes, and brought in fubiection to the Crowne all thoſe People that marche a longe the redde ſea. From
whence retyringe backe againe the fame way, hee came and gathered a greate power of men, and tooke hiss paſſage otter the waters into the mayne lande, conquering and fubduing all Countreyes whether ſo euer hee went. ſuch as hee founde valiaunte and hardye not refuſinge to icoparde their ſafety in the defence and maynetenaun•e of their liberty, after the victory obtayned, hee fired in theyr countrey certayne ſmale pyllers or Croſſes of ſtone,¹²⁷ wherein were ingrauen the names of the kinge and the countrey, and how by
his owne proper force and puisſaunce he had made them yelde. Contrarywyſe, ſuch as without controuerſie gaue themſelues into his handes, or with litle ſtryfe and leſſe bloudſhed were brought to relent: with them alſo, and in their region he planted Pillers and builte vp litle croſſes, as before, wherein were carued and importrayed the ſecret partes of women, to ſignifie to the poſterity the baſe and effeminate courage of the people there abyding. In this forte hee trauayled with his at my vp and downe the mayne, paſſing out of Aſia into Europe, where he made conqueſt of the Scythians and Thracians: which ſeemeth to haue bene the fartheſt poynt of his voyage: for ſo much as in their land alſo his titles & marks are apparantly ſeene, and not beyonde. Herefro hee began to meaſure his ſteps back agayne incamping his powre at the ryuer Phafis: where, I am not able to diſcuſſe, whether king Seſoſtris him ſelfe planted any parte of his army in that place euer after to poſſeſſe y• countrey: or whether ſome of his ſouldiers wearyed with continuall perigrination and trauayle, toke vp their māſion place & reſted there. For the people named Colchi,¹²⁸ ſeeme to be Ægyptians: which I fpeake rather of myne owne gathering, then of any other mans information. Howveit, for tryall ſake cōmoninge w^t the inhabitants of either nation, the Colchans ſeemed rather to acknowledge & remember y^e Ægyptians, then y• Ægyptians thē: affyrming, that the Colchans were a remnante of Seſoſtris army. My ſelfe haue drawne a cōiecture hereof: y• both people are in coūtenance a like black, in hayre a like fryzled, albeit it may ſeeme a very feeble geſſe, the fame being alſo in other nations. A better ſurmiſe may be gathered of this, that y• people of Æthyopia, Ægypt, and Colchis only of all men, circumcyſe & cut
of the foreſkin from their hidden partes; reteyning the cuſtome time out of minde. For the Phoenicians and Syrians y• dwell in Palaeſtina, confeſſe themſelues to haue borrowed the maner of circumsicion from the Ægyptians. And as for thoſe Syrians y• dwell neere vnto the ryuers Thermodon and Parthemus, and the people called Macrones their next neighbours; they tooke the ſelfe fame vſe and cuſtome of y• Colchans. Howbeit, the Ægyptians and Æthyopians, which of them learned it of others, it is hard to diſcerne, foraſmuch as the cuſtome in both Countryes is of great antiquity. Neuertheleſſe, very good occaſion of coniecture is offred vnto vs, that it came fyrſt from y• Ægyptians, at ſuch time as the Æthyopians had exchaunge of marchaundiſe with them. For the Phoenicians, that in like maner haue mutuall trafique which the Grecians, leaue of to circumcyſſe them ſelues, and refuſe in that poynte to be conformable to the lawes and statutes of their countrey. One thinge more may be alleaged wherein the people of Colchis doe very narrowly reſemble y• cuſtomes of Ægypt, in ſo much as, theſe two nations alone, work their lynnen & dreſſe theyr flax after y^e fame forte, in all poyntes respecting each other both in order of lyfe & maner of lāguage. The flaxe which is brought from Colchis y^e Grecians call Sardonick: the other cōming out of Ægypt they terme after the name of the countrey, Ægyptian flaxe. But to returne to the tytles and emblems that king Seſoſtris lefte behind him in all regions through yt which he paſſed, many thereof are fallen to decay. Notwithstāding, certaine of them in Syria and Paloeſtina I beheld with myne own eyes, intayled with ſuch posyes as we ſpake of before, and the pictures of womens ſecretes ingrauen in them. Likewiſe in Iönia are to bee ſeene two fundry Images of Seſoſtris himſelfe carued in pillers: one as we paſſe from Epheſus to Phocoea: another in the way from Sardis to Smyrna. Eyther of theſe haue the forme and figure of a man, fiue hands breadth in bigneſſe, bearing in his righte hand a Darte, in his left a vowe, his harneſſe and furniture after the manner of the Ægyptians and Æthyopians. Croſſe his backe from the one ſhoulder to the other went a ſentence Ingrauen in the holy letter of Ægypt: hauing this meaning. By my owne force did I vanquiſhe this region. Notwithſtandinge it is not there specified what he ſhould be, albeit els where it is to be ſeene. ſome haue deemed this monument to haue bene the image of Memnon,¹²⁹ not a litle deceyued in opinion. This noble and victorious prince Seſoſtris making his returne to Ægypt, came (by report of ye prieſts) to a place named Daphnoe peluſiae, with an infinite trayne of forraine people out of al Nations by him fubdued: where being very curteously met & welcomed by his brother, whom in his abſence he had lefte for Viceroy and protectour of the countrey, he was alſo by ye fame inuited to a princely banquet, him ſelfe, his wife, and his children.¹³⁰ The houſe where into they were entered, being compaſſed about with dry matter, was suddaynely by the treachery of his brother ſet on fire, which he perceiuing toke counſayle with his wife then preſent, how to eſcape and auoyde the daunger. The woman either of a readier wit or riper cruelty, aduiſed him to caſt two of his ſixe children into the fire, to make way for him ſelfe and the reſt to paſſe: time not ſuffering him to make any long ſtay, he put his wyues counſayle in ſpeedy practiſe, & made a bridge through the fire of two of his children, to preſerue the reſt aliue. Seſoſtris in this forte deliuered frō the cruell treaſon and malicious deuiſe of his brother, firſt of all tooke reuenge of his trecherous villany and diueliſh intent: in the next place bethinking himſelfe in what affayres to beſtowe the multitude which he had brought with him, whome afterwards he Diuersly employed: for by theſe captiues were certayne huge and monſtrous ſtones rolled and drawne to the temple of Vulcane. Likewiſe, many trenches cut out¹³¹ and deriued from the riuer into moſt places of the countrey, whereby the land being aforetime paſſable by cart & horſe, was thencefoorth bereaued of that commodity: for in all the time enſuing, the countrey of Ægypt being for the moſt parte playne and equall, is through the creekes and windings of the ditches brought to that paſſe, that neyther horſſe nor wayne can haue any courſe or paſſage from one place to another. Howbeit, Seſoſtris inuented this for the greater benefite and commodity of the lande, to the ende that ſuch townes and cities as were farre remooued from the riuer, might not at the fall of the floud be pinched with the penury and want of water, which at all times they haue deriued and brought to them in trenches. The fame King made an equall diſtribution¹³² of the whole countrey to all his fubiects, allotting to euery man the lyke portion and quantitie of ground, drawne out and limited by a foureſquare fourme. Heereof the King himſelfe helde yeerely reuenewes, euery one being rated at a certayne rent and penſion, which annually he payd to the crowne, and if at the riſing of the floud it fortuned any mans portion to be ouergone by the waters, the King was thereof aduertiſed, who forthwith ſent certayne to ſuruey ye ground, and to meaſure the harmes which the floud had done him, and to leauy out the crowne rent according to the reſidue of the land that remayned. Heereof ſprang the noble science of Geometry,¹³³ and from thence was translated into Greece. For as touching the Pole and Gnomon (which is to ſay) the rule, and the twelue partes of the day, the Graecians tooke them of the Babylonians.

This King Seſoſtris held the Empyre alone, leauing in Æthiopia before the temple of Vulcane certayne monuments to the poſteritie, to wit, certayne images¹³⁴ of ſtone, one for hymſelfe, another for his wife, beeyng eache of them thirtie cubites: the foure images alſo of hys foure ſonnes, beeyng each of them twentie cubites apeece. In proceſſe of time when the image of King Darius that gouerned Perſia ſhould haue bene
placed before the picture of Seſoſtris, the prieſt of Vulcane which ſerued in the temple woulde in no wiſe permit it to bee done, denying that Darius had euer atchieued the like exploites that Seſoſtris had done. Who, besides the conquering of fundrie other nations (not inferiour in number to thoſe whiche had beene ouercome by Darius) had alſo brought in fubiection the moſt couragious and valiaunt people of Scythia: for whyche cauſe, it were agaynſt reaſon to preferred hymſelfe in place before him vnto whome he was inferiour in chiualry, whiche bolde aunſwere of the prieſt, King Darius tooke in good parte and brooked welynough.

Seſoſtris dying, the ſeate imperiall came to hys ſonne Pheco,¹³⁵ who beeyng bereaued of hys ſight, vndertooke no voyage of warre, but remayned quiet in his kingdome. The cauſe he was ſtricken blynde, is fayde to be this. At what tyme the waters of the floud increaſing, by reaſon of a mightie raging winde, had drowned the lowe countreys eyghteene cubits deepe. The Kyng inraged at the vnaccuſtomed ſwelling of the ryuer, tooke hys darte and diſcharged it into the middeſt of the waters, for whyche hys, vnrcuerent facte, the fame is, that hys ſighte incontinente was taken from hym, and hee became blynde the ſpace of tenne yeares. In the eleuenth yeare, there aroſe a prophecie¹³⁶ in the city Butis, that the tyme of hys miſerie was nowe exſpyred, and that hys syght ſhoulde eftſoones bee reſtored agayne, if in caſe hee waſhed hys eyes in the water of a woman, whych neuer knewe man but her owne huſbande. For further proofe of thys phetis medicine, the Kyng beganne firſt wyth hys owne wyfe, whych working not the effecte he looked for, he tryed many others, but all in vayne, laſtly, lighting vppon a poore ſeely woman that had neuer woorſhipped more Sainctes then one, hee ſpeedely recouered hys ſighte agayne, and cauſing all thoſe whome earſt he had prooued to be gathered into one citie (the name whereof was called Reddclodd) he ſet fire to the towne, and conſumed them all.

The King thus healed, and freely acquited of hys former miſerie, began to be deuoute, increaſing the temples of the gods with giftes of exceeding value. All which deſerue for theyr excellencie to be had in memorie, and chiefly thoſe that he offered in the temple of the ſunne, which were theſe, two mighty great ſtones which the Ægyptians in theyr tongue called Obeli, in faſhion like a ſpit or breach. 100. cubites long, and in breadth. 80.

Next after hym the kingdome deſcended to a certayne man of the citie Memphis, whoſe name in the greeke language was Protheus,¹³⁷ to whome the Ægyptians erected a temple, which is yet to be ſeeue in Memphis, very fayre and beautifull, garniſhed wyth rich and ſingulare giftes. On euery ſide whereof dwell the Phenices, a people deſcended of the Tyrians; whereof the place taketh the name, and is tearmed the tentes of the Tyrians. Within the temple there is ſtandyng the houſe of Proteus, called the court of ſtraunge Venus, vnder which name is meant (as I deeme) Helena,¹³⁸ the daughter of Tyndarus, who as a gueſt agaynſt her wyll, kepte reſyaunce for a tyme in the court of Protheus, and was tearmed the ſtraunge Venus, in as much as the other Venus (who hath many temples in Ægypt) is neuer called by the name of ſtraunge. Heereof¹³⁹ entring talkewith the ſacred order of the prieſtes, they diſcourſed vnto me, that Alexander hauing ſtolne Helena from the Spartanes, and ſpeedyng hymſelfe homewarde by the ſea called Aegeum, by conſtraynte of weather was driuen into the Ægyptian ſeas, and perforce againſte his will, was caſt aſhore in Ægypt. His ariual was at y^e mouth of the floud Nilus called Canobicum, at ye porte whiche the inhabitants tearme by ye name of Trachex. In this place is ſituated a temple¹⁴⁰ to Hercules, where vnto if any mans ſeruaunt or vaſſall flye, and get vppon hym the holy markes (as they call them) in token that hee yeeldeth hys whole alleageaunce to the god of that place, it is not lawfull for any man to touch him, which order was kept inuiolate vnto our age. The ſeruauntes of Alexander hearing of the lawes of this temple, forſooke their Lorde, and fled vnto it, and in humble manner fubmitting themſelues before the god, they accuſed their mayfter (whoſe death they all deſired) ſhewing in what manner he came by Helena & the great iniury he had wrought to her huſband Menelaus. The fame playnt alſo they framed before the prieſts of Hercules, and the chiefe gouernour of the port named Thonis. Thonis hauing hard the accuſatiō of theſe poore ſuppliants, ſent in all haſte to the King in theſe wordes: Knowe you (noble Prince) that a fewe dayes ſince, a certayne ſtraunger of the Troiane lignage (hauing committed a moſt villanous acte in Greece, by entiſing away the wife of him that had geuen him entertaynement) is by force of tempeſt dryuen vpon our coaſtes, we deſire therefore to knowe your higneſſe pleaſure, whether we ſhall geue him free paſſage into his countrey, or bereaue him of that he hath, and ſende him awaye. To which newes the King returned an aunſwere faying. The perſon you fpeake of, of what nation ſoeuer hee bee whiche hathe wrought this deſpitefull treacherie to his hoſte, ſee you apprehend and bring to my court, to the ende I may heare what he can ſay for himſelfe. Whereat Thonis without any farther deliberation, tooke this yong gallaunt of Troy, ſtrayned hys ſhips, and brought him with the Lady Helena and the reſt of his retinue to the city Memphis, where the King at that tyme made his place of abiding. Beeing arriued at the Court, the King aſked Alexander in theſe wordes: Yong gentleman, what are you, and from what countrey are you landed heere in Ægypt? Alexander, who was not to ſeeke of an aunſwere, with a comely grace made aunſwere to the King, deſcrying both his countrey and lynage, the place alſo from whence hee was arriued, and to what coaſtes he directed his courſe. And where then (quoth the King) had you this goodly geutlewoman, for ſhe ſeemeth to be a woman of no common bloud: whereat my youth ſomewhat mammering before he coulde caſt the plot of his excuſe, was betrayed by his ſeruaunts, who in humble inanner on their knees, diſciphered to the King the whole diſcourſe of his treaſon. The vaſſals hauing ended their ſpeeche, Protheus turned hymſelfe to Alexander, and tucked hym vp with thys rounde tale: my friende (fayde hee) were it not for the reuerence I owe to ſtraungers, with whome my cuſtome is not to deale by rigour, I woulde ſurely pipe yee ſuch a daunce for the wicked villanie wherewith thou haſt abuſed thyne hoast in Greece, that all vnthankefull wretches ſhoulde take example by thee how to vſe thoſe that ſhewe them courtesie in a forraigne lande. Ah vnkynde wretche as thou arte, is thys the beſt requitall thou makeſt the Grecian for hys noble vsage towarde thee? to bereaue hym of
his mate, the moſt comfortable companyon of all hys daies, and not contente therewyth, lyke an arraunt theefe thou haſt deſpoyled hys goodeſ, the beſt and principall treaſures of hys houſe. Thou mayeſt bleſſe the tyme tenne thouſande tymes, that the Ægyptians yeelde ſuche honoure to ſtraungers: and packe thee hence from my preſence wyth the reſt of thy mates, swearyng by my crowne, that if hencefoorth thou bee ſeene within the borders of Ægypt, I wyll account thee as myne enemye. As for thy minion and the goodes thou haſt broughte, I ſhall reſerue, tyll ſuche tyme as the Grecian ſhall come to reclayme them. By theſe meanes (fayd the prieſtes) came Helena into Ægypt, whereof alſo Homer hymſelfe ſeemed not to bee ignoraunt, but of purpoſe rather (for that it fell not out ſo fittingly for hys verſe) hee choſe the other, declaring notwythſtandyng that ſome ſuch fame as thys was bruted abroade, whyche appeareth manifeſtly in hys Illiads, where making mention of the voyage of Alexander, he affyrmeth, that by meanes of a contrarye wynde, hee was toſſed by ſea, and recouered the lande at the city Sydon in Phaenicia: reade the verſes that are framed by hym in the prayſe of Diomedes, in whych place theſe lynes are founde.

There were the cloakes of gorgeous hue

ſo braue and princely dight,

Made by the dames of Sydony,

ſold to the ſeemely wight

Kyng Pryams ſonne, that ſtale hymſelfe

a wyfe of royall race,

Queene Helene hyghte, retyryng home,

vnto his natyue place.

Touching the fame in his Odyſſea in theſe verſes.

This poyſon quycke and valerous

whych Polydamna gaue

The wyfe of Thonis, Helen brought,

and carefully dyd ſaue.

Great store whereof in droughty ſoyle

of scorched Ægypt groe

ſome ſoueraigne good, and otherſome

the cauſe of preſent woe.

In like maner to Telemachus, Menelaus fpeaketh in this vviſe.

And when I ſought to leaue the land

of Ægypt, and retyre,

God hyndred, whome I left vnſerued

by vowes and ſacred fyre.

In theſe verſes Homer confeſſeth that he knewe of the wandering of Alexander into Ægypt, forſomuch as the countrey of Syria is bounding vpon Ægypt, and the people Phaenices vnto whome the city Sydon is belonging are reſyaunt in Syria. As well theſe therefore as alſo the place it ſelfe, are no fmall proofe, nay rather a moſt valerous argumente, that the verſes wherein it is fayde, that Alexander conueying Helen from Greece in three dayes ſpace, wyth a proſperous gale, and quyet ſea, arryued at Troy, were rather intruded by ſome other poet then inuented by Homer, who contrarywyſe in hys Illiads maketh mention of his errour by ſea.

To leaue Homer,¹⁴¹ and come to the affayres of the Troianes, being deſirous to vnderſtand of what truth theſe things were which are bruted to haue beene done by the Greekes at Troy, I ſollicited the matter with the prieſtes of Ægypt, who tolde me in ſuch manner as themſelues beforetime had beene aduertiſed by Menelaus. After the flight of the Lady Helen, there aſſembled, in the cauſe of ye kings brother Menelaus, a puiſſant armie of the Graecians, who embarking themſelues into Teucria, and incamping in theyr coaſtes, ſent in ambaſſage to the city Troy certayne of theyr chiefe peeres and nobles, amongſt whome, was Menelaus brother to the Kyng. Beeyng entered the city, they made clayme of the Lady Helena, with the goodes and treaſures ſhee tooke wyth her, requyring alſo a ſufficient ſatisfaction to be made for the iniurie. Wherevnto the Troianes aunſwered, that they ſpente their ſpeech in vaine, to rechallenge eyther women or goodes of them which they neuer ſawe, alledging, that the thyngs they challenged were ſurpriſed by the Ægyptians: neyther was it reaſon why they ſhoulde beare the faulte of others, and make reſtitution of that which they neuer had. Howbeit, the Greekes imagining they had fpoken it in deriſion, to ſhift off the ſiege for the tyme, bent theyr whole force agaynſt the towne, continuing the ſiege and batterie ſo long, tyll they had brought it to vtter ruyne and fubuerſion.

The citie taken, when Helena could not be founde, and the fame aunſwere was rendered the Graecians as before, they gaue credite at length to theyr wordes, and ſente Menelaus into Ægypt to the courte of Protheus, whether beeyng come, and declaryng the cauſe of hys arriuall to the Kyng, he gaue him greate entertaynemente,¹⁴² reſtoring vnto him hys Lady with all his treaſure, without any manner of loſſe or imbeſelment. Neuertheleſſe, Menelaus for all this courteſie and royall vsage which he had receyued at the handes of the King, gaue him but a poupe for his labour, dooyng to the countrey this iniurie for a farewell. For indeuouring to depart thence, and wayting a fauourable wynde to fit hys purpoſe, by meanes whereof, he ſtayde a long tyme in Ægypt: to knowe the ſtate of hys voyage, what fortune ſhould thereofter betide vnto hym, he tooke two children of the Ægyptians, ſlewe them, and paunched out theyr bowels, whereby to take view of his future ſucceſſe. Which beyng knowne, and perceyuing hymſelfe to be mortally hated and purſued of the inhabitauntes, he ſped hym thence into the Isles of Africa lying ouer againſt them, from whence alſo makyng as good haſte as he coulde, the Ægyptians heard no more tydyngs of hym. Of
all theſe things they were partly informed by the knowledge of hystories, beeyng much more certayne of ſuch thyngs as were done in theyr countrey. Thus farre the prieſtes of Ægypt proceeding in diſcourſing of Helena,¹⁴³ whereto I adde thys ſurmize of myne owne, that if Helena had beene in Troy, no doubt for ought that Alexander could haue fayde or done, ſhe had beene deliuered to the Graecians. For who woulde
thynke that Kyng Pryamus wyth the reſidue of that lignage were ſo madde, that to the ende Alexander might enioy the delighte of hys Lady, would imperill theyr owne lyues and theyr childrens, with the flouriſhing eſtate of ſo famous a citie. In whych fond opinion, if in caſe they had bene at the beginning, yet vndoubtedly they woulde haue recanted at length when as many valiaunt ſouldyers of the Troianes, and two or three of the Kings owne ſonnes, (if any credit may be geuen to the poets) were moſt lamentably ſlaine by the Graecians in fight. By theſe things I am driuen to coniecture, that if Helena had beene in their keeping, Pryamus to rayſe the ſiege from the walles of hys city, woulde willingly haue wrought meanes to reſtore her agayne. Neyther was Alexander heyre apparaunt to the crowne, ſo that his father beeyng crooked wyth age, the adminiſtration of the kyngdome ſhoulde reſt in hys gouernemente, one there was betweene hym and home, namely hys brother Hector, as well in number of yeares hys elder, as in nobleneſſe of mynde hys better, whome it behoued not to ſmooth vp his brother in hys filthy leachery, ſeeing ſuch imminent perill to threaten not onely himſelfe, but alſo the whole kyndred and nation of the Troianes. But it was
the iust plague of God inflicted vppon them for their wickedneſſe, that they ſhoulde neyther delyuer Helena whome they had not, nor be credyted of the Graecians, to whome they fayned not, to the ende all men might learne, that they whyche ſtryke wyth the swoorde, ſhall be beaten with the ſcabberde, being euermore ſeene, that vpon greeuous iniuries the gods alwayes powre downe greeuous reuengements. Thus much I thought conuenient to fpeake of mine owne fancye.

After the deceaſſe of Protheus, Kampſinitus¹⁴⁴ tooke vppon hym the rule of the countrey, who in memorie of himſelfe, lefte behynde hym certayne porches of ſtone, planted weſtward agaynſt the temple of Vulcane, right ouer agaynſt the whych, ſtoode two images of fyue and twentye cubites in length. One of the which ſtandyng northerly, they call ſommer, and the other lying to the weſt, they tearme winter, contrary to all reaſon and order. This King in aboundance of wealth, and plenty of coyne, ſo farre excelled all thoſe that
came after hym, that none coulde go beyonde him, no not approch neere vnto hym in that kynde: wherefore¹⁴⁵ deſirous to poſſeſſe hys goodes in ſafetie, hee builte hym a treaſurie or iewellhouſe of ſtone, one of the walles whereof bounded vpon the outſyde of hys courte. In framing whereof, the workeman had wrought thys fubtile conueyance, one ſtone in the wall hee layde in that ſorce, that a man might eaſily at pleaſure plucke it in or out, which notwithſtanding ſerued ſo fittingly to theplace, that nothing coulde be diſcerned. When the building was finiſhed, the King cauſed his treaſure to be brought into it, minding henceforth to be ſecure and to lay aſide all feare of miſfortune. In proceſſe of time, this cunning artificer lying at the poynt to dye, called vnto him his two ſonnes, and diſcloſed vnto them in what manner he had prouided for theyr good eſtate, in leauing a ſecret and moſt priuy paſſage into the Kings treaſurie, whereby theyr whole lyfe might be lead in moſt happy and bleſſed condition. In briefe, hee ſhewed them all that was done by hym, delyuering them the iust meaſures of the ſtone, that they mighte not bee deceyued in laying it agayne, whych the two yong youthes well marking, thought from that tyme forwarde to be of the Kings counſayle, if not of hys court, and to become the priuy ſurueyers of hys iewellhouſe.

Theyr father beeing dead, they made no long delay to put in execution theyr determinate purpoſe, but repayring to the court by night, they found the ſtone, which with fmall force remoouing it from the place, they ſped themſelues wyth plentie of coyne, and ſo departed. In ſhorte ſpace after the Kyng entering hys treaſurie, and fyndyng the veſſels wherein hys money lay to be ſomewhat decreaſed, was exceedingly amazed, not knowing whome to accuſe, ſeeyng both hys ſeales, whyche he had ſet on the dore, vntouched, and the dore faſt locked at hys commyng thyther. Howbeit, repayring fundrie tymes to beholde hys wealth, and euermore perceyuing that it grewe leſſe and leſſe, deuiſed with hymſelfe to beſet the place where hys money lay with certayne greens or snares to entrappe the theefe in. Theſe fubtile merchaunts accordyng to theyr former wont approching the ſpring head where they had dronke ſo oft before, one of them wente in, and groaping for the money, was ſo faſt intangled in a snare, that for hys lyfe hee wist not how to ſhifte, but ſeeyng hymſelfe intheſe braakes, hee called hys brother, to whome he diſcloſed hys euill happe, willing hym in any wiſe to cut off hys head, leaſt beeyng knowne who hee was, they both myght bee ſerued wyth the fame ſauce. His brother hearing hys counſayle to be good, did as he bade hym, and fitly placing the ſtone as hee founde it, departed home, bearyng wyth hym the head of hys ſlayne brother.

The nexte day the Kyng opening hys iewell houſe, and eſpying and headleſſe theefe ſurpriſed in a ginne, was wonderfully aſtonied, ſeeing euery place ſafe, and no way in the world to come in or out at.

In this quandary, vncertaine what to thynke of ſo ſtraunge an euent, be deuiſed yet to go another way to the wood, cauſing the body of the theefe to be hanged out vppon the walles in open view to all that paſſed by, appoynting certayne to attend in that place, with ſtraight charge, that if they hearde any making moane or lamentation at the ſighte thereof, they ſhoulde foorthwyth attache them, and bryng them to the Kyng.

The Mother of theſe¹⁴⁶ two Breethron not able wyth patiente eyes to beholde the wretched carkaſſe of her pitifull ſonne, called the other brother vnto her, aduiſing him by ſome meanes or other, to take awaye hys brothers bodye and burie it, threatening moreouer, that in caſe he neglected to accompliſhe it wyth ſpeede, ſhee woulde open all hys thefte and treacherie to the Kyng. Whome her ſonne endeuouring wyth many woordes to persuade, and nought auayling (ſo tender was her affection towardes her childe) hee ſet hys wittes abroache to the framing of ſome fubtyle conceyte, to beguyle and inueigle the Kyngs watchemen. Pannelling certayne Aſſes whyche hee loaded wyth bottels of ſweete wyne, hee proceeded forwarde wyth hys
carryage, tyll ſuche tyme as hee came agaynſte the place where the watche laye, where priuily vnſtopping one or two of hys bottles, the wyne flowed out in greate aboundance, whereat, fayning as though hee had beene beſydes hymſelfe, hee piteously cryed out, tearing hys hayre add ſtampyng as one vtterlye; ignoraunte whyche to reuiedye fyrſte. The keepers ſeeyng the wyne guſhe but ſo faſt, ranne haſtely wyth pottes and cannes to receyue to leaſt all ſhould bee lost, but the dryuer (who had alreadye caſt hys plotte)
ſeemed heereat muche more inraged then before, tauntyng and raylyng at them wyth moſt bitter and reuiling woordes. Contraryly, the watchmen geuing hym very fayre and gentle language, hee ſeemed better contented, leading aſyde hys Aſſes out of the way to newe girde them, and place his carriage in better order. Manye woordes grewe betweene them whyles he was addreſſing hys Aſſes to proceede on theyr waye, till that one of them bolting foorth a merry ieſt, cauſed hym to laugh hartily, ſo that lyke a good fellowe, he beſtowed amongſt them a bottle of wyne. Which courtesie they all tooke in very good parte, requeſting hym to ſitte wyth them for companye, and drinke parte of hys owne coſt. Whereto hee willingly conſenting, they
dranke a carouſe, euery man hys cannikin, tyll the wyne began to runne of the lyes, whyche thys coapesmate perceyuing, ſet abroach another bottle, and began to quaffe afreſhe, whyche ſet my keepers on ſuch a tantarra, that beeyng well wetted, they ſet more by three drammes of sleepe, then syxe ounees of witte. When all was huſhe, and the watchmen faſt asleepe, hee tooke the bodye of hys brother, and in mockage, shauing off the hayre of theyr right cheekes, he returned home, beyng right gladly enterteyned of hys mother.

The Kyng ſeeyng hys deuiſes no better to proceede, but for ought he coulde imagine the theefe ſtill beguyled hym, waxed woonderous wrath: howbeit, determining to leaue nothing vnattempted, rather then to let ſuch a villayne eſcape scotfree, he built yet another trappe to catch the foxe in. He had at that time abiding in hys courte a goodly gentlewoman his onely daughter, whome he tenderly loued from her childhood. This
Lady he made of his counſayle, willing her by the duety of a chylde, to a bandon chaſtity for the time, making hirſelfe a common ſtalant for all that would come, on condition they ſhoulde ſweare to tell her the fubtileſt and the ſinfulleſt prancke that euer they had played in all theyr lyfe tyme, and who ſo confeſſed the facts lately atchieued in imbesileing the Kings treaſure, and ſtealing away the theefe, him to lay hold on, and not ſuffer to depart.

The gentlewoman obeying her fathers will, kepte open houſe, hauing greate repayre vnto her out of all partes of the countrey. Now the theefe whyche knewe full well to what intente the Kyng had done thys, deſirous to bee at oast wyth hys daughter for a nighte, and fearing the daunger that myghte enſue, beeyng of a verie pregnaunt and readie witte, deuiſed yet another ſhifte wherewythall to delude
the Kyng: he ſtrake off the hande of hys brother that was dead, and cloſely carying it vnder his cloake, he repayred to the place where the Kings daughter lay, who demaunding hym the queſtion as ſhe had done the reſt, receyued of him this aunſwere, that the ſinfulleſt acte that euer he committed, was to cut off his brothers head, beeing inueigled in a snare in the Kings treaſurie, but the fubtileſt in that he had deceyued a fort of drouken aſſes, whome the King had appoynted to watch the body. The Lady that had listned to his tale, hearing the newes ſhe longed for, ſtretched out her hand to lay hold on him, who fubtilly preſenting her with the hande of his brother, (which beeing darke, ſhe faſt griped in ſtead of his owne) hee conueyed himſelfe from her and was no more ſeene. The King heereof aduertiſed, was ſtricken with ſo great admiration as well of his wit in deuiſing, as his boldneſſe in aduenturing, that forthwith he cauſed notice to be geuen throughout all partes of his gouernment, that in caſe the party whiche had done theſe thinges. woulde diſcloſe himſelfe, and ſtande to his mercy, he woulde not only yeeld him free pardon, but alſo in-
due and honour him with ſo princely rewards as were fit for a perſon of ſuch excellent wiſedome. My yonker yeelding credite to the Kings promiſe, came foorth in preſence, and deſcried himſelfe, with whome Kampſinitus ioyning his daughter in mariage, did him the greateſt honour he could deuiſe, eſteeming him for the wiſeſt man that liued vpon the earth, holding it for certayne, that the Ægyptians excelled all others in wiſedome, amongſt whome he iudged none comparable to hym. The fame King¹⁴⁷ (ſay they) whiles he was yet liuing, trauelled ſo farre vnder the ground, till he came to the place which the Graecians call the ſeates infernall, where he played at dyce with the Goddeſſe Ceres, and ſometimes winning ſometimes loſing, he returned againe at length, beeing rewarded by her with a mantle of gold. In the meane ſpace while Kampſinitus vndertooke this voyage to hell, the Ægyptians kept holyday, prolonging the celebration till ſuch time as he retyred backe againe, which ſolemne obſeruance, ſince our memory hath bene duely celebrated. But whether this be the cauſe of that ſacred feſtiuall, I dare not auowe, howbeit, the prieſts ſhewed me a certayne cloake, wouen in the ſpace of one daye, wherewith once ayeare they attyre ſome one of theyr petie vicares, blinding moreouer hys eyes wyth a myter. Beeing in thys forte attyred, they conduct hym to the hygh way that leadeth to the temple of the Goddeſſe Ceres, where after they haue placed hym, they leaue hym grabling in that place, and departe their waye. To whome incontinently reforte two wolues, conducting the prieſt to the temple aforefayde, whyche is diſtaunte from the city twentie furlongs, where hauing accompliſhed certayne rytes, the wolues leade hym backe agayne to the fame place. All theſe thyngs they doubt not to reporte for certayne true, which we leaue to euery mans lyking to iudge of them as they deſerue. For myne owne parte I haue thought it meete to make relation of ſuch things as I heard amongſt them, going no farther in many thyngs then he areſay.

Amiddeſt the infernall powers,¹⁴⁸ the Ægyptians affyrme that Ceres and Liber haue the chiefe authoritie.

The fame people were they that firſt helde opinion that the ſoule of man was immortall, paſſing from one body into another by a continuall courſe, as euery one tooke hys beginning and generation of another, and when it had paſſed through all bodyes that haue theyr beeyng eyther in the lande, ſea, or aire, then conſequentlie to returne into the bodye of man agayne, whyche courſe it finiſhed within the tearme of three thouſand yeares: whych opinion had many patrones of the Graecians, ſome auncient and of great authoritie, others of later dayes, vſurping and chalenging it for theyr owne, of whoſe names I am not ignoraunt, albeit I minde not to recite them. The Aegyptians likewiſe mention that to the tyme of Kampſinitus, religion, iuſtice, and true order of gouernement greatly flouriſhed among them.

After whome, the royall dignitie came into the handes of Cheops,¹⁴⁹ a man fraught with all kynde of vicious demeanour, and wicked conuerſation. For cauſing the temples of the gods to be faſt locked vp, he gaue out through all quarters of hys Empyre, that it myght not be lawfull for any Aegyptian to offer ſacrifice, to the ende, that beeing ſeduced front the ſeruice and reuerence of the gods, he might ſecurely employ them in hys owne affayres.¹⁵⁰ Some were appoynted to digge ſtones in the mountayne Arabicus, and from thence, to conuey them to the riuer Nilus, where they were receyued of others which pheryed them ouer the riuer to the roote of a greate hill named Africus. The whole number of thoſe that were conuerſaunt in the Kings affayres, was tenne thouſande men, ſeruing by turnes, euery three monethes a thouſand. In which manner, he helde the people the ſpace of tenne yeares, in all whiche tyme, they did nothyng but hewe and cary ſtones, a labour of no leſſe importaunce (in my iudgemente) then to haue built the pyre it ſelfe, or towre of ſtone, which is in length fiue furlongs, in breadth tenne paces, and in height where it is greateſt, to the number of eyght paces, beeyng framed of ſtone, euriously carued and ingrauen with the pictures of beaſtes. Heerein alſo were conſumed other tenne yeares, cauſing certayne chambers to be cut out vnder the grounde, vndermining the ſtoneworke vpon the which the towres were founded, whyche hee prouided for hys ſepulcher. The ſituation heere of was in a fmall Ilande, through the whyche by a trench or fmall draught, he cauſed the riuer to haue paſſage. The pyre was made stearewiſe, aſcending by ſteppes or degrees orderly placed one aboue another.

Hauyng in ſuche forte finiſhed the lower worke, they deuiſed certayne engines or wreſtes to heaue vp ſtones from the grounde to the fyrſt ſtayre, and from thence to the ſeconde, and ſo conſequently tyll they came to the place where the ſtone ſhoulde lye, hauyng vppon each ſtayre a wreaſt: or (that whyche is more likely) vſing one for all, beeyng framed of lyght wood, to the intente it might the more eaſily be remooued.

The groſſe worke finiſhed, they began to poliſhe and beautifie the towre from the toppe downewardes, comming laſt of all to the neathermoſt ſtayre, wherein they made a finall ende and concluſion of the beautie and grace of all theyr woorkemanſhippe. In thys pyre, were intayled certayne letters in the Ægyptian language, declaring the expence the King was at in the time of his building, for ſuſtardſeed, oynyons, and garlike, which (as I remember) the interpreter told me, did amount to the ſumme of a thouſande ſixe hundred talents. If this were ſo, how much ſhal we deeme to haue bene ſpent vpon other things, as vpon tooles, engins, victuals, labouring garments for the workemen, being tenne yeares buſied in theſe affayres? I recken not the time wherein they were held in framing and hewing of ſtones to ſet them in a readineſſe for the mayne worke: neyther all the ſpace that paſſed ouer in the conueyance and cariage of the ſtone to the place of building, which was no fmall numbers of dayes, as alſo the time which was conſumed in vndermining the earth, and cutting out of chambers vnder the grounde, all whyche things draue the King to ſuch a narrow ſtraight, that he was fayne to cloute out his deuiſes with a moſt wicked inuention, which was this: Perceiuing his golden mine to draw low that the diuell might daunce in the bottome of his bagge and finde neuer a croſſe, he made ſale of his daughters honeſtie, willing hir to entertayne tagge and ragge all that would come, in caſe they refuſed not to pay for their pleaſure, ſithence Venus accepteth not the deuotion of ſuch as pray with empty hands and threadbare purſſes. The Lady willing to obey the heſtes of the King her father, deuiſed alſo the meane to prolong the memorie of herſelfe, and to aduaunce her fame to the notice of all ages that ſhould enſue, wherefore ſhe made requeſt to ſuche as had acceſſe vnto her, to giue her a ſtone to the building and erection of a worke which ſhe had determined, wherewith (as the brute goeth) ſhe gaue ſo many ſtones as ſerued to the framing of a whole pyre, ſituate in the middeſt of the three former, in full view and prospect to the greateſt pyrame, which is euery way an acre and an halfe ſquare.

Enſuing the raigne of Cheops, whoſe kingdome continued the ſpace of fifty yeares, the chiefe gouernement was committed to Chephrenes¹⁵¹ his brother, which followed the ſteps of his predeceſſour as well in other things, as alſo in building of a pyre, howbeit, not ſo huge and great as that which his brother had finiſhed before him, for we tooke the meaſure of them all. Moreouer, ſuch vnderworke wrought out in caues and chambers vnder the ground as is to be ſeene in the pyre of Cheops, are wanting in this, beſides the laborious & toileſome worke which they had to deriue and drawe the riuer to that place, which hath his courſe through the middeſt of the former pyre, bemming in the whole Iland wherein it is ſituate: within the compaſſe whereof, they affirme that Cheops himſelfe was buried. By whome in his lifetime, an houſe was framed of one ſtone alone, Diuersly coloured, which he had out of the countrey of Aethiopia, forty foote lower then the pire it ſelfe, yet planted and built vpon the ſelfefame foundation. Chephrenes alſo (by the computation of the Ægyptians) ruled the countrey fiftie yeares, by which meanes they make account that their miſerie cōtinued an hundred and ſixe yeares, al which time, the temples of their gods were vnfrequented, abiding ſtill from time to time ſealed vp and vnopened, wherefore theſe princes the Ægyptians will not name for the hatred they beare them,calling their pyres the towres of the ſhepeheard Philitio, who at that time kept ſheepe in thoſe places.

Chephrenes dying, yeelded the Kingdome to Mycerinus,¹⁵² the ſonne of his brother Cheops, who eschuing the wicked acts and deteſtable practiſes of his father, cauſed the temples to be ſet open, giuing libertie to the people being ſo long diſtreſſed vnder the gouernement of his father and vncle, to follow their owne affayres, and returne to their auncient cuſtome of ſacrifice, miniſtring iuſtice¹⁵³ aboue all the Kings that were before him, for which cauſe, none of all the princes that haue borne rule in Ægypt is ſo greatly prayſed and renowmed, both for other cauſes which were wiſely taken vp by him in iudgement, and chiefly for this, that a certayne Ægyptian much complayning that the King had wronged him in deciding his cauſe, he commaunded him to value the loſſe which he had ſuffered by him, which the partie doing, he gaue him ſo much of his owne goods to make him a recompence. Mycerinus in this wiſe gouerning the common weale with great clemency, and ſeekyng by vertue to aduance his fame; was ſodeinely daunted by a great miſfortune, the death of his onely daughter, hauing no more children but her, which was the firſt and greateſt hartbreake that befell him in his kingdome. For which cauſe, being ſtricken with ſorrowe aboue meaſure, and deſirous to ſolemnize her funeralles by the moſt royall and princely kinde of buryall that could be deuiſed: he cauſed an oxe to be made of wood, inwardly vauted and hollow within, which being layde ouer and garniſhed moſt curiously with gilt, he incloſed therein the wanne and forlorne corpſe of his beſt beloued daughter. This royall tombe was not interred and buryed in the grounde, but remayned vnto our age in the city Sais in open view, ſtanding in a certayne parlour of the Kings pallace, adorned and ſet foorth for the fame purpoſe, with moſt beautyfull and coſtly furniture. The cuſtome is euermore in the daye time to caſt into the belly of the oxe ſweete and precious odoures of all fortes that may be gotten: and in the nighte to kindle a lampe, which burneth by the tombe till the next daye. In a chamber next adioyning are certayne pictures of women that were the concubines of Mycerinus, if we may beleeue the talke of thoſe that in the fame city of Sais are profesſours in religion, forſomuch as there are ſeene ſtanding in that place certayne mighty images made of wood, twentye or thereaboutes in number, the moſt parte of them bare and naked, but what women they reſemble, or whoſe pictures they be, I am not able to alleadge more then heareſay, notwithstāding, there were which as touching the gilded oxe, and the other images framed this tale, that Mycerinus being inamoured of his own daughter, dealt vnlawfully with her besides the courſe of nature, who for intollerable greefe hanging her ſelfe, was intombed in that oxe by her father: the Queene her mother cauſing the hands of all her gentlewomen to be cut off, by whoſe meanes ſhe had beene betrayed to ſerue her fathers lust, for which cauſe (ſay they) are theſe images portrayed, to declare the miſfortune which they abode in their lifetime. But this is as true as the man in the moone, for that a man with halfe an
eye may clearely perceiue, that their hands fel offfor very age, by reaſon that the wood through long cōtinuance of time was ſpaked and periſhed, whiche euen to our memory were to be ſeene lying at the feete of thoſe which were portrayed. The oxe wherein the yong princeſſe lay, was ſumptuously clad, and arayed all the body wyth a gorgeous mantle of Phenicia, hys head and necke beeyng spanged and layde ouer with braces and plates of golde of a maruaylous thickeneſſe. Betweene hys hornes was ſet a globe or circle of golde, glIſtering as the ſunne. Neyther is the oxe ſtanding and borne vp vppon hys feete, but kneeleth as it were on hys knees, equall in bigneſſe to a great heighfer.¹⁵⁴ The manner is once a yeare to bring this image out of the parlour wherein it is kepte, hauyng firſt of all well beaten and cudgelled a certayne image of one of theyr Sainctes, whome in thys caſe wee thynke it not lawfull for vs to name. The talke goeth, that the Lady beſought the Kyng her father that beeing dead, ſhe myght once a yeare beholde the ſunne, whereof sprang the cuſtome and maner aforefayde.

After this, there befell vnto him another miſchiefe that ſate as neere hys skirtes as the death of his dilling, inſomuch that he was readie to runne beyonde hymſelfe for ſorrowe. A prophecie aroſe in the city of Butis, that the tearme of ſixe yeares fully exspired, the Kyng ſhoulde ende hys lyfe, leauing hys Kyngdome to be ruled of another. Whereof the Kyng beeing aduertiſed, and greately greeuing at the rigorous and vniust dealing of the gods, ſped a meſſenger to the place where the ſeate of prophecie was helde, to expoſtulate with the god, for what cauſe (ſince hys father and vnckle who had beene ſo vnmindfull of the gods, shutting vptheir temples, and making hauocke of the people had liued ſo long) he hymſelfe that had dealte better with them, and cauſed theſe thynges to bee reſtored agayne, ſhoulde ſo ſoone be depriued of the benefite of lyfe, to whome aunſwere was made, that hys dayes were therefore ſhortened becauſe hee tooke a wrong courſe and dyd not as he ſhould do, beyng appoynted by the celeſtiall powers, that the countrey of Ægypt ſhould ſuffer miſerie, and be afflicted by their princes ye ſpace of an hūdred & fifty yeares, which the two former princes well vnderſtanding, was neuertheleſſe by him neglected and left vnperformed. Mycerinus
hearing this round reply, and perceiuing that his thread was almoſt spoon, ſet al at reuell, making great prouiſion of lights and tapers, which at euentide he cauſed to be lighted, paſſing the night in exceeding great mirth and princely banquetting, letting ſlip no time wherein he either wandered not alongst the riuer, and through the woods and groues of the countrey, or entertayned the time in ſome pleaſaunt deuiſes, following all things that might eyther breede delighte, or bring pleaſure, which things he did, to the end he might prooue the prophecie falſe, and conuince the god of a lie, making twelue yeares of ſixe,¹⁵⁵ by spending the nightes alſo as he did the dayes. Mycerinus alſo built a pyre, not equall to that which his father had
ſet vp before him, beeing in meaſure but twentie foote ſquare, framed quadrangularly, and another lower then that, of three acres in compaſſe, being built to the middeſt of the ſtone of Aethiopia. There be of the Graecian writers that ſuppoſe thys towre to haue bene erected by a woman of notable fame, called Rhodope,¹⁵⁶ who miſſe of their account, not ſeeming to knowe what that Rhodope was of whome they fpeake. Beſides, it is very vnlikely that Rhodope woulde euer haue enterpriſed a worke of ſo great value, wherein infinite thouſands of talentes were ſpent before it came to perfection. Laſtly, it was not in the dayes of this prince that Rhodope flouriſhed, but vnder the gouernement of Amaſis, many yeares paſſing from the tyme
of thoſe princes that planted the pyres, to the dayes and age of Rhodope. This gallaunt dame was by countrey a Thracian borne, the bondmayd of one Iadmon, whoſe abiding was in the land of Samos in the city of the god Vulcane, who in the tyme of her bondage, was fellowſeruant with Aeſope the inuenter of fables, to whome this ſmooth minion had a monethes mind and more, for which cauſe, being giuen out by ye oracle at Delphos, that it mighte be free for any man to ſlay Aeſope that would, and take pennaunce for his ſoule for his faulte committed, there was none found that would put him to death, but the nephew of Iadmon that came by his ſonne, who was alſo named Iadmon: whereby we may gather that Æſope was a ſlaue and vaſſall to Iadmon. The death of Aeſope wounded Rhodope with ſo great feare, that ſhe tooke her flight foorthwith into Ægypt, accompanyed by one Xanthus a Samian, where ſhe ſet foorth her ſelfe to the ſale of ſuch, as rather then Venus ſhould be shut out for a Sainct, thought it no idolatrie to worſhip idols. Whiles ſhee abode in Ægypt, ſhee was redeemed and acquit of her ſeruitude by one Charaxus, who purchaſed her libertie by a great ſumme of money. This Charaxus was of the countrey of Mitilene, ſonne of Scamandronymus, and brother to Sappho the notable poetreſſe. By theſe meanes came Rhodope to be free, and remayned ſtill in Ægypt, where ſhe wanne ſo great credite and liking of all men, that in ſhorte ſpace ſhe grewe to maruellous wealth, beeing ſuch as farre in deede ſurmounted the degree of Rhodope, but yet amounted not to the buylding of a pyre. By the tenth parte of which her fubſtaunce, it is eaſie for any man to geſſe, that the maſſe
and ſumme of money which ſhe had gathered, was no ſuche myracle as it is made to be. For ſtudying to be famous and remembred in Greece, ſhe deuiſed a worke which had neuer bene imagined or geuen by any other, which in remembrance of her ſelfe ſhe offered in the temple of Delphos. Wherefore of the tenth parte of her riches which ſhe ſente to the temple, ſhe commaunded ſo many yron ſpittes to be made (which were imployed to the roſting of oxen) as the quantitie of the money woulde afoorde that was ſente thyther by her. Theſe ſpittes at this preſent ſtande behynde the aultare, whiche the people of Chios erected iust oueragainſt the temple. Howbeit, ſuch arrant honeſt women as are fiſhe for euery man, haue in no place the like credite, as in the city of Naucrates. Forſomuch as this stalant of whome we fpeake, had her fame ſo bruted in all places, as almoſt there was none in Greece that had not hearde of the fame of Rhodope. After whome, there ſprang vp alſo another as good as euer ambled, by name Archidice,¹⁵⁷ whoſe vertues were blaſed very farre, but not with like fame and renowne as her predecesſour, with whome, Charaxus was ſo farre gone, that retyring home to Mytelene, he was almoſt beſides himſelfe, as Sappho maketh mention, inueyghing in verſe agaynſt hys folly. We haue thus far digreſſed to fpeake of Rhodope, we will now returne to the text agayne.

Next after Mycerinus, enſued the raigne and dominion of Aſychis,¹⁵⁸ by whome (as the prieſts report) was conſecrated to Vulcane a princely gallerie ſtandyng to the Eaſt, very fayre and large, wrought with moſt curious and exquiſite workemanſhip. For besides that it had on euery ſide emboſſed the ſtraunge and liuely pictures of wilde beaſtes, it had in a manner all the graces and ſumptuous ornaments that coulde be imagined to the beautifying of a worke. Howbeit, amiddeſt other his famous deedeſ, this purchaſed him the greateſt dignitie, that perceyuing the land¹⁵⁹ to be oppreſſed with debt, and many creditours like to be indamaged by great loſſe, he inacted foorthwith, that who ſo borrowed aught vppon credite,
ſhoulde lay to pledge the dead body of his father, to be vſed at the diſcretion of the creditour, and to be buryed by him in what manner he woulde, for a pennaunce to all thoſe that tooke any thing of loane: prouiding moreouer, that in caſe he refuſed to repay the debt, he ſhould neyther be buryed in the tombe of his fathers, nor in any other ſepulchre, neyther himſelfe, nor the iſſue that ſhould deſcend and ſpring of his body. This prince deſiring to ſurpaſſe all that had bene before him, left in memorie of himſelfe an excellente pyre built all of clay, wherein was a ſtone ſet ingrauen in theſe wordes: Compare me not to the reſt of the pyres, which I ſurmount as farre as Iupiter excelleth the meaner gods, for ſearching the bottome of the riuer with a ſcoupe, looke what clay they brought vp, the fame they employed to the building of me in ſuch forme and bigneſſe as you may beholde. And this did Aſychis imagine to aduance the fame of himſelfe to the time to come. After whome, the scepter was held by one Anyſis¹⁶⁰ a blynde man, inhabiting in a city called after his owne name Anyſis. In time of whoſe raigne, Sabbacus King of Æthyopia inuaded Ægypt with a mightie power. Where at the poore blinde King greatly affrighted, crope priuily away, and gayned a priuie couert in the marriſhe places of the countrey, leauyng the gouernement to Sabbacus his enemie, whiche ruled the fame 50. yeares, whoſe actes are mentioned to haue beene theſe. If any of the Ægyptians made a treſpaſſe, he neuer vſed to do any man to death for his offence, but according to ye quantity of his fault, to enioyne him to arrere & make higher by forreine ſupply of earth and ſtone, ſome parte of the city wherein he dwelt, for which cauſe, the cities became very high and eminent, being much more loftely ſituated then before. For firſt of all in time of Seſoſtris ſuch earth as was caſt out of the trenches (which were made to geue the water a courſe to the cities that were farre off) was employed to the eleuation & aduancing of the lowe townes, and now agayne vnder this Æthyopian they had increaſe of freſh earth, and grew to be very high and lofty. Amongſt the reſt, the noble city of Bubaſtis ſeemeth to be very haughty & highly planted, in which city is a temple¹⁶¹ of excellent memory dedicate to the goddeſſe Bubaſtis,called in our ſpeach Diana, then the which, albeit there be other churches both bigger and more richly furniſhed, yet for the ſightly grace and ſeemelyneſſe of building, there is none comparable vnto it. Beſides, the very entrance and way that leadeth into the city, the reſt is informe of an Ilande, incloſed round about with two fundry ſtreames of the riuer Nilus, which runne to either ſide of the path way, and leauing as it were a lane or cauſey betweene them, without meeting, take their courſe another way. Theſe armes of the floud are eache of them an hundred foote broade, beſet on both sides the banckes with fayre braunched trees, ouerſhadowing ye waters with a coole & pleaſant shade. The gate or entry of the city is in heighth 10. paces, hauing in the front a beautifull image. 6. cubites in meaſure. The temple it ſelfe ſituate in the middeſt of ye city, is euermore in ſight to thoſe yt paſſe to and fro. For although ye city by addition of earth was arrered & made higher, yet ye temple ſtāding as it did in ye beginning, & neuer mooued, is in maner of a lofty & ſtately tower, in open & cleare viewe to euery parte of ye city. Round about the which goeth a wall ingrauen with figures & protraitures of fundry beaſts. The inner temple is enuironed with an high groue of trees, ſet and planted by the hande and induſtrie of men: in the whiche temple is ſtanding an image. The length of the temple is euery way a furlong. From the entrance of the temple Eaſtward, there is a fayre large cauſey leading to the houſe of Mercury, in length, three furlongs, and foure acres broade, all of faire ſtone, & hemmed in on each ſide with a courſe of goodly call trees planted by the hands of men, and thus as touching the deſcription of y• temple. Likewiſe they make mention in what maner they ſhifted their hands of y• Aethiopian prince,¹⁶² who admoniſhed in his sleepe by a viſion, haſtned his flight to depart y• countrey. There ſeemed vnto him one ſtanding by his bedſide, willing him in any wiſe to aſſemble together y• prieſts of Ægypt, & to cut thē all aſunder by y• waſte: which the King pondering in his mind, ſaid thus, I wel perceiue that y• gods would picke a quarrel agaynſt me, that by the doing of ſome villany or other, I might either incur their hatred, or the diſpleaſure of men, but ſince the time of my rule in Ægypt, which by y• oracle was prefined, is nowe exſpired, I will kindle no moe coales then I may well quenche, wherewith departing y• countrey, he left the gouernement to y• ſeed of the Ægyptians, & retired himſelfe into his owne lande. For abiding beforetime in Aethiopia the oracles which the Aethiopians vſe, gaue out to the King, that he ſhoulde beare rule 50. yeares in Ægypt, which time being finiſhed, Sabbacus ſore troubled with y• ſtrange ſight of his dreame, of his own proper wil departed the listes of the countrey. Insuing whoſe flight, y• blinde King forsaking his neſt in the fennes, came out, & ſhewed his head againe, exerciſing gouernemēt as he had done before, hauing wonderfully inlarged the Iland where he lay, with addition of aſhes & freſh earth. For whoſoeuer of the Ægyptiās came vnto him either with grayne or other prouiſion, his manner was to giue him in charge, that vnwitting to the Aethiopian prince (who then withheld frō him the right of his kingdome) he ſhould preſent him with a loade or two of aſhes. This Ile before y• time of Amyrtaeus was vnknowne to any mā, named in y• Ægyptiā lāguage Elbo,¹⁶³ being in bignes. 10. furlōgs. Next after whome, the title ro all was reſigned ouer to a certaine prieſt called ſethon, ſeruing in y• temple of the god Vulcane by whom, the ſouldyers of Ægypt were abuſed & had in contempt as men vnfit, & not ſeruing for his purpoſe. Wherefore beſide other ſlaunderous tauntes & reuiling words, wherby he ſought at all times to greeue thē, he bereaued thē alſo of ſuch lāds and reuenues as had bene graunted vnto them by the former Kings: for which cauſe, after that Senacherib King of the Arabians & Aſſyrians had inuaded Ægypt with a mighty power, they refuſed to yeeld him ayd & aſſistāce in his warres. The prieſt driuen to this sudden blanke, not knowing howe toſhift, withdrewe himſelfe into a cloſe parlour, where complayning himſelfe before his god, he ſhewed whatgreat & imminent perils were like to befall him. As he was in this fort powring out his teares & pitiful complaints before his image, he fell aſleepe, where there ſeemed to appeare vnto him the ſtraunge forme of his god, willing him to be of good comfort, and meete his enemies in the field, not fearing the euent of battayle, forſomuch as he would ſend him ſufficiēt aide to aſſist and ſuccour him. MaIſter parſon taking hart of grace by this bleſſed viſion, tooke with him ſuch of the Ægyptians as were willing to follow him, & incamped in Peluſia, on which ſide only Aegypt lieth open, and may be inuaded by forreine power, in whoſe cauſe, not one of the ſouldiers would mooue a foote to followe him out of dores, but pedlers, tinkers, & common gadders that ſtrayed here & there about the countrey. Being arriued at the place before named, in y• night ſeaſon, there came into the tents of their aduerſaries an huge multitude of field mice, which gnawed their quiuerſ, but in ſunder their bowſtrings, & the braces off their ſhields, y• in y• morning being diſfurniſhed of their armour, they betooke thēſelues to flight, not without the loſſe of many ſouldiers. Herehence is it y• the picture of y• fame prince grauen of ſtone, is ſeene ſtanding in y• temple of Vulcane with this title & inſeription, Learne by me to feare God.¹⁶⁴ Thus far went the Ægyptians & their prieſts in deſcribing the cōtinual ſucceſſion of their kings & gouernours, alleadging that frō the firſt King vnto this prieſt of Vulcane before mentioned, were 341. generations. Three hundred generatiōs conteine ten thouſand yeares, forſomuch as to three progenies of men are aſſigned an hundred yeares, ſo y• the reſidue of the progenies which were 41. are valued at 1340. yeares. Likewiſe they affirmed, y• in the courſe of ten thouſand three hundred and forty yeares, there appeared no god in Ægypt vnder the proportion & ſhape of a man, neyther coulde any ſuch thing be mentioned to haue falne out vnder the gouernance of any of their princes, howbeit, within the tearme of yeares aforenamed, theſe ſtrange alterations¹⁶⁵ were marked in y• ſunne at foure fundry times. Two fundry times it was ſeene to riſe frō that place where it is now wont to fall, and in like maner to ſet in thoſe regions frō whēce it now ariſeth, which alſo came to paſſe two feueral times. Iuſuing which things, there was no change in y• countrey, no alteration in any poynt, neither as touching the effects & courſe of the riuer, nor for any maladies, death, or inconueniences in the lande. In like forte, before Hecataeus the writer of monuments(by whome in the city of Thebes a rehearsall was made of the whole diſcent of his ſtocke & kindred, fetching his progeny frō the xvi. god) the prieſt of Iupiter did this, (as alſo to my ſelfe that made no relation of mine alliance) leading vs into a large chappel or houſe of praier, they ſhewed vs both the number of our auncetry according to our own account. Wherin alſo ſtood the images of certaine chiefe prieſts & Biſhops in ſuch forme & maner as euery one had led his life, where, by orderly diſcent & iſſue they ſhewed vs in what maner y• ſonne had euermore ſucceeded his father in y• office of prieſthode, reciting euery one of their images vntill they came to the laſt. Heerein alſo they diſliked y• ſpeach of Hecataeus y• ſought to fetch his progeny frō y• xvi. god, making him another account of his kinsfolke& allies, ſhewing him how abſurd a thing it was, & diſagreeing from reaſon for a man to deriue his iſſue frō a god. For which cauſe, in reciting the genealogies, they diſprooued his account in this wiſe, relating howe each of theſe images were in theyr ſpeach named Pyromis, which name they tooke by diſcent, the ſonne frō the father by line all courſe to y• nūber of 345. whoſe pictures were ſtanding in y• fame oratory. Theſe Pyromes (as they termed thē) were ſuch mē as had no affinity with y• gods, neither coulde chalenge their progeny of any one of the chiefe nobles & potentates, being ſuch as y• Grecians call καλὸς κἀγαθὸς, that is, an honeſt, fimple, & wel meaning mā. Of which fort were al thoſe whoſe monumēts were extant in y• place very far frō being allied wt any of the gods. Before theſe mē, y• gods thēſelues were rulers in Ægypt, hauing their dwelling and abode together with mē. Notwithstāding, being many in number, they gouerned not the countrey all at once, but ſome one of thē for a time, or ech in courſe, til at lēgth y• scepter came to the hāds of Orus ſonne of Osiris whom the Graecians call Apollo. The laſt & yongeſt of al the gods by the Grecians account,are Hercules, Dioniſius, & Pan. Albeit Pan with the Ægyptians is a grandſire god, one of the moſt auncientst among them, in the nūber of thoſe eight y• are y• chief & principal. Hercules is reckned in y• nūber of y• xii. meaner saints. Dioniſius among thoſe y• are called y• iii. saincts, iſſued of the xii. former. From Dioniſius (who is ſaid to be the ſonne of Cadmus by Semele)vnto this our age, are 6000. yeares. From Hercules ſprong of Alcmena to this time welny 9000. From Pan ſonne of Mercury, begotten of the Lady Penelope, vnto theſe daies wherin we liue, the
time is not ſo long as frō the Troiane war, to wit, 8000. yeres or there aboutes. In all theſe thinges we leaue it free to euery ones fancy to follow what he will, our ſelues beſt liking of the cōmon opinion which is generally receiued of all men. For if theſe gods beeing renowmed with great fame in Graece,¹⁶⁶ had
there alſo waſted the whole courſe of their age (as Hercules deſcended of Amphytrio, Dioniſius of Semele, Pan of Penelope) happily ſome man would haue fayde that the Ægyptians had worſhipped ſome other gods, whiche beeing of the fame name with theſe before mentioned, were notwithſtanding in time long before them. Nowe the Graecians themſelues confeſſe, that Dioniſius being begotten by Iupiter, was no ſooner
borne, but he cleaued faſt to his fathers thigh, and was caryed away by hym into Nyssa, which is a towne in Æthyopia neere vnto Ægypt. Of Pan they make ſhorte worke, as ignorant in what parte of the worlde after his birth hee was broughte vp and nouriſhed. Whereby it is eaſily coniectured, that the names of theſe gods came of later dayes to the eares of y• Graecians, and that accordyng to that notice, they began to frame
for eache of them a cradle in Greece, as though they had beene borne there, planting more vpō heareſay, then certaine truth.

Thus farre we haue followed the fayings of the Ægyptians, from hencefoorth minding to ſet downe the conſente of others, wherein they accord with the people of Ægypt as concerning ſuch things as were done in that countrey, adding thereto ſuch matters as our ſelues haue bene beholders of, & eyewitneſſes.

The laſt King¹⁶⁷ (beeing as before was mentioned the prieſt of Vulcane) leauing the ſeate imperiall void by his death, ye Aegyptians being now at liberty, & yet vnable to liue without the aid of gouernemēt, choſe vnto thēſelues 12. princes, deuiding ye whole lād into ſo many partes. Theſe 12. ioyning betweene thēſelues mutual kindred & affinity, exerciſed the authority & office of Kings, eſtabliſhing mutuall league & couenaunts, that none ſhould incroch or gather vpō another, but holding himſelfe ſatiſfied with an equall portion, ſhould liue in friendſhip and amity with the reſt, which their league & agreemēt they ſought
by ſo much the more diligence & warines to confirme & ſtrengthen, for that in ye firſt entrance to their kingdomes a prophecie was geuen out, that who ſo dranke of a braſen mazer in the temple of Vulcane, ſhould be King alone ouer the whole lād. When the ſacred rites and ceremonies obſerued in ſtriking of league & making couenāt were duly accompliſhed, it liked thē all to leaue ſome cōmon monumēt or worke behinde thē to the continuance of their memories, which they did, making a labyrinth or maze¹⁶⁸ ſomewhat aboue the poole called Maeris toward the city, much more greater & famous thā ye brute goeth. This I beheld with mine eies, being named The Maze of the Crocodyles: for if a mā would frame his cōiecture according to the report which ye Graecians make therof, meaſuring the walles & beauty of ye work after their account, certes he ſhal giue but a beggerly iudgemēt of ſo ſumptuous & magnificent a building.
For albeit ye temple of Epheſuſ be an excellent & worthy monumēt, & the church or religious houſe of Samos, yet are they nothing in respect of ye pires in Ægypt, one of yt which may well ſtād in cōpariſon wt all ye renowmed works of Greece, and yet euē theſe are far excelled & ſurmounted by ye labyrinth. In this princely monumēt are 12. moſt fair & ſumptuous haules, whoſe gates opē oppoſit ech againſt other, 6. stāding north neere adioing together, ye other 6. ſouth, garded about wt ye fame walls.

The roomes and lodgings therein conteyned, are of two forts, ſome lower, wrought cellar wiſe vnder the ground, other aboue theſe, being together in number three thouſand and ſixe hundred. Of ſuch roomes as were ſituate in the ſeconde ſtory, our ſelues had the full ſight and viewe, speaking no more therof then we beheld with our eyes, following in the reſt the report of others, forſomuch as the vnder buildings were kepte
couert from the ſight of all that were trauellers, becauſe in them lay the tombes of thoſe Kings that were the founders of that place, with the bodies and dead carkaſſes of the ſacred Crocodyles. Thus of the neathermoſt houſe we fpeake by heareſay, of the lodgings aboue viewing with our owne eyes, more ſtraunge & wonderfull miracles then could be wrought by the helpe of men, for the fundry turnings and windings¹⁶⁹ leading from one chamber to another, did wonderfully amaze and astoniſh my wits. Out of the great haules we go into certain parlours, wherehence the way leadeth in other bedchambers, next vnto which are ſituate Diuers ſecrete lodgings that open into the ſixe great haules, ſtanding on the contrarie parte of the court, all which are coped ouer aboue with wrought and carued ſtone, incompaſſed alſo with a wall of moſt fayre and beautifull ſtone, ingrauen with fundrie forts of pictures. Euery one of the haules are layde with ſmooth white ſtone, beautified on each ſide with a goodly courſe of pillers. To one corner of the Laberinth is adioyning a pyre or towre of ſtone, being fortie paces, wherein are the pictures of many ſtraunge
beaſtes hewne out and carued of ſtone. To this towre is a way vndermined in the ground. Notwithſtanding, for all the wonders that are to be ſeene and marked in the Laberinth, the poole called Maeris, neere bounding vnto the fame, hath (in our iudgemēt) fundry things thereto belonging of farre greater admiration. The compaſſe of this ponde is three thouſande ſixe hundred furlongs, and ſixty Schoenes as they tearme them, conteyning alltogether as much ſpace as the ſea coaſt of the countrey of Ægypt. The length of the poole lyeth North and ſouth, being in deapth where it is higheſt fiftie paees. Now that it hath not ſprong naturally in that place, but rather hath bene wrought and digged by the trauell of men, this is an euident proofe, for that welnye in the middeſt of the ponde are planted two mightie towres of ſtone appearing fiftie foote aboue the water, and beeing as much vnder. On the toppe of ech towre is a great image wrought of ſtone, ſitting in a chaire of maieſtie, ſo that the towres conteyne in heigth an hundreth paces. An hundredth full paces do make a furlong of ſixe acres. A pace conteyneth ſixe feete, or foure cubites. A foote is foure
times the breadth of the hande. The water of Moeris is not naturally flowing from any ſpring belonging thereto (the grounde beeyng exceedyngly patched and drie) but is deriued from the riuer, the water hauing recourſe into the poole euerie ſixe monethes by ebbing and flowing. The ſixe monethes wherein the water is retyring out of the ponde, the multitude of fiſhe which is there taken, increaſeth the Kings fiske euery
day by a talent of ſiluer, and at ſuche time as it refloweth agayne, it bringeth aduantage of twentie pounde a daye. Thys poole, the inhabitants affyrme, ſearcheth through the vames of the earth, and ſheddeth his waters into the Syrians or quickeſands of Africa, vndermining a ſecrete courſe into the mayne land towarde the countreys of the Weſt, faſt by the ſide of an huge mountayne which appeareth ouer the city Memphis.
Now forſomuch as I could not diſcerne how all the molde ſhould be beſtowed that was caſt out of the poole at the firſte making thereof, being deſirous to knowe what was become of it, I queſtioned with the inhabitaunts of thoſe places as touching the fame, whoſe anſwere was, that it was employde to
the rampeiring of the bankes of Nilus, and much of it throwne downe the riuer, whoſe ſpeach obteyned the more credite wythme, for that I remembred the like thing to haue bene done at the city Ninus, one of the chiefe cities of Aſſyria. In this city it fell out in auncient time, that certayne good fellowes wanting ſiluer, determined to viſit the Kings treaſurie, who at that time was Sardanapalus abounding with infinite ſummes of treaſure, which for that it lay ſafely garded vnder the earth in houſes vndermined for the purpoſe, theſe yonkers aforefayde beginning at their owne houſes, made a way vnder grounde, directly leading to the pallace of the King, voyding all the mold which they digged, into the riuer Tigris by night, which floweth faſt by the city, vntill they had brought their enterpriſe to paſſe. After the fame manner it fell out in Ægypt, in caſting the lake of Maeris, ſauing that the one was digged by night, the other by day, but in this alſo, the greateſt parte of the boyde earth was caſt into Nilus, and diſperſed by the ſtreame. And in this manner ſay the Ægyptians, was the poole of Maeris firſte made. Now when as the 12. Kings of Ægypt had practiſed equity euery one within his owne territory, they drew together at a certaine time to do ſacrifice in Vulcans temple, where (as ye maner was) ye laſt day of ye feſtiuall, the prieſt miniſtred wine vnto thē in certaine chalices of gold reſerued for the fame vſe, where happily miſſing of his number, hauing but xi. cups for xii. princes, Pfammitichus ſtanding laſt, tooke from his heada braſen coſtlet, and for want of a cup, dranke therein. In lyke maner fel it out with the reſt of the princes, that euery one was there preſente in his headpeece of braſſe. In thus doyng, it was deemed that Pfammitichus meante no crafte or legerde•ayne, but had a playne & fimple meaning. Howbeit, it could not ſinke with the reſt but that he did it of purpoſe, and comming in mind of the oracle that was geuen them, that whoſoeuer dranke of a braſen chalice, ſhould vſurpe the whole empyre alone: weying his facte, and finding that it was committed by errour, they thought it not meete to put him to death, but depriuing him of the greateſt parte of his dominion, baniſhed him into the marriſh countrey, with eſpeciall threates, that he ſhould not meddle with any parte of the countrey beſides. Notwithſtanding, Pfammitichus¹⁷⁰ hauing put to flight Sabbacus the Kyng of the Æthyopians, and chaſed hym into Syria, after this conqueſt was acquit of hys exile, and reſtored agayne by thoſe Ægyptians which are of the tribe of Sais, wherefore, once agayne vſing gouernement wyth the reſt of hys confederates, for the olde grudge of the braſen helmet, they forced him to take the fennes agayne. Recounting therefore with himſelfe ye great deſpight they had wrought him, determined eftſoones to reuenge his cauſe vpon thoſe yt had purſued him, & ſpeeding a meſſenger to the oracle of Latona in the citie of Butis, which of all the ſeates of ſouthfaying is of greateſt truth, aunſwere was giuen him to be of good courage, he ſhoulde haue helpe inough by braſen men that ſhoulde ariſe from the ſea. Which prophecie for the ſtrangeneſſe thereof could hardly ſincke into his braines, to make him hope for the helpe of braſen ſouldyders. Not long after, certayne pyrates of Ionia and Caria proling alongst the ſeacoaſtes for their pray, were by conſtraynte of weather driuen vpon the ſhores of Ægypt, where going on lande all in armour of braſſe, a certayne Ægyptian ranne to Pfammitichus in the fennes, and for that he had neuer before ſeene any in the like array, he tolde him that certayne braſen men were sproong out of the ſea to waſte and deſpoyle the countrey. Pfammitichus reknowledging the truth of the prophecie, foorthwith ioyned himſelfe in amitie with the rouers, inducing them by great and large promiſes to abide with him, which being by him in like forte obteyned, with this freſh ſupply of forreyne ayde, and the helpe of ſuch Ægyptians as fauoured his cauſe, he prouided againſt the reſt of the princes. Hauing the whole gouernemente alone, he made in the city of Memphis certayne porches ſacred to the god Vulcane, lying vpon the ſouth winde, and oueragainſt the porches a fayre large haule dedicated to Apis, wherein the god Apis at ſuche time as he appeared, was releeued and nouriſhed. This place was beſet round with ſtately pillers, and ingrauen with ſundrie ſimilitudes and imboſſements of beaſtes, foules, and fiſhes. Wherein alſo in place of ſome pillers are planted diuers fayre images of no leſſe then twelue cubites in bigneſſe. To theſe forreiners of Caria and Ionia, by whome he was holpen in his warres, Pfammetichus gaue certayne manner places to dwell in, lying on each ſide of the riuer Nilus called the Tentes, whereof beeing poſſeſſed, he performed all ſuch promiſes beſides that were couenaunted betweene them. Moreouer, he put vnto them certayne yong impes of the Ægyptians to be inſtructed in the Greeke language, from whome, by diſcent of iſſue came thoſe which are now interpreters in Ægypt, and vſe the Greeke tongue. A long time did the people of Ionia and Caria inhabitethoſe places lying againſt the ſea, ſomewhat aboue the city of Bubaſtis, ſituate at the mouth of Nilus, which is called Peluſiacum, from whence, they were afterwardes translated by King Amaſis into the city Memphis to gard him againſt the Ægyptians. After the Greekes were thus ſetled in Ægypt, the people of Greece had traffique thither, by which meanes, ſuch affayres as were atchieued in that countrey from Pfammitichus following, are certaynely knowne of vs without any errour. Theſe were the firſt that inhabited Ægypt, being of a diuers language from the homelings. In like manner, from whence they fleeted thither, the reliques of their ſhips wherein they came, the olde poſtes and groundreels of their houſes were ſhewed me. And theſe were the meanes whereby Pfammitichus obteyned the dominiou of Ægypt. As touching the oracle or ſeate of prophecie, we haue made many wordes, and will make more, as of a thing moſt worthy to be mentioned. This oracle is planted in the temple of the goddeſſe Latona in a great city named Butis ſtanding againſt the mouth of Nilus which is called Sebenniticum, into the which they haue entry that from the vpper parte of the ſea cut againſt the ſtreame. In this city alſo are the temples of Apollo and Diana, and the great pallace of Latona, wherein is the place of diuination, hauing a gallery belonging to it tenne paces high. Heerein ſuche things as might lawfully be ſeene, and deſerued greateſt admiration, of thoſe I meane to make report. In this temple of Latona is a fmall chappell framed of one ſtone, whoſe walles beeing of equall heigth, were in length forty cubites: which ſemblably was coped ouer the top with another ſtone, beeing foure cubites in thickeneſſe. Wherefore of all thoſe things that were pertayning to the temple, there was nothing that deſerued greater woonder then¹⁷¹ this little chappell. Next to this is an Ilande called Echemmis ſtanding inthe middeſt of a deepe and wide lake a little besides the chiefe temple, whiche the Ægyptians ſuppoſe to ſwimme and to be borne vp of the waters. Howbeit, I neither ſawe it ſwimme nor mooue, maruayling very much (if it were true) that an Iland ſhould be caryed in the waters. In this Ile is planted the temple of Apollo, a greate and ſumptuous building, lykewyſe three rewes of aultares, and many fayre palme-trees, ſome very kynde and bearing fruite, other fruiteleſſe and barren.

The Ægyptians alſo render a cauſe of the ſwimming of this Ilande, faying thus: that at what time Latona¹⁷² (which is one of the eyght saints that are of greateſt antiquity amongſt them) dwelt in the city of Butis whereas nowe the oracle is helde: ſhe tooke the ſauegard of Apollo commended vnto her
by his mother Iſis, and preſerued hys lyfe in the fame Ilande, beeyng at that tyme stedfaſt and immoueable, when as Typhon made ſo diligente ſearche in all places to finde out the ſonne of Oſyris. For heere we must vnderſtande, that thys people imagine Apollo and Diana to be the children of Dioniſius and Iſis, and that Latona was but theyr nourſe and bringer vp, that delyuered them from perill. Apollo in the Ægyptian tongue is called Horus. Ceres hath the name of Iſis: Diana, of Bubaſtis, from whence Aeſchilus the ſonne of Euphorion drew his opinion, which alone of all the reſt of the poets maketh Diana daughter to Ceres, after which euent, the Ile (ſay they) became looſe, and was marked to floate and mooue in the water.

Pfammitichus gouerned in Ægypt 54. yeares,¹⁷³ 29. of the which he ſpent in the aſſeige of the great city of Syria, which at length he fubdued. This city is called Azotus, which of all the cities that euer wee hearde of, ſuſteyned the longeſt asſaulte.

Inſuing the raigne of Pfammitichus, the gouernemente of the countrey fell to Necus¹⁷⁴ hys ſonne: by whome, firſt of all was the channell digged that leadeth to the red ſea, whyche afterwardes was caſt afreſhe, and made deeper by Darius the Perfian. The length of thys courſe was foure dayes ſayling, the breadth ſuch, as two reaſonable veſſels of three oares apeece might well ſayle in it together. The water which is deriued from Nilus into this channell, floweth into it alittle aboue the city Bubaſtis, againſt a towne of Arabia named Patumon, and ſo continueth hys courſe vnto the red ſea. They beganne firſt to digge from the playne of Ægypt towardes Arabia, for all the countrey aboue the playne is filled and occupyed wyth a courſe of greate mountaynes neere vnto the citie Memphis, wherein are many pittes and quarries of ſtone, wherefore from the roote of thys mountayne is the channell deriued, continuing a long courſe towards the Eaſt, vntyll it come to the place where the hyll parteth in twayne, whyche diſtaunce and ſeparation betweene the mountaynes openeth to the ſouth regions, and leadeth to the narrow ſeas of Arabia.

In the digging of thys courſe there periſhed an hundred and twentie thouſande of the people of Ægypt.

When thys enterpriſe was halfe done, Necus brake off and lefte it vnfiniſhed, being diſcouraged by a prophecie that tolde hym that hee toyled for the profite and behoofe of a Barbarian.

The Ægyptians tearme them all Barbarians which are of a fundry language. Necuſ therefore leauing hys worke vnfiniſhed, applyed hys studie to the prouiſion of warre, gathering ſouldyers, and preparing a fleete of warring Shippes, ſome of the which were builte at the North ſeas, others in the ſtrayghtes of Arabia at the red ſea, ſome tokens whereof are yet to be ſeene in the fame places. Thys Fleete he¹⁷⁵ employed in hys affayres continuallie ſo long as it fitted hym to the vſe of warre.

Forſaking afterwards the ſea, and giuing himſelfe to battailes by the land, where, in a conflict with the Syrians at a place named Magdolos, he wanne the renowne of the fielde, and after the battayle was ended, tooke the greate city Caditis.

And beeyng very neate and fine¹⁷⁶ in hys apparrell, he ſent a ſute of hys braueſt array to Apollo in Branchidae, a certayne field of the Mileſians. In the ende, after he had held the Kingdome ſeauenteene yeares, hee then died, leauing the title of his ſoueraignety to Pfammis his ſonne.¹⁷⁷ During whoſe raigne, a certayne people called Helus ſent meſſengers abrode into all regions, to giue them to vnderſtand how by them was deuiſed a game in Olympus of greater admiration and equitie, then by any that euer had vſed that place, ſuppoſing that the Ægyptians (who had the prayſe of wiſedome aboue all nations) could not better or more iustly diſpoſe of theſe matters then themſelues. When they were come into Ægypt, and had told the cauſe of their arriuall thither, the King aſſembled ſuch of the Ægyptians as were moſt excellent for graue and ſage advice aboue the reſt. To whome, when the Helians had made diſcourſe of all thoſe things which they had ordeyned in the ſetting foorth of this noble combate; and had aſked the Ægyptians if they could deuiſe anything better, after deliberation had of the matter, they aſked the Helians whether they had inacted that citizens ſhould mayntayne the controuerſie againſt ſtrangers, or otherwiſe, who aunſwered, that it was indifferently lawfull for all to ſtriue of what countrey ſoeuer he were: wherto the Ægyptians replyed, that it coulde no wiſe ſtande wyth iuſtice, forſomuch as one citizen would ſhew fauour to another, & by that meanes by partial dealing do iniurie to thoſe yt came frō farre, ſo that in caſe they would order ye matter with more equity, and for that cauſe had arriued in Ægypt, it were better to make the game for ſtrangers alone, not ſuffering any of the Helians to ſtriue. Theſe things the Ægyptians put into theyr heads and ſent them packing. Pfammis hauing raigned full out ſixe yeares,¹⁷⁸ and making a voyage of warre into Aethyopla, incontinently dyed.

After whome, ſucceeded his ſonne Apryes¹⁷⁹ the moſt fortunateſt of all the princes that had ruled before him, excepting Pfammiticus his great graundfire, gouerning the countrey 25. yeares. During which time, he warred vpon Sydon and fought with the people of Tyrus by ſea. Howbeit, fortune
owing him a deſpight, ſhe payde him home at length, the cauſe where of, we withriefely touch at this preſent, deferring a more ample diſcourſe of the fame, till we come to fpeake of the affayres of the Punickes. When as therefore vndertaking a iourney againſt the Cyrenians he had ſuffered great loſſe of his men: the Ægyptians cōtinuing hatred againſt him, denied their allegeaunce & rebelled, ſuppoſing yt he had betrayed their liues on purpoſe, to the end that with more ſecurity he might gouerne thoſe yt remained. For which cauſe in great diſdayne, aſwell ſuch as forſooke him & returned home, as alſo the friends of theſe y^t had died in the battell, ſtoode at defiance with the king, renoūceing all duties of fubiection. Apryes witting hereof, ſent Amaſis¹⁸⁰ to treate peace with them: who, when he came & in many words had rebuked their diſloyalty, one of the Ægyptians ſtanding behinde him clapt a Coſtlet on his head, faying hee had done it to make him King. Amaſis nothing diſcontent herewith, was no ſoner proclaymed King by the rebells, but forthwith he put himſelfe in a readineſſe to encounter with Apryes. Apryes vnderſtanding this, ſent one of the Ægyptians named, Patarbemes a man of approued vertue, with eſpeciall charge to bring to him Amaſis alyue. Who arryuing ſpeedely at the place where hee was: tolde him the Kinges pleaſure. Amaſis ſittinge on horſe
backe and incouraginge thoſe that were about him, commaūded Patarbemes to bring Apryes vnto him: Patarbemes once agayne willing him to make ſpeede to the King, who had ſente for him: hee anſwered that hee woulde come with all ſpeede poſſible, fayinge, that the Kinge ſhoulde haue no cauſe to complayne of his slackneſſe, for hee purpoſed, god willing, to bee with him ſhortely, and bringe him more company. Patarbemes perceiuinge by his maner of ſpeache and dealinges what hee was mynded to doe, thought with as much ſpeede as hee coulde to geue notice to the King: and being returned, Apryes in a great rage, for that hee had lefte Amaſis behinde him, without any woordes, by and by commaunded his Noſe and his Eares to bee cut of. The reſt of the Ægyptians that followed the Kinges partes ſeeing this, that ſo worthy and renowmed a man ſhould without cauſe ſuffer ſo great ſhame and reproche amongſt them, without any delay fled ouer to the rebelles and came to Amaſis. Apryes increaſing his fury, put in armoure all ſuch as of forrayne countries were hyrelinges in his hoſte (which hee had of Iönia and Caria, aboute thirty thowſande men) and marched agaynſt the Aegyptians. Hee had in the City Saïs a very great & gorgeous Pallace. The armyes therefore of bothe parties, incamped agaynſt other at the City Memphis, there to abide the lot and euent of the battayle.

Nowe the people of Ægypt¹⁸¹ are Diuersly addicted, amongſt whom are to bee marked feuen fundry Trades and kindes of lyuing: which are theſe: Prieſts, ſouldiers, Graſiers, Neateheardes, Saleſmen, Interpreters, Maryners: ſo many kindes bee there of this people, taken of the Trade or crafte which euery one followeth. Likewiſe, the ſouldiers are called Calaſiries and Hermotybies dwelling in certayne regions. For
the whole countreye of Ægypte is diſtinguiſhed into certaine territories. The coaſtes of the Hermotybies are theſe. Buſiris, Saïs, Chemmis, Papremis, and the halfe parte of the Iland Proſopis, otherwiſe called Natho. In theſe quarters are inhabyting of the ſouldiers Hermotybies 160. thowſande, none of the which geue themſelues to manuary artes or any trade of gayne, but wholly practiſe the science of armes. Moreouer, to ye Calaſyrians are aſſigned theſe regions: Thebana, Bubaſtiana, Aphthitana, Tanitana, Mendeſia, ſebenitana, Athribitana, Pharbaethitana, Thmuitana, Thnuphitana, Anysia, Myecphoritana, which tribe poſſeſſeth an Iland lying againſt the City Bubaſtis. The tribes of the CalaSyrians,¹⁸² when they are muſtered to the moſt, yeelde to the warre two hundred and fiftye thowſand men, which are neuer trained vp in any thing but in feates of Chiualry, the ſonne learning of his father.

Which cuſtome, whether the Greekes tooke from the Aegyptians, or borowed it from els where, I can not certainely ſay, ſeeing that in Scythia, Perſia, and Lydia, and welnigh all the countreyes of the Barbarians, the baſeſt forte of Cityzens are ſuch as exerciſe handicraftes, and their children of leaſte accounte: and they beſt regarded which are leaſte conuerſante in the fame, eſpecially ſuch as are employed in the fielde.

The fame maner alſo doe the Grecians obſerue, and chiefly the Lacedaemonyans, and euen amonge the Corinthyans, craftſmen and ſuch others are debaſed to the loweſt degree.

To theſe gentlemen ſouldiers,¹⁸³ this chiefe honour is aſſigned aboue all fortes of men, ſauing thoſe onely that are buſied in the ſeruice of the Sainctes, that to euery one of them is allotted twelue portions of ſinguler good grounde, exempt & free from all kinde of Tribute and Penſion, and feuerall to their owne vſe and behoofe. Each plot of grounde containing euery way an hundred cubyts by the Ægyptian meaſure. A cubyt amongſt the Ægyptians is equall to that which they vſe in Samos.

A thowſand of each company,¹⁸⁴ aſwell of the Calyſirians as Hermatybians, did yearely geue attendaunce, to garde and defend the Kinges body. To whom, besides the profite & reuennewes of their land, were certayne Farme-places geuen, to each man one. Moreouer, for their lyuery fiue pound of tosted bread, two pounde of Beefe, and a gallon of wyne, which were duely ſerued to them euery day. When as therefore Apryes on the one ſide with his ſtipendaries, and on the other ſide Amaſis with an huge army of the Ægyptians were come into the City Memphis, they cloſed bartaile: where the hyred ſouldiers of Apryes acquited them ſelues very valiauntly, till at the length (being fewer in number) they were put to flight. Apryes was perſwaded that neither god nor the diuell coulde haue ioynted his noſe of the Empyre, hee ſeemed ſo ſurely to haue ſtrengthned it to him ſelfe. Neuertheleſſe, in this fight hee was foyled, taken a liue, and caried to his owne courte in Saïs: where Amaſis kept him more like a Prynce then a pryſoner, for the time that hee lyued. At length the Ægyptians¹⁸⁵ murmuring againſte him, that hee did not well to reſerue a liue a mortall enemy both to himſelfe and the whole country, he delyuered vp Apryes into their handeſ. Whom they immediatly toke & ſtrangled, & buried him in the ſepulcher of his father in the temple of Minerua, neere vnto a certayne Oratory, at the lefte hand as you enter in. Being the vſe with the people of Saïs to burie all ſuch, as out of their tribe haue attayned to the kingdome, within the temple. For the toumbe of Amaſis is placed vppon the other ſide of the Oratory, contrary to the ſepulcher of Apryes and his Progenitours. Likewiſe, in one place of this Temple is a fayre Chamber builte of ſtone, beautyfied with fundry Pyllers ingrauen like vnto Palme-trees, being otherwyſe very ſumptuously and royally garniſhed. In the middeſt of the Chamber are two mayne Poſts, betwene the which ſtandeth a Cophine. There is alſo a toumbe in the fame, the name whereof I may not deſcry without breache of Religion.

At Saïs in the Temple of Minerua, beneath the Churche and neere vnto the walle of Minerua, in a baſe Chappell, are ſtandinge certayne greate brooches of ſtone, whereto is adioyninge a lowe place in manner of a Dungeon, couered ouer wyth a ſtone curiously wroughte, the Vaute it ſelfe being on euery ſide carued with moſt exquiſite arte, in bigneſſe matchinge with that in Delos, which is called Trochoïdes. Herein euery one counterfayteth the fhadowes of hys owne affections and phantasies in the nyghte ſeaſon, which the Ægyptians call Mysteryes: touchinge which, god forbid, I ſhould aduenture to diſcouer ſo much as they vouchſafed to tell mee. In lyke manner of the Decrees of Ceres, which the Grecians terme θεσμοφόρια, that is to ſay, the publiſhinge of Lawes and Ordynances: of theſe matters I dare not bee very francke in speakinge, no further then religion wyll permit. This is certayne, that the Daughters of Danaeus were the firſte that brought this cuſtome oute of Ægypte, and made it knowne to the women of Pelaſgos.

But afterwardes miſlyked of the Dores, it was vtterly abolyſhed and lefte off in all the Countrey of Peloponneſus, ſauinge of certayne Arcadians, whom the people of Peloponneſus lycenſed to contynewe in the Countrey, by whome the fame order was retayned.

Apryes being dead Amaſis¹⁸⁶ raygned in his ſteede being of ye Tribe of Saïs, and trayned vp in a City named ſuph. In the firſt entraunce of his raygne the Ægyptians ſet lyght by him, and had him in greate contempte, being ſpronge of no Noble houſe, but aryſinge of the common troup of the popular forte. Whoſe goodwill Amaſis ſoughte to reconcile rather by pollicy then feuerity. Being therefore infinitely riche,¹⁸⁷ he had amongeſt other his treaſure, a Baſen of cleane Golde wherein both him ſelfe and his Gueſtes were wont to waſhe their Feete. This Baſon hee cauſed to bee beaten into the forme & Image of a god, and ſet it vp in a fit place of the City. The Ægyptians repayringe to the place, bowed themſelues in great reuerence vnto the Image: which Amaſis hauing learned by his friendes, aſſemblinge the people, tolde them that of the fame Baſen wherein him ſelfe, and many other of the Ægyptians had bene wonte to vomite, pyſſe, waſhe their feete, and all ſuch baſe exerciſes, was framed the god that they ſo greatly honoured: faying, that his owne preſent eſtate was not much vnlyke vnto that Baſon: for albeit, before time he had bene one of the baſeſt degree of the people, yet now being their Kinge hee ought of ryghte to bee had in honour. Whereby the Ægyptians weare ſo allured that they thought it meete afterwards to obeye their Prynce. Who afterwards obſerued this Cuſtome¹⁸⁸ in dealinge with the affayres of the realme: from the morninge, vntill the places of aſſembly and common meeting were filled, hee sat vppon all matters, that were brought before him: ſpending the reſt of the day amongſt his companyons in swilling, drinking, & ſuch broade and vnſeemely ieſting, as if hee had bene ſome common rybauld or Vyce of a playe. Whereat his friends aggrieuinge, rebuked him in theſe or ſuch like termes. Moſt worthy Prince, it is a great blemiſh to your name to liue ſo wickedly, more meete it were for you to ſit in a Throne of maieſty and decide the cauſes of your fubiects, whereby the Ægyptians might knowe them ſelues to bee gouerned by a worthy Prince, and your fame bee increaſed throughout all the lande. To whom hee anſwered. They that owe the Bowe knowe beſt when to bend it: which being alway bent becommeth ſo weake, that it is altogether vnfit for thoſe that ſhoulde vſe it: euen ſo it fareth with thoſe that •yreing themſelues with continuall paynes, geuing no intermiſſion to their cares, they are ſodenly bereaued either of their right minde, or their perfit members.

This king,¹⁸⁹ whiles hee lyued without honour, was geuen to bibbing and ſcoffing without meaſure, neuer greatly minding his affayres: and as ofte as hee wanted to ſerue his turne, and to yeelde ſupply to his pleaſures, he ſought mayntenance by filching and ſtealing, whereof if happily hee were at any time atta-
ched, his maner was to ſtand stoutly in deniall of the thing and defiance of ye perſon: for which cauſe, being many times brought to the Oracles and places of ſouthfaying: hee was ſometime conuicted by them, and at other times acquited. Wherefore, hauing attayned to the kingdome, which of the gods ſoeuer had acquited him of theft, he had no regard to their temples, did no honour to them, gaue no gyftes, offered no ſacrifice, eſteeming them vnworthy of any reuerence, hauing geuen out a falſe verdite. And ſuch as had pronounced him guilty, to theſe as to the moſt true gods, whoſe Oracles were agreeable to iuſtice, hee perfourmed the greateſt honour hee coulde deuiſe. Beſides, in the City of Saïs hee made a porche to the temple of Minerua, a worke of great admiration, and farre paſſing the reſt, both in heights and bigneſſe, ſo great is the quantity of the ſtones that were employed in the building. Hee erected besides in the fame place, diuerfe Images of a wōderfull size, & the pictures of many noyſome and peſtilent ſerpents. Hee layde there alſo many huge ſtones, to the repayring of the temple, parte of the which were digged out of the ſtone quarryes by Memphis: other of great quantity brought from the city of Elephantina, which is diſtant from Saïs 20. dayes ſayling. Moreouer, that which is not the leaſt wonder, but in my minde to bee reckoned amongſt the chiefeſt: hee brought from Elephantina¹⁹⁰ an houſe framed of one ſtone: in the cariage whereof 2000. choyſe men of the Mariners of Ægypt conſumed three yeares. The roufe hereof on the outſide is 21. cubyts longe, 14. cubits broad, & eight cubites highe: being on the inſide 22. cubytes in length, and in height 5. This houſe is ſet at the entring into the temple: geuing this reaſon why it was not brought into the church, for that the chiefe Mariner when he had gotten it to that place, as wearie wyth hys dayes worke, tooke reſpite and breached him ſelfe, whereat the King being very much mooued, bad him leaue of work, not permitting him to labour any longer. ſome ſay that one of thoſe, which were buſied in heauing of the ſtone with leauerſ, to haue bene bruiſed to death by it, and that this was the cauſe why it ſtoode without the Pallace. By the fame King were erected fundry temples, built by arte very exquiſitely and cunningly, whereof one hee made ſacred to Vulcane: before which lyeth a great Image with the face vpwarde, in length feuenty fiue feete, being ſpread along vppon a pauement of ſtone: in the ſelfe fame place on eache ſide this Image, ſtand two carued monuments of ſtone, twenty foote in quantity. Like vnto this is another ſtone in Saïs, lying in the ſelfe fame maner. In like forte the great temple in Memphis, ſo gorgeous and beautifull to the ſight of all that behold it, was the handiwork alſo of y^e fame King Amaſis. In the time of this Kinges gouernmente Ægypt floryſhed in all wealth, being greatly increaſed, aſwell by the ryches which the ryuer yeeldeth, as in other reuenewes which the people receyue by the countrey, which at the fame time was ſo populous that there were then inhabited 20000 cityes. Likewiſe, by this Kinge it was enacted,¹⁹¹ that euerye one ſhould yearely render accounte to the cheife preſident of the countrey, howe, and by what maner of trade hee gained his lyuinge: being alwayes prouyding that ſuch as refuſed to doe it at all, or beeinge called to a reckoninge, coulde ſhewe no lawefull meanes, howe they ſpent their tymes; ſhould for the the fame cauſe bee adiudged to dye. Which lawe Solon borowing of the Ægyptians, did publiſh it in Athens, and is by them, for the profite hereof, moſt religiouſly obſerued. Amaſis vppon good affection hee bare to the Grecians, beſides other benefittes franckly beſtowed on them, made it lawefull, for all ſuch as trauayled into Ægypte, to inhabyte the City Naucrates. And ſuch as would not abyde in that place, hauinge more mynde to ſeafaring for the vſe of Marchaundize, to thoſe hee gaue lybertye to Plant aulters and builde churches. ſo that the greateſt and moſt famous Temple in all the land is called the Grecian temple. The Cityes of the Greekes by whoſe charge and expence this temple was builte in Ægypte, were theſe: of the countrey of Iönia, Chius, Teus, Phocoea, Clazomene: amongſt the Dorians foure Cities: Rhodus, Cnydus, Halicarnaſſus, Phaſelus: one City of the people of Aeolia, namely, Mitylene. To theſe Cityes of Greece is the Temple belonginge, by whom alſo are founde and mayntayned certayne Prieſts to ſerue in the fame. There are other townes besides in Greece that haue ſome righte to the Temple, as hauing contributed ſome thinge to the vſe of the fame. Howbeit the Temple of Iupiter, the people of Ægina built of their owne proper coſt. No City toke parte with Samos in ſetting vp the Pallace of Iuno: the Mileſians alone tooke vppon them to erect the Temple of Apollo. Beſides theſe there are no other monuments built by the Grecians which remayne extant in Ægypt. And if by fortune any of the Greekes paſſe into Nylus by any other way then that which ſerueth to lande from Greece, hee is fayne to ſweare that hee was conſtrained agaynſt his will, byndinge him ſelfe by oath that in the fame Shippe hee wyll ſpeede him ſelfe into Canobicus, another Channell of the Ryuer ſo called: and if by contrarye wyndes hee bee hindered from arryuinge there: hee muste hyre caryage by water, and ſo ferry the nexte way to Naucrates. In ſuch forte were the Grecians tyed to that City, beinge by reaſon of their trafique thyther, had in principall honoure. Nowe whereas the Pallace of Amphiction whiche is nowe at Delphos, beeing ſtraungely pearyſhed by fyre, was gone in hande with a freſhe, vppon price of three hundred tallentes: the people of Delphos which were leauyed at the fourth parte of the charges, ſtraying aboute all countryes, gathered very much, being chiefly aſſysted by the Ægyptians. Amaſis the Kinge, beſtowinge on them a thowſande tallents of Aſume, and the Grecians that were abyding in Aegypt twenty pound. Moreouer, with the Cyrenaeans Prynce Amaſis entred friendſhip, and ſtrooke a league of fellowſhip with the fame, inſomuch, that he thought meete to enter aſlyaunce with them, taking a wife of that countrey, eyther for affection he bare to the women of Greece, or in respecte of hys loue to the Cyrenaeans. His wife,¹⁹² as ſome ſay, was the daughter of Battus ſonne of Arceſilaus, as others reporte, of Critobulus a man of chiefe credite and regarde amongſt thoſe with whome he dwelt. His Ladies name was Ladyce, a woman of ſurpaſſing beautie, with whome, the King beeing in bed, was ſo ſtrangely benummed, and daunted in courage, as if he had bene an Eunuch, not able to execute any dutie of a man, wherat the King himſelfe beeing greately agaft, feeling himſelfe frollicke in the company of other women, and ſo faint to hys Lady Ladyce, on a time began to taunt her in theſe tearmes. Can it be thou filthy and deteſtable hagge, that by any meanes I ſhould refrayne from doing thee to the moſt miſerable death that can be deuiſed, which haſt thus inchaunted and bewitched my body? In faith minion, I will coniure this diuell of yours, and aſſure thy ſelfe, if thy lucke be not the better, thou ſhalt not liue two dayes to an ende. The poore Lady ſtanding ſtiffely in her owne defence, and nothing preuayling to appeaſe his fury, vowed within her ſelfe to the goddeſſe Venus, that in caſe it might pleaſe her to inable Amaſis to performe the duties of an huſband, and accompany with her the fame night, ſhe would dedicate an image vnto her at Cyrenae. Hir prayers being heard, Amaſis became ſo frollicke, that before the morning they aroſe the beſt contented folkes on the earth, euer after that finding hymſelfe ſo apt to enioy the delightes of his Lady, that he tooke greateſt pleaſure in her company, and loued her moſt entirely of all other. Ladyce remembring her vowe ſhe had made to Venus, thought good to performe it, and framing a moſt beautifull and curious image, ſhe ſente it to the city Cyrenae, which ſtoode vnperiſhed vnto our dayes, being placed by the citizens without the towne. The fame Ladyce, Cambyſes King of Perſia vanquiſhing Ægypt vnderſtanding what ſhe was, ſent her without any manner ſhame or violence into her owne countrey. By this King Amaſis were many giftes diſtributed of ſingulare price and value. To Cyrenae he ſent the image of Minerua, garniſhed all ouer wyth gilt, and his owne perſonage moſt curiously fhadowed by a Paynter. Likewiſe to the city Lindus he gaue two images of the goddeſſe Minerua wrought in ſtone, with a linnen ſtomacher moſt excellently imbrodered by arte. Moreouer, to the goddeſſe Iuno in Samus, two pictures expreſſing her diuine beautie, of moſt exquiſite workemanſhip. Which bountie he exerciſed towards the Samians for the great friendſhip he bare to their King Polycrates the ſonne of Aeaces. But to the city Lyndus, why he ſhould ſhewe hymſelfe ſo franke and liberall, no other reaſon ſerued, ſauing that the fame wente that the great temple of Minerua in Lindus was builded by ye daughters of Danaus after they were knowne, and had eſcaped the daungers intended againſt them by the ſonnes of Ægyptus. Theſe and many other excellente giftes were diſperſed and giuen abroade by King Amaſis. By whome alſo the city Cyprus which was deemed of all men inuincible, and had neuer before beene vanquiſhed by any, was conquered, taken, and brought vnder tribute. FINIS