The famous history of Herodotus - Book 2 (Euterpe)

Herodotushis ſecond Booke entituled Euterpe.

AFterthe death of the moſt noble & vertuous King Cyrus, thereſucceeded him in ye empyre a ſon of his, named Cambyſes, born ofCasſandana daughter to Pharnasphus, who dying long tyme before yeking           hir spouſe, wasgreatly bewayled by him, and his whole empyre. The younge princeCambyſes makinge
none other accounte of ye Iönes, then of hislawfull ſeruaūts left him by the due right and title ofinheritaunce, went in expedition againſt the Ægyptians, preparingan army aswell out of other countreys as alſo out of the regions &borders of Greece, which were vnder his gouernment. The Aegyptiansbefore ſuch time as Pfammetichus held the ſupremicy, thought themſelues to haue bene the firſt and moſte auncient people of yeworld.¹This king in time of his raigne and gouernaunce in Ægypt, for thegreat deſire hee had to know by what people the earth was firſtinhabited wrought an experience whereby the Ægyptians were broughteto thinke that the Phrygians were the moſt old & auncient peopleof the earth, and them ſelues to be nexte in antiquity to them. ForPfammetichus by all meanes indeuouringe to know who they were thatfirſt and before al others came into the world, finding himſelfehardly satisfied with ought he could heare: practiſed a deuiſe andfeate 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 ſhouldfpeake one word: but that being alone in a ſolitary & deſertecabyne farre from all company, they ſhould haue milke and otherfoode brought & myniſtred to them in due & conuenient time.Which thinges were done & commaunded by him, to the intent ytwhen they left of their childiſh cries & began to prattle andfpeake plainly, he might know what ſpeach & lāguage they wouldfirſt vſe: which in proceſſe of time fell out and, happenedaccordingly.²For being of y^eage of two yeares, it chaunced that the ſheepheard (who was theirNourice & 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 atthe firſt hearing, the Paſtour noted only and made no words: butperceyuing him ſelfe alwayes saluted after one fort: and y^teuermore at his entraunce the children ſpake ye fame word, thematter was opened to ye king: at whoſe cōmaundement he brought thechildren and deliuered them vp into his hands: whom when Pſammetichusalſo himſelfe had heard to chat in the fame maner, he made curiouſeſearch what people vſed ye word Beccos in their language, & inwhat meaning they toke it. Whereby he came to know yt the word wasaccuſtomably vſed by ye people of Phrygia to ſignifie bread. Forwhich cauſe the Ægyptians came into opinion, yt the Phrygians wereof greater time & longer continuance then them ſelues. Of allwhich matter, & the maner of doing thereof. I was crediblyinformed by the prieſtes of y^egod Vulcane, abiding at Memphis. Howbeit many fond fables are recitedby the Grecian writers, that Pfammetichus geuing y^echildren to certaine women of the country to ſucke & bring vp,cauſed their tongues to bee cut out yt they might not fpeake tothem. Thus much was rehearſed by them of ye trayning vp &education of the infants. Many other things alſo were told me by theholy and religious Chaplaynes of ye god Vulcane, with whom I hadoften conference at Memphis.

Moreouer,for ye fame occaſion I toke a iourney to Thebs & Heliopolis,³which is to wit, ye city of ye ſunne, to ye end I might ſee whetherthey would iumpe all in one tale & agree together. For theHeliopolitans are fayd to bee the moſt prudent & witty people ofall ye Ægyptians.⁴Notwithſtanding of diuine & heauenly matters, as touching theirgods, loke what they told me I am purpoſed to conceale, ſaue onelytheir names, which are manifeſtly knowne of all men: of othermatters I meane to keepe silence, vnleſſe by the courſe of theHyſtory I ſhall perforce bee broughte into a narration of the fame.In all their talke of mortall and humane altayres, they did rightlyaccord & conſent one with an other: faying this:⁵that yt Ægyptians firſt of all others foūd out the circuite &compaſſe of yt yeare, deuiding the fame into 12 feuerall monethsaccording to yt courſe and motion of the starres: making (in myfancy) a better computation of the time then the Grecians doe, whichare driuen euery thirde yeare to adde certaine dayes to ſome onemoneth, whereby the yeares may fall euen & become of a iustcōpaſſe. Contrarywiſe, the Ægyptians to three hundred dayeswhich they parte & diſtribute into twelue moneths, makingaddition of fyue odde dayes, cauſe the circle and courſe of theiryeares to fall out equally & alwayes a like. In like maner theÆgyptians firſt inuented and vſed the ſurnames of the tweluegods:⁶which y^tGrecians borowed & drew from them. The ſelfe fame were the firſtfounders of Aulters, Images, & Temples to the gods: by whom alſochiefly were carued the pictures of beaſts and other creatures inſtone, which thing for yt moſt parte they proue & confirme bylawfull teſtimonyes & good authority: to this they ad besides ytthe firſt king yt euer raygned was named Menes,⁷vnder whoſe gouernaunce all y• lande of Ægypt except the prouinceof Thebes was wholly couered & ouerwhelmed with water, and yt noparte of the ground which lyes aboue the poole called Myris was thento be ſene: into which poole from the ſea is 7. dayes ſayling. Andtruly 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 thatparte of Ægypt whereat the Grecians are wont to arryue is gaynedground, and as it were the gyft of the ryuer. Likwiſe all the landaboue the poole for the ſpace of thr•: dayes fayleing: whereofnotwithſtanding they ſpake nothing at all. Beſides, there isanother thing from whence no ſmale profe may be borowed: to wit, thevery nature and quality of the Aegyptian ſoile: which is ſuch thatbeing in voyage towards Ægypt, after you come within one dayesſayling of the lande, at euery founde with the plummet, you ſhallbringe vppe great store of mud and noyſome filth, euen in ſuchplace as the water is eleuen ells in depth: whereby it is manyfeſtthat ſo farre y• ground was caſt vppe and left bare by thewaters. The length of Ægypt by the ſea coaſte is 423. miles and ahalfe: according to our lymitation which is from the coaſte ofPlynthines, to the poole named ſelbonis, wherevnto reacheth an endeof y• great mountayne Caſſius: on this ſide therefore Ægypte isſixety ſcheanes, which conteyne the number of myles beforementioned. For with y• Ægyptians ſuch as are ſlenderly landed,meaſure⁸their groūd by paces, they which haue more, by furlongs, vnto whomvery much is allotted, by the Perfian myle named Paraſanga: laſtlyſuch as in large and ample poſſeſſions exceede the reſt, meetetheir torritory by Schoenes. The meaſure Paraſanga contayneththirty furlongs,the Schoene threefcore, whereby it cōmeth to paſſethat the lande of Ægypt along the ſea is 3600. furlongs,⁹from 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 iourney¹⁰from the ſea to Heliopolis by the higher parte of the region, iswelnigh of the fame length with that way, which at Athens leadethfrom the aulter of the twelue gods to Pifa, and y• palace ofIupiter Olympius, betwene which two wayes by iust cōputation canhardly bee founde more then fifteene furlonges difference: for thediſtaunce betwene Athens and Pifa is ſuppoſed to want of 1500furlongs, fiftene, which number in the other of Ægypt is ful,complet, and perfit: trauayling from Heliopolis by the hills youſhall finde Ægypt to be ſtraight and narrowe compaſſed, bankedon the one ſide by a mighty hill of Arabia, reachinge from the Northtowardes the ſouth which by degrees waxeth higher and higher, andbeareth vpwards toward the redd ſea.¹¹In this mountayne are fundry quaries out of the which y^tpeople of Ægypte hewed their ſtone to builde the Pyramides atMemphis: one this ſide, the hill draweth and wyndeth it ſelfetowarde thoſe places whereof we ſpake before. The ſelfe famemountayne hath another courſe from the Eaſte to the Weſteſtretching ſo farre in length as a man may trauayle in twomonethes: the Eaſte ende hereof yeldeth frankincenſe in greataboundaunce: likewiſe one the other ſide of Ægypt which lyethtowards Africa, there runneth another ſtony hill, wherein are builtecertayne Pyramedes very full of grauell & groſſe Sande, likevnto that parte of the Arabian hill that beareth toward the South: ſothat from Helyopolis the wayes are very narrowe not paſſing fouredayes courſe by ſea.

Theſpate betwene the mountaynes is champion ground, being in thenarroweſt place not aboue two hundred furlongs from the one hill tothe other: hauing paſſed this ſtraight, Ægypt openeth into alarge 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, beingfeuered from each other in diſtance of place foure thowſand eighthundred and ſixty furlongs, which amounteth to y• number of fourefcore and one schoenes: of the furlongs aforefayd, three thowſandand ſixe hundred lye to the ſea, as wee declared before: Now fromthe ſea coaſte to the city Thebs are 6120. furlonges of playneground, & from Thebs to the city Elephantina, 820. Of all theregion and coūtrey. Ægypt whereof wee haue fpoken the moſt parteis borrowedground, wherein the waters heretofore haue had their courſeofall the whole bottome which lyeth betwene the two mountaines abouethe city Memphis ſeemeth to haue bene a narrow ſea, much like vntothoſe places that lye about Ilium, Teuthrania, Epheſus, and theplayne of Meander: if it be not amiſſe to bring ſmale things incompariſon with greater matters: foraſmuch as none of thoſeryuers¹²which held their paſſage in the places forenamed, are worthy to bementioned where any one of the feuen ſtreames of Nylus are broughtinto talke: there be alſo other floudes not comparable in bigneſſeto Nylus, which haue wrought ſtraunge effectes and wonderfullthinges in the places where they haue runne: amongſt whom is thefamous ryuer Achelous, which flowing through Acarnania into yt ſeaof the Iles Echinades, hath ioyned the halfe parte of the Iles to themayne and continent. In the countrey of Arabia, not far from Ægyptthere is a certaine arme or boſome of the ſea, hauing a breach &iſſue out of the red ſea, the length whereof beginning at the endof yt angle or creeke & continuing to y• wyde mayne, is fouredayes ſayle: the breadth eaſy to be cut ouer in halfe a day: inthis narrow ſea the waters ebbe & flow, raging and roaringexceedingly againſt a forde or ſhalow place, wherat the ſtreamebeateth with great violence: ſuch a like creeke I ſuppoſe to hauebene in former ages in the lande of Ægypte, which brake out from theNorth ſea, and continued his courſe towards Æthyopia: like as alſothe Arabian ſea (whereof we haue fpoken) floweth from the ſouthwaters, towards y^tcoaſts of Syria, both which ſtraights welnigh in their furtheſtcorners concur & meete together being ſeparrted by no greatdiſtaunce of groūd: were it then that yt ryuer Nilus ſhould makea vent, & ſhed it ſelfe into the narrow ſea of Arabia, whatmight binder, but yt in 200000 yeares, by yt cōtinuall & dailycourſe of yt ryuer, the creeke of the salt waters ſhould be cleanealtered & become dry: for I think it poſſible, if in 10000yeares before me, fundry ryuerſ haue chaūged their courſes &left the groūd dry whereas firſt they ran: an arme of the ſeaalſo much greater then y^tmay bee dryuen besides his naturall boſome, eſpecially by the forceof ſo great a ſtreame as the riuer Nilus, by whom diuerfe things ofgreater admiration haue bene brought to paſſe. The reportetherefore¹³which they gaue of the ſoyle I was eaſely brought to beleue, aſwelfor that yt country it ſelfe bringeth credite to the beholders, asalſo yt in the very hills & mountaynes of the region are found amultitude of ſhel fiſhes, the earth likewiſe sweating out acertaine salt and bryniſhe humour, which doth corrupt and eate thePyramides. Agayne, it is in no point like to any of the countryesthat lye next vnto it, neither to Arabia, Lybia, nor Syria, (for theSyrians inhabite the ſea coaſte of Arabia) being of a blacke andbrittle moulde, which commeth to paſſe by the greate store of muddeand flimy matter which the ryuer beinge a flote bringeth out ofÆthyopia into the lande of the Ægyptians. The earth of Lybia ismuch more redde and ſandy vnderneath. The moulde of Arabia and Syriadrawe neere to a fatte and batile claye, beynge vnder grounde veryrockye and full of ſtone.

Lykewyſe,for proofe that the Region in tyme paſt was watery ground theprieſts alleadged how in the time of kinge Myris his raygne thefloud aryſing to the heighth of 8. cubits watered the whole countreyof Ægypte lying beneath Memphis, ſcarſe 900 yeares being paſt &expired ſince the death and deceaſe of Myris: whereas at theſedayes¹⁴vnleſſe it ſwell and increaſe 15. or 16. cubits high, it cōmethnot at all into yt coaſt, which aforeſaid coaſt, if accordingly toye fall of ye riuer it grow ſtill in loftyneſſe and become higher,the earth receyuinge no moyſture by the ſloude, I feare yeÆgyptians themſelues that dwell beneath ye lake Myris both other, &alſo the inhabitants of the lande of Delta, will euermore be annoyedwith the fame plague and inconuenience, whych the Gretians (by theiraccounte) are ſometimes like to abyde. For the people of Ægypthearing that the whole countrey of Greece was moystned and watered bythe ſeaſonable fall of rayne and ſhowers, & not by floudes andryuerſ lyke vnto their owne: they prophecy that ye day would come,when as the Greekes being deceyued of their hope would all peariſhethrough famine and hunger: meaning that if y^egods did not vouchſafe to ſend thē raine in due ſeaſon, fromwhome alone they haue their moyſture, the whole nation ſhoulde goeto wracke for want of ſuſtenaunce. Thus farre is pleaſed them todeſcant of the fortune of Greece. Let vs nowe conſider in whateſtate and condition they ſtand them ſelues if then(as we faydbefore) 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 Ægyptſhall ſhew vs the way, what it is to be famiſhed and dye byhunger: if neyther theyr land be moystened by the ſweete and timelyſhowres of rayne, nor by the ſwelling and ryſing of the riuer. Foras now, they haue an eſpeciall aduauntage aſwell of all men els, asof the reſt of their countreymen yt dwell higher, in that theyreceiue the fruite and increaſe of the ground without eyther tillingor weeding the earth, or doing ought els belonging to huſbandry:wherefore immediately after the ryſeing of ye waters, ye earth beingmoyste and ſupple, & the ryuer returned agayne to his oldecourſe, they ſowe & ſcatter their ſeede euery one vpon hisowne ground & territory: wherinto hauing driuē great heards ofſwine¹⁶that roote and tread the grayne and moulds together, they ſtay tillthe time of harueſt, attending the increaſe and gaine of theirſeede. Being full growne and ripened, they ſend in their hoggesafreſh to muzle and ſtampe the corne from out the eares, whichdone, they sweepe it together, and gather it. If we follow¹⁷the opinion of the people of Ionia, as touching the land of Ægypt,who affirme, that the true countrey of Ægypt is in very deedenothing elſe ſaue the prouince of Delta (which taketh his name ofthe watchtowre or Caſtle of espiall made by Perſeus) teſtifyingbeſides, that by the ſea coaſt to the salt waters of Pelusium, itſtretcheth forty ſcheanes in length, and reacheth from the ſeatoward the hart of the region, to the city of the Cercafians (neerevnto
which ye riuer Nilus parteth it ſelfe into two feueralmouthes, the one whereof is called Pelusium, the other Canobus) andthat all the other partes of Ægypt are belonging to Arabia andAfrica, we might very well inferre and prooue heereof, that thecountrey of Ægypt in former times was none at all. For the land ofDelta (as they ſay, and we eaſily beleeue)was grounde lif• voydeand naked by the water, and that of late yeares alſo and not longago: wherefore if they had no countrey at all, what cauſed them ſocuriously to labour in the ſearching out and blazing of theirauncienty, ſuppoſing themſelues to be the chiefe of all people,the knowledge and intelligence whereof, was not worth the two yearestriall and experiment which they wrought in the children. I my ſelfeam fully perswaded, that the Ægyptians tooke not their beginningtogether with the place of Delta. but were alwayes ſince the firſtbeginning and originall of mankinde, whoſe countrey gayning ground,and increaſing by the chaunge and alteration of the riuer, many ofthem went downe from the high countrey, and inhabited the low places,for which cauſe, the City Thebes, and the countrey belongingthereto, was heeretofore called Ægypt, the circuite and compaſſewhereof is 6120.furlongs. Be it ſo then that our opinion accord andconſent wyth truth, the Graecian writers are in a wrong boxe, but ifthey fpeake truely, yet in other matters they recken without theyrhoſte, making but three partes of the whole earth, Europa, Aſia,and Africa:whereas of neceſſity Delta in Ægypt ſhould
beaccounted for the fourth, ſithens by their owne bookes it is neytherioyned with Aſia, nor yet with Africa. For by this account, it isnot the riuer Nilus that diuides Aſia from Africa, which at thepoynt and ſharpe angle of Delta, cutting it ſelfe into two fundryſtreames, that which lyes in ye middes ſhould equally pertayne bothto Aſia and Africa. But to leaue the iudgement and opinion of theGreekes, we ſay and affyrme, that all that countrey is rightlytearmed Ægypt, whiche is held and poſſeſſed by the Ægyptians,euen as alſo we make no doubt to call thoſe places Cilicia andAſſyria where the Cilicians and Aſſyrians do dwell. In likemanner, according to truth, Aſia and Africa are diſfeuered andparted betweene themſelues by none other borders, then by the limitsand boundes of Ægypt. Howbeit, if we followe the Graecians, allÆgypt¹⁸(beginning at the places called Catadupae and the city Elephantina)is to be diuided into two partes, which draw their names of theregions wherevnto they are adioyned, the one belonging to Africa theother to Aſia. For the riuer Nilus taking his beginning from theCatadupae ſo called, and flowing through the middeſ of Aegypt,breaketh into the ſea, running in one ſtreame til it come to thecity of the Cercafians, and afterwards leuering it ſelfe into threefundry chanels. The firſt of theſe chanels¹⁹turneth to the Eaſt, and is called Pelusium, the ſecond Canobus,the third ſtreame flowing directly in a ſtraight line, kepeth thiscourſe, firſt of all scouring through the vpper coaſtes of thecountrey, it beateth full vpon the point of Delta,²⁰through the middeſt whereof, it hath a ſtraight and direct ſtreameeuen vnto the ſea, being the fayreſt and moſt famous of all thereſt of the chanels, and is called Sebennyticum. From this ſtreameare deriued two other armes alſo,²¹leading to the salt waters, the one being called Saiticum, the otherMendeſium. For as touching thoſe braunches and ſtreames of Nilus,which they tearme Bolbitinum and Bucolicum, they are not naturallymade by courſe of the water, but drawne out and digged by the labourof men. I followe not the fantasies of mine owne brayne, nor imagineany thing of my ſelfe, for that the countrey of Aegypt is ſo wyde,and of
ſuch amplitude as we haue deſcribed it, I appeale tothe oracle of the god Hammon which came into my minde, beeyng inſtudy and meditation about theſe matters.

Thepeople of the two cities Maerea and Apia²²that inhabite the borders of Aegypt next vnto Africa, eſteemingthēſelues to be of the linage and nation of the Africans, not ofthe Aegyptians, became weary of their ceremonies and religion, andwould no longer absteyne from the fleſhe of kyne and feamalecattell, as the reſt of the Aegyptians did, they ſent therefore tothe prophecy of Hammon,²³denying themſelues to be of Ægypt, becauſe they dwelt not withinthe compaſſe of Delta, neither agreed with them in any thing,wherefore they deſired ye god that it might be lawful for themwithout reſtraint to taſte of all meates indifferētly: but theoracle forbade thē ſo to do, ſhewing how all that region wasiustly accounted Aegypt which the waters of Nilus ouerranne andcouered, adding heereto all thoſe people that dwelling beneath thecity Elephantina,²⁴dranke of the water of the fame floud. This aunſwere was giuen themby the oracle. Nowe it is meete wee know, that Nilus at what time itriſeth aboue the banckes, ouerfloweth not Delta alone, but all thecountrey next vnto Africa, and likewiſe the other ſide adioyning toArabia, couering the earth on both partes the ſpace of two dayesiourney or thereabout.

Astouching²⁵the nature of the riuer Nilus, I could not bee ſatisſyed either bythe prieſts, or by any other, being alwayes very willing anddeſirous to heare ſomething thereof, firſt, what the cauſe mightbe that growing to ſo great increaſe, it ſhoulde drowne and ouergothe whole countrey, beginning to ſwell the eyght day before thekalends of Iuly, and continuing aflote an hundred daies, after whichtime, in the like number of dayes it falleth agayne, flowyng withinthe compaſſe of hys owne banckes tyll the nexte approch of Iuly.

Ofthe cauſes of theſe thynges the people of Aegypt were ignorauntethemſelues, not able to tell mee anye thing whether Nilus had anyproper and peculiar: vertue different from the nature of otherflouds. About which matters being very inquiſitiue,²⁶mooued with deſire of knowledge, I demaunded inoreouer the reaſonand occaſion why this ſtreame of all others neuer ſent foorth anymiſte or vapour; ſuch as are commonly ſeene to aſcend and riſefrom the waters, but herein alſo I was faynt to neſtle in mine owneignorance, deſiring to be lead of thoſe that were as blind as myſelfe. Howbeit, certayne Graecian wryters²⁷thinking to purchaſe the price and prayſe of wit, haue gone aboutto diſcourſe of Nilus, and ſet downe their iudgement of the naturethereof, who are found to varry and diſſent in three fundryopinions, two of the which I ſuppoſe not worthy the naming, butonely to giue the reader intelligence how ridiculous they are. Thefirſt is, that the ouer flow of Nilus commeth of none other cauſe,then that the windes Eteſiae ſo named, blowing directly vpon theſtreame thereof, hinder and beate backe the waters from flowing intothe ſea, which windes are commonly wont to ariſe, and haue theirſeaſon a long time after the increaſe and riſing of Nilus: butimagine it were otherwiſe, yet this of neceſſitie must follow,that all riuerſ whatſoeuer hauing a full and direct courſe againſtthe windes Eteſiae, ſhall in like maner ſwell and grow ouer theirbankes, and ſo much the rather, by how much the leſſe and weakethe flouds themſelues are, whoſe ſtreames are oppoſed againſtthe 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 floudNilus. There is another opinion of leſſe credite and learning,albeit of greater woonder and admiration then the firſt, alleadgingthe cauſe of the riſing to be, for that the riuer (ſay they)proceedeth from the Ocean ſea, which enuironeth the whole globe andcircle of the earth. The third opinion being more caulme and modeſtthen the reſt, is alſo more falſe and unlikely then them both,affirming, that the increaſe and augmentation of Nilus commes of thesnowe waters molten and thawed in thoſe regions, carying with it ſomuch the leſſe credit and authority, by how much the more it iseuident that the riuer comming from Africa through the middeſt ofÆthiopia, runnes continually from the hotter countreys to thecolder, beeing in no wiſe probable, or any thing likely that thewaxing of the waters ſhould proceede of ſnowe. Many found proofesmay be brought to the weakening of this cauſe, whereby we may geſſehow groſſely they erre whiche thinke ſo greate a ſtreame to beincreaſed by ſnowe. What greater reaſon may be found to thecontrary, then that the windes blowing from thoſe countreys are verywarme by nature. Moreouer, the lande it ſelfe is continually voydeof rayne and yee, being moſt neceſſary that²⁸within fiue dayes after the fall of snowe there ſhould •ome rayne,where by it commeth to paſſe that if it snowe in Ægypt, it mustalſo of neceſſity rayne. The fame is confirmed and eſtabliſhedby the blackneſſe and swartneſſe of the people, couloured by thevehement heate and scorching of the ſume: likewiſe by the ſwalowesand kytes which continually keepe in thoſe coaſtes: laſtly by theflight of the cranes toward the comming of winter, which are alwayeswont to flye out of Scythia and the cold regions to theſe places,where all the winter ſeaſon they make theyr abode. Were it thenthat neuer ſo little snow could fall in thoſe countreys by thewhich Nilus hath his courſe, and from which he ſtretcheth his headand beginning, it were not poſſible for any of theſe things tohappen which experience prooueth to be true. They which talke ofOceanus,²⁹grounding their iudgement vppon a meere fable, want reaſon to prooueit. For I thinke there is no ſuch ſea as the Ocean, but rather thatHomer or ſome one of the auncient Poets deuiſed the name, and madevſe thereof afterwardeſ in their tales and poetry. Now if it beexpedient for me hauing refuted and diſalowed other mens iudgements,to ſet downe mine owne.³⁰The reaſon why Nilus is ſo great in ſommer I take to be this. Inthe wintertime the ſunne declining from his former race vnder thecolde winter starre, keepeth hys courſe ouer the high countreys ofAfrica, and in theſe fewe wordes is conteyned the whole cauſe. Forthe ſunne the neerer he maketh his approch to any region, the morehe drinketh vp the moyſture thereof, and cauſeth the riuers andbrookes of the fame countrey to runne very lowe. But to fpeake atlarge, and lay open the cauſe in more ample wyſe, thus the caſeſtandeth. The bringer to paſſe and worker heereof is the ſunne,beeing caryed ouer the hygh countreys of Africa: For the ſpring timewith them beeyng very fayre and cleare, the land hote, and the wyndeſcolde, the ſunne paſſing ouer them workes the fame effecte as whenit runneth in the middeſt of heauen in ſommer,³¹forſomuch as by vertue of his beames gathering water vnto him, hecauſeth it to aſcend into the ſuperiour regions, where the windeſreceuing it, diſpearſe the vapours and reſolue them againe, whichis chiefely done by the ſouth and ſouthweſt winde that blowe fromtheſe countreys, beeing ſtormy and full of rayne. Now the waterdrawne out of Nilus by the ſunne, doth not in this fort fall downeagayne in ſhowres and drops of rayne, but is quite ſpent andconſumed by the heate. Toward the ende of winter, the ſunne drawingtowards the middeſt of the ſkye in like manner as before, ſuckeththe water out of other riuers, which is the cauſe that being thusdrawne vntill much rayne and ſhowres increaſe them agayne, theybecome fleete and almoſt drie. Wherefore the riuer Nilus, into whomealone no ſhowres fall at any time, is for iust cauſe loweſt inwinter, and bigheſt in ſommer, foraſmuch as in ſommer the ſunnedraweth moyſture equally out of all riuerſ, but in winter out ofNilus alone, this I take to be the cauſe of the diuers andchangeable courſe of the riuer. Heereof alſo I ſuppoſe toproceede the dryneſſe of the ayre in that region, at ſuch time asthe ſunne deuideth his courſe equally, ſo that in the highcountreys of Africke it is alwayes ſommer: whereas if it werepoſſible for the placing and ſituation of the heauens to bealtered, that where North is, there were ſouth, & where ſouthis, North, the ſunne towardes the comming and approach of winterdeparting from the middeſt of heauen, would haue his paſſage inlike fort ouer Europe, as now it hath ouer Africke, and worke thefame effects (as I iudge) in the riuer Iſter,³²as now it doth in Nilus. In like maner, the cauſe why Nilus hath nomiſt or cloude ariſing from it according as we ſee in otherflouds, I deeme to be this, becauſe the countrey is exceeding hoteand parching, being altogether vnfit to ſende vp any vapours, whichvſually breathe and ariſe out of cold places. But let theſe thingsbe as they are and haue bene alwayes.

Thehead and fountayne of Nilus³³where it is, or frō whence it cōmeth, none of the Ægyptians,Graecians,or Africans that euer I talked with, could tell me anything, besides a certaine ſcribe of Mineruas treaſury in the citySais, who ſeemed to me to fpeake merily, faying, that vndoubtedly heknewe the place, deſcribing the fame in this manner. There be twomountaines (quoth he) ariſing into ſharpe and spindled tops,ſituate betweene Syêne a city of Thebais, and Elephantina, the onecalled Crophi, the other Mophi.³⁴from the vale betweene the two hilles doth iſſue out the head ofthe riuer Nilus, being of an vnſearchable deapth, and withoutbottome, halfe of the water running towardes Ægypt and the North,the other halfe towardes Aethiopia and the ſouth. Of theimmeaſurable deapth of the fountayne, the scribe affirmed, thatPfammetichus King of the Ægyptians had taken triall, who foundingthe waters with a rope of many miles in length, was vnable to feeleany ground or bottome: whoſe tale (if any ſuche thyng were done ashe fayde) made me thinke, that in thoſe places whereof he ſpake,were certayne gulfes or whirlepooles very ſwift, violente andraging, whiche by reaſon of the fall of the water from the hilles,would not ſuffer the line with the ſounding leade to ſinke to thebottome, 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 countreysaboue, at lēgth we ſhall come to a steepe & bending ſhelfe,where ye ryuer falleth with great violēce, ſo yt we must be forcedto faſten two gables to each ſide of ye ſhip, & in that fortto hale and draw her forward, which if they chaunce either to ſlipor breake, ye veſſell is by and by driuē backwards by yeintollerable rage & violēce of ye waters. To this place frōye city Elephantina is four daies ſaile, whereaboutes ye riuer isful of windings & turnings, like the floud Meander, and in lēgthſo cōtinuing twelue scheanes, all which way the ſhip of neceſſitymust be drawne. After this, we ſhall arriue at a place very ſmoothand caulme, wherein is ſtanding an Iland incompaſſed rounde by theryuer, by name Tachampſo. The one halfe heereof is inhabited by theAegyptians, the other halfe by the Aethiopians, whoſe countrey isadioyning to the ſouthſide of the Ile. Not farre from the Iland isa poole of woonderfull and incredible bigneſſe, about the which theſhepheards of Aethiopia haue their dwelling: whereinto, after we aredeclined out of the mayne ſtreame, we ſhall come to a riuerdirectly running into the poole, where going on ſhore, we must takeour voyage on foote the ſpace of forty dayes by the waters ſide,the riuer Nilus it ſelfe beeyng very full of ſharpe rockes andcraggy ſtones, by the which it is not poſſible for a veſſell topaſſe. Hauing finiſhed forty dayes iourney along the riuer, takeſhipping againe, and paſſe by water twelue dayes voyage, till ſuchtime as you arriue at a great city called Meroe,³⁵which is reputed for the chiefe and Metropolitane city of thecountrey, the people whereof, only of all the gods worſhip Iupiterand Bacchus, whome they reuerence with exceeding zeale and deuotion.Likewiſe to Iupiter they haue planted an oracle, by whoſe counſayleand voyce they rule their martiall affayres, making warre how oftſoeuer, or againſt whomeſoeuer they are mooued by the fame. Fromthis city Meroe by as many dayes trauell as yee take from Elephantinato ye fame, you ſhall come to a kind of people named Automoly, whichis to ſay, traytours or runnagates, the fame alſo in like mannerbeing called Aſmach, which emporteth in the greeke tongue ſuch asſtande and attende at the Kings left hand. Theſe men³⁶being whilome ſouldyers in Aegypt to the number of eyght thouſandand two hundred, they reuolted from their owne countreymen, and fledouer to the Æthiopians for this occaſion. Being in ye time of KingPſammetichus diſperſed and diuided into fundry garriſons, ſomeat the city of Elephantina, and Daplinae Pelusiae, againſt theÆthiopians, other againſt the Arabians and Syrians, and thirdly atMarea againſt the Africans (in which places agreeably to the orderand inſtitution of Pfammetichus, the Perfian garriſons alſo didlie in munition) hauing continued the ſpace of three yeares inperpetuall gard and defence of the lande, without ſhift or releaſe,they fell to agreement amongſt themſelues to leaue their King andcountrey, and flye into Æthiopia: which their intente Pfammetichushearing, made after them incontinently, and hauing ouertaken thearmy, humbly beſought them with many teares, not to forſake byſuche vnkind and vnnaturall wiſe their wiues, children, andcountrey gods, vnto whoſe plaint and intreaty, a rude royſtrell inthe company ſhewing his priuy members, made this aunſwere,³⁷whereſoeuer (quoth he) theſe be, there will I finde both wyfe andchildren. After they were come into Æthiopia, and had offeredthemſelues vnto the King of the ſoyle, they were by him rewarded onthis manner. Certayne of the Æthiopians that were ſcarſely foundharted to the King, were depriued by him of all their lands andpoſſeſſions, which he franckly gaue and beſtowed on theÆgyptians. By meanes of theſe, the people of Æthiopia were broughtfrom a rude and barbarous kind of demeanour, to farre more ciuill andmanlike behauiour, being inſtructed and taught in the maners andcuſtomes of the Aegyptians. Thus the riuer Nilus is founde ſtill tocontinue the ſpace of foure monethes iourney by lande and water(leſſe then in which time it is not poſſible for a man to comefrom Elephantina to the Automolians)³⁸taking hys courſe and ſtreame from the Weſt part of the world, andfalling of the ſunne. Howbeit in this place I purpoſe to recite aſtory told me by certayne of the Cyraeneans, who fortuning to take avoyage to ye oracle of Ammon, came in talke with Etearchus King ofthe Ammonians, where by courſe of ſpeache, they fell at length todiſcourſe and common of Nilus, the head whereof was vnſearchable,and not to be knowne. In which place Etearchus made mention of acertaine people called Namaiones of the countrey of Afrike,inhabiting the quickſands, and all the coaſt that lyeth to theeaſt. Certayne of theſe men comming to the court of Etearchus, andreporting dyuers ſtrange and wonderfull things of the deſerts andwild chaſes of Africa, they chaunced at length to tell of certayneyong Gentlemen of theyr countrey,³⁹iſſued 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 wellother, 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, andmake further report thereof then euer any that had attempted thefame. For the ſea coaſt of Africa poynting to the North pole, manynations do inhabite, beginning from Ægypt, and continuing to thepromontory named Soloes, wherein Africa hath his end and bound. Allthe places aboue the ſea are haunted with wilde and ſauage beaſtes,beeing altogether voyde and deſolate, peſtered with ſand, andexceeding drye. Theſe gentlemen trauellers hauing made ſufficientprouiſion of water, and other vyands neceſſary for theyr iourney,firſt of all paſſed the countreys that were inhabited: and nextafter that, came into the wylde and waſte regions amongſt the cauesand dennes of fierce and vntamed beaſtes, through which they heldeon theyr way to the weſt parte of the earth. In which manner, afterthey had continued many dayes iourney, and trauelled ouer a greatpart of the ſandy countreys, they came at length to espy certaynefayre and goodly trees, growing in a freſh and pleaſaunt medowe,wherevnto incontinently making repayre, and taſting the fruite thatgrewe thereon, they were suddenly ſurpriſed and taken ſhort by acompany of little dwarfes, farre vnder the common pitch and ſtatureof men, whoſe tongue the gentlemen knew not, neither was theirſpeache vnderſtoode of them. Being apprehended, they were lead awayouer fundry pooles and meares into a city, where all theinhabitauntes were of the fame ſtature and degree with thoſe thathad taken them, and of colour swart and blacke. Faſt by the ſide ofthys city ranne a ſwift and violent riuer, flowing from the Weaſtto the Eaſt, wherein were to be ſeene very hydeous and terribleſerpents called Crocodyles. To this ende drew the talke of EtearchusKing of the Ammonians, ſaue that he added beſides how theNamaſonian gentlemen returned home to theyr owne countrey (as theCyraeneans made recount) and how the people alſo of the city whetherthey were broughte, were all coniurers, and geuen to the ſtudy ofthe blacke arte. The floud that had his paſſage by the city,⁴⁰Etearchus ſuppoſed to be the riuer Nilus, euen as alſo reaſon itſelfe giueth it to be. For it floweth from Africa, and hath a iustand direct cut through the middeſt of the fame, following (as itſhould ſeeme) a very like and ſemblable courſe vnto the riuerIſter.

Iſter⁴¹beginning at the people of the Celts, and the city Pyrene (the Celtskeepe without the pillers of Hercules, being neere neighbours to theCynefians, and the laſt and vtmoſt nation of the weſterne peopleof Europe) deuideth Europe in the middeſt, and scouring through thecoaſt, it is helde by the Iſtryans (people ſo named and comming ofthe Mileſians) it laſtly floweth into the ſea. NotwithſtandingIſter is well knowne of many, for that it hath a perpetuall courſethrough countreys that are inhabited, but where or in what parte ofthe earth Nilus hath his ſpring, no man can tell, forſomuch asAfrica from whence it commeth, is voyde, deſert, and vnfurniſhed ofpeople, the ſtreame and courſe whereof, as farre as lyeth in theknowledge of men, we haue ſet downe & declared, yt end of theriuer being in Ægypt where it breaketh into y^eſea.

Aegyptis welny oppoſite & directly ſet againſt ye mountaines ofCilicia, frō whence to ſynopis ſtanding in ye Euxine ſea, isfiue daies iourney for a good footemā, by ſtraight & euen way.

TheIle Synopis lyeth iust againſt the riuer Iſter, where it bearethinto the ſea, ſo that Nilus running through all the coaſt ofAfrica, may in ſome manner be cōpared to y^eriuer Iſter, howbeit, as touching ye floud Nilus be it hither toſpokē.

Letvs yet proceede to fpeake further of Ægypt,⁴²both for that the countrey it ſelfe hath more ſtrange wonders thenany nation in the world, and alſo becauſe the people themſelueshaue wrought fundry things more worthy memory, then any other nationvnder the ſunne, for which cauſes, we thought meete to diſcourſemore at large of ye region & people. The Ægyptians therefore asin the temperature of the ayre, and nature of the riuer, they diſſentfrom all other: euen ſo in theyr laws and cuſtomes they are vnlikeand diſagreeing from all men.

Inthis countrey⁴³the women followe the trade of merchantdize in buying and ſelling:alſo victualing and all kinde of ſale and chapmandry, whereascontrarywyſe the men remayne at home, and play the good huswiues inspinning and weauing and ſuch like duties. In like manner, the mencarry their burthens on their heads, the women on their ſhoulders.Women make water ſtanding, and men crouching downe and cowring tothe ground. They diſcharge and vnburthen theyr bellies of that whichnature voydeth at home, and eate their meate openly in the ſtreetesand high wayes, yeelding this reaſon why they do it, for that (ſaythey) ſuch things as be vnſeemely and yet neceſſary ought to bedone in counſayle, but ſuch as are decent and lawful, in the eyesand viewe of all men. No woman is permitted⁴⁴to do ſeruice or minIſter to the gods or Goddeſſes, that dutybeing proper and peculiar to men. The ſonne refuſing to nouriſhand ſuſteyne his parents, hath no lawe to force and conſtrayne himto it, but the daughter be ſhe neuer ſo vnwilling, is perforcedrawne and compelled thereto. The prieſts and miniſters of the godsin other countreys weare long hayre, and in Ægypt are all raſed andshauen. Likewyſe with other people it is an vſuall cuſtome inſorrowing for the dead to powle theyr lockes, and eſpecially ſuchas are neareſt touched with griefe, but contrarywyſe the Ægyptiansat the deceaſſe of their friends ſuffer their hayre to growe,beeing at other times accuſtomed to powle & cut it to ye stumps.Moreouer,⁴⁵the people of all lands vſe to make difference betweene their ownediet & the foode of beaſtes, ſauing in Ægypt, where inbarbarous and swiniſh maner men and beaſts feede ioyntly together.Besides this, ye people elſewhere haue their greateſt ſuſtenābleby wheate, rye, & barly, which ye Ægyptians may not taſte ofwithout great reproch & contumely, vſing neuertheſſe a kind ofwheate whereof they make very white and fine bread, which of ſome isthought to be darnell or bearebarly. This at the firſt hauingmingled it with licour, they worke & mould wt their feete,kneading the fame afterwards with their hands. In this countrey alſothe manner is to circumciſe and cut around about the ſkinne fromtheir priuy parts, which none other vſe, except thoſe that hauetaken letter, and learned the cuſtome from the Aegyptians. The mengo in two garments, the women in one, ſtitching to the inſide ofthe veſture a tape or caddeſe to gird their appare. I cloſe tothem, which y^epeople of other regions are wont to weare outwardly. The Graecians inwriting and caſting account,⁴⁶frame their letters, and lay their counters from the left hand to theright, the Aegyptians contrarywiſe proceede from the right to theleft, wherein alſo they frumpe and gird at the Graecians, faying,that themſelues do all things to the right hand, which is well andhoneſtly, but the Graekes to the left, which is peruerſely andvntowardly. Furthermore, they vſe in writing two kind of charectersor letters, ſome of the which they call holy and diuine, othercommon and prophane. In the ſeruice and worſhip of the gods, theyare more religious and deuout then any nation vnder heauen. Theydrinke out of braſen pots, which day by day they neuer fayle tocleanſe and wash very fayre and cleane, which manner and cuſtome isnot in a few of them, but in all. They delight principally to go infreſh and cleane linnen,⁴⁷conſuming no fmall part of the day in washing their garmentes. Theycircumciſe their ſecret partes for deſire they haue to be voyde offilth and corruption, eſteeming it much better to be accountedcleane, then comely. The prieſts and churchmen:⁴⁸ſhaue their bodies euery third day, to the end that neyther lyee norany kind of vncleanneſſe may take hold of thoſe which are daylyconuerſaunt in the honour and ſeruice of the gods. The fame arearrayed in one veſture of ſingle linnen, and paper ſhoes, withoutſufferance to go otherwiſe attired at any time. They purge and washthemſelues euery day twice in the daye time, and as often in thenight, vſing other ceremonies and cuſtomes welny infinite that arenot to be rehearſed. The ſelfefame prieſts haue no fmall aduantageor commodity in this, that they liue not of their owne, neither spendor conſume any thing of their priuate goodes and fubſtaunce, buthaue dayly miniſtred and ſupplied vnto them foode in greataboundance, as well the fleſh of oxen as of geeſe.⁴⁹Their drinke is wine made of grapes, which in like maner is broughtthem in allowance. To take any kind of fiſhe, they hold itvnlawfull: and if by fortune they haue but ſeene or lightly beheldeany beanes, they deeme themſelues the worſſe for it a monethafter, forſomuch as that kind of pulſe is accounted vncleane. Thereſt alſo of the Aegyptians and common forte vſe very ſeldome orneuer to ſowe beanes: and to eate the fame either rawe or ſodden,they hold it a greeuous ſinne.⁵⁰The prieſts take their orders in ſuch wiſe, that euery one byturnes and courſes doth ſeruice to all the gods indifferently, noman being clarked or choſen to be the feuerall miniſter of any onegod alone. All theſe are gouerned by one generall preſident orArchbiſhop. If any man dye, his ſonne taketh the prieſthoode inhis ſtead. All neate and bullockes of the malekinde they hold ſacredto Epaphus, whereof if they be in minde to ſacrifice any, theyſearche and trie hym whether he be cleane or no after this manner.⁵¹If in all hys ſkinne there appeare any one blacke hayre, they by andby iudge him impure and vnfit for ſacrifice, which triall is made byſome of the prieſts appoynted for the fame purpoſe, who takethdiligent view of the oxe both ſtanding and lying, and turned eueryway, that no part may be vnſeene. After this, ſearch is made alſoof his mouth and tongue, whether all the ſignes and tokens appearein him that ſhould be in a pure & vnspotted beaſt, of whichſignes we determine to fpeake in another booke. To make ſhort, hecuriously beholdeth the hayres of his tayle whether they groweaccording 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 theother, and ſo let him run, and if any man aduenture to offer vp anoxe, whoſe hornes are not marked with the publike ſeale orbrandyron, he is by and by accuſed by the reſt of his company, andcondemned to dye. Theſe are the meanes⁵²which they vſe in ſearching and ſurueying theyr cattell, ſuch asare to be offered to the gods. Moreouer, in the time of ſacrificeand oblation, this is their manner. The beaſt that is ſealed on thehorne, being brought to the aultare and place of immolation,incontment a fire is kindled, then ſome one of the Chaplaynes takinga boule of wyne in his hands, drinketh ouer the oblation with hisface towarde the temple,⁵³and calling with a loude voyce vpon the name of the god, giueth thebeaſt a wound and killeth him, the head and hyde whereof, they beareinto the market place, with many deteſtable curſſes, and diueliſhbannings, making ſale thereof to the Merchaunts of Greece. Such ofthe Aegyptians as haue no place of ſale or vſe of Merchaundiſewith the Graecians, caſt both head and hyde into the riuer Nilus. Incurſſing the head of the ſlaine beaſt they vſe this manner ofimprecation, that if any euill or miſfortune be to happen either tothoſe which do the ſacrifice, or to the whole realme and dominionof Aegypt, it would pleaſe the gods to turne all vpon that head. Thelike vſe and cuſtome about the heads of ſuch cattel as are killedin ſacrifice, and in time of offering for the prieſt to drinkewine, 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 obſeruedin euery place. Now we will ſhew and declare which of all theGoddeſſes they chiefly honour, and in whoſe name they ſolemnizeand celebrate the greateſt feaſt. Hauing therefore moſt deuoutelyſpent the eue or day before the feaſt in ſolemne faſting andprayer, they ſacrifice an Oxe, whoſe hyde incontinently they pulloff and take out his entrayles, ſuffering the leafe and fat toremayne within him. After that, they hewe off the shanke bones, withthe lower part of the loyne and ſhoulders, likewiſe the head andthe necke, which
done, they farce and stuffe the body withhalowed bread, hony, rayſons, figges, franckincenſe, myrrhe, andother precious odours. Theſe things accōpliſhed they offer him vpin ſacrifice, pouring into him much wine & oyle, and abidingſtill faſting, vntill ſuch time as the offering be finiſhed. Inthe meane ſpace while the ſacrifice is burning, they beate andtorment themſelues with many ſtripes, whereby to satisfy andappeaſe the wrath and diſpleaſure of the gods. Hauing left off onthis manner to afflict and crucifie their fleſh, the reſidue of theſacrifice is ſet before them, where with they feaſt and refreſhetheir hunger. It is a cuſtome⁵⁴receyuen throughout all the region, to offer bullocks and calues ofthe malekinde, if in caſe they be found immaculate and pure,according to the forme of their lawe: howveit, from kine andheiffers, they absteyne moſt religiously, accounting them as holyand conſecrate to the goddeſſe Iſis, whoſe image is carued andframed like a woman, with a paire of hornes on hir head, like as theGraecians deſcribe and ſet foorth Iö. Hereof it proceedeth thatthe people of Aegypt do moſt of all other beaſtes worſhip andreuerence a cowe, for which cauſe, none of that nation neither mennor women will eyther kiſſe a Graecian, or ſo muche as vſe hysknife to cut any thing, his ſpit to rost, his pot to voyle, or anyother thing belonging to them, diſdayning and loathing the verymeate that hath bin cut with a Graecians knife, for ſomuch as inGreece they feede of all neate indifferently both male and feamale.If an oxe or cowe⁵⁵chaunce to die, they bury them on this wiſe, the kine and femalesthey caſt into the riuer, durying the oxen in ſome of the fuburbeswith one of his hornes ſticking out of the ground for a token; lyingon this maner vntill they be rotten. At an ordinary and appoyntedtime, there ariueth a ſhip frō y• Ile Proſopitis ſituate in ytpart of Ægypt which is named Delta, being in compaſſe ninescheanes, which is 63. miles. In this Iland are planted many cities,one of the which continually furniſheth and ſends foorth theaforeſaid ſhip, hauing to name Atarbeehis, wherein ſtandeth afaire and goodly temple dedicated to Venus. From this cityAtarbechis, many people are woont to ſtray and wander into othertownes of Aegypt. The ſhip comming to land at euery city, takes vpthe bones of the dead oxen, and caries them all to one place wherethey are buryed together. The law alſo cōmaundeth the ſelfefamemanner to be kept and obſerued in the ſepulture and burying ofother cattell that dye in the land, from the ſlaughter of the whichgenerally the Aegyptians absteyne. Neuertheleſſe, ſuch as abidingin the prouince of Thebes in the temple of Iupiter Thebanus, areinueſted with the orders of prieſthoode, vſe the fame abſtinencefrom ſheepe, and ſlayne goates vpon the aultars of the gods, for inÆgypt the fame gods haue not the fame kinde of diuine honour ineuery place and with euery people, ſauing Iſis and Osyris, the onea goddeſſe, the other a god, which are of all men worſhippedalyke. This Osyris is of the Ægyptians thought to be Bacchus, albeitfor ſome respect they name him otherwiſe. Contrary to theſe, ſuchas are belonging to the pallace of Mendes,⁵⁶and 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 eſchewand auoyde the ſlaughter and killing of ſheepe, teſtifiethemſelues to be mooued heerevnto by a law, becauſe that Iupiter ona time refuſing to be ſeene of Hercules who greately deſired tobehold him, at his inftant prayers cut off the head of a ramme, andſtripping off the fell, caſt it ouer him, and in ſuch mannerſhewed himſelfe to his ſonne, where of the Ægyptians framing theimage of Iupiter, made him to haue a rammes head, of whome, theAmmonians tooke that cuſtome, which are an offpring and braunchgrowne from two fundry nations the Ægyptians and Aethiopians, aswell may be ſeene by their lāguage which is a medley of bothtongues: who ſeeme for this cauſe to haue named themſeluesAmmonians,⁵⁷for that they hold the oracle of Iupiter whome the Ægyptians call bythe name of Ammon. In this respecte the Thebanes abſteyne from thebloud of rammes and ſheepe, eſteeming them as holy and diuinecreatures. Howbeit, one day in the yeare which they keepe feſtiuallto Iupiter they kill a ramme, and taking off the ſkynne, they couertherewith the image, wherevnto incontinent they bring the picture ofHercules, after which,they beate the naked fleſh of the ramme for agood ſeaſon. The ſacrifice being in this fort accompliſhed, theybury the body in a religious and halowed veſſell. This Herculesthey recken in the number of the twelue gods, as for the otherHercules of whome the Graecians make mention, the Ægyptians arealtogether vnacquainted with him, neyther do they ſeeme at any timeto haue heard of him.

Thisname I ſuppoſe to haue come firſt from Ægypt into Graece, and tohaue bene borrowed of them, howſoeuer the Graecians diſſemble thematter, to make the inuention ſeeme their owne: wherevpon I groundewyth greater confidence, for that the parents of Hercules, Amphytrioand Alomaeea are by countrey and lynage Ægyptians.⁵⁸Likewiſe in Ægypt, the name of Neptune, and the gods calledDioſcuri, was very ſtraunge, and vnheard of, neyther would they bebrought by any meanes to repute them in the fellowſhip and companyof the gods. And it in caſe they had taken the name of any god fromthe Graecians, it is very credible that as well as of the reſt, nayaboue the reſt, they would haue made choſe of Neptune and theother, were it that at thoſe days trade of merchandiſe, andvoyaging by ſea were vſed eyther by them into Graece, or by theGraecians into Ægypt, which I ſuppoſe and thinke to haue bene. Itis therefore moſt ſounding and agreeable to truth, that if anything had bene borrowed by them, the name of Neptune rather thenHercules had crept into their manners and religion. Beſides this,the god head and name alſo of Hercules is of greate coutinuance andantiquity in Ægypt,⁵⁹inſomuch that (by their faying) 17000. yeares are paſſed, ſincethe raigne of King Amaſis, in tyme of whoſe gouernaunce, the numberof the gods was increaſed from eight to twelue, whereof Hercules wasthen one. Heere in not contented with a ſlippery knowledge, butmooued with deſire to learne the truth, I came in queſtion withmany aboute the fame cauſe, & tooke ſhipping alſo to Tyrus acity of Phoenicia, where I had heard ſay that the temple of Herculeswas founded. Being landed at Tyrus, I beheld the pallace beautyfiedand adorned with gifts of ineſtimable price, and amongſt theſe,two croſſes, one of tried & molten gold, another framed of theprecious gemme Smaragdus, whiche in the night ſeaſon ſent foorthvery bright & shining beames, forthwith falling into parle withthe chap••ines & prieſts of ye temple, I demaunded themduring what ſpace the chappell had ſtoode, and how long ſince itwas built; whoſe talke and diſcourſe in nothing agreed with theGraecians affirming, that the temple tooke his beginning with thecity, from the firſt foundation & groundley whereof, twothouſand and three hundred yeares are exſpired. I ſaw alſo inTyrus another temple vowed to Hercules ſumamed Thesius. In likefort; I made a iorney to Thaſus, where I light vpon a chappellerected by the Phaenicians, who enterpriſing a voyage by ſea to theknowledge and diſcouery of Europe, built and founded Thaſus, fiuemens ages before the name of Hercules was knowne in Greece. Theſeteſtimonies do plainely prooue that Hercules is an auncient god andof lōg durance. For whiche cauſe amongſt all the people of Greecethey ſeeme to haue taken the beſt courſe, that honour Hercules bytwo fundry temples,⁶⁰to one they ſhew reuerence as to an immortall god, whome they callHercules Olympius, to another, as to a chiefe peere, and moſtexcellente perſon amongſt men. Many other things are noyſed by theGraecians, albeit very raſhly and of ſlender ground: whoſe fondand vndiſcret tale it is, that Hercules comming into Ægypt, wastaken by the Ægyptians, and crowned with a garland, who were in fullmind to haue made him a ſacrifice to Iupiter. Vnto whoſe aultarebeing lead with greate pompe and celerity, he remayned very meeke andtractable, vntill ſuch time as the prieſt made an offer to ſlayhim, at what time recalling his spirits, and laying about him withmanfull courage, he made a great ſlaughter of all ſuch as werepreſent & ſtroue againſt him. By which theyr fabulous &incredible narration they flatly argue, how ignoraunt and vnaquayntedthey be with the maners of Ægypt, for vnto whome it is not lawfullto make oblation of any brute beaſt, but of ſwine, oxen, calues andgeeſe: coulde they ſo farre ſtray from duty and feare of the gods,asto ſtayne and blemiſh their aultars with the bloud of men: Agayne,Hercules being alone in the hands of ſo many Ægyptians, can itſtande wyth any credence or lykelyhoode that of hymſelfe he ſhouldbe able to ſlay ſo greate a multitude: But let vs leaue theſefables, and proceede forwarde to the truth, ſuch therefore of thyspeople as flye the bloudſhead and ſlaughter of goates (namely theMendefians)⁶¹lay for theyr ground, that Pan was in the number of the eyght godswhich were of greater ſtanding and antiguitie then the twelue.

Theforme and image of the god Pan, both the paynters and canuers inÆgypt franie to the fame ſimilitude and reſemblance as theGraecians haue expreſſed and ſet him foorth by, making him to hauethe head and shankes of a goate, not that they thinke him to be ſo,but rather like the other gods. Notwithſtanding the cauſe wherebythey are mooued to portray and fhadow him in ſuch fort, is no greateand handſome tale to tell, & therfore we are willing to omit itby silence, ſufficeth it that we knowe how as well bucke as dooegoates are no pety saincts in this countrey, in ſomuch that with theMendefians goateheards are exalted aboue the common forte, and muchmore ſet by then any other degree of men, of which company, ſomeone is alwayes of chiefe eſtimatiō, at whoſe death, all thequarter of Mendeſia is in great ſorrow and heauines, whereof itcommeth, that as well the god Pan himſelfe, as euery male-goate iscalled in ye Ægyptian ſpeach Mendes. In theſe parts of Ægypt⁶²it hapned that a goate of the malekinde in open ſight cloſed with awoman, whiche became very famous and memorable throughout all thecountrey. An hogge is accounted with them an vncleane and defiledbeaſt, which if any paſſing by fortune to touch, his next worke isto go waſhe and dowſe himſelfe clothes and all in ye riuer, forwhich cauſe, of all their proper and natiue countreymen, only ſuchas keepe ſwine, are forbidden to do worſhip in the temples. No manwill vouchſafe to wed his daughter to a ſwineheard, nor take inmarriage any of their diſcent and iſſue feamale, but they mutuallytake and yeeld their daughters in mariage betweene themſelues. Ofthe number of the gods onely Liber and the Moone are ſacrificed vntowith hogges, whereof making oblation at the full of the moone, forthat ſpace alſo they feede of porke and hogsfleſh. The reaſon whythe people of Ægypt kill ſwyne at this time, and at all other timesboyle in ſo great deſpight and hatred againſt them, bycauſe mineeares glowed to heare it,⁶³I thought it maners to conceale it. ſwyne are offered vp to theMoone in this manner: the hogge ſtanding before the aultare, isfirſt ſlayne, then taking the tip of hys tayle, the milt, the call,& the ſewet, they lay them all together, ſpreading ouer themthe leafe or fat that lyeth about the belly of the ſwine, whichimmediately they cauſe to burne in a bright flame. The fleſhremayning they eate at the full of the moone, which is the fame daywhereon the ſacrifice is made, abhorring at all other times thefleſh of ſwine as the body of ſerpent. ſuch as be of pooreeſtate, and ſlender fubſtaunce, make the picture & image of ahogge in paast or dowe, whiche beeing conſequently boyled in aveſſell, they make dedication thereof to their gods. Another feaſtalſo they keepe ſolemne to Bacchus, in the which towarde ſupperthey ſticke a ſwyne before ye threſhold or entry of their dwellingplaces, after which, they make reſtitution⁶⁴thereof to the ſwinehearde agayne of whom they bought it. In allother pointes pertayning to thys feaſt, ſo like the Graecians asmay be, ſauing that they ſquare a little, and vary heerein. For themanner of Greece is in this banquet to weare about their neckes theſimilitude of a mans yard named Phallum, wrought and carued offigtree, in ſtead whereof, the Ægyptians haue deuiſed fmall imagesof two cubites long, whiche by meanes of certayne ſtrings andcoardes they cauſe to mooue and ſtirre as if they had ſence andwere liuing. The cariage of theſe pictures is committed to certaynewomen that beare them too and fro through the ſtreetes, making theyard of the image (which is as bigge as all the bodye beſides) todaunce and play in abhominable wiſe. Faſt before theſe marcheth apiper, at whoſe heeles the women followe incontinent with fundrypſalmes & ſonets to ye god Bacchus. For what cauſe that onemember of the picture is made too big for the proportion & frameof ye body, and alſo why, that, only of all the body is made tomooue, as they refuſed to tell for religion, ſo we deſired not toheare for modeſty. Howbeit, Melampus ſonne of Amytheon⁶⁵was falsly ſuppoſed to haue bin ignoraunt in the ceremonies ofÆgypt, in the whiche he was very ſkilfull & cunning. By whomthe Greekes were firſt inſtructed in the due order and celebrationof Bacchus feaſt (whome they worſhipped by the name of Dionyſius)& in many other ceremonies and religious obſeruations pertayningto the fame. Notwithstāding ſomething wanted in this deſcription,which was after added, and in more perfect and abſolute manner ſetdowne by certayne graue and wiſe men called Philoſophers,⁶⁶which liued in the ſecondage after him. Moſt euident it is that thepicture of Phalliumworne of the Graecians in the feaſt of Bacchus; was found out anddeuiſed by him, whoſe diſcipline in this point the Graeciansobſerue at this day. This Melampus was amanof rare wiſedome, well ſeene in the art of diuination andſouthfaying, the author and firſt founder to the Graecians as wellof other things which he had learned in Aegypt, as alſo of ſuchstatutes and obſeruances as belong to the feaſt of Dionyſius, onlya few things altered which he thought to amend. For why, to thinkethat the Graecians and Ægyptians fell into the fame forme of diuineworſhip by hay hazard or plaine chaunce, it might ſeeme a very hardand vnreaſonable geſſe, ſithence it is manifeſt that the Greekesboth vſe the ſelfeſame cuſtome, and more then that, they kept itof olde. Much leſſe can I be brought to ſay, that either hisfaſhion or any other hath bene translated and deriued from Greeceinto
Ægypt I rather iudge that Melampus comming from Phaeniciainto Beotia, accompanyed with Cadmus and ſome other of the Tyrians,was by them made acquaynted with all ſuch rites and ceremonies as inthe honour of Dionyſius are vſed by the Greekes. True it is, thatthe names by which the gods are vſually called, are borrowed anddrawne from the Aegyptians, for hearing them too be taken from theBarbarians as the chiefe inuenters and deuiſers of the fame, I hauefound not only that to be true, but alſo that for the moſt partethey are brought out of Ægypt. For ſetting aſide Neptune and thegods called Dioſcuri(asbefore is declared) luno, Venus, Thetis,the Graces, the Nymphes Nereides, all the names of the gods andgoddeſſes haue bene euermore knowne and vſurped in Aegypt. Ifpeake no more then the Ægyptians teſtify, which auouch ſincerelythat neyther Neptune nor the gods Dioſcuri were euer heard of intheir land. Theſe names I iudge to haue bene deuiſed by thePelaſgians, except Neptune, whoſe name I ſuppoſe to be taken fromthe people of Africa, for ſomuch as from the beginning no nation onthe earth but only the Africanes vſed that name, amongſt whome,Neptune hath alwayes bene reuerenced with celeſtiall and diuinehonours, whome the Ægyptians alſo denie not to be, albeit theyſhewe and exhibite no kinde of diuine honour towardes him. Theſeand ſuche like cuſtomes⁶⁷(which we purpoſe to declare) haue the Greekes borrowed of theÆgyptians: neuertheleſſe, the image of Mercury, who is framed withthe ſecret member porrect and apparent, I rather deeme to haueproceeded from the maners of the Pelaſgians, then from the vſualland accuſtomed wont of Ægypt, and principally to haue growne in vſewyth the Athenians, whoſe fact conſequently became a paterne andexample to the reſt of the Graecians. For the ſelfe fame ſoyle wasioyntly held and inhabited both of the Athenians (which were of theright lignage of Hellen) and likewiſe of the Pelaſgians, who forthe fame cauſe began to be reckoned for Graecians. Which things arenothing maruaylous to thoſe that are ſilfull and acquaynted withthe worſhip and religion whych the Graecians yeeld to the threeſonnes of Vulcane named Cabiri,⁶⁸which diuine ceremonies are now freſh in Samothracia, and were takenand receyued from the Pelaſgians. The cauſe is, that thoſePelaſgians whome we ſaid before to haue had all one territorie withthe Athenians, dwelt ſometime alſo in Samothracia, by whome thepeople of that ſoyle were taught and indoctrined in the ceremoniesappertinent to Bacchus. Firſt therefore the people of Athensfollowing the ſteps of the Pelaſgians, cauſed the picture ofMercury to be carued in ſuche forte as we haue heard. For authority& proofe why the image ſhould be thus framed, the men ofPelaſgos recited a myſterie out of holy bookes, which is yet keptand conſerued in the religious monuments of Samothracia. Theſelfeſame in prayerand inuocation to the heauenlye powers, madeablation of all creatures indifferentlye, and wythout respect (whycheI came to knowe at Dodona) geuing no names at all to the gods, asbeeyng flatly ignoraunte howe to call them. Generally they named themθεοὶ gods, in that θέντες ἔιχον κόσχω thatis, they diſpoſed and placed in order all the countreyes andregions on earth. In tract of tyme, the names and appellations of thepowers diuine vſed in Ægypt, grew alſo in knowledge with theGreekes:enſuing which, the name alſo of Dionyſius, otherwiſecalled Bacchus, came to light, albeit, long after that time and inlater dayes. A fmall time exſpired, the Greekes counſayled with theoracle in Dodona⁶⁹to the fame ende and purpoſe. This chayre of prophecy was in thoſedayes the only and moſt auncient ſeate in the land of Greece,whether the Pelaſgians repayring, demaunded the oracle if theſurnames of the gods receiued and taken from the Barbarians, mightbe lawfully frequented in Greece: whereto aunſwere was geuen, thatthey ſhoulde be reteined: for whyche cauſe, yeelding ſacrifice tothe gods, ſuch names were helde by the men of Pelaſgos, and laſtlyobſerued of ye Graecians. Howbeit, what original or beginning thegods had,⁷⁰or whether they were euermore time out of mind: finally, what forme,figure, or likeneſſe they bare, it was neuer fully and perfectlyknowne till of late dayes. For Hesiodus and Homer (which were notpaſſing. 400. yeares before vs) were the firſt that euer made thegods 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 ſomuch as the fauour and portraytour of any of the gods ſecrete andvndeſeried. As for ſuche poets as are ſaide to haue gone beforetheſe, they ſeeme to me to haue liued after them. The firſt oftheſe things (I meane the names of the natures celeſtiall) to hauebene planted in Greece in ſuch forte as hath bene declared, theprieſts at Dodona do iustly witneſſe. Now for this of Hesiode andHomer to be no other wyſe then is ſaid, I pawne mine owne credit.Furthermore, of ye oracles in Africke and Greece⁷¹the Ægyptians blaſe this rumor, and principally ſuch as areemployed in the ſeruice and minIſterie of Iupiter Thebanus: bywhome it is fayde, that certaine men of the Phaenicians comming toThebes; ſtate priuily from thente two women accuſtomed to minIſterin the temple of Iupiter, one of the which they ſold in Lybia, theother in Greece, by whoſe meanes and aduiſe it came to paſſe,that in each countrey the people created an oracle. Heereat ſomewhatabaſhed, and requeſting earneſtly how and in what manner they cameto knowe this, they made we aunſwere, that leauing no cornervnſearched whereby to come to knowledge of their women, and not ableto finde how they were beſtowed, newes was brought at length oftheir plight and condition. Thus farre was I certified by the Thebaneprelates, wherevnto I deeme it conuenient to adde ſuch things aswere notified vnto mee at Dodona by the prieſts there, whovndoubtedly affyrme how in times forepaſt and long ago, two blackepigeons⁷²tooke theyr flight from the countrey of Thebes in Ægypt, scouringwith ſwift courſe through the sky, one of the which fortuned tolight in Africa, the other in that part of Greece where Dodona is nowſituate, where pointing vpon a mighty tall beech, ſhe was heard tofpeake in a voice humane, like vnto a man, warning the people toerect an oracle or ſeate of diuination in that place, being ſothought good, and prouided by the deſtinies. Whiche admonition thepeople taking (as well they might) to come by the inſtince andmotion of the gods, did as they were commaūded by the done. In likemanner it fell out that in Lybia the people were ſtirred vp andincenſed by the other done to the planting and erection of a ſeatepropheticall, named the oracle of Ammon, being alſo cōfecrate tothe name of Iupiter. Theſe things we receiued of the credite andauthoritie of the Dodoneans, confirmed: and eſtabliſhed by thegenerall conſentē of thoſe that had the •aſe and charge of thetemple. Of theſe women prieſts reſident in the temple of Dodona,the eldeſt & moſt aunciēt had to name Promenca, the ſecondTimareta, the third and yougeſt Nicandra. Neuertheleſſe of theſematters ſuch is my iudgement. If any ſuch religions and holy womenwere by stealth of the Phenicians transported and caryed away intoLybia and Greece. I condecture that the one of theſe was ſold atTheſprotus, in that parte of the region which earſt was in y^epoſſeſſion of the Pelaſgians; and is at this preſent reputedfor a portion of Hettus: where, hauing ſerued certayne yeares, inproceſſe of time ſhe brought inbye thediuine ceremonies of Iupiter, vnder ſome beach tree growing inſhoaſe coāſtes. For what could be more likely con•emente, thenfor her to eſtabliſh ſome monument in the ſacred honour ofIupiter, in whoſe ſeruice and religion ſhe had bene long timeconuerſaunt at Thebes in Ægypt Which her ordinance at length greweinto the cuſtome of an oracle. The fame beeing perfect alſo in theGreeke language, diſcouered vnto them in what fort the Phenician hadlikewiſe made ſale of hir ſiſter to the people of Africa. Theſacred and deuoute women of Dodona resyaunt in the pallace of thegreat god Iupiter, ſeeme for none other cauſe to haue called theſeÆgyptian pufits two doues, then for that they were come fromharbarous countreys, whoſe tongue and manner of pronouncing ſeemedto the Graecians to founde like the voyce of bites. And whereas theyſhewe that in time the doue began to vtter playne language, andfpeake like men, naught elſe is meant heareby then that ſhe vſedſuch ſpeech as they knew and vnderſtood, being ſo long eſteemedto emusate and follow the noyſe of birds as ſhe remained in herharbarous kind of ſpeach and pronunciation. For how is it crediblethat a pigeon in deede could haue uſurped the voice and vtteraunceof a many and alleadging yet further that it was a blarke doue, theyargued her more playnely to haue bene a woman of Aegypt, the flowerof whoſe beauty is a fayre browne blew, •anned and burnt by thefyery beames of the ſunne. Agayne, the oracles themſelues, that ofThebes, and this of Dodona, are wel•ye in all poyntes agreeable.Thfpeake nothing of the maner and order of ſouthfaying in thecomples of Greece, which any man with halfe an eye may eaſilydiſcerne to haue bene taken from Ægypt. Let it ſtand alſo⁷³for an •••ent and vndoubted verity, that aſſemblies atfeſtiuals, pompes and pageants in diuine honour, talke andcommunication with the gods by a mediatour or interpretour, wereinuented in Ægypt, and conſequently vſed in Greece. Which I thinkethe rather, for that the one is old and of long continuance, theother freſhe and lately put in practiſe. It is not once in a yearethat the Aegyptians vſe theſe ſolemne and religious meetings,⁷⁴but at fundry times and in fundry places, howbeit, chiefly and withthe greateſt zeale & deuotion at the city Bubaſt, in ye honourof Diana. Next after that at Buſiris, in the celebration of Iſisfeaſt, where alſo ſtandeth the moſt excellent and famous templeof Iſis, who in the Greeke tongue is called Δήμητρη, whichis to wit, Ceres. Thirdly, an aſſembly is held in the city Sars inthe prayſe and reuerence of Minerua. Fourthly, at Heliopolis inhonour of the ſunne.⁷⁵Fiftly at Batis in remembraunce of Larona. In the ſixt and laſtplace nor the city Papſſis, to the dignity & renowne of Mars.⁷⁶Moreouer, ſuch of this people as with encyre. and affectionate zealemoſt religiously obſerue theſe astat. Bubaſtis, behaue and bearethemſelues on this maner. Certayne ſhippes being addreſſed,wherein infinite numbers of men and women fayle towards the cat•,in the meane ſeaſon whiles theybein voiage on ye water, certaine of the womē play vpō drums &taders, making a great found & noyſe, ye men on pipes.⁷⁷Such as want theſe implemēts, clap their hands & ſtrainetheir voice in ſinging to ye higheſt degree. At what city ſoeuerthey ariue, happely ſome of the women of continue their mirth &diſportion y^e timbrels, ſome other raiſe, reuiſe & wold at the daiees ofthe city beyond meaſure: manytrauile& bauncemotionly: other caſt vp their clothes, & openly diſcouer andbeing and bewray their ſhame, doing this in all thoſe cities yt areneere adioyning to the riuers fitie. Being aſſembled & gatheredtogether at Bubaſtis, they honoured the feaſt day with principallſolemnity, making large offrings to Diana, wherein is greaterexpence & effuſion of grape wine they all the yeare beſides. Tothis place by the voiceof the countrey are want to repay 7000 men & women,u.fideschildrē, and thus they paſſe the time at Bubaſtis. Now in whatmaner they ſolemnize ye ſacred day of Iſis at ye city▪ Buſinis,we declared before, wherein theirusageis after ye deeper furnāce & accompliſhment of ye Sacrifice,to whip & scourge thēſelues inlamentablewiſe, and yt not one or two,butmany thouſandes of eache degree both men & women: neuertheleſſe,by what meanes, or where with al they beate & vexe their bodiesin this fort, I may not diſcloſe. Howbeit ſuch of the people ofCaria as ſoiourne & make their abode in Ægypt. ſtricken with adeeper remorſe of ſinne, in this point of zeale & ardencygo beyond ye Ægyptians, in that they hackle & slice theirforehead with kniues & daggers: whereby it is plainely geuento vnderſtande that they come of forreine nations, and not of thehomeborne & naturall people of the land. Inlike manner meeting(as before) at the city Sais, there to accompliſhe the rites andceremonies due to the day, at the approche and neere poynt of theeuening,⁷⁸they furniſh and beſet their houſes with torches and lampes, whichbeing repleniſhed with pure oyle mingled with salte, they giue fireto the weike, and ſuffer them to continue burning till the nextmorning, naming the day by the feaſt of lampes. ſuch as refort notto this feaſt, do neuertheleſſe at their owne homes giue duehonour to the night, placing in euery corner of theyr houſe aninfinite number of tapers and candles, the cuſtome being not onlykept 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 mustkeepe ſecret. At Heliopolis and Butis onely, ſacrifice, withoutexecution of any other ceremonies, is done to the gods Likewiſe atPapremis they remyne the fame cuſtome of diuine ſeruice andworſhipping as in other places. At the ſunne going downe, certaynechoſen men of the prieſts,⁷⁹being few in number, and ſeriously held and buſied about theimage, the moſt parte ſtanding before the dore of the temple armedwith clubs as much as they can weilde: ouer againſt whome on thecontrary ſide, other, more then a thouſand mē (of the number ofthoſe that come to worſhip) all ſtrongly furniſhed & preparedwith bats in their handeſ. The day before the feaſt, the picture orimage framed of wood, is by meanes of a few (aſſigned to theminIſtery and cure of ye woodden god) conueyed out of a fmall templemade of light timber gorgeously gilded: into another ſacred andreligious houſe, being thither drawne by the minIſter &themſelues vppon a wayne of foure wheeles, wheron the temple itſelfeis placed, & the image alſo conteined therein. Drawing neere toye temple with their cariage, the clubbes ſtanding before the dorewyth threates & cruell manaces forbid thē to enter: incōtinētye band: of men oueragainſt them tōming with might & maine toaſſist the image, and encountering with thoſe that kept thetemple, laye on ſuche rude bloastes, that hardly eſcapeth withouthys crowne crackt in manye places. Wherein alſo I ſuppoſe thatmany men miſcarry and came ſhort home, albeit they flatly deniethat of a wound ſo taken any man euer periſhed. The homelings andpeculiar people of that countrey alleadge this reaſon of thebattell. In this temple⁸⁰(ſaye they) did ſometimes inhabite the mother of the god Mars, whoſeeking at the eſtate of ripe yeares againſt the lawe of nature tohaue ſociety with his owne mother, tooke the repulſe, and wasreiected by her minIſters that knew him not, whereat the godſtorming in great rage, purchaſed ayde out of the citiesadioynaunt, and made way perforce, to the greate diſcomfiture anddammage of thoſe as ſought to reſiſt him, for which cauſe, theyyet ſolemnize to Mars a feaſt of broken pates⁸¹and bruſed coſtards, enacting moreouer by the vertue of theirreligion, that no man ſhould haue carnall copulation with a woman inthe temple, neyther attempt to ſet his foote within the dores of anyſuche houſe of religion, vnleſſe after the fleſhly knowledge ofwomen he firſt wash and cleanſe his body wyth pure water, whichecuſtome onely taketh place amongſt the Graecians and Ægyptians,beeing the vſe in other nations to accompany with their women in thechurches and palaces of their gods, and alſo preſently after ſuchſecret actes, without any regard of purifying themſelues, to rushinto the houſes of diuine honour, making no difference betweene menand other brutiſh and vnreaſonable creatures. For it is ſeene (ſaythey)⁸²how other things that haue life and ſence, meddle themſelues eachwith other euen in ſuch places as the gods were worſhipped, whichif it were a thing ſo odious and diſpleaſaunt in the eyes of thehigher powers, no doubt the beaſtes themſelues would eſchue andauoyde it, whoſe doings together with their iudgement I flatlydiſalow. Howbeit, vnderſtand we, that as well in theſe thingswhereof we haue intreated, as in all other the Ægyptians are ledwith a ſingular ſuperſtition. Ægypt alſo itſelfe albeit itabutte and poynt vpon the countrey of Lybia, yet is it not ouermuchpeſtered with beaſtes. Such as the lande bringeth vp andfostereth, are reputed holy, and by no meanes to be violated orharmed by any, ſome of which haue their nouriture and foode togetherwith the people of ye ſoyle: otherſome are more wilde, fierce, andintractable, refuſing ſo gently to come to haud. The cauſe oftheſe things, why creatures vnreaſonable are ſo highly honoured ofthis people, I may not without breach of piety reueale: which thingsof ſet purpoſe I haue endeuoured to conceale and keepe ſecrete,vnleſſe by the neceſſary courſe of the hiſtory I haue benebrought to the contrary.

Furthermore,⁸³about the beaſtes that breede and multiplye in the region, ſuche istheir order. Generally they are helde with a moſt tender andreuerent care for the mayntenaunce and fostering of them, in whichekinde of honour (for it is accounted a greate honour with them, tohaue regard of beaſtes) the ſonne euermore ſucceedeth the father.To theſe brute creatures, all ſuch as are reſident in the citiesof Ægypt, performe and pay certayne vowes, makyng humbleſupplication to ſome one of the gods, in whoſe patronage andprotection that beaſt is, which thing they accompliſh after thismanner. Shauing the heads of their ſonnes, eyther wholly, in halfe,or for the moſt parte, they waigh the hayre in balaunce, ſettingagaynſt it the iust weight in ſiluer, whiche done, they deliueredit to him that hath the charge and ouerſight of any ſuche cattell,by whom are bought heere with fmall peeces of fiſhe which they giuethe beaſtes to eate, and ſuch is the meanes whereby they nouriſheand bring them vp. The ſlaying of any of theſe done of malice andſet purpoſe, is preſent death to the killer, but committed bychaunce a mule• or pe•ne at the diſcretion and arbitriment of yeprieſts. To kill an hauke⁸⁴or the bird which is called Ibis, is loſſe of life, in what fortſoeuer it be done. ſuch beaſts⁸⁵as 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. Thefeamale hauing once kitled, alwayes after eschueth the male, keepingher ſelfe ſecrete and couert from him, which the Ægyptians ſeeing,kill ye kitlings, & vſe thē for foode. The feamale bereaued ofher yong ones, and finding her neſt empty, is by that meanes broughtto fubmitte hir ſelfe to the bucke, beeing of all creatures moſtdeſirous 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 inthe appeaſing & extinguiſhing the flame, the cats lie couertlyin waight, & ſodeinly courſing towards the place, mount andskip quite ouer the heads of the people into the fire, at whichchaunce whenſoeuer it commeth to paſſe, the Ægyptians areextreamely ſorrowfull.⁸⁶In what houſe ſoeuer there dies a cat, all of the fame family shauetheir eyebrowes: but if a dog dye, their head and body. A cat dying,is ſolemnely caryed to the temple, where being well powdered withsalte, ſhe is after buried in the city of Babaſtis. A bitch⁸⁷is euermore buryed in the fame city where ſhe dieth, yet not withoutthe honour of a ſacred tombe, burying their dogges after the famefort, and chiefly houndes of the malekinde, whiche they moſt of allothers eſteeme and ſet by. Likewiſe fmall ſerpents called intheir tongue Mygalae, and haukes of all kinde, if they fortune todye, they take and bury them at the city Butis. Beares, ſuch as behalowed, & wolues not much bigger then foxes, are couered in yefame place where they be found dead. The nature alſo of theCrocodyle⁸⁸is thys. Foure monethes in the yeare, and chiefly in the winterſeaſon it liues without meate. And albeit it haue feete like a landbeaſt, yet hath it a nature middle & indifferent, liuing as wellin the water as one drie land. Her egges ſhe layes on the ſhore,where alſo ſhe couereth & hatcheth the fame, biding the moſtpart of the day abroade on the dry land, but all the night tyme inthe water, being much more hoate then the cold deawe that falleth inthe night. Of all creatures I iudge none of ſo fmall & ſlendera beginning, to waxe to ſuch huge and infinite greatneſſe, theegge at the firſt not much bigger then a gooſe egge, which meaſurethe broode it ſelfe exceedeth not when it fyrſt commes out of theſhell, howbeit, in durance of time, it growes to bee monſtrous,ſurmounting the length of ſeauenteene cubites.⁸⁹The Crocodyle hath eyes like a ſwine, teeth of paſſing bigneſſe,accordyng to the meaſure and proportion of her bodye, extendyng andbearyng outwarde, beeyng alſo very rough and grating lyke a ſawe:and of all other creatures is only without a tongne:⁹⁰the ſelfefame, contrary to the nature and property of all otherbeaſtes, hath the neather moſt chap stedfaſt and without moouing,and champeth her foode with the vpper iawe. Her clawes are veryſtrong and great, a scaly ſkynne, and aboute the backeimpenetrable, that no weapon be it neuer ſo ſharpe can pearce it.In the water as blinde as a moale, on lande of an excellente ſharpeand quicke ſight. Liuing in the water, it commeth to paſſe thather mouth is euermore full of horſeleaches. No foule or beaſt canabide to ſee or come nye a Crocodile, ſaue only the birdTrochilus,⁹¹with whome ſhe is at a continuall truce for the ſingular commodityſhe receyueth by him. For the Crocodile at what time ſhe forſakeththe water, and commeth out onlande, her quality is with wide andopened mouth to lye gaping toward the Weſt, whome the bird Trochilusespying, flyeth into her mouth, and there deuoureth and eateth vp thehorſeleaches, which bringeth ſuch pleaſure to the ſerpent, thatwithout any hurt in the world ſhe ſuffereth the bird to do what ſhewill. To ſome of the Ægyptians Crocodiles are in place of holycreatures, to other prophane and noyſome, which chace and purſuethem as moſt odious and peſtilent beaſtles. Thoſe that geuehonour to them, are ſuch as inhabite about Thebes, and the poole ofMaeris, who are wont commonly to traine vp a Crocodyle to hand,⁹²and make it tame, being in all poyntes ſo gentle and tractable as adogge. At whoſe eares they hang gemmes of ſingulare price, likewiſegolden eareings, hampering a chayne to the forefeete. This tame onethey cheriſh and bryng vp with great care, ſetting very much by itwhile it liueth, and being dead, they powder the body with ſault,and lay it vnder the ground in a veſſell accounted holy. Vnlike totheſe are the people dwelling at Elephantina, who be ſo farre fromthinking ſo reuerently of ſuche venemous ſerpents, that for hatethey ſtay, and in diſdayne eate them. The Ægyptians call thē notCrocodyles, but Champſi,⁹³this name being brought vp by the people of Ionia, for that in ſhapethey reſemble thoſe Crocodyles which amongſt them ingender andbreede in hedges. Diuers are the meanes whereby they are taken, yetamongſt other deuyſes this one ſeemeth to mee moſt worthyrehersall. ſuch as laye for them and ſeeke all wayes to take them,⁹⁴bayte their hookes with ſwynes fleſh and caſt it into y^emyddeſt of the ryuer: immediately ſtanding on the ſhore they beatea younge porkling and cauſe it to cry exceedingly: which theCrocodile hearing followeth the cry, and drawing neere to the place,findeth the bayte and ſwalloweth it vp at one morſel. Being faſtintangled and drawne to lande, they firſt blinde and ſtop vp hireyes with clay and rubbiſhe, which cauſeth hir to lye ſtill andſuffer all thinges quietly, which otherwiſe they coulde neuerobtaine 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 inſunder, and houed like and Oxe: a flat noſe: and taile and Manelike an Horſe: teeth apparaunt & ſtanding out: in founde andcry neighing ſo like a horſe as may be: in higneſſe reſembling amighty Bull, of ſo groſſe and thicke an hyde that being welldryed, they make thereof Darts of exceeding ſtrength and ſtiffneſſe.There be alſo founde to breede in the ryuer certaine beaſtes muchlike a Beuer and liue like
an Otter, which in Ægypt are ofgreat accounte and thought holy. In the fame degre of ſacred honourare all kinde of ſcale fiſhe and Eeles. ſuch is alſo theiropinion and reuerence towards birds and fowles of the ayre, as wildeGeeſe & ſuch like. There is alſo an other bird of whom aboueall other they think moſt diuinely, called a Phoenix:⁹⁶which I neuer ſaw, but protrayed and fhadowed in coloures. For thecōmeth very ſeldome into that countrey (as farre as I could heareſay by the Heliopolitans) to wit, once in 500. yeares, and that alſowhen hir parent or breeder dyeth. If ſhe be truely drawne by theÆgyptians this is hir forme and bigneſſe:⁹⁷hir feathers partly red and partly yealow, glittering like Golde: informe and quantity of the body not much differing from an Eagle. Ofthis Phoenix,⁹⁸Ægyptians haue bruted a ſtraunge tale, which I can hardly credit:faying that the Phoenix flying from Arabia, to the temple of theſunne in Ægypt, carieth in hir tallaunts the corps of hir deadſire, embaulmed & roled in Myrrhe, which ſhe accuſtometh tobury in that place. Adding alſo the maner whereby ſhe inureth hirſelfe to cary ſo great a burthen. Firſt ſhe gathers a greatquantity of Myrrhe and works it into a lumpe, as much as ſhee cannewell beare, whereby to make cryall of hir owne ſtrength. After thisperceyuing hirſelfe able to weylde it. ſhee maketh an hole with hirBeake in the ſide of the balle, framing it very hollow and emptywithin, wherein ſhe incloſeth the body of hir breeder. This done,and the hole cunningly filled vp againe, ſhe poyſeth the wholemaſſe in hir tallaunts: and finally, ſhe transporteth it toHeliopolis to the temple Pallace of y^eSunne: ſo ſkilfully handling hir cariage, that the Myrrhe body andall waygheth no more then the whole balle did before.

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

InArabia there lyeth a place of no great diſtaunce from the cityBatis, whether I went of purpoſe, hauing heard of certayne wyngedſerpents there to bee ſeene. And being come: I behelde the ribbesand bones of ſerpents in number welnigh infinite and not to beereckoned whereofſome were greater, and ſome leſſe. The placewhere the bones are layde, is a ſinale and narrowe bottome betweenetwo Mountaynes, opening into a wyde and waſte champion.

Theſpeach goeth, that out of Arabia at the poynte of the Sprynge, manyhydious and terrible ſerpentes take their flght into Ægypt: whichye fowles called Ibides meeting with,¹⁰⁰ſtraight wayes kill and deuour them: by which meanes ye ſoile isrid & deliuered of a great plague. For this cauſe ye bird Ibis(whereto the Arabians likewyſe accorde) is had in great price andeſtimation of the Ægyptians. The faſhion & protrayture of thisbird is ſuch:¹⁰¹hir feathers as black as I eat: long shanks like a Crane: an hookedbeake: much about ye bignes of a Daker hen. And in this forte is thefowle bis rightly figured, that killeth ye ſerpents as they comeinto 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^ewyngs and the taile, which are of a dark & black hue: the legges& uyll in all poynts like ye other. The ſerpents themſelues informe and making and much like to ye peſtilent & infectiousbeaſt Hydra,¹⁰²that liueth in ye water. They haue wyngs not of feathers, but ofsmothe and naked ſkin like vnto the wings of a Bat or Reremouſe.But let it ſuffice vs hyther to to haue continued y^ediſcourſe and hyſtory of ſuch beaſtes as with this people arehad in chiefe and principall honour, exhibiting towards them acertayne religious, holy, and diuine worſhip.

Nowit vehoueth vs to know that ſuch of the Ægyptians¹⁰³as dwell in the corne Countrey, & are moſt of all conuerſant indeſcrying to the poſterity the acts & affayres of auncientmomory, and of all the nation the moſt famous & principall.Whoſe kinde of lyuing is after this maner. Thriſe euery moneth theycleanſe and purifie them ſelues, both vpwards by vomitting &downewards by purginge: hauinge eſpeciall regarde of their healthand welfare: euermore ſuppoſing all maladies & diſeaſes togrow and ariſe of the meate which they eate. For otherwiſe theÆgyptians are of all men liuing the moſt founde and healthfullexcept ye Libians:¹⁰⁴the cauſe whereof I iudge to proceede of the immutable &conftant courſe of ye yeare, which with them neuer varieth butfalleth out alwayes alike: the greateſt cauſe of defect &ſickneſſe in men, aryſing of the chaung & mutability of yefame. Their bread is cōtinually made of fine wheat: their wyne forye moſt part cōpound of barley: the conntry bearing no vynes atall. They liue by fiſh partly raw and dryed agaynſt the ſunne:ſometimes powdred with salt. Likewiſe by raw byrds well salted, asDuayles, Duckes, and other ſmale fowle. In like maner, of otherCreatures that haue neere affinity either with fiſh or fowle theymake their prouiſion and furniture, roſting ſome and boyleingother. The rych and wealthy men of the lande in greate aſſemblieshaue an vſuall cuſtome, that by ſome in the company there ſhouldebee caryed about in a ſmale coffine the liuely & expreſſeimage of a deade man one or two cubits in length,¹⁰⁵which hauing ſhewne and reuealed to all that are preſente, heeſayth thus: Beholde here, and amiddeſt thy pleaſure and delighteremember this, for ſuch a one after thy death ſhalt thou bee thyſelfe. Such is their order in feaſtes and banquets, contenting themſelues alwayes with the cuſtomes of their owne countrey andrefuſing to be ruled by ſtraunge and forraine maners.¹⁰⁶Amongſt whom are diuerfe faſhions, very conuenient and wellappoynted: in the number of theſe an excellente Poeme or Ditty,which the Grekes call Lynus. And in truth meruayling at other thingsin Ægypt, I am not a litle amazed at this, whence the name of Lynusſhould come. The ſonge they ſeeme to haue kept & retained fromall antiquity. Lynus in the Ægyptian gibberiſhe is called Maneros,who (as they ſay) being the onely ſonne of their firſte Kinge, wasſurpriſed and taken away by vntimely death,¹⁰⁷whom the Ægyptians bewayle and lament in this pitious and dolefullverſe. Herein they iumpe and agree with the Lacedaemonians, in thatthe inferiour meeting with his elder, yeeldeth the way, and ſhewethhim a dutifull obeiſaunce in riſeing from his ſeate, if happilyhee bee ſitting as he paſſeth by: in which poynte they are vnlikeall y^ereſt of the Grecians beſides. Meetinge in the way in place ofmutuall salutation, they vſe humble and curteous reuerence eachtowarde other, bendinge their hands to each others knees. Cōmonlythey goe clothed in linnen garments made faſt with a lace about thethigh, which kinde of attyre they call Calaſyris: ouer this theycaſt alſo another beſture of linnen very cleane & white.¹⁰⁸Garments of woollen are neuer caried into the houſes of religion,neither will any man shrowd him ſelfe in a woollen veſture, whichis accounted prophane. This hath ſome agreement with y• ceremoniesvſually kept in y• ſacred feaſts of Bacchus & Orpheus, whichpartly were taken from y• Ægyptians, & partly deuiſed by y•Pythagoreans. For ſuch as haue bene partakers of thoſe ryts, haueeuermore abhorred to be buried in woollen garments. Whereof alſo anholy reaſon is geuen which we dare not diſcloſe. Many otherthinges haue bene invented by y• Ægyptians, as what day and monethis proper and appertinent to euery god. Likewiſe in Aſtrology¹⁰⁹what fortune is incident to him that is borne one ſuch a day, howhee ſhall proue in lyfe, by what meanes hee ſhall miſcary bydeath: which thinges haue bene vſed, of many that haue laboured inthe Arte, and Science of Poetry. Alſo, more wonders, and ſtrangeſightes and euentes haue bene diſcuſſed and interpreted by them,then by any other. Nation liuinge. For as any ſuch thing hathhappened at any tyme they commit it to memory, awaighting dilligentlywhat 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 thefirſt. The knowledge of diuination is ſo practiſed by them, thatthey impute not the inuention thereof to the will of men, but tocertayne of the gods. In their lande there bee theſe Oracles. Theprophecy¹¹⁰of Hercules, Apollo, Minerua, Diana, Mars, and Iupiter, moſt of allretterencing 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. Phisieke¹¹¹is ſo ſtudyed and practyſed with them that euery diſeaſe hathhis feuerall phiſition, who ſtryueth to excell in healing that onediſeaſe, and not to be expert in curinge many: whereof it commeththat euery corner is full of Phyſitions. ſome for the eyes, otherfor the head, many for the teeth, not a fewe for the ſtomacke andbelly. Finally, ſuch as are of knowledge to deale with ſecret andpriuy infirmities.

Inlike forte, the maner of mourninge,¹¹²and funerall ſorrow at the death of friendes: alſo the maner ofſepulture and vuryall which they vſe, is moſt worthy memory. Whenas any of their familiars or domeſticall friendeſ fortune todeceaſe, (bee hee of regarde amongſt them) all the women of thatfamily besmere and gryme their heads and faces with myre &droſſe: and leauing the forlorne and languiſhed corps amongeſttheir friends & acquaintaunce, they them ſelues being ſtraightgyrded, with their breaſts all bare and naked, accompanied with althe women of their kindred, wander about y• ſireets with moſtpiteous lamentation and howling: on the other ſide, y• men faſtgyrte about the loynes, thump & beate themſelues, as the moſtmiſerable, infortunate, & wretched perſons in the world. Afterthis they cary out the body to embalme and preſerue. Certaine therebe definitly appointed for the fame purpoſe, that make an occupationand trade hereof. Theſe when the corſe¹¹³is brought vnto them, propounde & ſhew to the bringers, fundryformes & pictures of the dead, paynted or carued in wood, one ofwhich is wrought with moſt curiouſe arte and workmanſhip (which wethinke impiety to name): the ſecond of leſſe pryce: the thirdmeaneſt of all: demaundinge of the bringers, to which of theſepaterns & examples their friend ſhalbe reſſed. Being agreed ofthe price they depart, leauing the body with y• salyners: whoincontinent ſeaſon & preſerue the corps with al induſtry,drawing the braynes out by the nosthrills with a croked inſtrumentof Iron, in place whereof they fill the Brayne pan with moſt ſweeteand pleaſaunt oyntments. This done and finiſhed, they cut and ripvp the Bowells with a ſharp ſtone of Æthyopia, taking thereout thepaunche & entrals, and clenſinge the belly with wyne of Palmetree: ſecondly, with freſh water mingled with moſt fragrant &delightfull spyces: in place hereof they force and stuffe the bellyit ſelfe with myrrhe, of the fineſt force brayed and pounded in amorter. Likewiſe, with Caſſia & all kinde of pleaſauntodours, except frankincenſe. Hauing thus done, they ſowe it vpagayne, & 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 ſteedeof 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 tothe likenes and reſemblaunce of him that is dead, wherein beingholow & vauted within, they cauſe him to be incloſed, layingeboth the Image and the body therein contayned in a toumbe together.Howbeit they which in meaner eſtate and fortune cannot reach ſohigh, order the bodyes of their frindeſ in forme as followeth. Firſtof all they fill a clyster with the oyntment of neder which withoutany maner cuttinge or opening the belly, they ſtrayne it into thebody by the inferiour partes & Fundament, preſeruinge the corſe:as before, 70. dayes. The laſt day of all they dreyne out the oylefrom the bowels of the dead: which is of ſuch vertue, that itbringeth out with it all the inner parts of the belly corrupted andfeſtered. Herewith alſo they inſtil & power into the bodySaltpeter, which is of force to depratie, taynt, and conſume thefleſh, leauing nothing but ſkin & bones: which done, theyeftſones deliuer the body to y• owners. There is alſo a thirdkinde of vsage accuſtomably practiſed about the bodyes of the dead:that if any one be deceaſed whoſe friends are very poore and ofſmaleſt fubstance, they only purge the belly, and preſeruing thecorps with salt for terme of like time as before, in fine, redeliuerhim to the bringers.

Thewyues of noble men,¹¹⁴and 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 abuſedby the inordinate luſt of ſuch as dreſſe them: alleadgingmoreouer, that a Saliner ſometimes working ſuch abuſe vpon y•dead body of a woman, was taken in the maner, and his villanydiſcryed by one of his owne company. If it fortune any one either ofthe Ægyptians, or of forraine countries to be drowned and caſt onſhore, the City in whoſe borders he is founde must ſuſtaine thecharge of the funeralles, which in honorable maner must be executed,and the body buried in the ſacred and holy Monumentes. Being notlawfull for his friends and allies any whit to intermeddle or touchthe dead, but the Preists aſſigned to the worſhip of the ryuerNylus intoumbe and bury him ſo nicely and ſolemnly as if it werethe body of a god. The cuſtomes of Greece they will in no wiſefollow: vtterly eſtraunging themſelues from all orders borowed andderyued from other Nations.

AlbeitChemmis¹¹⁵a great City in the Prouince of Thebs not farre from the City Nëa,wherein ſtandeth the Temple of Perſeus, ſenne of Danäe, builtefoureſquare and incompaſſed rounde aboute wyth a ſpringe or Groueof Date trees: hauing alſo a large entry of ſtone, on each ſidewhereof are placed two Images of paſſing greatneſſe: within thepallace is contayned ye carued monument of Perſeus, whom theChemmyts auouch often times to appeare vnto them out of the earth,and not ſeldome in the church: at which time they ſtude his ſupperwhich he was wo••s to weare, two cubytes in length &affyrminge that at ſuch times as that is ſeene, the yeare prouethvery fertile and proſperous throughe out all Ægypt. This towne (Iſay) hath ordayned certayne games of exerciſe in the honour ofPerſeus, after the maner of Greece. Theſe being dmaunded of mee whyPerſeus ſhould appeare to them alone, and for what cauſe in thecelebration of their games, they diſſented from the reſt of yeÆgyptians: they made anſwere, that Perſeus was iſſued of theyrcity, adding moreouer, that Danaeus and Lynaeus were alſo Chēmmytsand ſayled into Greece: in blaſing whoſe Pedagree they came atlēgth to Perſeus, who comming into Ægypt for the ſelfe famecauſe as the Grecians teſtify, namely, to fetch the heade of Gorgonout of Africk, came alſo to them and called to remembraunce hiskinred and linage, of whom hauing taken acquayntaunce, and hearinghis mother to fpeake of the name of Chem, he inſtituted a game ofall exerciſes, which according to his appointment and firſtordinaunce they obſerue till this day. Theſe are the maners ofthoſe that lye aboue the Fennes, ſuch as dwell in the Maryſesdiffer not from the reſt, neither in other things, nor in eſtate ofmariage, euery one inioying the priuate fellowſhip of his owne wyfe,in ſemblable maner to the Grecians. Notwithſtanding for the eaſieprouiſion of their foode and ſuſtenaunce other thinges haue beneſoughte out and deinied by them. For in time of the floude¹¹⁶when the ryuer ouergoeth the countrey, there ariſe in the watergreat plenty of syllyes, which the people of Ægypt call Lotos. Theſethey reape and dry them in the Sunne. The ſeede whereof (growing inthe middeſt of the flower, ſomewhat like vnto Popy ſeede) theyboyle, after which they kneade it into cakes, & bake it forbreade. The roote of this is very rothſome, pleaſant & good toeate: being of forme very rounde, & in bigneſſe like an aple.There is alſo another kinde of lyllyes much like to roſes, which inlike maner haue their growth in the water, from whoſe roote ſpringsa bud vnlike to the former, bearing fruite in maner & likeneſſeof an hony Combe: herein are contayned certayne ſmale kernellsreſembling the ſtone of an Olyue, not vnfit for ſuſtenance, andcōmonly eaten of the Ægyptians, aſwell freſh as wythered. Theſelfe fame people when the ſeaſon of the yeare ſerueth, arebuſily conuerſant in gathering a kinde of Rush called Byblis, thetop whereof they crop & turne it into vſe of foode: the reſiduebeing much about one cubyte in length, they partly eate & partlyſell. ſuch as be deſirous to make fine and delicate meate of thisRush, vſe to caſt it into an Ouen & broyle it: ſome there bethat lyue only by fiſh, which hauing taken, they incontinently drawthem & parch them in the ſunne like ſtockfiſh,¹¹⁷and being
well dryed they eate them. The cōmon forte of fiſhvſed among them, breede not in ye ryuer, but in pooles, being ofthis nature. Toward the time of spawning they leaue the fennes &make repayre generally to ye ſea, the male fiſhes in maner ofcaptaines leading the ranke. Theſe male fiſhe as they paſſe ſtillonwarde ſhed theyr ſeede by the way, which their femals followingafter immediatly deuour, and thereof ſhortly after breede theyrſpawnes. Now at the pointe of breede, the femals forſaking y^eſalt waters, stower backe agayne to the maryſes to their accuſtomedhaunte, leadinge the males that follow after them: and in ſwimingbacke agayne, they voide spawne, being very ſmale cornes, like thegraynes of mustard ſeede which lightinge vpon the male fiſhe in thetayle of the rancke, are ſwallowed vp and deuoured by them. Not oneof theſe litle graynes but will grow to a fiſhe, as well may beeſeene by thoſe that eſcape the males, and are vndeuoured: whichbeing nouriſhed by the waters growe to ſmale Frye. ſuch of theſefiſhes as are taken ſwimminge to the ſea, are founde to haue theleft ſide of theyr heads very much worne and gauled: and in commingfrom the ſea, the right ſide: the cauſe being this, that both ingoing and comming they continually grate agaynſt the ſhore andbancks of the ryuer, as a direction to them in paſſinge to and fro,leaſt that floting in the middeſt of the ſtreame, they chaunce toſtray and wander out of the right courſe. At ſuch time as theryuer Nilus beginneth to ſwell, all the lowe places in the coūtreyand Ponds neere adioyning to the ryuer doe likewiſe increaſe: beingthen 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, thefiſh which together with the ryuer departe them ſelues, leauebehinde them their spawne in the mudde, which at the ryſing of thenexte floude, being eftſones moyſtned, by the waters, recouervertue, and growe to bee fiſh. As touchinge which thinges let itſeeme ſufficient thus much to haue fpoken.

TheÆgyptians that keepe in the fenne countrey, vſe a certaine oylemade of a tree, which the Apothecaryes call Palmachri.¹¹⁸Theſe trees (that ſpringe naturally in Greece) the Aegyptiansaccuſtome to plant and ſet by the banckes of Pooles and ryuers,which is the cauſe that they beare fruite, but very ſtrong andrancke of ſauoure. The fruite being gathered, ſome of them bruiſeit againſt the fyre, other ſome frie it in a pan, reſeruing thatwhich commeth of it, which ſerueth them partly for Oyle, partly forthe vſe of their Lamps and candles, yielding (as they fayd before) adeyne very loathſome and vnſauory. Likewiſe, agaynſt gnats andflyes, wherewith their lande aboundeth aboue meaſure, certaineremedies are founde out by them. ſuch as dwell aboue the Fennes areholpen herein by towers and high garrets, wherein they take theirsleepe, foraſmuch as the winde will not ſuffer the Gnats to flyhigh. The people of the Fennes in ſteede of Turrets are fayne toworke this deuiſe. Each man hath his Nets,¹¹⁹wherewith in the day time they goe on fiſhing, and in the nightpytche them aboute their chambers wherein they reſt, by whych meanesthey come to take a nappe of nyne houres longe: whereas otherwiſe(were they neuer ſo well wrapped in clothes) the Gnats with theirſharp nebbes woulde pier• and ſtinge quite through all, being notable in like maner to paſſe through the Nets. Their ſhippes vſedfor burthen or caryage are made of a kinde of Thorne, not farrevnlike the tree Lotos growing in Cyrene, from the which there iſſuetha certayne kinde of gumme. Of the body of this thorne they ſawe andſquare out certaine boardeſ two cubits longe, and faſhioned like atileſheard, which they frame and compact together after this maner.Firſt they vnite and ioyne the plancks together with an infinitnumber of nayles and pynnes, binding the fame to many tranſomes thatgoe both croſſe and longe wayes for the ſtrength of the veſſell.Their wood they frame not in compaſſe, after the maner of otherNations, but faſten and knit the ioyntes together with Bullruſhesand ſuch like. They haue only one Helme or Sterne, which is made togoe throughe the hinder parte of the ſhippe. The Maſt is likewiſeof thorne, the ſayle of the Ruſhe Byblus. Theſe kinde of veſſellsare not able to cut againſt the ſtreame, but are haled and drawneforward by land. Downe the ſtreame they paſſe in this wyſe. Theyframe an hurdle of the buſhe Tamariſk, faſt bounde and tyedtogether with the peelings of greene Cane or Reedes: prouydingemoreouer a mighty ſtone wyth an hole through the middeſt, twotalents in weight: which done, they caſt the hurdle into the ſtreamebeinge 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. Bywhich meanes it commeth to paſſe that the ſtreame caryinge on thehurdle, cauſeth the ſhippe to follow, with exceedinge ſwiftneſſe:and the ſtone on the other ſide drayling behinde, directeth thefame in euen and ſtedfaſt courſe. At ſuch time as the ryuerouerrunneth the ſoyle, the Cityes are only apparent and vncouered,reſembling in ſhew the Iles of the ſea Aegêum, all the landbeſides being in maner of a ſea. The Cities which in time of thefloud are extante, be in place of Portes for the ſhips to lye atrode in. During which time they ſayle not in ye mayne ryuer, butthrough y^emidſt of the fieldes. They that take ſhipping from the CityeNaucrates to Memphis, haue their courſe by the Pyramides: albeitthere be another way alſo findinge to the fame place, ſtrykingeouer by the Neb of Delta, and the City of the Cercafians. Likewiſeas we take our voyage from the Sea coaſte, and the city Canobus toNaucrates through the wyde and open fieldes, we ſhall paſſe byAnthylla a towne ſo named: in like manner arryuinge, at the cityArcandry.¹²⁰Anthylla a city of chiefe renowne, is euermore geuen and allotted bythe Kinge of Ægypt to his Queene, that then is, to finde her ſhoes,which are purchaſed by the reuenewes of the fame. Which cuſtomehath remayned ſince the tyme that the Perfians gonerned in Ægypt.Archandry ſeenieth to haue taken the name of Archander, ſonne inlawe to Danaeus, and the lawfull ofſpringe of Phthius Achaeus: notdenying but that there might bee another besides him: but howſoeuerit 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 Ihaue ſeene and knowne: or bene conftantly aduertyſed thereof by thepeople of the region, determining henceforth to proſecute ſuchmatters, as I haue onely by hereſay, interlaceing the fameotherwhiles, with ſuch thinges as of myne owne knowledge I am ableto iuſtifie.

Menes¹²¹the firſte Kinge of Ægypt (as the pryeſts make reporte) byaltering the courſe of the ryuer, gayned all that grounde whereonthe City Memphis is ſituated: the floud being wonte before time tohaue his courſe faſt by the ſandy mountayne which lyeth towardeLybia.

ThisMenes¹²²therefore damminge vppe the boſome of the ryuer towardes the ſouthRegion hauinge caſt vppe a pyle, or bulwarke of Earth much after anhundred Furlonges aboue the City, by that meanes dryed the oldChanell, cauſinge the ryuer to forſake and abandone his naturallcourſe and runne at randame amiddeſt the hills. To which damme alſothe Perfians that rule in Ægypte euen at this day haue a dilligenteye: yearely fortifyinge and repayringe the fame wyth newe and freſhEarth. Through the which if by fortune the ryuer ſtryuinge torecouer his olde courſe, ſhould happily make a breach, the cityMemphis were in daunger to bee ouerwhelmed with water. By the ſelfefame Menes firſte bearinge rule and authority in Ægypt (after y•by turning y• ſtreame of Nilus he had made dry ground of thatwhere erst the ryuer had his paſſage) in the fame plot of land wasthe city it ſelfe founded & erected, which (as well may beeſeene) ſtands in the ſtraight and narrow places of the countrey.More then this, to the North & Weſt (for Eaſtward Memphis isbounded by the courſe of the riuer) hee cauſed to be drawne out ofthe ryuer a large and wyde poole: beinge alſo the founder of Vulcanstemple in Memphis, one of the fayreſt buildinges and of chiefeſtfame in all the countrey of Ægypte. Three hundred & thirtyPrynces¹²³that by mutuall ſucceſſion followed Menes, the prieſts alſoreadily mentioned out of y^ebooks of their Monuments: of which number 18 were by CountreyÆthyopians, and one a forraine & outlandiſh women, whoſenation they knew not, al the reſt being ſprong of their owne land.This woman y^eaſpired to y^ecrowne, bare the name of y^efamous Queene of Babylon, & was called Nitocris:¹²⁴whoſe brother in y^etime of his empire being ſlaine by y^eÆgyptians, Nitocris wearing y• crowne after him ſought meanesſecretly how to reuēge his death, whith ſhe brought to paſſe bya ſtraunge deuice and pollicy. Hauing therefore builte for hir ownevſe a fayre & gorgeous courte, ſhe cauſed an hollow Vaut orcaue to be caſt vnder the earth, pretending for the time a reaſonof hir deuice, albeit farre different from hir ſecret minde &purpoſe. The work ended, ſhe inuited thither the moſt part of hirnobles to a banquet, ſuch as ſhee knew to haue bene y• authorsand workers of hir brothers death, who being all aſſembled and ſettogether in an inner Parlour, expectinge their cheere, the water waslet in at a priuy grate and ouerwhelmed them all.

Theſethinges they ſpake of Nitocris, adding besids, that hauing wroughtthis feate, ſhee caſt hir ſelfe into an houſe full of Aſhes toeſcape vnpuniſhed.

Bythe reſt of the kinges of Ægypt the prieſtes coulde recyte noglorious acte that ſhoulde bee accompliſhed, ſauing by the nobleking Moeris¹²⁵the laſt and lateſt of all this crewe. To whom they attribute y^ebuilding of y^egreat porches belonging to Vulcans temple, ſtanding on the Northparte of y^ePallace. By the fame alſo was a certaine fenne delued and caſt vp,wherein were builded certaine mighty Towers called Pyramides, ofwhoſe bygneſſe, as alſo of y^elarge cōpaſſe and amplitude of the Poole, wee will ioyntelyintreate in another place.

Theſethinges were done by Moeris the laſt king. The reſt conſuminge thetime of their raygne in silence and obſcurity, whom for the famecauſe I will paſſe ouer, and addreſſe my ſpeache to him whocame after them in time and went before them in Dignity: namely, theworthy Prynce Seſoſtris.¹²⁶Him the Pryeſtes recounte firſte of all the kings of Ægypt to hauepaſſed the narrow ſeas of Arabia in longe Ships or Gallyes, andbrought in fubiection to the Crowne all thoſe People that marche alonge the redde ſea. From whence retyringe backe againe the fameway, hee came and gathered a greate power of men, and tooke hisspaſſage otter the waters into the mayne lande, conquering andfubduing all Countreyes whether ſo euer hee went. ſuch as heefounde valiaunte and hardye not refuſinge to icoparde their ſafetyin the defence and maynetenaun•e of their liberty, after thevictory obtayned, hee fired in theyr countrey certayne ſmale pyllersor Croſſes of ſtone,¹²⁷wherein were ingrauen the names of the kinge and the countrey, andhow by his owne proper force and puisſaunce he had made them yelde.Contrarywyſe, ſuch as without controuerſie gaue themſelues intohis handes, or with litle ſtryfe and leſſe bloudſhed were broughtto relent: with them alſo, and in their region he planted Pillersand builte vp litle croſſes, as before, wherein were carued andimportrayed the ſecret partes of women, to ſignifie to thepoſterity the baſe and effeminate courage of the people thereabyding. In this forte hee trauayled with his at my vp and downe themayne, paſſing out of Aſia into Europe, where he made conqueſt ofthe Scythians and Thracians: which ſeemeth to haue bene the fartheſtpoynt of his voyage: for ſo much as in their land alſo his titles &marks are apparantly ſeene, and not beyonde. Herefro hee began tomeaſure his ſteps back agayne incamping his powre at the ryuerPhafis: where, I am not able to diſcuſſe, whether king Seſoſtrishim ſelfe planted any parte of his army in that place euer after topoſſeſſe y• countrey: or whether ſome of his ſouldierswearyed with continuall perigrination and trauayle, toke vp theirmāſion place & reſted there. For the people named Colchi,¹²⁸ſeeme to be Ægyptians: which I fpeake rather of myne ownegathering, then of any other mans information. Howveit, for tryallſake cōmoninge w^tthe inhabitants of either nation, the Colchans ſeemed rather toacknowledge & remember y^eÆgyptians, then y• Ægyptians thē: affyrming, that the Colchanswere a remnante of Seſoſtris army. My ſelfe haue drawne acōiecture hereof: y• both people are in coūtenance a likeblack, in hayre a like fryzled, albeit it may ſeeme a very feeblegeſſe, the fame being alſo in other nations. A better ſurmiſemay be gathered of this, that y• people of Æthyopia, Ægypt, andColchis only of all men, circumcyſe & cut of the foreſkin fromtheir hidden partes; reteyning the cuſtome time out of minde. Forthe Phoenicians and Syrians y• dwell in Palaeſtina, confeſſethemſelues to haue borrowed the maner of circumsicion from theÆgyptians.And as for thoſe Syrians y• dwell neere vnto the ryuers Thermodonand 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 ofothers, it is hard to diſcerne, foraſmuch as the cuſtome in bothCountryes is of great antiquity. Neuertheleſſe, very good occaſionof coniecture is offred vnto vs, that it came fyrſt from y•Ægyptians, at ſuch time as the Æthyopians had exchaunge ofmarchaundiſe with them. For the Phoenicians, that in like maner hauemutuall trafique which the Grecians, leaue of to circumcyſſe themſelues, and refuſe in that poynte to be conformable to the lawesand statutes of their countrey. One thinge more may be alleagedwherein the people of Colchis doe very narrowly reſemble y•cuſtomes of Ægypt, in ſo much as, theſe two nations alone, worktheir lynnen & dreſſe theyr flax after y^efame forte, in all poyntes respecting each other both in order oflyfe & maner of lāguage. The flaxe which is brought fromColchis y^eGrecians call Sardonick: the other cōming out of Ægypt they termeafter the name of the countrey, Ægyptian flaxe. But to returne tothe tytles and emblems that king Seſoſtris lefte behind him in allregions through yt which he paſſed, many thereof are fallen todecay. Notwithstāding, certaine of them in Syria and Paloeſtina Ibeheld with myne own eyes, intayled with ſuch posyes as we ſpake ofbefore, and the pictures of womens ſecretes ingrauen in them.Likewiſe in Iönia are to bee ſeene two fundry Images of Seſoſtrishimſelfe carued in pillers: one as we paſſe from Epheſus toPhocoea: another in the way from Sardis to Smyrna. Eyther of theſehaue 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 harneſſeand furniture after the manner of the Ægyptians and Æthyopians.Croſſe his backe from the one ſhoulder to the other went aſentence Ingrauen in the holy letter of Ægypt: hauing this meaning.By my owne force did I vanquiſhe this region. Notwithſtandinge itis not there specified what he ſhould be, albeit els where it is tobe ſeene. ſome haue deemed this monument to haue bene the image ofMemnon,¹²⁹not a litle deceyued in opinion. This noble and victorious princeSeſoſtris making his returne to Ægypt, came (by report of yeprieſts) to a place named Daphnoe peluſiae, with an infinite trayneof forraine people out of al Nations by him fubdued: where being verycurteously met & welcomed by his brother, whom in his abſence hehad lefte for Viceroy and protectour of the countrey, he was alſo byye fame inuited to a princely banquet, him ſelfe, his wife, and hischildren.¹³⁰The houſe where into they were entered, being compaſſed about withdry matter, was suddaynely by the treachery of his brother ſet onfire, which he perceiuing toke counſayle with his wife then preſent,how to eſcape and auoyde the daunger. The woman either of a readierwit or riper cruelty, aduiſed him to caſt two of his ſixe childreninto 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 wyuescounſayle in ſpeedy practiſe, & made a bridge through the fireof two of his children, to preſerue the reſt aliue. Seſoſtris inthis forte deliuered frō the cruell treaſon and malicious deuiſeof his brother, firſt of all tooke reuenge of his trecherous villanyand diueliſh intent: in the next place bethinking himſelfe in whataffayres to beſtowe the multitude which he had brought with him,whome afterwards he Diuersly employed: for by theſe captiues werecertayne huge and monſtrous ſtones rolled and drawne to the templeof Vulcane. Likewiſe, many trenches cut out¹³¹and deriued from the riuer into moſt places of the countrey, wherebythe land being aforetime paſſable by cart & horſe, wasthencefoorth 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 thatpaſſe, that neyther horſſe nor wayne can haue any courſe orpaſſage from one place to another. Howbeit, Seſoſtris inuentedthis for the greater benefite and commodity of the lande, to the endethat ſuch townes and cities as were farre remooued from the riuer,might not at the fall of the floud be pinched with the penury andwant of water, which at all times they haue deriued and brought tothem in trenches. The fame King made an equall diſtribution¹³²of the whole countrey to all his fubiects, allotting to euery man thelyke portion and quantitie of ground, drawne out and limited by afoureſquare fourme. Heereof the King himſelfe helde yeerelyreuenewes, euery one being rated at a certayne rent and penſion,which annually he payd to the crowne, and if at the riſing of thefloud it fortuned any mans portion to be ouergone by the waters, theKing was thereof aduertiſed, who forthwith ſent certayne to ſurueyye ground, and to meaſure the harmes which the floud had done him,and to leauy out the crowne rent according to the reſidue of theland that remayned. Heereof ſprang the noble science of Geometry,¹³³and from thence was translated into Greece. For as touching the Poleand Gnomon (which is to ſay) the rule, and the twelue partes of theday, the Graecians tooke them of the Babylonians.

ThisKing Seſoſtris held the Empyre alone, leauing in Æthiopia beforethe temple of Vulcane certayne monuments to the poſteritie, to wit,certayne images¹³⁴of ſtone, one for hymſelfe, another for his wife, beeyng eache ofthem thirtie cubites: the foure images alſo of hys foure ſonnes,beeyng each of them twentie cubites apeece. In proceſſe of timewhen the image of King Darius that gouerned Perſia ſhould haue beneplaced before the picture of Seſoſtris, the prieſt of Vulcanewhich ſerued in the temple woulde in no wiſe permit it to bee done,denying that Darius had euer atchieued the like exploites thatSeſoſtris had done. Who, besides the conquering of fundrie othernations (not inferiour in number to thoſe whiche had beene ouercomeby Darius) had alſo brought in fubiection the moſt couragious andvaliaunt people of Scythia: for whyche cauſe, it were agaynſtreaſon to preferred hymſelfe in place before him vnto whome he wasinferiour in chiualry, whiche bolde aunſwere of the prieſt, KingDarius tooke in good parte and brooked welynough.

Seſoſtrisdying, the ſeate imperiall came to hys ſonne Pheco,¹³⁵who beeyng bereaued of hys ſight, vndertooke no voyage of warre, butremayned 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 countreyseyghteene cubits deepe. The Kyng inraged at the vnaccuſtomedſwelling of the ryuer, tooke hys darte and diſcharged it into themiddeſt of the waters, for whyche hys, vnrcuerent facte, the fameis, that hys ſighte incontinente was taken from hym, and hee becameblynde the ſpace of tenne yeares. In the eleuenth yeare, there aroſea prophecie¹³⁶in the city Butis, that the tyme of hys miſerie was nowe exſpyred,and that hys syght ſhoulde eftſoones bee reſtored agayne, if incaſe hee waſhed hys eyes in the water of a woman, whych neuer kneweman but her owne huſbande. For further proofe of thys phetismedicine, the Kyng beganne firſt wyth hys owne wyfe, whych workingnot the effecte he looked for, he tryed many others, but all invayne, laſtly, lighting vppon a poore ſeely woman that had neuerwoorſhipped more Sainctes then one, hee ſpeedely recouered hysſighte agayne, and cauſing all thoſe whome earſt he had proouedto be gathered into one citie (the name whereof was called Reddclodd)he ſet fire to the towne, and conſumed them all.

TheKing thus healed, and freely acquited of hys former miſerie, beganto be deuoute, increaſing the temples of the gods with giftes ofexceeding value. All which deſerue for theyr excellencie to be hadin memorie, and chiefly thoſe that he offered in the temple of theſunne, which were theſe, two mighty great ſtones which theÆgyptians in theyr tongue called Obeli, in faſhion like a ſpit orbreach. 100. cubites long, and in breadth. 80.

Nextafter hym the kingdome deſcended to a certayne man of the citieMemphis, whoſe name in the greeke language was Protheus,¹³⁷to whome the Ægyptians erected a temple, which is yet to be ſeeuein Memphis, very fayre and beautifull, garniſhed wyth rich andſingulare giftes. On euery ſide whereof dwell the Phenices, apeople deſcended of the Tyrians; whereof the place taketh the name,and is tearmed the tentes of the Tyrians. Within the temple there isſtandyng the houſe of Proteus, called the court of ſtraunge Venus,vnder which name is meant (as I deeme) Helena,¹³⁸the daughter of Tyndarus, who as a gueſt agaynſt her wyll, keptereſyaunce for a tyme in the court of Protheus, and was tearmed theſtraunge Venus, in as much as the other Venus (who hath many templesin Ægypt) is neuer called by the name of ſtraunge. Heereof¹³⁹entring talkewith the ſacred order of the prieſtes, they diſcourſedvnto me, that Alexander hauing ſtolne Helena from the Spartanes, andſpeedyng hymſelfe homewarde by the ſea called Aegeum, byconſtraynte of weather was driuen into the Ægyptian ſeas, andperforce againſte his will, was caſt aſhore in Ægypt. His ariualwas at y^emouth of the floud Nilus called Canobicum, at ye porte whiche theinhabitants tearme by ye name of Trachex. In this place is ſituateda temple¹⁴⁰to Hercules, where vnto if any mans ſeruaunt or vaſſall flye, andget vppon hym the holy markes (as they call them) in token that heeyeeldeth hys whole alleageaunce to the god of that place, it is notlawfull for any man to touch him, which order was kept inuiolate vntoour age. The ſeruauntes of Alexander hearing of the lawes of thistemple, forſooke their Lorde, and fled vnto it, and in humble mannerfubmitting themſelues before the god, they accuſed their mayfter(whoſe death they all deſired) ſhewing in what manner he came byHelena & the great iniury he had wrought to her huſbandMenelaus. The fame playnt alſo they framed before the prieſts ofHercules, and the chiefe gouernour of the port named Thonis. Thonishauing hard the accuſatiō of theſe poore ſuppliants, ſent inall haſte to the King in theſe wordes: Knowe you (noble Prince)that a fewe dayes ſince, a certayne ſtraunger of the Troianelignage (hauing committed a moſt villanous acte in Greece, byentiſing away the wife of him that had geuen him entertaynement) isby force of tempeſt dryuen vpon our coaſtes, we deſire thereforeto knowe your higneſſe pleaſure, whether we ſhall geue him freepaſſage into his countrey, or bereaue him of that he hath, andſende him awaye. To which newes the King returned an aunſwerefaying. The perſon you fpeake of, of what nation ſoeuer hee beewhiche hathe wrought this deſpitefull treacherie to his hoſte, ſeeyou apprehend and bring to my court, to the ende I may heare what hecan ſay for himſelfe. Whereat Thonis without any fartherdeliberation, tooke this yong gallaunt of Troy, ſtrayned hys ſhips,and brought him with the Lady Helena and the reſt of his retinue tothe city Memphis, where the King at that tyme made his place ofabiding. Beeing arriued at the Court, the King aſked Alexander intheſe wordes: Yong gentleman, what are you, and from what countreyare you landed heere in Ægypt? Alexander, who was not to ſeeke ofan aunſwere, with a comely grace made aunſwere to the King,deſcrying both his countrey and lynage, the place alſo from whencehee was arriued, and to what coaſtes he directed his courſe. Andwhere then (quoth the King) had you this goodly geutlewoman, for ſheſeemeth to be a woman of no common bloud: whereat my youth ſomewhatmammering before he coulde caſt the plot of his excuſe, wasbetrayed by his ſeruaunts, who in humble inanner on their knees,diſciphered to the King the whole diſcourſe of his treaſon. Thevaſſals hauing ended their ſpeeche, Protheus turned hymſelfe toAlexander, and tucked hym vp with thys rounde tale: my friende (faydehee) were it not for the reuerence I owe to ſtraungers, with whomemy cuſtome is not to deale by rigour, I woulde ſurely pipe yee ſucha daunce for the wicked villanie wherewith thou haſt abuſed thynehoast in Greece, that all vnthankefull wretches ſhoulde take exampleby thee how to vſe thoſe that ſhewe them courtesie in a forraignelande. Ah vnkynde wretche as thou arte, is thys the beſt requitallthou makeſt the Grecian for hys noble vsage towarde thee? to bereauehym of his mate, the moſt comfortable companyon of all hys daies,and not contente therewyth, lyke an arraunt theefe thou haſtdeſpoyled hys goodeſ, the beſt and principall treaſures of hyshouſe. Thou mayeſt bleſſe the tyme tenne thouſande tymes, thatthe Ægyptians yeelde ſuche honoure to ſtraungers: and packe theehence from my preſence wyth the reſt of thy mates, swearyng by mycrowne, that if hencefoorth thou bee ſeene within the borders ofÆgypt, I wyll account thee as myne enemye. As for thy minion and thegoodes thou haſt broughte, I ſhall reſerue, tyll ſuche tyme asthe Grecian ſhall come to reclayme them. By theſe meanes (fayd theprieſtes) came Helena into Ægypt, whereof alſo Homer hymſelfeſeemed not to bee ignoraunt, but of purpoſe rather (for that itfell not out ſo fittingly for hys verſe) hee choſe the other,declaring notwythſtandyng that ſome ſuch fame as thys was brutedabroade, whyche appeareth manifeſtly in hys Illiads, where makingmention of the voyage of Alexander, he affyrmeth, that by meanes of acontrarye wynde, hee was toſſed by ſea, and recouered the lande atthe city Sydon in Phaenicia: reade the verſes that are framed by hymin the prayſe of Diomedes, in whych place theſe lynes are founde.

Therewere the cloakes of gorgeous hue

ſobraue and princely dight,

Madeby the dames of Sydony,

ſoldto the ſeemely wight

KyngPryams ſonne, that ſtale hymſelfe

awyfe of royall race,

QueeneHelene hyghte, retyryng home,

vntohis natyue place.

Touchingthe fame in his Odyſſea in theſe verſes.

Thispoyſon quycke and valerous

whychPolydamna gaue

Thewyfe of Thonis, Helen brought,

andcarefully dyd ſaue.

Greatstore whereof in droughty ſoyle

ofscorched Ægypt groe

ſomeſoueraigne good, and otherſome

thecauſe of preſent woe.

Inlike maner to Telemachus, Menelaus fpeaketh in this vviſe.

Andwhen I ſought to leaue the land

ofÆgypt, and retyre,

Godhyndred, whome I left vnſerued

byvowes and ſacred fyre.

Intheſe verſes Homer confeſſeth that he knewe of the wandering ofAlexander into Ægypt, forſomuch as the countrey of Syria isbounding vpon Ægypt, and the people Phaenices vnto whome the citySydon is belonging are reſyaunt in Syria. As well theſe thereforeas alſo the place it ſelfe, are no fmall proofe, nay rather a moſtvalerous argumente, that the verſes wherein it is fayde, thatAlexander conueying Helen from Greece in three dayes ſpace, wyth aproſperous gale, and quyet ſea, arryued at Troy, were ratherintruded by ſome other poet then inuented by Homer, who contrarywyſein hys Illiads maketh mention of his errour by ſea.

Toleaue Homer,¹⁴¹and come to the affayres of the Troianes, being deſirous tovnderſtand of what truth theſe things were which are bruted tohaue beene done by the Greekes at Troy, I ſollicited the matter withthe prieſtes of Ægypt, who tolde me in ſuch manner as themſeluesbeforetime had beene aduertiſed by Menelaus. After the flight of theLady Helen, there aſſembled, in the cauſe of ye kings brotherMenelaus, a puiſſant armie of the Graecians, who embarkingthemſelues into Teucria, and incamping in theyr coaſtes, ſent inambaſſage to the city Troy certayne of theyr chiefe peeres andnobles, amongſt whome, was Menelaus brother to the Kyng. Beeyngentered the city, they made clayme of the Lady Helena, with thegoodes and treaſures ſhee tooke wyth her, requyring alſo aſufficient ſatisfaction to be made for the iniurie. Wherevnto theTroianes aunſwered, that they ſpente their ſpeech in vaine, torechallenge eyther women or goodes of them which they neuer ſawe,alledging, that the thyngs they challenged were ſurpriſed by theÆgyptians: neyther was it reaſon why they ſhoulde beare the faulteof others, and make reſtitution of that which they neuer had.Howbeit, the Greekes imagining they had fpoken it in deriſion, toſhift off the ſiege for the tyme, bent theyr whole force agaynſtthe towne, continuing the ſiege and batterie ſo long, tyll they hadbrought it to vtter ruyne and fubuerſion.

Thecitie taken, when Helena could not be founde, and the fame aunſwerewas rendered the Graecians as before, they gaue credite at length totheyr wordes, and ſente Menelaus into Ægypt to the courte ofProtheus, whether beeyng come, and declaryng the cauſe of hysarriuall to the Kyng, he gaue him greate entertaynemente,¹⁴²reſtoring vnto him hys Lady with all his treaſure, without anymanner of loſſe or imbeſelment. Neuertheleſſe, Menelaus for allthis courteſie and royall vsage which he had receyued at the handesof the King, gaue him but a poupe for his labour, dooyng to thecountrey this iniurie for a farewell. For indeuouring to departthence, and wayting a fauourable wynde to fit hys purpoſe, by meaneswhereof, he ſtayde a long tyme in Ægypt: to knowe the ſtate of hysvoyage, what fortune ſhould thereofter betide vnto hym, he tooke twochildren of the Ægyptians, ſlewe them, and paunched out theyrbowels, whereby to take view of his future ſucceſſe. Which beyngknowne, and perceyuing hymſelfe to be mortally hated and purſued ofthe inhabitauntes, he ſped hym thence into the Isles of Africa lyingouer againſt them, from whence alſo makyng as good haſte as hecoulde, the Ægyptians heard no more tydyngs of hym. Of all theſethings they were partly informed by the knowledge of hystories,beeyng much more certayne of ſuch thyngs as were done in theyrcountrey. Thus farre the prieſtes of Ægypt proceeding indiſcourſing of Helena,¹⁴³whereto I adde thys ſurmize of myne owne, that if Helena had beenein Troy, no doubt for ought that Alexander could haue fayde or done,ſhe had beene deliuered to the Graecians. For who woulde
thynkethat 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 theflouriſhing eſtate of ſo famous a citie. In whych fond opinion, ifin caſe they had bene at the beginning, yet vndoubtedly they wouldehaue recanted at length when as many valiaunt ſouldyers of theTroianes, and two or three of the Kings owne ſonnes, (if any creditmay be geuen to the poets) were moſt lamentably ſlaine by theGraecians in fight. By theſe things I am driuen to coniecture, thatif Helena had beene in their keeping, Pryamus to rayſe the ſiegefrom the walles of hys city, woulde willingly haue wrought meanes toreſtore her agayne. Neyther was Alexander heyre apparaunt to thecrowne, ſo that his father beeyng crooked wyth age, theadminiſtration of the kyngdome ſhoulde reſt in hys gouernemente,one there was betweene hym and home, namely hys brother Hector, aswell in number of yeares hys elder, as in nobleneſſe of mynde hysbetter, whome it behoued not to ſmooth vp his brother in hys filthyleachery, ſeeing ſuch imminent perill to threaten not onelyhimſelfe, but alſo the whole kyndred and nation of the Troianes.But it was the iust plague of God inflicted vppon them for theirwickedneſſe, that they ſhoulde neyther delyuer Helena whome theyhad not, nor be credyted of the Graecians, to whome they fayned not,to the ende all men might learne, that they whyche ſtryke wyth theswoorde, ſhall be beaten with the ſcabberde, being euermore ſeene,that vpon greeuous iniuries the gods alwayes powre downe greeuousreuengements. Thus much I thought conuenient to fpeake of mine ownefancye.

Afterthe deceaſſe of Protheus, Kampſinitus¹⁴⁴tooke vppon hym the rule of the countrey, who in memorie of himſelfe,lefte behynde hym certayne porches of ſtone, planted weſtwardagaynſt the temple of Vulcane, right ouer agaynſt the whych, ſtoodetwo images of fyue and twentye cubites in length. One of the whichſtandyng northerly, they call ſommer, and the other lying to theweſt, they tearme winter, contrary to all reaſon and order. ThisKing in aboundance of wealth, and plenty of coyne, ſo farre excelledall thoſe that came after hym, that none coulde go beyonde him, nonot approch neere vnto hym in that kynde: wherefore¹⁴⁵deſirous to poſſeſſe hys goodes in ſafetie, hee builte hym atreaſurie or iewellhouſe of ſtone, one of the walles whereofbounded vpon the outſyde of hys courte. In framing whereof, theworkeman had wrought thys fubtile conueyance, one ſtone in the wallhee layde in that ſorce, that a man might eaſily at pleaſureplucke it in or out, which notwithſtanding ſerued ſo fittingly totheplace, that nothing coulde be diſcerned. When the building wasfiniſhed, the King cauſed his treaſure to be brought into it,minding henceforth to be ſecure and to lay aſide all feare ofmiſfortune. In proceſſe of time, this cunning artificer lying atthe poynt to dye, called vnto him his two ſonnes, and diſcloſedvnto them in what manner he had prouided for theyr good eſtate, inleauing a ſecret and moſt priuy paſſage into the Kings treaſurie,whereby theyr whole lyfe might be lead in moſt happy and bleſſedcondition. In briefe, hee ſhewed them all that was done by hym,delyuering them the iust meaſures of the ſtone, that they mightenot bee deceyued in laying it agayne, whych the two yong youthes wellmarking, thought from that tyme forwarde to be of the Kingscounſayle, if not of hys court, and to become the priuy ſurueyersof hys iewellhouſe.

Theyrfather beeing dead, they made no long delay to put in execution theyrdeterminate purpoſe, but repayring to the court by night, they foundthe ſtone, which with fmall force remoouing it from the place, theyſped themſelues wyth plentie of coyne, and ſo departed. In ſhorteſpace after the Kyng entering hys treaſurie, and fyndyng theveſſels wherein hys money lay to be ſomewhat decreaſed, wasexceedingly amazed, not knowing whome to accuſe, ſeeyng both hysſeales, whyche he had ſet on the dore, vntouched, and the dore faſtlocked at hys commyng thyther. Howbeit, repayring fundrie tymes tobeholde hys wealth, and euermore perceyuing that it grewe leſſe andleſſe, deuiſed with hymſelfe to beſet the place where hys moneylay with certayne greens or snares to entrappe the theefe in. Theſefubtile merchaunts accordyng to theyr former wont approching theſpring head where they had dronke ſo oft before, one of them wentein, and groaping for the money, was ſo faſt intangled in a snare,that for hys lyfe hee wist not how to ſhifte, but ſeeyng hymſelfeintheſe braakes, hee called hys brother, to whome he diſcloſed hyseuill happe, willing hym in any wiſe to cut off hys head, leaſtbeeyng knowne who hee was, they both myght bee ſerued wyth the fameſauce. His brother hearing hys counſayle to be good, did as he badehym, and fitly placing the ſtone as hee founde it, departed home,bearyng wyth hym the head of hys ſlayne brother.

Thenexte day the Kyng opening hys iewell houſe, and eſpying andheadleſſe theefe ſurpriſed in a ginne, was wonderfully aſtonied,ſeeing euery place ſafe, and no way in the world to come in or outat.

Inthis quandary, vncertaine what to thynke of ſo ſtraunge an euent,be deuiſed yet to go another way to the wood, cauſing the body ofthe theefe to be hanged out vppon the walles in openview to all that paſſed by, appoynting certayne to attend in thatplace, with ſtraight charge, that if they hearde any making moane orlamentation at the ſighte thereof, they ſhoulde foorthwyth attachethem, and bryng them to the Kyng.

TheMother of theſe¹⁴⁶two Breethron not able wyth patiente eyes to beholde the wretchedcarkaſſe of her pitifull ſonne, called the other brother vnto her,aduiſing him by ſome meanes or other, to take awaye hys brothersbodye and burie it, threatening moreouer, that in caſe he neglectedto accompliſhe it wyth ſpeede, ſhee woulde open all hys thefte andtreacherie to the Kyng. Whome her ſonne endeuouring wyth manywoordes to persuade, and nought auayling (ſo tender was heraffection towardes her childe) hee ſet hys wittes abroache to theframing of ſome fubtyle conceyte, to beguyle and inueigle the Kyngswatchemen. Pannelling certayne Aſſes whyche hee loaded wyth bottelsof ſweete wyne, hee proceeded forwarde wyth hys carryage, tyll ſuchetyme as hee came agaynſte the place where the watche laye, wherepriuily vnſtopping one or two of hys bottles, the wyne flowed out ingreate aboundance, whereat, fayning as though hee had beene beſydeshymſelfe, hee piteously cryed out, tearing hys hayre add ſtampyngas one vtterlye; ignoraunte whyche to reuiedye fyrſte. The keepersſeeyng the wyne guſhe but ſo faſt, ranne haſtely wyth pottes andcannes to receyue to leaſt all ſhould bee lost, but the dryuer (whohad alreadye caſt hys plotte) ſeemed heereat muche more inragedthen before, tauntyng and raylyng at them wyth moſt bitter andreuiling woordes. Contraryly, the watchmen geuing hym very fayre andgentle language, hee ſeemed better contented, leading aſyde hysAſſes out of the way to newe girde them, and place his carriage inbetter order. Manye woordes grewe betweene them whyles he wasaddreſſing hys Aſſes to proceede on theyr waye, till that one ofthem bolting foorth a merry ieſt, cauſed hym to laugh hartily, ſothat lyke a good fellowe, he beſtowed amongſt them a bottle ofwyne. Which courtesie they all tooke in very good parte, requeſtinghym to ſitte wyth them for companye, and drinke parte of hys ownecoſt. 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, andbegan 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 faſtasleepe, hee tooke the bodye of hys brother, and in mockage, shauingoff the hayre of theyr right cheekes, he returned home, beyng rightgladly enterteyned of hys mother.

TheKyng ſeeyng hys deuiſes no better to proceede, but for ought hecoulde imagine the theefe ſtill beguyled hym, waxed woonderouswrath: howbeit, determining to leaue nothing vnattempted, rather thento let ſuch a villayne eſcape scotfree, he built yet another trappeto catch the foxe in. He had at that time abiding in hys courte agoodly gentlewoman his onely daughter, whome he tenderly loued fromher childhood. This
Lady he made of his counſayle, willing herby the duety of a chylde, to a bandon chaſtity for the time, makinghirſelfe a common ſtalant for all that would come, on conditionthey ſhoulde ſweare to tell her the fubtileſt and the ſinfulleſtprancke that euer they had played in all theyr lyfe tyme, and who ſoconfeſſed the facts lately atchieued in imbesileing the Kingstreaſure, and ſtealing away the theefe, him to lay hold on, and notſuffer to depart.

Thegentlewoman obeying her fathers will, kepte open houſe, hauinggreate repayre vnto her out of all partes of the countrey. Now thetheefe whyche knewe full well to what intente the Kyng had done thys,deſirous to bee at oast wyth hys daughter for a nighte, and fearingthe daunger that myghte enſue, beeyng of a verie pregnaunt andreadie witte, deuiſed yet another ſhifte wherewythall to delude theKyng: he ſtrake off the hande of hys brother that wasdead,and cloſely carying it vnder his cloake, he repayred to the placewhere the Kings daughter lay, who demaunding hym the queſtion as ſhehad done the reſt, receyued of him this aunſwere, that theſinfulleſt acte that euer he committed, was to cut off his brothershead, beeing inueigled in a snare in the Kings treaſurie, but thefubtileſt in that he had deceyued a fort of drouken aſſes, whomethe King had appoynted to watch the body. The Lady that had listnedto his tale, hearing the newes ſhe longed for, ſtretched out herhand to lay hold on him, who fubtilly preſenting her with the handeof his brother, (which beeing darke, ſhe faſt griped in ſtead ofhis owne) hee conueyed himſelfe from her and was no more ſeene. TheKing heereof aduertiſed, was ſtricken with ſo great admiration aswell of his wit in deuiſing, as his boldneſſe in aduenturing, thatforthwith he cauſed notice to be geuen throughout all partes of hisgouernment, that in caſe the party whiche had done theſe thinges.woulde diſcloſe himſelfe, and ſtande to his mercy, he woulde notonly yeeld him free pardon, but alſo in-
due and honour himwith ſo princely rewards as were fit for a perſon of ſuchexcellent wiſedome. My yonker yeelding credite to the Kings promiſe,came foorth in preſence, and deſcried himſelfe, with whomeKampſinitus ioyning his daughter in mariage, did him the greateſthonour he could deuiſe, eſteeming him for the wiſeſt man thatliued vpon the earth, holding it for certayne, that the Ægyptiansexcelled all others in wiſedome, amongſt whome he iudged nonecomparable to hym. The fame King¹⁴⁷(ſay they) whiles he was yet liuing, trauelled ſo farre vnder theground, till he came to the place which the Graecians call the ſeatesinfernall, where he played at dyce with the Goddeſſe Ceres, andſometimes winning ſometimes loſing, he returned againe at length,beeing rewarded by her with a mantle of gold. In the meane ſpacewhile Kampſinitus vndertooke this voyage to hell, the Ægyptianskept holyday, prolonging the celebration till ſuch time as heretyred backe againe, which ſolemne obſeruance, ſince our memoryhath bene duely celebrated. But whether this be the cauſe of thatſacred feſtiuall, I dare not auowe, howbeit, the prieſts ſhewedme a certayne cloake, wouen in the ſpace of one daye, wherewith onceayeare they attyre ſome one of theyr petie vicares, blindingmoreouer hys eyes wyth a myter. Beeing in thys forte attyred, theyconduct hym to the hygh way that leadeth to the temple of theGoddeſſe Ceres, where after they haue placed hym, they leaue hymgrabling in that place, and departe their waye. To whomeincontinently reforte two wolues, conducting the prieſt to thetemple aforefayde, whyche is diſtaunte from the city twentiefurlongs, where hauing accompliſhed certayne rytes, the wolues leadehym backe agayne to the fame place. All theſe thyngs they doubt notto reporte for certayne true, which we leaue to euery mans lyking toiudge of them as they deſerue. For myne owne parte I haue thought itmeete to make relation of ſuch things as I heard amongſt them,going no farther in many thyngs then he areſay.

Amiddeſtthe infernall powers,¹⁴⁸the Ægyptians affyrme that Ceres and Liber haue the chiefeauthoritie.

Thefame people were they that firſt helde opinion that the ſoule ofman was immortall, paſſing from one body into another by acontinuall courſe, as euery one tooke hys beginning and generationof another, and when it had paſſed through all bodyes that hauetheyr beeyng eyther in the lande, ſea, or aire, then conſequentlieto returne into the bodye of man agayne, whyche courſe it finiſhedwithin the tearme of three thouſand yeares: whych opinion had manypatrones of the Graecians, ſome auncient and of great authoritie,others of later dayes, vſurping and chalenging it for theyr owne, ofwhoſe 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 flouriſhedamong them.

Afterwhome, the royall dignitie came into the handes of Cheops,¹⁴⁹a man fraught with all kynde of vicious demeanour, and wickedconuerſation. For cauſing the temples of the gods to be faſtlocked vp, he gaue out through all quarters of hys Empyre, that itmyght not be lawfull for any Aegyptian to offer ſacrifice, to theende, that beeing ſeduced front the ſeruice and reuerence of thegods, he might ſecurely employ them in hys owne affayres.¹⁵⁰Some were appoynted to digge ſtones in the mountayne Arabicus, andfrom thence, to conuey them to the riuer Nilus, where they werereceyued of others which pheryed them ouer the riuer to the roote ofa greate hill named Africus. The whole number of thoſe that wereconuerſaunt in the Kings affayres, was tenne thouſande men, ſeruingby turnes, euery three monethes a thouſand. In which manner, hehelde the people the ſpace of tenne yeares, in all whiche tyme, theydid nothyng but hewe and cary ſtones, a labour of no leſſeimportaunce (in my iudgemente) then to haue built the pyre it ſelfe,or towre of ſtone, which is in length fiue furlongs, in breadthtenne paces, and in height where it is greateſt, to the number ofeyght paces, beeyng framed of ſtone, euriously carued and ingrauenwith the pictures of beaſtes. Heerein alſo were conſumed othertenne yeares, cauſing certayne chambers to be cut out vnder thegrounde, vndermining the ſtoneworke vpon the which the towres werefounded, whyche hee prouided for hys ſepulcher. The ſituation heereof was in a fmall Ilande, through the whyche by a trench or fmalldraught, he cauſed the riuer to haue paſſage. The pyre was madestearewiſe, aſcending by ſteppes or degrees orderly placed oneaboue another.

Hauyngin ſuche forte finiſhed the lower worke, they deuiſed certayneengines or wreſtes to heaue vp ſtones from the grounde to the fyrſtſtayre, and from thence to the ſeconde, and ſo conſequently tyllthey came to the place where the ſtone ſhoulde lye, hauyng vpponeach ſtayre a wreaſt: or (that whyche is more likely) vſing onefor all, beeyng framed of lyght wood, to the intente it might themore eaſily be remooued.

Thegroſſe worke finiſhed, they began to poliſhe and beautifie thetowre from the toppe downewardes, comming laſt of all to theneathermoſt ſtayre, wherein they made a finall ende and concluſionof the beautie and grace of all theyr woorkemanſhippe. In thys pyre,were intayled certayne letters in the Ægyptian language, declaringthe expence the King was at in the time of his building, forſuſtardſeed, oynyons, and garlike, which (as I remember) theinterpreter told me, did amount to the ſumme of a thouſande ſixehundred talents. If this were ſo, how much ſhal we deeme to hauebene ſpent vpon other things, as vpon tooles, engins, victuals,labouring garments for the workemen, being tenne yeares buſied intheſe affayres? I recken not the time wherein they were held inframing and hewing of ſtones to ſet them in a readineſſe for themayne worke: neyther all the ſpace that paſſed ouer in theconueyance and cariage of the ſtone to the place of building, whichwas no fmall numbers of dayes, as alſo the time which was conſumedin vndermining the earth, and cutting out of chambers vnder thegrounde, all whyche things draue the King to ſuch a narrow ſtraight,that he was fayne to cloute out his deuiſes with a moſt wickedinuention, which was this: Perceiuing his golden mine to draw lowthat the diuell might daunce in the bottome of his bagge and findeneuer a croſſe, he made ſale of his daughters honeſtie, willinghir to entertayne tagge and ragge all that would come, in caſe theyrefuſed not to pay for their pleaſure, ſithence Venus acceptethnot the deuotion of ſuch as pray with empty hands and threadbarepurſſes. The Lady willing to obey the heſtes of the King herfather, deuiſed alſo the meane to prolong the memorie of herſelfe,and to aduaunce her fame to the notice of all ages that ſhouldenſue, wherefore ſhe made requeſt to ſuche as had acceſſe vntoher, to giue her a ſtone to the building and erection of a workewhich ſhe had determined, wherewith (as the brute goeth) ſhe gaueſo many ſtones as ſerued to the framing of a whole pyre, ſituatein the middeſt of the three former, in full view and prospect to thegreateſt pyrame, which is euery way an acre and an halfe ſquare.

Enſuingthe raigne of Cheops, whoſe kingdome continued the ſpace of fiftyyeares, the chiefe gouernement was committed to Chephrenes¹⁵¹his brother, which followed the ſteps of his predeceſſour as wellin other things, as alſo in building of a pyre, howbeit, not ſohuge and great as that which his brother had finiſhed before him,for we tooke the meaſure of them all. Moreouer, ſuch vnderworkewrought out in caues and chambers vnder the ground as is to be ſeenein the pyre of Cheops, are wanting in this, beſides the laborious &toileſome worke which they had to deriue and drawe the riuer to thatplace, which hath his courſe through the middeſt of the formerpyre, bemming in the whole Iland wherein it is ſituate: within thecompaſſe whereof, they affirme that Cheops himſelfe was buried. Bywhome 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 vponthe ſelfefame foundation. Chephrenes alſo (by the computation ofthe Ægyptians) ruled the countrey fiftie yeares, by which meanesthey make account that their miſerie cōtinued an hundred and ſixeyeares, al which time, the temples of their gods were vnfrequented,abiding ſtill from time to time ſealed vp and vnopened, whereforetheſe princes the Ægyptians will not name for the hatred they bearethem,calling their pyres the towres of the ſhepeheard Philitio, whoat that time kept ſheepe in thoſe places.

Chephrenesdying, yeelded the Kingdome to Mycerinus,¹⁵²the ſonne of his brother Cheops, who eschuing the wicked acts anddeteſtable practiſes of his father, cauſed the temples to be ſetopen, giuing libertie to the people being ſo long diſtreſſedvnder the gouernement of his father and vncle, to follow their owneaffayres, and returne to their auncient cuſtome of ſacrifice,miniſtring iuſtice¹⁵³aboue all the Kings that were before him, for which cauſe, none ofall the princes that haue borne rule in Ægypt is ſo greatly prayſedand renowmed, both for other cauſes which were wiſely taken vp byhim in iudgement, and chiefly for this, that a certayne Ægyptianmuch 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 tomake him a recompence. Mycerinus in this wiſe gouerning the commonweale with great clemency, and ſeekyng by vertue to aduance hisfame; was ſodeinely daunted by agreatmiſfortune, the death of his onely daughter, hauing no more childrenbut her, which was the firſt and greateſt hartbreake that befellhim in his kingdome. For which cauſe, being ſtricken with ſorroweaboue meaſure, and deſirous to ſolemnize her funeralles by themoſt royall and princely kinde of buryall that could be deuiſed: hecauſed an oxe to be made of wood, inwardly vauted and hollow within,which being layde ouer and garniſhed moſt curiously with gilt, heincloſed therein the wanne and forlorne corpſe of his beſt beloueddaughter. This royall tombe was not interred and buryed in thegrounde, but remayned vnto our age in the city Sais in open view,ſtanding in a certayne parlour of the Kings pallace, adorned and ſetfoorth for the fame purpoſe, with moſt beautyfull and coſtlyfurniture. The cuſtome is euermore in the daye time to caſt intothe belly of the oxe ſweete and precious odoures of all fortes thatmay be gotten: and in the nighte to kindle a lampe, which burneth bythe tombe till the next daye. In a chamber next adioyning arecertayne pictures of women that were the concubines of Mycerinus, ifwe may beleeue the talke of thoſe that in the fame city of Sais areprofesſours in religion, forſomuch as there are ſeene ſtanding inthat place certayne mighty images made of wood, twentye orthereaboutes in number, the moſt parte of them bare and naked, butwhat women they reſemble, or whoſe pictures they be, I am not ableto alleadge more then heareſay, notwithstāding, there were whichas touching the gilded oxe, and the other images framed this tale,that Mycerinus being inamoured of his own daughter, dealt vnlawfullywith her besides the courſe of nature, who for intollerable greefehanging her ſelfe, was intombed in that oxe by her father: theQueene her mother cauſing the hands of all her gentlewomen to be cutoff, by whoſe meanes ſhe had beene betrayed to ſerue her fatherslust, for which cauſe (ſay they) are theſe images portrayed, todeclare the miſfortune which they abode in their lifetime. But thisis as true as the man in the moone, for that a man with halfe an eyemay clearely perceiue, that their hands fel offfor very age, byreaſon that the wood through long cōtinuance of time was ſpakedand periſhed, whiche euen to our memory were to be ſeene lying atthe feete of thoſe which were portrayed. The oxe wherein the yongprinceſſe lay, was ſumptuously clad, and arayed all the body wytha gorgeous mantle of Phenicia, hys head and necke beeyng spanged andlayde ouer with braces and plates of golde of a maruaylousthickeneſſe. Betweene hys hornes was ſet a globe or circle ofgolde, glIſtering as the ſunne. Neyther is the oxe ſtanding andborne vp vppon hys feete, but kneeleth as it were on hys knees,equall in bigneſſe to a great heighfer.¹⁵⁴The manner is once a yeare to bring this image out of the parlourwherein it is kepte, hauyng firſt of all well beaten and cudgelled acertayne image of one of theyr Sainctes, whome in thys caſe weethynke it not lawfull for vs to name. The talke goeth, that the Ladybeſought the Kyng her father that beeing dead, ſhe myght once ayeare beholde the ſunne, whereof sprang the cuſtome and maneraforefayde.

Afterthis, there befell vnto him another miſchiefe that ſate as neerehys skirtes as the death of his dilling, inſomuch that he was readieto runne beyonde hymſelfe for ſorrowe. A prophecie aroſe in thecity of Butis, that the tearme of ſixe yeares fully exspired, theKyng ſhoulde ende hys lyfe, leauing hys Kyngdome to be ruled ofanother. Whereof the Kyng beeing aduertiſed, and greately greeuingat the rigorous and vniust dealing of the gods, ſped a meſſengerto the place where the ſeate of prophecie was helde, to expoſtulatewith the god, for what cauſe (ſince hys father and vnckle who hadbeene ſo vnmindfull of the gods, shutting vptheir temples, andmaking hauocke of the people had liued ſo long) he hymſelfe thathad dealte better with them, and cauſed theſe thynges to beereſtored agayne, ſhoulde ſo ſoone be depriued of the benefite oflyfe, to whome aunſwere was made, that hys dayes were thereforeſhortened becauſe hee tooke a wrong courſe and dyd not as heſhould do, beyng appoynted by the celeſtiall powers, that thecountrey of Ægypt ſhould ſuffer miſerie, and be afflicted bytheir princes ye ſpace of an hūdred & fifty yeares, which thetwo former princes well vnderſtanding, was neuertheleſſe by himneglected 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 hecauſed to be lighted, paſſing the night in exceeding great mirthand princely banquetting, letting ſlip no time wherein he eitherwandered not alongst the riuer, and through the woods and groues ofthe countrey, or entertayned the time in ſome pleaſaunt deuiſes,following all things that might eyther breede delighte, or bringpleaſure, which things he did, to the end he might prooue theprophecie falſe, and conuince the god of a lie, making twelue yearesof ſixe,¹⁵⁵by spending the nightes alſo as he did the dayes. Mycerinus alſobuilt a pyre, not equall to that which his father had ſet vp beforehim, beeing in meaſure but twentie foote ſquare, framedquadrangularly, and another lower then that, of three acres incompaſſe, being built to the middeſt of the ſtone of Aethiopia.There be of the Graecian writers that ſuppoſe thys towre to hauebene erected by a woman of notable fame, called Rhodope,¹⁵⁶who miſſe of their account, not ſeeming to knowe what that Rhodopewas of whome they fpeake. Beſides, it is very vnlikely that Rhodopewoulde euer haue enterpriſed a worke of ſo great value, whereininfinite thouſands of talentes were ſpent before it came toperfection. Laſtly, it was not in the dayes of this prince thatRhodope flouriſhed, but vnder the gouernement of Amaſis, manyyeares paſſing from the tyme of thoſe princes that planted thepyres, to the dayes and age of Rhodope. This gallaunt dame was bycountrey a Thracian borne, the bondmayd of one Iadmon, whoſe abidingwas in the land of Samos in the city of the god Vulcane, who in thetyme of her bondage, was fellowſeruant with Aeſope the inuenter offables, to whome this ſmooth minion had a monethes mind and more,for which cauſe, being giuen out by ye oracle at Delphos, that itmighte be free for any man to ſlay Aeſope that would, and takepennaunce for his ſoule for his faulte committed, there was nonefound that would put him to death, but the nephew of Iadmon that cameby his ſonne, who was alſo named Iadmon: whereby we may gather thatÆſope was a ſlaue and vaſſall to Iadmon. The death of Aeſopewounded Rhodope with ſo great feare, that ſhe tooke her flightfoorthwith into Ægypt, accompanyed by one Xanthus a Samian, whereſhe ſet foorth her ſelfe to the ſale of ſuch, as rather thenVenus ſhould be shut out for a Sainct, thought it no idolatrie toworſhip idols. Whiles ſhee abode in Ægypt, ſhee was redeemed andacquit of her ſeruitude by one Charaxus, who purchaſed her libertieby a great ſumme of money. This Charaxus was of the countrey ofMitilene, ſonne of Scamandronymus, and brother to Sappho the notablepoetreſſe. By theſe meanes came Rhodope to be free, and remaynedſtill in Ægypt, where ſhe wanne ſo great credite and liking ofall men, that in ſhorte ſpace ſhe grewe to maruellous wealth,beeing ſuch as farre in deede ſurmounted the degree of Rhodope, butyet amounted not to the buylding of a pyre. By the tenth parte ofwhich her fubſtaunce, it is eaſie for any man to geſſe, that themaſſe and ſumme of money which ſhe had gathered, was no ſuchemyracle as it is made to be. For ſtudying to be famous and remembredin Greece, ſhe deuiſed a worke which had neuer bene imagined orgeuen by any other, which in remembrance of her ſelfe ſhe offeredin the temple of Delphos. Wherefore of the tenth parte of her richeswhich ſhe ſente to the temple, ſhe commaunded ſo many yronſpittes to be made (which were imployed to the roſting of oxen) asthe quantitie of the money woulde afoorde that was ſente thyther byher. 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, hauein no place the like credite, as in the city of Naucrates. Forſomuchas this stalant of whome we fpeake, had her fame ſo bruted in allplaces, as almoſt there was none in Greece that had not hearde ofthe fame of Rhodope. After whome, there ſprang vp alſo another asgood as euer ambled, by name Archidice,¹⁵⁷whoſe vertues were blaſed very farre, but not with like fame andrenowne as her predecesſour, with whome, Charaxus was ſo farregone, that retyring home to Mytelene, he was almoſt beſideshimſelfe, as Sappho maketh mention, inueyghing in verſe agaynſthys folly. We haue thus far digreſſed to fpeake of Rhodope, we willnow returne to the text agayne.

Nextafter Mycerinus, enſued the raigne and dominion of Aſychis,¹⁵⁸by whome (as the prieſts report) was conſecrated to Vulcane aprincely gallerie ſtandyng to the Eaſt, very fayre and large,wrought with moſt curious and exquiſite workemanſhip. For besidesthat it had on euery ſide emboſſed the ſtraunge and liuelypictures of wilde beaſtes, it had in a manner all the graces andſumptuous ornaments that coulde be imagined to the beautifying of aworke. Howbeit, amiddeſt other his famous deedeſ, this purchaſedhim the greateſt dignitie, that perceyuing the land¹⁵⁹to be oppreſſed with debt, and many creditours like to be indamagedby great loſſe, he inacted foorthwith, that who ſo borrowed aughtvppon credite, ſhoulde lay to pledge the dead body of his father, tobe vſed at the diſcretion of the creditour, and to be buryed by himin what manner he woulde, for a pennaunce to all thoſe that tookeany thing of loane: prouiding moreouer, that in caſe he refuſed torepay the debt, he ſhould neyther be buryed in the tombe of hisfathers, nor in any other ſepulchre, neyther himſelfe, nor theiſſue that ſhould deſcend and ſpring of his body. This princedeſiring to ſurpaſſe all that had bene before him, left inmemorie of himſelfe an excellente pyre built all of clay, whereinwas a ſtone ſet ingrauen in theſe wordes: Compare me not to thereſt of the pyres, which I ſurmount as farre as Iupiter excelleththe meaner gods, for ſearching the bottome of the riuer with aſcoupe, looke what clay they brought vp, the fame they employed tothe building of me in ſuch forme and bigneſſe as you may beholde.And this did Aſychis imagine to aduance the fame of himſelfe to thetime to come.

Afterwhome, the scepter was held by one Anyſis¹⁶⁰a blynde man, inhabiting in a city called after his owne name Anyſis.In time of whoſe raigne, Sabbacus King of Æthyopia inuaded Ægyptwith a mightie power. Where at the poore blinde King greatlyaffrighted, crope priuily away, and gayned a priuie couert in themarriſhe places of the countrey, leauyng the gouernement to Sabbacushis enemie, whiche ruled thefame50. yeares, whoſe actes are mentioned to haue beene theſe. If anyof the Ægyptians made a treſpaſſe, he neuer vſed to do any manto death for his offence, but according to ye quantity of his fault,to enioyne him to arrere & make higher by forreine ſupply ofearth and ſtone, ſome parte of the city wherein he dwelt, for whichcauſe, the cities became very high and eminent, being much moreloftely ſituated then before. For firſt of all in time of Seſoſtrisſuch earth as was caſt out of the trenches (which were made to geuethe water a courſe to the cities that were farre off) was employedto the eleuation & aduancing of the lowe townes, and now agaynevnder this Æthyopian they had increaſe of freſh earth, and grew tobe very high and lofty. Amongſt the reſt, the noble city ofBubaſtis ſeemeth to be very haughty & highly planted, in whichcity is a temple¹⁶¹of excellent memory dedicate to the goddeſſe Bubaſtis,called inour ſpeach Diana, then the which, albeit there be other churchesboth bigger and more richly furniſhed, yet for the ſightly graceand ſeemelyneſſe of building, there is none comparable vnto it.Beſides, the very entrance and way that leadeth into the city, thereſt is informe of an Ilande, incloſed round about with two fundryſtreames of the riuer Nilus, which runne to either ſide of the pathway, and leauing as it were a lane or cauſey betweene them, withoutmeeting, take their courſe another way. Theſe armes of the floudare eache of them an hundred foote broade, beſet on both sides thebanckes with fayre braunched trees, ouerſhadowing ye waters with acoole & pleaſant shade. The gate or entry of the city is inheighth 10. paces, hauing in the front a beautifull image. 6. cubitesin meaſure. The temple it ſelfe ſituate in the middeſt of yecity, is euermore in ſight to thoſe yt paſſe to and fro. Foralthough ye city by addition of earth was arrered & made higher,yet ye temple ſtāding as it did in ye beginning, & neuermooued, is in maner of a lofty & ſtately tower, in open &cleare viewe to euery parte of ye city. Round about the which goeth awall ingrauen with figures & protraitures of fundry beaſts. Theinner temple is enuironed with an high groue of trees, ſet andplanted by the hande and induſtrie of men: in the whiche temple isſtanding an image. The length of the temple is euery way a furlong.

Fromthe entrance of the temple Eaſtward, there is a fayre large cauſeyleading to the houſe of Mercury, in length, three furlongs, andfoure acres broade, all of faire ſtone, & hemmed in on each ſidewith a courſe of goodly call trees planted by the hands of men, andthus as touching the deſcription of y• temple. Likewiſe they makemention in what maner they ſhifted their hands of y• Aethiopianprince,¹⁶²who admoniſhed in his sleepe by a viſion, haſtned his flight todepart y• countrey. There ſeemed vnto him one ſtanding by hisbedſide, 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 thaty• gods would picke a quarrel agaynſt me, that by the doing ofſome villany or other, I might either incur their hatred, or thediſpleaſure of men, but ſince the time of my rule in Ægypt, whichby y• oracle was prefined, is nowe exſpired, I will kindle no moecoales then I may well quenche, wherewith departing y• countrey, heleft the gouernement to y• ſeed of the Ægyptians, & retiredhimſelfe into his owne lande. For abiding beforetime in Aethiopiathe oracles which the Aethiopians vſe, gaue out to the King, that heſhoulde beare rule 50. yeares in Ægypt, which time being finiſhed,Sabbacus ſore troubled with y• ſtrange ſight of his dreame, ofhis own proper wil departed the listes of the countrey. Insuing whoſeflight, y• blinde King forsaking his neſt in the fennes, came out,& ſhewed his head againe, exerciſing gouernemēt as he haddone before, hauing wonderfully inlarged the Iland where he lay, withaddition of aſhes & freſh earth. For whoſoeuer of theÆgyptiās came vnto him either with grayne or other prouiſion, hismanner was to giue him in charge, that vnwitting to the Aethiopianprince (who then withheld frō him the right of his kingdome) heſhould preſent him with a loade or two of aſhes. This Ile beforey• time of Amyrtaeus was vnknowne to any mā, named in y•Ægyptiā lāguage Elbo,¹⁶³being in bignes. 10. furlōgs. Next after whome, the title ro allwas reſigned ouer to a certaine prieſt called ſethon, ſeruing iny• temple of the god Vulcane by whom, the ſouldyers of Ægypt wereabuſed & had in contempt as men vnfit, & not ſeruing forhis purpoſe. Wherefore beſide other ſlaunderous tauntes &reuiling words, wherby he ſought at all times to greeue thē, hebereaued thē alſo of ſuch lāds and reuenues as had benegraunted vnto them by the former Kings: for which cauſe, after thatSenacherib King of the Arabians & Aſſyrians had inuaded Ægyptwith a mighty power, they refuſed to yeeld him ayd & aſſistācein his warres. The prieſt driuen to this sudden blanke, not knowinghowe toſhift, withdrewe himſelfe into a cloſe parlour, wherecomplayning himſelfe before his god, he ſhewed whatgreat &imminent perils were like to befall him. As he was in this fortpowring out his teares & pitiful complaints before his image, hefell aſleepe, where there ſeemed to appeare vnto him the ſtraungeforme of his god, willing him to be of good comfort, and meete hisenemies in the field, not fearing the euent of battayle, forſomuchas 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 ofthe ſouldiers would mooue a foote to followe him out of dores, butpedlers, tinkers, & common gadders that ſtrayed here & thereabout the countrey. Being arriued at the place before named, in y•night ſeaſon, there came into the tents of their aduerſaries anhuge multitude of field mice, which gnawed their quiuerſ, but inſunder their bowſtrings, & the braces off their ſhields, y•in y• morning being diſfurniſhed of their armour, they betookethēſelues 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.¹⁶⁴Thus far went the Ægyptians & their prieſts in deſcribing thecōtinual ſucceſſion of their kings & gouernours, alleadgingthat frō the firſt King vnto this prieſt of Vulcane beforementioned, were 341. generations. Three hundred generatiōs conteineten thouſand yeares, forſomuch as to three progenies of men areaſſigned an hundred yeares, ſo y• the reſidue of the progenieswhich 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 ofa man, neyther coulde any ſuch thing be mentioned to haue falne outvnder the gouernance of any of their princes, howbeit, within thetearme of yeares aforenamed, theſe ſtrange alterations¹⁶⁵were marked in y• ſunne at foure fundry times. Two fundry times itwas 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 nowariſeth, which alſo came to paſſe two feueral times. Iuſuingwhich things, there was no change in y• countrey, no alteration inany poynt, neither as touching the effects & courſe of theriuer, nor for any maladies, death, or inconueniences in the lande.In like forte, before Hecataeus the writer of monuments(by whome inthe city of Thebes a rehearsall was made of the whole diſcent of hisſtocke & kindred, fetching his progeny frō the xvi. god) theprieſt of Iupiter did this, (as alſo to my ſelfe that made norelation of mine alliance) leading vs into a large chappel or houſeof praier, they ſhewed vs both the number of our auncetry accordingto our own account. Wherin alſo ſtood the images of certaine chiefeprieſts & Biſhops in ſuch forme & maner as euery one hadled his life, where, by orderly diſcent & iſſue they ſhewedvs in what maner y• ſonne had euermore ſucceeded his father in y•office of prieſthode, reciting euery one of their images vntill theycame to the laſt. Heerein alſo they diſliked y• ſpeach ofHecataeus y• ſought to fetch his progeny frō y• xvi. god,making him another account of his kinsfolke& allies, ſhewing himhow abſurd a thing it was, & diſagreeing from reaſon for a manto deriue his iſſue frō a god. For which cauſe, in reciting thegenealogies, they diſprooued his account in this wiſe, relatinghowe each of theſe images were in theyr ſpeach named Pyromis, whichname they tooke by diſcent, the ſonne frō the father by line allcourſe to y• nūber of 345. whoſe pictures were ſtanding in y•fame oratory. Theſe Pyromes (as they termed thē) were ſuch mēas had no affinity with y• gods, neither coulde chalenge theirprogeny of any one of the chiefe nobles & potentates, being ſuchas y• Grecians call καλὸς κἀγαθὸς, that is, anhoneſt, fimple, & wel meaning mā. Of which fort were al thoſewhoſe monumēts were extant in y• place very far frō beingallied wt any of the gods. Before theſe mē, y• gods thēſelueswere rulers in Ægypt, hauing their dwelling and abode together withmē. Notwithstāding, being many in number, they gouerned not thecountrey all at once, but ſome one of thē for a time, or ech incourſe, til at lēgth y• scepter came to the hāds of Orus ſonneof Osiris whom the Graecians call Apollo. The laſt & yongeſt ofal the gods by the Grecians account,are Hercules, Dioniſius, &Pan. Albeit Pan with the Ægyptians is a grandſire god, one of themoſt auncientst among them, in the nūber of thoſe eight y• arey• 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 ſaidto 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 theſedaies wherin we liue, the time is not ſo long as frō the Troianewar, to wit, 8000. yeres or there aboutes. In all theſe thinges weleaue it free to euery ones fancy to follow what he will, our ſeluesbeſt liking of the cōmon opinion which is generally receiued ofall men. For if theſe gods beeing renowmed with great fame inGraece,¹⁶⁶had there alſo waſted the whole courſe of their age (as Herculesdeſcended of Amphytrio, Dioniſius of Semele, Pan of Penelope)happily ſome man would haue fayde that the Ægyptians had worſhippedſome other gods, whiche beeing of the fame name with theſe beforementioned, were notwithſtanding in time long before them. Nowe theGraecians themſelues confeſſe, that Dioniſius being begotten byIupiter, was no ſooner borne, but he cleaued faſt to his fathersthigh, and was caryed away by hym into Nyssa, which is a towne inÆthyopia neere vnto Ægypt. Of Pan they make ſhorte worke, asignorant in what parte of the worlde after his birth hee was broughtevp and nouriſhed. Whereby it is eaſily coniectured, that the namesof theſe gods came of later dayes to the eares of y• Graecians,and that accordyng to that notice, they began to frame
foreache of them a cradle in Greece, as though they had beene bornethere, planting more vpō heareſay, then certaine truth.

Thusfarre we haue followed the fayings of the Ægyptians, fromhencefoorth minding to ſet downe the conſente of others, whereinthey accord with the people of Ægypt as concerning ſuch things aswere done in that countrey, adding thereto ſuch matters as ourſelues haue bene beholders of, & eyewitneſſes.

Thelaſt King¹⁶⁷(beeing as before was mentioned the prieſt of Vulcane) leauing theſeate imperiall void by his death, ye Aegyptians being now atliberty, & yet vnable to liue without the aid of gouernemēt,choſe vnto thēſelues 12. princes, deuiding ye whole lād into ſomany partes. Theſe 12. ioyning betweene thēſelues mutual kindred& affinity, exerciſed the authority & office of Kings,eſtabliſhing mutuall league & couenaunts, that none ſhouldincroch or gather vpō another, but holding himſelfe ſatiſfiedwith an equall portion, ſhould liue in friendſhip and amity withthe reſt, which their league & agreemēt they ſought by ſomuch the more diligence & warines to confirme & ſtrengthen,for that in ye firſt entrance to their kingdomes a prophecie wasgeuen out, that who ſo dranke of a braſen mazer in the temple ofVulcane, ſhould be King alone ouer the whole lād. When the ſacredrites and ceremonies obſerued in ſtriking of league & makingcouenāt were duly accompliſhed, it liked thē all to leaue ſomecōmon monumēt or worke behinde thē to the continuance of theirmemories, which they did, making a labyrinth or maze¹⁶⁸ſomewhat aboue the poole called Maeris toward the city, much moregreater & famous thā ye brute goeth. This I beheld with mineeies, being named The Maze of the Crocodyles: for if a mā wouldframe his cōiecture according to the report which ye Graecians maketherof, meaſuring the walles & beauty of ye work after theiraccount, certes he ſhal giue but a beggerly iudgemēt of ſoſumptuous & magnificent a building.
For albeit ye templeof Epheſuſ be an excellent & worthy monumēt, & the churchor religious houſe of Samos, yet are they nothing in respect of yepires in Ægypt, one of yt which may well ſtād in cōpariſon wtall ye renowmed works of Greece, and yet euē theſe are farexcelled & ſurmounted by ye labyrinth. In this princely monumētare 12. moſt fair & ſumptuous haules, whoſe gates opēoppoſit ech againſt other, 6. stāding north neere adioingtogether, ye other 6. ſouth, garded about wt ye fame walls.

Theroomes and lodgings therein conteyned, are of two forts, ſome lower,wrought cellar wiſe vnder the ground, other aboue theſe, beingtogether in number three thouſand and ſixe hundred. Of ſuch roomesas were ſituate in the ſeconde ſtory, our ſelues had the fullſight and viewe, speaking no more therof then we beheld with oureyes, following in the reſt the report of others, forſomuch as thevnder buildings were kepte
couert from the ſight of all thatwere trauellers, becauſe in them lay the tombes of thoſe Kings thatwere the founders of that place, with the bodies and dead carkaſſesof the ſacred Crocodyles. Thus of the neathermoſt houſe we fpeakeby heareſay, of the lodgings aboue viewing with our owne eyes, moreſtraunge & wonderfull miracles then could be wrought by thehelpe of men, for the fundry turnings and windings¹⁶⁹leading from one chamber to another, did wonderfully amaze andastoniſh my wits. Out of the great haules we go into certainparlours, wherehence the way leadeth in other bedchambers, next vntowhich are ſituate Diuers ſecrete lodgings that open into the ſixegreat haules, ſtanding on the contrarie parte of the court, allwhich 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 arelayde with ſmooth white ſtone, beautified on each ſide with agoodly courſe of pillers. To one corner of the Laberinth isadioyning a pyre or towre of ſtone, being fortie paces, wherein arethe pictures of many ſtraunge beaſtes hewne out and carued ofſtone. To this towre is a way vndermined in the ground.Notwithſtanding, for all the wonders that are to be ſeene andmarked in the Laberinth, the poole called Maeris, neere bounding vntothe fame, hath (in our iudgemēt) fundry things thereto belonging offarre greater admiration. The compaſſe of this ponde is threethouſande ſixe hundred furlongs, and ſixty Schoenes as they tearmethem, conteyning alltogether as much ſpace as the ſea coaſt of thecountrey of Ægypt. The length of the poole lyeth North and ſouth,being in deapth where it is higheſt fiftie paees. Now that it hathnot ſprong naturally in that place, but rather hath bene wrought anddigged by the trauell of men, this is an euident proofe, for thatwelnye in the middeſt of the ponde are planted two mightie towres ofſtone appearing fiftie foote aboue the water, and beeing as muchvnder. On the toppe of ech towre is a great image wrought of ſtone,ſitting in a chaire of maieſtie, ſo that the towres conteyne inheigth an hundreth paces. An hundredth full paces do make a furlongof ſixe acres. A pace conteyneth ſixe feete, or foure cubites. Afoote is foure times the breadth of the hande. The water of Moeris isnot naturally flowing from any ſpring belonging thereto (the groundebeeyng exceedyngly patched and drie) but is deriued from the riuer,the water hauing recourſe into the poole euerie ſixe monethes byebbing and flowing. The ſixe monethes wherein the water is retyringout of the ponde, the multitude of fiſhe which is there taken,increaſeth the Kings fiske euery day by a talent of ſiluer, and atſuche time as it refloweth agayne, it bringeth aduantage of twentiepounde a daye. Thys poole, the inhabitants affyrme, ſearcheththrough the vames of the earth, and ſheddeth his waters into theSyrians or quickeſands of Africa, vndermining a ſecrete courſeinto the mayne land towarde the countreys of the Weſt, faſt by theſide of an huge mountayne which appeareth ouer the city Memphis.
Now forſomuch as I could not diſcerne how all the moldeſhould be beſtowed that was caſt out of the poole at the firſtemaking thereof, being deſirous to knowe what was become of it, Iqueſtioned with the inhabitaunts of thoſe places as touching thefame, whoſe anſwere was, that it was employde to the rampeiring ofthe bankes of Nilus, and much of it throwne downe the riuer, whoſeſpeach obteyned the more credite wythme, for that I remembred thelike thing to haue bene done at the city Ninus, one of the chiefecities of Aſſyria. In this city it fell out in auncient time, thatcertayne good fellowes wanting ſiluer, determined to viſit theKings treaſurie, who at that time was Sardanapalus abounding withinfinite ſummes of treaſure, which for that it lay ſafely gardedvnder the earth in houſes vndermined for the purpoſe, theſeyonkers aforefayde beginning at their owne houſes, made a way vndergrounde,directlyleading to the pallace of the King, voyding all the mold which theydigged, into the riuer Tigris by night, which floweth faſt by thecity, vntill they had brought their enterpriſe to paſſe. After thefame 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 inthis alſo, the greateſt parte of the boyde earth was caſt intoNilus, and diſperſed by the ſtreame. And in this manner ſay theÆgyptians, was the poole of Maeris firſte made. Now when as the 12.Kings of Ægypt had practiſed equity euery one within his owneterritory, they drew together at a certaine time to do ſacrifice inVulcans temple, where (as ye maner was) ye laſt day of ye feſtiuall,the prieſt miniſtred wine vnto thē in certaine chalices of goldreſerued 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, dranketherein. In lyke maner fel it out with the reſt of the princes, thateuery one was there preſente in his headpeece of braſſe. In thusdoyng, it was deemed that Pfammitichus meante no crafte orlegerde•ayne, but had a playne & fimple meaning. Howbeit, itcould not ſinke with the reſt but that he did it of purpoſe, andcomming in mind of the oracle that was geuen them, that whoſoeuerdranke of a braſen chalice, ſhould vſurpe the whole empyre alone:weying his facte, and finding that it was committed by errour, theythought it not meete to put him to death, but depriuing him of thegreateſt parte of his dominion, baniſhed him into the marriſhcountrey, with eſpeciall threates, that he ſhould not meddle withany parte of the countrey beſides. Notwithſtanding, Pfammitichus¹⁷⁰hauing put to flight Sabbacus the Kyng of the Æthyopians, and chaſedhym into Syria, after this conqueſt was acquit of hys exile, andreſtored agayne by thoſe Ægyptians which are of the tribe of Sais,wherefore, once agayne vſing gouernement wyth the reſt of hysconfederates, for the olde grudge of the braſen helmet, they forcedhim to take the fennes agayne. Recounting therefore with himſelfe yegreat deſpight they had wrought him, determined eftſoones toreuenge his cauſe vpon thoſe yt had purſued him, & ſpeeding ameſſenger to the oracle of Latona in the citie of Butis, which ofall the ſeates of ſouthfaying is of greateſt truth, aunſwere wasgiuen him to be of good courage, he ſhoulde haue helpe inough bybraſen men that ſhoulde ariſe from the ſea. Which prophecie forthe ſtrangeneſſe thereof could hardly ſincke into his braines, tomake him hope for the helpe of braſen ſouldyders. Not long after,certayne pyrates of Ionia and Caria proling alongst the ſeacoaſtesfor their pray, were by conſtraynte of weather driuen vpon theſhores of Ægypt, where going on lande all in armour of braſſe, acertayne Ægyptian ranne to Pfammitichus in the fennes, and for thathe had neuer before ſeene any in the like array, he tolde him thatcertayne braſen men were sproong out of the ſea to waſte anddeſpoyle the countrey. Pfammitichus reknowledging the truth of theprophecie, foorthwith ioyned himſelfe in amitie with the rouers,inducing them by great and large promiſes to abide with him, whichbeing by him in like forte obteyned, with this freſh ſupply offorreyne ayde, and the helpe of ſuch Ægyptians as fauoured hiscauſe, he prouided againſt the reſt of the princes. Hauing thewhole gouernemente alone, he made in the city of Memphis certayneporches ſacred to the god Vulcane, lying vpon the ſouth winde, andoueragainſt the porches a fayre large haule dedicated to Apis,wherein the god Apis at ſuche time as he appeared, was releeued andnouriſhed. This place was beſet round with ſtately pillers, andingrauen with ſundrie ſimilitudes and imboſſements of beaſtes,foules, and fiſhes. Wherein alſo in place of ſome pillers areplanted diuers fayre images of no leſſe then twelue cubites inbigneſſe. To theſe forreiners of Caria and Ionia, by whome he washolpen in his warres, Pfammetichus gaue certayne manner places todwell in, lying on each ſide of the riuer Nilus called the Tentes,whereof beeing poſſeſſed, he performed all ſuch promiſesbeſides that were couenaunted betweene them. Moreouer, he put vntothem certayne yong impes of the Ægyptians to be inſtructed in theGreeke language, from whome, by diſcent of iſſue came thoſewhich are now interpreters in Ægypt, and vſe the Greeke tongue. Along time did the people of Ionia andCariainhabitethoſe places lying againſt the ſea, ſomewhat aboue thecity of Bubaſtis, ſituate at the mouth of Nilus, which is calledPeluſiacum, from whence, they were afterwardes translated by KingAmaſis into the city Memphis to gard him againſt the Ægyptians.After the Greekes were thus ſetled in Ægypt, the people of Greecehad traffique thither, by which meanes, ſuch affayres as wereatchieued in that countrey from Pfammitichus following, arecertaynely knowne of vs without any errour. Theſe were the firſtthat inhabited Ægypt, being of a diuers language from the homelings.In like manner, from whence they fleeted thither, the reliques oftheir ſhips wherein they came, the olde poſtes and groundreels oftheir houſes were ſhewed me. And theſe were the meanes wherebyPfammitichus obteyned the dominiou of Ægypt. As touching the oracleor 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 inthe temple of the goddeſſe Latona in a great city named Butisſtanding againſt the mouth of Nilus which is called Sebenniticum,into the which they haue entry that from the vpper parte of the ſeacut againſt the ſtreame. In this city alſo are the temples ofApollo and Diana, and the great pallace of Latona, wherein is theplace of diuination, hauing a gallery belonging to it tenne paceshigh. Heerein ſuche things as might lawfully be ſeene, and deſeruedgreateſt admiration, of thoſe I meane to make report. In thistemple of Latona is a fmall chappell framed of one ſtone, whoſewalles beeing of equall heigth, were in length forty cubites: whichſemblably was coped ouer the top with another ſtone, beeing fourecubites in thickeneſſe. Wherefore of all thoſe things that werepertayning to the temple, there was nothing that deſerued greaterwoonder then¹⁷¹this little chappell. Next to this is an Ilande called Echemmisſtanding inthe middeſt of a deepe and wide lake a little besidesthe chiefe temple, whiche the Ægyptians ſuppoſe to ſwimme and tobe borne vp of the waters. Howbeit, I neither ſawe it ſwimme normooue, maruayling very much (if it were true) that an Iland ſhouldbe caryed in the waters. In this Ile is planted thetempleof Apollo, a greate and ſumptuous building, lykewyſe three rewes ofaultares, and many fayre palme-trees, ſome very kynde and bearingfruite, other fruiteleſſe and barren.

TheÆgyptians 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 antiquityamongſt them) dwelt in the city of Butis whereas nowe the oracle ishelde: ſhe tooke the ſauegard of Apollo commended vnto her by hismother Iſis, and preſerued hys lyfe in the fame Ilande, beeyng atthat tyme stedfaſt and immoueable, when as Typhon made ſo diligenteſearche in all places to finde out the ſonne of Oſyris. For heerewe must vnderſtande, that thys people imagine Apollo and Diana to bethe children of Dioniſius and Iſis, and that Latona was but theyrnourſe and bringer vp, that delyuered them from perill. Apollo inthe Ægyptian tongue is called Horus. Ceres hath the name of Iſis:Diana, of Bubaſtis, from whence Aeſchilus the ſonne of Euphoriondrew his opinion, which alone of all the reſt of the poets makethDiana daughter to Ceres, after which euent, the Ile (ſay they)became looſe, and was marked to floate and mooue in the water.

Pfammitichusgouerned in Ægypt 54. yeares,¹⁷³29. of the which he ſpent in the aſſeige of the great city ofSyria, which at length he fubdued. This city is called Azotus, whichof all the cities that euer wee hearde of, ſuſteyned the longeſtasſaulte.

Inſuingthe raigne of Pfammitichus, the gouernemente of the countrey fell toNecus¹⁷⁴hys ſonne: by whome, firſt of all was the channell digged thatleadeth to the red ſea, whyche afterwardes was caſt afreſhe, andmade deeper by Darius the Perfian. The length of thys courſe wasfoure dayes ſayling, the breadth ſuch, as two reaſonable veſſelsof three oares apeece might well ſayle in it together. The waterwhich is deriued from Nilus into this channell, floweth into italittle aboue the city Bubaſtis, againſt a towne of Arabia namedPatumon, and ſo continueth hys courſe vnto the red ſea. Theybeganne firſt to digge from the playne of Ægypt towardes Arabia,for all the countrey aboue the playne is filled and occupyed wyth acourſe of greate mountaynes neere vnto the citie Memphis, whereinare many pittes and quarries of ſtone, wherefore from the roote ofthys mountayne is the channell deriued, continuing a long courſetowards the Eaſt, vntyll it come to the place where the hyll partethin twayne, whyche diſtaunce and ſeparation betweene the mountaynesopeneth to the ſouth regions, and leadeth to the narrow ſeas ofArabia.

Inthe digging of thys courſe there periſhed an hundred and twentiethouſande of the people of Ægypt.

Whenthys enterpriſe was halfe done, Necus brake off and lefte itvnfiniſhed, being diſcouraged by a prophecie that tolde hym thathee toyled for the profite and behoofe of a Barbarian.

TheÆgyptians tearme them all Barbarians which are of a fundry language.Necuſ therefore leauing hys worke vnfiniſhed, applyed hys studie tothe prouiſion of warre, gathering ſouldyers, and preparing a fleeteof warring Shippes, ſome of the which were builte at the North ſeas,others in the ſtrayghtes of Arabia at the red ſea, ſome tokenswhereof are yet to be ſeene in the fame places. Thys Fleete he¹⁷⁵employed in hys affayres continuallie ſo long as it fitted hym tothe vſe of warre.

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

Andbeeyng very neate and fine¹⁷⁶in hys apparrell, he ſent a ſute of hys braueſt array to Apollo inBranchidae, a certayne field of the Mileſians. In the ende, after hehad held the Kingdome ſeauenteene yeares, hee then died, leauing thetitleofhis ſoueraignety to Pfammis his ſonne.¹⁷⁷During whoſe raigne, a certayne people called Helus ſent meſſengersabrode into all regions, to giue them to vnderſtand how by them wasdeuiſed a game in Olympus of greater admiration and equitie, then byany that euer had vſed that place, ſuppoſing that the Ægyptians(who had the prayſe of wiſedome aboue all nations) could not betteror more iustly diſpoſe of theſe matters then themſelues. Whenthey were come into Ægypt, and had told the cauſe of their arriuallthither, the King aſſembled ſuch of the Ægyptians as were moſtexcellent for graue and ſage advice aboue the reſt. To whome, whenthe Helians had made diſcourſe of all thoſe things which they hadordeyned in the ſetting foorth of this noble combate; and had aſkedthe Ægyptians if they could deuiſe anything better, afterdeliberation had of the matter, they aſked the Helians whether theyhad inacted that citizens ſhould mayntayne the controuerſie againſtſtrangers, or otherwiſe, who aunſwered, that it was indifferentlylawfull for all to ſtriue of what countrey ſoeuer he were: whertothe Ægyptians replyed, that it coulde no wiſe ſtande wyth iuſtice,forſomuch as one citizen would ſhew fauour to another, & bythat meanes by partial dealing do iniurie to thoſe yt came frōfarre, 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 thegame for ſtrangers alone, not ſuffering any of the Helians toſtriue. Theſe things the Ægyptians put into theyr heads and ſentthem packing. Pfammis hauing raigned full out ſixe yeares,¹⁷⁸and making a voyage of warre into Aethyopla, incontinently dyed.

Afterwhome, ſucceeded his ſonne Apryes¹⁷⁹the moſt fortunateſt of all the princes that had ruled before him,excepting Pfammiticushis great graundfire, gouerning the countrey 25. yeares. During whichtime, he warred vpon Sydon and fought with the people of Tyrus byſea. Howbeit, fortune owing him a deſpight, ſhe payde him home atlength, the cauſe where of, we withriefely touch at this preſent,deferring a more ample diſcourſe of the fame, till we come tofpeake of the affayres of the Punickes. When as therefore vndertakinga iourney againſt the Cyrenians he had ſuffered great loſſe ofhis men: the Ægyptians cōtinuing hatred againſt him, denied theirallegeaunce & rebelled, ſuppoſing yt he had betrayed theirliues on purpoſe, to the end that with more ſecurity he mightgouerne thoſe yt remained. For which cauſe in great diſdayne,aſwell ſuch as forſooke him & returned home, as alſo thefriends of theſe y^thad died in the battell, ſtoode at defiance with the king,renoūceing all duties of fubiection. Apryes witting hereof, ſentAmaſis¹⁸⁰to treate peace with them: who, when he came & in many words hadrebuked their diſloyalty, one of the Ægyptians ſtanding behindehim clapt a Coſtlet on his head, faying hee had done it to make himKing. Amaſis nothing diſcontent herewith, was no ſoner proclaymedKing by the rebells, but forthwith he put himſelfe in a readineſſeto encounter with Apryes. Apryes vnderſtanding this, ſent one ofthe Ægyptians named, Patarbemes a man of approued vertue, witheſpeciall charge to bring to him Amaſis alyue. Who arryuingſpeedely at the place where hee was: tolde him the Kinges pleaſure.Amaſis ſittinge on horſe
backe and incouraginge thoſe thatwere about him, commaūded Patarbemes to bring Apryes vnto him:Patarbemes once agayne willing him to make ſpeede to the King, whohad ſente for him: hee anſwered that hee woulde come with allſpeede poſſible, fayinge, that the Kinge ſhoulde haue no cauſeto complayne of his slackneſſe, for hee purpoſed, god willing, tobee with him ſhortely, and bringe him more company. Patarbemesperceiuinge by his maner of ſpeache and dealinges what hee wasmynded to doe, thought with as much ſpeede as hee coulde to geuenotice to the King: and being returned, Apryes in a great rage, forthat hee had lefte Amaſis behinde him, without any woordes, by andby commaunded his Noſe and his Eares to bee cut of. The reſt of theÆgyptians that followed the Kinges partes ſeeing this, that ſoworthy and renowmed a man ſhould without cauſe ſuffer ſo greatſhame and reproche amongſt them, without any delay fled ouer to therebelles and came to Amaſis. Apryes increaſing his fury, put inarmoure all ſuch as of forrayne countries were hyrelinges in hishoſte (which hee had of Iönia and Caria, aboute thirty thowſandemen) and marched agaynſt the Aegyptians. Hee had in the City Saïs avery great & gorgeous Pallace. The armyes therefore of botheparties, incamped agaynſt other at the City Memphis, there to abidethe lot and euent of the battayle.

Nowethe people of Ægypt¹⁸¹are Diuersly addicted, amongſt whom are to bee marked feuen fundryTrades and kindes of lyuing: which are theſe: Prieſts, ſouldiers,Graſiers, Neateheardes, Saleſmen, Interpreters, Maryners: ſo manykindes bee there of this people, taken of the Trade or crafte whicheuery one followeth. Likewiſe, the ſouldiers are called Calaſiriesand Hermotybies dwelling in certayne regions. For the whole countreyeof Ægypte is diſtinguiſhed into certaine territories. The coaſtesof 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 orany 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 theCity Bubaſtis. The tribes of the CalaSyrians,¹⁸²when they are muſtered to the moſt, yeelde to the warre two hundredand fiftye thowſand men, which are neuer trained vp in any thing butin feates of Chiualry, the ſonne learning of his father.

Whichcuſtome, whether the Greekes tooke from the Aegyptians, or borowedit from els where, I can not certainely ſay, ſeeing that inScythia, Perſia, and Lydia, and welnigh all the countreyes of theBarbarians, the baſeſt forte of Cityzens are ſuch as exerciſehandicraftes, and their children of leaſte accounte: and they beſtregarded which are leaſte conuerſante in the fame, eſpecially ſuchas are employed in the fielde.

Thefame maner alſo doe the Grecians obſerue, and chiefly theLacedaemonyans, and euen amonge the Corinthyans, craftſmen and ſuchothers are debaſed to the loweſt degree.

Totheſe gentlemen ſouldiers,¹⁸³this chiefe honour is aſſigned aboue all fortes of men, ſauingthoſe onely that are buſied in the ſeruice of the Sainctes, thatto euery one of them is allotted twelue portions of ſinguler goodgrounde, exempt & free from all kinde of Tribute and Penſion,and feuerall to their owne vſe and behoofe. Each plot of groundecontaining euery way an hundred cubyts by the Ægyptian meaſure. Acubyt amongſt the Ægyptians is equall to that which they vſe inSamos.

Athowſand of each company,¹⁸⁴aſwell of the Calyſirians as Hermatybians, did yearely geueattendaunce, to garde and defend the Kinges body. To whom, besidesthe profite & reuennewes of their land, were certayneFarme-places geuen, to each man one. Moreouer, for their lyuery fiuepound of tosted bread, two pounde of Beefe, and a gallon of wyne,which were duely ſerued to them euery day. When as therefore Apryeson the one ſide with his ſtipendaries, and on the other ſideAmaſis with an huge army of the Ægyptians were come into the CityMemphis, they cloſed bartaile: where the hyred ſouldiers of Apryesacquited them ſelues very valiauntly, till at the length (beingfewer in number) they were put to flight. Apryes was perſwaded thatneither god nor the diuell coulde haue ioynted his noſe of theEmpyre, hee ſeemed ſo ſurely to haue ſtrengthned it to him ſelfe.Neuertheleſſe, in this fight hee was foyled, taken a liue, andcaried to his owne courte in Saïs: where Amaſis kept him more likea Prynce then a pryſoner, for the time that hee lyued. At length theÆgyptians¹⁸⁵murmuring againſte him, that hee did not well to reſerue a liue amortall enemy both to himſelfe and the whole country, he delyueredvp Apryes into their handeſ. Whom they immediatly toke &ſtrangled, & buried him in the ſepulcher of his father in thetemple of Minerua, neere vnto a certayne Oratory, at the lefte handas you enter in. Being the vſe with the people of Saïs to burie allſuch, as out of their tribe haue attayned to the kingdome, withinthe temple. For the toumbe of Amaſis is placed vppon the other ſideof the Oratory, contrary to the ſepulcher of Apryes and hisProgenitours. Likewiſe, in one place of this Temple is a fayreChamber builte of ſtone, beautyfied with fundry Pyllers ingrauenlike vnto Palme-trees, being otherwyſe very ſumptuously and royallygarniſhed. In the middeſt of the Chamber are two mayne Poſts,betwene the which ſtandeth a Cophine. There is alſo a toumbe in thefame, the name whereof I may not deſcry without breache of Religion.

AtSaïs in the Temple of Minerua, beneath the Churche and neere vntothe walle of Minerua, in a baſe Chappell, are ſtandinge certaynegreate brooches of ſtone, whereto is adioyninge a lowe place inmanner of a Dungeon, couered ouer wyth a ſtone curiously wroughte,the Vaute it ſelfe being on euery ſide carued with moſt exquiſitearte, in bigneſſe matchinge with that in Delos, which is calledTrochoïdes. Herein euery one counterfayteth the fhadowes of hys owneaffections and phantasies in the nyghte ſeaſon, which the Ægyptianscall Mysteryes: touchinge which, god forbid, I ſhould aduenture todiſcouer ſo much as they vouchſafed to tell mee. In lyke manner ofthe Decrees of Ceres, which the Grecians terme θεσμοφόρια,that is to ſay, the publiſhinge of Lawes and Ordynances: of theſematters I dare not bee very francke in speakinge, no further thenreligion wyll permit. This is certayne, that the Daughters of Danaeuswere the firſte that brought this cuſtome oute of Ægypte, and madeit knowne to the women of Pelaſgos.

Butafterwardes miſlyked of the Dores, it was vtterly abolyſhed andlefte off in all the Countrey of Peloponneſus, ſauinge of certayneArcadians, whom the people of Peloponneſus lycenſed to contynewe inthe Countrey, by whome the fame order was retayned.

Apryesbeing dead Amaſis¹⁸⁶raygned in his ſteede being of ye Tribe of Saïs, and trayned vp ina City named ſuph. In the firſt entraunce of his raygne theÆgyptians ſet lyght by him, and had him in greate contempte, beingſpronge of no Noble houſe, but aryſinge of the common troup of thepopular forte. Whoſe goodwill Amaſis ſoughte to reconcile ratherby pollicy then feuerity. Being therefore infinitely riche,¹⁸⁷he had amongeſt other his treaſure, a Baſen of cleane Goldewherein both him ſelfe and his Gueſtes were wont to waſhe theirFeete. 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. TheÆgyptians repayringe to the place, bowed themſelues in greatreuerence vnto the Image: which Amaſis hauing learned by hisfriendes, aſſemblinge the people, tolde them that of the fame Baſenwherein him ſelfe, and many other of the Ægyptians had bene wonteto vomite, pyſſe, waſhe their feete, and all ſuch baſeexerciſes, was framed the god that they ſo greatly honoured:faying, that his owne preſent eſtate was not much vnlyke vnto thatBaſon: for albeit, before time he had bene one of the baſeſtdegree of the people, yet now being their Kinge hee ought of ryghteto bee had in honour. Whereby the Ægyptians weare ſo allured thatthey thought it meete afterwards to obeye their Prynce. Whoafterwards obſerued this Cuſtome¹⁸⁸in dealinge with the affayres of the realme: from the morninge,vntill the places of aſſembly and common meeting were filled, heesat vppon all matters, that were brought before him: ſpending thereſt of the day amongſt his companyons in swilling, drinking, &ſuch broade and vnſeemely ieſting, as if hee had bene ſome commonrybauld or Vyce of a playe. Whereat his friends aggrieuinge, rebukedhim in theſe or ſuch like termes. Moſt worthy Prince, it is agreat blemiſh to your name to liue ſo wickedly, more meete it werefor you to ſit in a Throne of maieſty and decide the cauſes ofyour fubiects, whereby the Ægyptians might knowe them ſelues to beegouerned by a worthy Prince, and your fame bee increaſed throughoutall the lande. To whom hee anſwered. They that owe the Bowe knowebeſt when to bend it: which being alway bent becommeth ſo weake,that it is altogether vnfit for thoſe that ſhoulde vſe it: euen ſoit fareth with thoſe that •yreing themſelues with continuallpaynes, geuing no intermiſſion to their cares, they are ſodenlybereaued either of their right minde, or their perfit members.

Thisking,¹⁸⁹whiles hee lyued without honour, was geuen to bibbing and ſcoffingwithout meaſure, neuer greatly minding his affayres: and as ofte ashee wanted to ſerue his turne, and to yeelde ſupply to hispleaſures, he ſought mayntenance by filching and ſtealing, whereofif happily hee were at any time attached, his maner was to ſtandstoutly in deniall of the thing and defiance of ye perſon: for whichcauſe, being many times brought to the Oracles and places ofſouthfaying: hee was ſometime conuicted by them, and at other timesacquited. Wherefore, hauing attayned to the kingdome, which of thegods ſoeuer had acquited him of theft, he had no regard to theirtemples, did no honour to them, gaue no gyftes, offered no ſacrifice,eſteeming them vnworthy of any reuerence, hauing geuen out a falſeverdite. And ſuch as had pronounced him guilty, to theſe as to themoſt true gods, whoſe Oracles were agreeable to iuſtice, heeperfourmed the greateſt honour hee coulde deuiſe. Beſides, in theCity of Saïs hee made a porche to the temple of Minerua, a worke ofgreat admiration, and farre paſſing the reſt, both in heights andbigneſſe, ſo great is the quantity of the ſtones that wereemployed in the building. Hee erected besides in the fame place,diuerfe Images of a wōderfull size, & the pictures of manynoyſome and peſtilent ſerpents. Hee layde there alſo many hugeſtones, to the repayring of the temple, parte of the which weredigged out of the ſtone quarryes by Memphis: other of great quantitybrought from the city of Elephantina, which is diſtant from Saïs20. dayes ſayling. Moreouer, that which is not the leaſt wonder,but in my minde to bee reckoned amongſt the chiefeſt: hee broughtfrom Elephantina¹⁹⁰an houſe framed of one ſtone: in the cariage whereof 2000. choyſemen of the Mariners of Ægypt conſumed three yeares. The roufehereof on the outſide is 21. cubyts longe, 14. cubits broad, &eight cubites highe: being on the inſide 22. cubytes in length, andin height 5. This houſe is ſet at the entring into the temple:geuing this reaſon why it was not brought into the church, for thatthe chiefe Mariner when he had gotten it to that place, as weariewyth hys dayes worke, tooke reſpite and breached him ſelfe, whereatthe King being very much mooued, bad him leaue of work, notpermitting him to labour any longer. ſome ſay that one of thoſe,which were buſied in heauing of the ſtone with leauerſ, to hauebene bruiſed to death by it, and that this was the cauſe why itſtoode without the Pallace. By the fame King were erected fundrytemples, built by arte very exquiſitely and cunningly, whereof onehee made ſacred to Vulcane: before which lyeth a great Image withthe face vpwarde, in length feuenty fiue feete, being ſpread alongvppon a pauement of ſtone: in the ſelfe fame place on eache ſidethis Image, ſtand two carued monuments of ſtone, twenty foote inquantity. Like vnto this is another ſtone in Saïs, lying in theſelfe fame maner. In like forte the great temple in Memphis, ſogorgeous and beautifull to the ſight of all that behold it, was thehandiwork alſo of y^efame King Amaſis. In the time of this Kinges gouernmente Ægyptfloryſhed in all wealth, being greatly increaſed, aſwell by theryches which the ryuer yeeldeth, as in other reuenewes which thepeople receyue by the countrey, which at the fame time was ſopopulous that there were then inhabited 20000 cityes. Likewiſe, bythis Kinge it was enacted,¹⁹¹that euerye one ſhould yearely render accounte to the cheifepreſident of the countrey, howe, and by what maner of trade heegained his lyuinge: being alwayes prouyding that ſuch as refuſed todoe it at all, or beeinge called to a reckoninge, coulde
ſheweno lawefull meanes, howe they ſpent their tymes; ſhould for the thefame cauſe bee adiudged to dye.

Whichlawe Solon borowing of the Ægyptians, did publiſh it in Athens, andis by them, for the profite hereof, moſt religiouſly obſerued.Amaſis vppon good affection hee bare to the Grecians, beſides otherbenefittes franckly beſtowed on them, made it lawefull, for all ſuchas trauayled into Ægypte, to inhabyte the City Naucrates. And ſuchas would not abyde in that place, hauinge more mynde to ſeafaringfor the vſe of Marchaundize, to thoſe hee gaue lybertye toPlantaulters and builde churches. ſo that the greateſt and moſt famousTemple in all the land is called the Grecian temple. The Cityes ofthe Greekes by whoſe charge and expence this temple was builte inÆgypte, 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 Templebelonginge, by whom alſo are founde and mayntayned certayne Prieſtsto ſerue in the fame. There are other townes besides in Greece thathaue ſome righte to the Temple, as hauing contributed ſome thingeto the vſe of the fame.

Howbeitthe Temple of Iupiter, the people of Ægina built of their owneproper coſt. No City toke parte with Samos in ſetting vp thePallace of Iuno: the Mileſians alone tooke vppon them to erect theTemple of Apollo. Beſides theſe there are no other monuments builtby the Grecians which remayne extant in Ægypt. And if by fortune anyof the Greekes paſſe into Nylus by any other way then that whichſerueth to lande
from Greece, hee is fayne to ſweare that heewas conſtrained agaynſt his will, byndinge him ſelfe by oath thatin the fame Shippe hee wyll ſpeede him ſelfe into Canobicus,another Channell of the Ryuer ſo called: and if by contrarye wyndeshee bee hindered from arryuinge there: hee muste hyre caryage bywater, and ſo ferry the nexte way to Naucrates. In ſuch forte werethe Grecians tyed to that City, beinge by reaſon of their trafiquethyther, had in principall honoure. Nowe whereas the Pallace ofAmphiction whiche is nowe at Delphos, beeing ſtraungely pearyſhedby fyre, was gone in hande with a freſhe, vppon price of threehundred tallentes: the people of Delphos which were leauyed at thefourth parte of the charges, ſtraying aboute all countryes, gatheredvery much, being chiefly aſſysted by the Ægyptians.

Amaſisthe Kinge, beſtowinge on them a thowſande tallents of Aſume, andthe Grecians that were abyding in Aegypt twenty pound. Moreouer, withthe Cyrenaeans Prynce Amaſis entred friendſhip, and ſtrooke aleague of fellowſhip with the fame, inſomuch, that he thought meeteto enter aſlyaunce with them, taking a wife of that countrey, eytherfor affection he bare to the women of Greece, or in respecte of hys
loue to the Cyrenaeans. His wife,¹⁹²as ſome ſay, was the daughter of Battus ſonne of Arceſilaus, asothers reporte, of Critobulus a man of chiefe credite and regardeamongſt thoſe with whome he dwelt. His Ladies name was Ladyce, awoman of ſurpaſſing beautie, with whome, the King beeing in bed,was ſo ſtrangely benummed, and daunted in courage, as if he hadbene an Eunuch, not able to execute any dutie of a man, wherat theKing himſelfe beeing greately agaft, feeling himſelfe frollicke inthe company of other women, and ſo faint to hys Lady Ladyce, on atime began to taunt her in theſe tearmes. Can it be thou filthy anddeteſtable hagge, that by any meanes I ſhould refrayne from doingthee to the moſt miſerable death that can be deuiſed, which haſtthus inchaunted and bewitched my body? In faith minion, I willconiure this diuell of yours, and aſſure thy ſelfe, if thy luckebe not the better, thou ſhalt not liue two dayes to an ende. Thepoore Lady ſtanding ſtiffely in her owne defence, and nothingpreuayling to appeaſe his fury, vowed within her ſelfe to thegoddeſſe Venus, that in caſe it might pleaſe her to inable Amaſisto performe the duties of an huſband, and accompany with her thefame night, ſhe would dedicate an image vnto her at Cyrenae. Hirprayers being heard, Amaſis became ſo frollicke, that before themorning they aroſe the beſt contented folkes on the earth, euerafter that finding hymſelfe ſo apt to enioy the delightes of hisLady, that he tooke greateſt pleaſure in her company, and loued hermoſt entirely of all other. Ladyce remembring her vowe ſhe had madeto Venus, thought good to performe it, and framing a moſt beautifulland curious image, ſhe ſente it to the city Cyrenae, which ſtoodevnperiſhed vnto our dayes, being placed by the citizens without thetowne. The fame Ladyce, Cambyſes King of Perſia vanquiſhing Ægyptvnderſtanding what ſhe was, ſent her without any manner ſhame orviolence into her owne countrey. By this King Amaſis were manygiftes diſtributed of ſingulare price and value. To Cyrenae he ſentthe image of Minerua, garniſhed all ouer wyth
gilt, and hisowne perſonage moſt curiously fhadowed by a Paynter. Likewiſe tothe city Lindus he gaue two images of the goddeſſe Minerua wroughtin ſtone, with a linnen ſtomacher moſt excellently imbrodered byarte. Moreouer, to the goddeſſe Iuno in Samus, two picturesexpreſſing her diuine beautie, of moſt exquiſite workemanſhip.Which bountie he exerciſed towards the Samians for the greatfriendſhip he bare to their King Polycrates the ſonne of Aeaces.But to the city Lyndus, why he ſhould ſhewe hymſelfe ſo frankeand liberall, no other reaſon ſerued, ſauing that the fame wentethat the great temple of Minerua in Lindus was builded by yedaughters of Danaus after they were knowne, and had eſcaped thedaungers intended againſt them by the ſonnes of Ægyptus. Theſeand many other excellente giftes were diſperſed and giuen abroadeby King Amaſis. By whome alſo the city Cyprus which was deemed ofall men inuincible, and had neuer before beene vanquiſhed by any,was conquered, taken, and brought vnder tribute.

FINIS