1.1. ¶The boundes of Albion with the ſundry commodities thereof, and of the great infirmities that fall vnto the people there for their intemperancy, and finally of the Religion vſed there in old tyme. Chap. 1.

¶The boundes of Albion with the ſundry commodities thereof, and of the great infirmities that fall vnto the people there for their intemperancy, and finally of the Religion vſed there in old tyme. Chap. 1.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 _THe Ile of Albion contayneth in the whole circũference two thouſande myles, hauing in length 700. and in breadth 300. as appeareth well by the coaſt therof that lieth ouer a|gaynſt Fraunce where it is broadeſt, and from whence it gathereth narrower and narrower, till it come to the vtter Marches & laſt boundes of England and Scotland. For betwixte the M [...]le of Galloway that is on the weſt ſide ouer againſt the Iriſh ſeas, and Saint Ebbes head, that lieth vpon the Germaine Ocean towarde the eaſt, are ſcarcely 130. myles, and thenceforth it groweth ſmaller and ſmaller till it touch vpõ the North ſeas, where it is not aboue 30. miles, as I noted before in the deſcriptiõ of Brytaine. This Ile is repleniſhed with people, horſes, and all other kindes of cattell and corne in moſte aboundant maner, except it be in ſuche places where as God of his ſingular goodneſſe [...] otherwiſe indued the ſoyle with ritche mynes of Gold, Siluer, Tinne, Braſſe, Copper, & quick|ſiluer, whiche for the moſt parte are ſo plentiful, that they ſuffiſe not onely for the neceſſaries of the whole Iland, but alſo of ſundry regiõs that are ſituate round aboute it, if the inhabitauntes were ſkilfull and painefull to deale withall ac|cordingly. But the abundaunce of all other things requiſite for the vſe of man, that is found generally in our Iland, maketh the people leſſe carefull of theſe commodities, and more gyuen to idleneſſe. For beſide the great plenty of thoſe things whiche heauen and earth do miniſter, as graſſe, corne, and cattell, and foules of ſundry kindes, there is ſuche ſtore of fiſhe in all parties of our ſeas, eſpecially towarde the North, that the ſame would ſuffiſe to feede and ſuſtayne all the people of the Iland, if there were none other commodities to be found within the ſame. For the inhabitants of all countries that border vpõ vs, as Fraunce, Flaunders, Zealande, Hol|lande, and a great part of Germany (eſpecially thoſe whiche lie neare vnto the coaſt) do ſayle hither with great numbers of veſſels dayly to fiſhe vpon our coaſts, and buie ſuch as we haue already caught, not only for their owne vſe, but alſo for the Lenton prouiſion of ſuch nations as lie vpon the Leuant ſeas, where they ſell the ſame at theyr owne willes, with very ſpeedy vtterance. Many other riche and precious cõ|modities are to be gotten in the ſayd Ile, wher|of the aforenamed nations do make no ſmall accompte; beſide theſe common things. What ſhall I ſay of our wolles, Dionyſius A|lexanotinus ſaith that the wool of Bri|taine is often ſponne ſo fine that it is in manner com|parable to the ſpyders draught. whiche are in ſo high eſtimation in all landes, bicauſe of their neceſ|ſary vſes, and wherof a great part is ſo fine, and ſofte, that of it are made, the coſtly ſkarlettes, pliaunt gloues, and many other grayned and delicate clothes, of whiche I thought good to make this mention, bycauſe the reporte thereof is not yet made common and generally knowẽ to all men.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Certes this I dare boldly affirme, that if the kingdomes of Brytaine had ſuche grace giuen them from aboue as they they might once liue in vnitie, or by any meanes be brought vnder the ſubiectiõ of one Prince, they ſhould ere long feele ſuch a ſauour in this amity, that they wold not onely liue frankly of their owne, without a|ny forain purchaſe of things, but alſo reſiſt all outward inuaſion, with ſmal trauayle and leſſe dammage. For as touching their perſons, and likewiſe theyr notable wittes, apt bothe for the attayning of learnyng and knowledge of han|dycraftes, they are inferiour to no other nation.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 Therevnto we finde them to be couragious and hardy, offering themſelues often vnto the vttermoſt perils with great aſſurance, ſo that a man may pronounce nothing to be ouer harde or paſt their power to performe, if they woulde giue themſelues to liue temperately, and follow their predeceſſors in moderation of diet. Ther|fore it (is as I thinke) that almighty God in his prouidente diſpoſition of al things, hath ordey|ned their groundes (otherwiſe plentifully indued with all kindes of commodities) to be deſtitute and voyde of wine, as forſeeing that the ſayde liquor whiche bringeth greateſt benefite vnto o|ther countries, woulde come in the ende to be moſt pernicious and noyſome vnto them. For they are giuen to ſuch vnnatural rauening and greedy deſire of forraine thinges (whileſt they contempne or not regarde their owne) that they cannot refrayne the immoderate vſe of Wine, and exceſſe vſed in drinking of the ſame: In ſo much that we may ſee diuers to be ouertaken & haũted, not only with ſundry kinds of grituous maladies common to vs & them of the mayne, but alſo many other whiche they haue not, ney|ther be any thing at all acquainted, with as ex|periẽce dayly teacheth. Some by long ſickneſſe and languiſhing greefes do grow into ſuche de|formitie only thorow exceſſiue feeding, & greedy abuſe of wine, that if you knew them whẽ they were children and young men, you ſhall hardly remember them when they be old and aged: and that which more is in compariſon of other that EEBO page image 2 liue more ſoberly, you will hardly thinke thẽ to be borne in the Ile, but rather ſuppoſe them to be chaungelings and monſters, brought out of other countries to gaze & looke vpon: diuerſe of them thorow the cõtinuall vſe of wine, are mo|leſted in their age, with phreneticall pangs and paſſions? ſeldome alſo ſhal you ſee thoſe that are giuen much vnto wine and ſuch welfare, to be|come parents of many children, ſith their natu|rall moyſture and generatiue force, is much a|bated, if not altogither extinguiſhed by ſuch im|moderate diet. But to returne to our purpoſe, the Albanes or Brytons, as Ceſar in his Com|mentaries, & Tacitus in his Annales do report, were very religious, after the maner of religion vſed in old time. For in thoſe dayes the Prieſts of Brytaine named Druides, were very expert both in naturall and Morall Philoſophy, and from thence came the firſt profeſſors of that ſect and opinion into Fraunce. The principall ſeat alſo of their Prieſtes was in the Ile of Man, whiche was reputed at that ſeaſon, for the wel-ſpring and foũtayne of all learning and know|ledge, and after that their Prieſtes were ones conuerted to the Catholike fayth, they perſe|uered in the ſame with great conſtancie, with|out any note of Hereſie.