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.

1.1. The bounds of Albion with the sundrie commodities thereof, and of the great infirmities that fall vnto the people there for their intemperancie, and final|lie of the religion vsed there in old time. The first Chapter.

The bounds of Albion with the sundrie commodities thereof, and of the great infirmities that fall vnto the people there for their intemperancie, and final|lie of the religion vsed there in old time. The first Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THe Ile of At|bion conteineth in the whole cir|cumference, 2 M. miles, ha|uing in length 700, & in bredth 300, as appée|reth well by the coast therof that dooth lie ouer a|gainst France where it is broa|dest, and from whence it gathereth narrower and narrower, till it come to the vtter marches & last bounds of England and Scotland. For betwixt the Mule of Gallowaie that is on the west side ouer against the Irish seas, and saint Ebbes head, that lieth vpon the Germané ocean toward the east, are scarselie 130 miles, and thencefoorth it groweth smaller and smaller till it touch vpon the north seas, where it is not aboue thir|tie miles, as I noted before in the description of Britaine.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This Ile is replenished with people, horsses, and all other kind of cattell and corne in most abundant maner, except it be in such places where as God of his singular goodnesse hath otherwise indued the soile with rich mines of gold, siluer, tin, brasse, copper, and quicksiluer, which for the most part are so plenti|full, that they suffice not onlie for the necessaries of the whole Iland, but also of sundrie regions that are situated round about it, if the inhabitants were skil|full and painefull to deale withall accordinglie. But the abundance of all other things requisite for the vse of man, that is found generallie in our Iland, maketh the people lesse carefull of these commodi|ties, and more giuen to idlenesse. For beside the great plentie of those things which heauen and earth doo minister, as grasse, corne and cattell, foules of sundrie kinds, there is such store of fish in all parties of our seas, especiallie towards the north, that the same would suffice to féed and susteine all the people of the Iland, if there were none other commodities to be found within the same.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 For the inhabitants of all countries that border vpon vs, as France, Flanders, Zealand, Holland, and a great part of Germanie (especiallie those which lie néere vnto the coast) doo saile hither with great numbers of vessels dailie to fish vpon our coasts, and buy such as we haue alreadie caught, not onlie 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 their owne wils, with very spéedie vtterance. Manie other rich and pretious commodi|ties are to be gotten in the said Ile, whereof the a|forenamed nations doo make no small account, be|side Dionysius A|lexandrinus saith that the wool of Bri|taine is often spun so fine that it is in manner com|parable to the spiders draught. these common things. What shall I saie of our woolles, which are in so high estimation in all lands, bicause of their necessarie vses, and whereof a great part is so fine and soft, that of it are made the costlie skarlets, pliant gloues, and manie other grained and delicate clothes, of which I thought good to make this mention, bicause the report thereof is not yet made common and generallie knowne to all men.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Certes this I dare boldlie affirme, that if the kingdoms of Britaine had such grace giuen them from aboue, as that they might once liue in vnitie, or by any meanes be brought vnder the subiection of one prince, they should yer long féele such a sauour in this amitie, that they would not onelie liue franklie of their own, without any forren purchase of things, but also resist all outward inuasion, with small tra|uell and lesse dammage. For as touching their per|sons, and likewise their notable wits, apt both for the atteining of learning and knowledge of handi|crafts, they are inferiour to no other nation. There|vnto we find them to be couragious and hardie, of|fering themselues often vnto the vttermost per [...]s with great assurance, so that a man may pronounce nothing to be ouerhard or past their power to per|forme, if they would giue themselues to liue tempe|ratelie, and follow their predecessors in moderation of diet.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Therefore it is (as I thinke) that almightie God in his prouident disposition of all things, hath ordeined their grounds (otherwise plentifullie indued with all kinds of commodities) to be destitute and void of wine; as foreseeing that the said liquor, which brin|geth greatest benefit vnto other countries, would grow in the end to be most pernicious & noisome to EEBO page image 8 them. For they are giuen to such vnnaturall raue|ning and greedie desire of forreine things (whilest they contemne or not regard their owne) that they cannot refraine the immoderate vse of wine, and excesse vsed in drinking of the same: insomuch that we may see diuerse to be ouertaken and haunted, not onelie with sundrie kinds of grieuous maladies common to vs and them of the maine, but also ma|nie other which they haue not, neither be anie thing at all acquainted with, as experience dailie tea|cheth.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Some by long sicknesse and languishing gréefes doo grow into such deformitie onelie through exces|siue feeding, and greedie abuse of wine, that if you knew them when they were children & yoong men, you shall hardlie remember them when they be old and aged; and that which more is, in comparison of o|ther that liue more soberlie, you will hardlie thinke them to be borne in the Ile, but rather suppose them to be changelings and monsters, brought out of o|ther countries to gaze and looke vpon: diuerse of them through the continuall vse of wine are mole|sted in their age, with phreneticall pangs and passi|ons. Seldome also shall you sée those that are giuen much vnto wine and such welfare, to become pa|rents of manie children, sith their naturall moisture and generatiue force is much abated, if not altogi|ther extinguished by such immoderate diet.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 But to returne to our purpose, the Albanes or Britains, as Caesar in his commentaries, and Ta|citus in his annales doo report, were very religious, after the maner of religion vsed in old time. For in those daies the priests of Britaine named Druides, were expert both in naturall and morall philosophie, and from thence came the first professors of that sect and opinion into France. The principall seat of their priests was in the Ile of Man, which was re|puted at that season for the welspring and fountains of all learning and knowledge, and after that their priests were once conuerted to the catholike faith, they perseuered in the same with great constancie, without anie note of heresie.