[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] THoſe that are bredde in this Iſlande are men for the moſt part of a good complet|ion, tall of ſtature, ſtrong in body, white of coulour, and thereto of great boldeneſſe and courage in ye warres. For ſuch hath béene the eſtimation of engliſh ſouldiers from time to time, ſince our Iſle hath béene knowne vnto the Romaines, that whereſoeuer they haue ſerued in forrein countries, the chiefe brunts [...] ſeruice haue béene reſerued for them. Of their con [...]ueſtes and bloudy battailes wo [...]ne in Fraunce, Germany, and Scotlande, our hiſtories are full: and where they haue béene ouercome, the victors themſelues confeſſed their victories to haue ben ſo dearely bought, that they woulde not gladly couete to ouer|come [page 39] often, after ſuch difficult maner. In martiall proweſſe, there is little or no diffe|rence betwene Engliſhmen and Scottes, for albeit that the Scottes haue béene often and very grieuouſly ouercome by the force of our nation, it hath not béene for want of manhood on their partes, but through ye mercy of God ſhewed on vs, and his iuſtice vpon them, ſith they alwaies haue begun the quarels and of|fred vs méere iniurie with great deſpite and crueltie. Leland noting ſomewhat of the cõ|ſtitution of our bodies, ſayeth theſe wordes, the Britaines are whyte in coulour, & ſtrong of body, as people inhabiting néere the north, and farre from the Equinoctiall line, where contrariewyſe ſuch as dwell towarde the courſe of the ſunne, are leſſe of ſtature, wea|ker of body, more fearfull by nature, blacker in coulour, and ſome ſo blacke in déede as a|nye Crow or Rauen, thus ſayeth he. Howbe|it, as theſe men doe come behinde vs in con|ſtitution of bodie, ſo in Pregnancie of witte, nimbleneſſe of lymmes, and pollitike inuen|tions, they generally excéede vs: notwithſtã|ding that otherwiſe theſe giftes of theirs doe often degenerate, into méere ſubtiltie, inſta|bilitie, [...]rmis [...]genio [...]tur vnfaithfulneſſe and crueltie. We ther|fore dwelling néere the North, are common|ly taken by forrein Hyſtoriographers and o|thers, to be men of great ſtrength and little policie, much courage and ſmall ſhift: & thus doth Comineus burden vs after a ſort in hys hiſtory. But thanked be God, that all the wit of his countrymen coulde neuer compaſſe to doe ſo much in Britaine, as the ſtrength and courage of our Engliſhmen, (not without great wiſedome, and forecaſt) haue brought to paſſe in Fraunce. Certes in accuſing our wiſedome in this ſorte, he doth in mine opi|nion increaſe our commendation, for if it be a vertue to deale vprightly with ſingleneſſe of minde: ſincerely and plainly, without any ſuſpicious fetches in all our dealinges, then are our countreymen to be accompted ver|tuous. But if it be a vice to coulour crafti|neſſe, ſubtile practiſes, doubleneſſe and hollow behauiour, with a cloke of pollicie, amitie and wiſedome, then are Comineus and his com|panie to be reputed vicious. How theſe latter pointes take holde in Italy, I meane not to diſcuſſe, how they are daily practized in many places of the maine, and he accompted moſt wyſe and pollitike, that can moſt of all diſ|ſemble, here is no place iuſtly to determine, (neyther woulde I wiſhe my countrymen to learne any ſuch wiſedome) but that a king of Fraunce, coulde ſay, Qui neſcit diſsimulare, neſcit regnare, their owne hyſtories are teſti|monies ſufficient. But to procéede with our purpoſe. With vs [...] doe liue an hundred yeares, very many [...]oure ſower ſcore: as for thrée ſcore; it is taken but for our enteraunce into age, ſo that in Britain, no man is ſayde to were old til he draw vnto thre ſcore. Theſe two are alſo noted in vs (as thinges appar|tayning to the firme conſtitutions of our bo|dies) that there hath not béene ſéene in any Region ſo many cartaſſes of the dead to re|maine from time to time without corruption as in Britain: and that after death by ſlaugh|ter or otherwyſe ſuch as remayne vnburied by foure or fiue dayes togither are eaſte to be knowen and diſcerned by their friendes and kinred, wheras Tacitus and other complaine of ſundry nations, ſaying, that their bodies are tam fluidae ſubſtantiae, that within cer|taine houres the wife ſhall hardely knowe hir huſbande, the mother hir ſonne, or one friende another, after their liues be ended. I might here adde ſomewhat alſo of the meane ſtature generally of our women, [...] beau|tie commonly excéedeth the faire [...] thoſe of the maine, their comlynes of perſon and good proportion of limmes, moſt of theirs ye come ouer vnto vs from beyonde the ſea. I coulde make report likewyſe of the naturall vices & vertues of all thoſe yt are borne within thys Iſlande, but as the tractation thereof craueth a better head then mine to ſet it forth, ſo I will giue place to other men, that liſt to take the ſame in hand. Thus much therfore of the conſtitutions of our bodies, and ſo much may ſuffice.