Compare 1577 edition: 1 These two in companie with some of the inha|bitants of that Ile came ouer into Beregonium, where the king as then soiourned. They were Spa|nish priests of the pagane religion, whose purpose was to haue gone vnto Athens in Grecia (as some write) but whence soeuer they were, and what pur|pose soeuer they had, certeine it is they were phi|losophers; and therefore the king receiued them most ioifullie, dooing them all the honor he could deuise, and commanding that they should be lodged within his owne palace, where they had all things néedfull, and accordinglie ministred vnto them.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 These philosophers, after they had refreshed them|selues at their ease for the space of 14 daies, the king caused them to come before him, requiring them to shew their opinion what they thought by the nature of the soile, the maners and customs of his people, so far forth as they had séene and heard. They with|out pausing for answere declared, that as yet they had not had time to learne those things, but onelie thus far by coniecture they supposed, that the ground was more like to be fruitfull of mettall mines, than of corne and graine, as conteining far more riches vnderneath the earth than aboue; & this they said that EEBO page image 40 they gathered by the influence of the heauens vnder the which it laie. And as for the rites and vsages of the people, in one point they could in no wise com|mend The Scotish religion re|proued. them, for that in religion they followed the su|perstitious rites of the Aegyptians, woorshipping the immortall gods in the shape of beasts and fouls, whereas God was euen the same that did compre|hend both heauen and earth, with the waters and all things in them conteined, whome they named na|ture, and as it were the primordiall cause or begin|ning of all things, vnto whome it was not possible to deuise anie similitude of liuing thing that might in anie wise represent him. Therefore (said they) men ought to woorship the liuing God with fire and deuout praier, building him a temple for that pur|pose, and onelie vnto him to burne incense, and to performe vowes: at whose hands such as liued chast|lie, vprightlie, and according to the rules of iustice, ought euer to looke for some high benefit, where other Upright li|uing well re|warded at Gods hands. that liued contrarilie might euer stand in doubt of contrarie reward.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 With these their sensible instructions they per|suaded manie of the Scotish nation vnto their o|pinion, though the greatest part would by no means follow anie other kind of religion, than that which they had receiued from their elders: neither could anie of them be brought to thinke otherwise of the sun, the moone, and stars, but that there was a cer|teine diuine power or godhead in euerie one of them. And thus much of these strangers brieflie and by the way, who came into Scotland at this present: but now to procéed with our purpose. When Iosina Iosina depar|teth this life. had reigned 24 yeares, he departed out of this world at Beregonium, being a man of verie great age. He left behind him a sonne named Finnanus, who a little before his fathers deceasse was by consent of the people proclamed king of Scotland.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 He had Phiſitions in greate eſtimation: for that during his abode in Ireland, he was nouri|ſhed of a ch [...]e amongſt them, and by reaſon thereof had ſome knowledge in their facultie, ſpe|cially he vnderſtoode the vertues and properties of hearbes, wherwith in thoſe dayes the Scottes vſed to heale and remedie all maner of ſores and EEBO page image 20 diſeaſes, which as then were few in nũber in re|ſpect of the ſundrie kinds which are now knowẽ amongſt vs: and al by reaſon of the ſuperfluous feeding and exceſſe of meates and drinkes vſed in our time,Surfeiting the cauſe of ſtrãge diſeaſes, which ſo commonly now raigne. where as our elders ſuffiſed with a little, liued without ſurfeyting, the chiefeſt bree|der of ſuche ſtraunge and manifolde ſickneſſes. In this Ioſina his dayes it chaũced that a Por|tingale ſhippe was driuen and drowned by force of a ſtreyneable tempeſt, neare vnto the ſhoore of one of the Scottiſh Iſles, where diuers of thoſe that were within the ſame ſhippe, Maryners and other,Two auncient philoſophers through ſhip|wracke arriue in Scotland, & are ioyfully receyued of the king. eſcaped to land, amongſt whom were two auncient and fatherly old men of right reuerend aſpect and countenance. Theſe two in compa|nie with ſome of the inhabitaunts of that Iſle came ouer vnto Berigonium, where the king as then ſoiourned. They were Spaniſh prieſtes of the Pagane religion, whoſe purpoſe was to haue gone vnto Athens in Grecia, as ſome wryte: But whence ſoeuer they were, and what purpoſe ſoeuer they had, certaine it is, they were Philo|ſophers: and therefore the king receyued them moſt ioyfully, doing them al the honour he could deuiſe, and commaunding that they ſhoulde be lodged within his owne palayce, where they had all things needefull, and accordingly miniſtred vnto them.

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Compare 1587 edition: 1 Theſe Philoſophers after they had refreſhed themſelues at theyr caſe for the ſpace of .xiiij. dayes, the king cauſed them to come before him, requyring them to ſhew their opinion what they thought by the nature of the ſoyle, the maners and cuſtomes of his people, ſo farrefoorth as they had ſeene and heard. They without pauſing for anſwere declared, that as yet they had not had time to learne thoſe things but onely thus farre, by coniecture they ſuppoſed that the ground was more likely to be fruitefull of metall mines, than of corne and grayne, as conteyning farre more riches vnderneath the earth than aboue, and this they ſayde that they gathered by the influence of the Heauens vnder the whiche it lay. And as for the rites and vſages of the people, in one pointe they coulde in no wiſe commende them,The Scottiſh religion [...]|proued. for that in religiõ they followed the ſuperſtitious rites of the Egyptiãs, worſhipping the immortall Gods in the ſhape of beaſtes and foules, where as God was euen the ſame that did comprehended bothe heauen and earth, with the waters and al things in them conteyned, whom they named Nature, and as it were the prymordiall cauſe or begin|ning of all things, vnto whom it was not poſ|ſible to deuiſe any ſimilitude of liuing thing that might in any wiſe repreſent him. Therfore (ſayd they) mẽ ought to worſhip the liuing God with fire and deuoute prayer, buylding him a temple for that purpoſe, and onely vnto him to burne incenſe, and to perfourme vowes: at whoſe hãds ſuch as liued chaſtly, vprightly, and according to the rules of iuſtice,Vpright li|uing well re|warded at Gods hands. ought euer to looke for ſome high benefite, where other that liued contrarily might euer ſtande in doubte of contrary reward.