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 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 THis Finnanus had the nobles of his realme in such estimation, that he ordeined that nothing Finna|nus. should be decreed or practised touching the publike af|faires of the realme, except they were first made pri|uie and of counsell in the same. He sought also to win the fauour of his people by méekenesse and gen|tle intreating of them, insomuch that though he went about to restore the old religion somwhat defa|ced by his father through information (as is said) of the two aboue mentioned sage philosophers, yet did he not constreine anie man to woorship the gods, Prelats orde|red in reli|gion. Druides in the old Sco|tish toong cal-Durcerglijs. otherwise than his fansie serued him. He was the first that instituted those prelats, which gouerned af|ter the maner of bishops, in all matters perteining to religion, and were called in the Scotish toong Durceglijs in Latine Druides. These Druides were appointed to be resident within the Ile of Man, as the Scotishmen hold opinion: but other thinke ra|ther The Scots mistake Man for Angleseie. that they were resident in Angleseie, in the Bri|tish toong called Mon. Unto these also hauing great liuings assigned them, were the inferiour priests subiect, as receiuing at their hands all iniunctions and orders for the vse of their sacrifices and other ce|remonies.