Pilgrimage, Book 6 · Chapter 4

Pilgrimage · Book 6 · Chapter 4

p. 475CHAP. IIII.

Of the Rites, Priests, Sects, Sacrifices, Feasts, Inuentions; and other obseruations of the Aegyptians.

THus farre hauehave we launched out of their History, into their Mysteries. To returne to the relation of their Beasts and bestiall superstitions. Lucian aaLucian. de Astrologia.saith, That this Apis represented the Celestian Bul, and other beasts which they worshipped, other signes in the Zodiake. They that respected the Constellation of Pisces, did eate no fish, nor a Goat, if they regarded Capricorne,. Aries a heauenly Constellation, was their heauenly deuotion: and not heere alone, but at the Oracle of Iupiter Ammon. bbStrabo lib.17.Strabo saith, That they nourished many, which they accoūted sacred, but not gods. This nourishment, after ccDiod. Sic.l.1.Diodorus, was in this sort: first they cōsecrated vntounto their maintenance sufficient lands. Such Votaries also as had recouered their children from some dangerous sicknesse, accustomed to shaue their haire, and putting it in gold or siluer, offered it to their Priests. The Haukes they fed with gobbets of flesh, and birdes catched for them. The Cats and Ichneumons, with bread, and milke, and fish: and likewise the rest.

When they goe their Processions, with these beasts displayed in their Banners, eueryevery one falleth downe and doth worshippe. When any of them dieth, it is wrapped in fine linnen, salted and embalmed with Cedar and sweete oyntments, and buried in a holy place, the reasonlesse men howling and knocking their breasts, in the exequies of these vnreasonable beasts. Yea, when famine hath driuen them to eate mans flesh, the zeale of deuotion hath preserued vntouched these sacred Creatures. And if a Dogge die in a house, all in that houshold shaue themselues, and make great lamentation. If Wine, Wheate or other food be found, where such a beast lieth dead, superstition forbiddeth further vse of it. Principall men, with principall meats, are appointed to nourish them in the circuit of their Temples.

They bathe and annoint them with odoriferous oyntments. And they prouide to eueryevery one of them a female of his owne kinde. Their death they bewaile no lesse, then of their owne children: In their funeralls they are exceeding prodigall. In the time of Ptolomaeus Lagi, theis Apis or Bull of Memphis being dead, the Keeper bestowed ou his funerall, ouer and aboue the ordinarie allowance and offerings, fiftie talents of siluer borrowed of Ptolomey. And in our age, saith Diodorus, an eye-witnesse of these his relations, some of these Nourishers hauehave bestowed an hundred talents on this last expence. After the death of this Bull, which they call Apis, was made a solemne and publike lamentation, which they testified by shauing their heads, although their purple lockes might compare with those of Nisus, saith ddLuc.de Sacra.Lucian: and after his buriall eeSolin.Am.Marc.were an hundred Priests employed, in search of another like the former; which being found, was brought to the Citie Nilus, and there nourished fortie dayes. Then they conueyed him into a close shippe, hauing a golden habitacle, in which they carried him to Memphis, and there placed him in the Temple of Vulcan for a god. At his first comming ffEuseh. praepar. Euang.lib.2.c.1.onelyonly women were permitted to see him, who I know not in what hellifh mysterie, lifting vp their garments, shewed him Natures secrets, and from thence-forth might neuer be admitted the sight of him. At his first finding, the people cease their funerall lamentations. At his solemne receiuing into Memphis, they obserue a seuenth dayes festiuall, with great concourse of people. His consecration was done by one wearing a Diadem on his head. They made the people p. 476beleeue he was conceiued of lightning. He ggStrabo l.17.had a Chappell assigned to him, and called by his name. He was kept in a place enclosed, before which was a Hall; and in that another enclosed roome, for the Dame or Mother of Apis. Into this Hall they brought him, when they would present him to strangers. Psammetichus was the founder of this building, borne vp with collosses, or huge statues of twelue cubits, instead of Pillars, and grauen full of figures. Once a yeare hhSolinus. Plutarch.he had sight of a female, chosen by especiall markes, and slaine the same day. On a set day, which he might not outliue, according to their rituall bookes, they drowned him in the bottome of a sacred fountaine: and then buried him as aforesaid, with much mourning. After this solemnitie it was lawfull for them to enter into the Temple of Serapis. Darius to curry fauour with the Aegyptians, offered an hundred talents to him that could find out a succeeding Apis. Of this Apis, thus writeth iiDe Ciuit.Dei.lib.18.cap.5.Augustine. Apis was the King of the Argiues, who sailing into Aegypt, and there dying, was worshipped by the name of Serapis, their greatest god. This name Serapis was giuen him (saith Varro) of his funerall Chest called in Greeke foreign, and from thence Sorapis, as if one should say, Sorosapis, after Serapis. It was enacted, that whosoeuer should affirme, that he had beene a man, should be done to death. Hence it is, that in the Aegyptian Temples Harpocrates, an Image holding his finger on his mouth, is ioyned a companion to Isis and Serapis, in token of concealing their former humanitie. Suidas kkSuidas.saith, that Alexander built vntounto him a magnificent Temple, of which, and of this Serapis we shall largely declare in the next Chapter. Viues out of Nymphoderus saith, that this carkasse in that Chest, whereof the name Serapis was diuided; was of a Bull, not of a man. Eusebius llEuseb. Chron.nameth two Kings called by this name Apis, one a Sicyonian, the other of Argos: the first more ancient; the other the son of Iupiter and Niobe, called after Serapis. But Apollodorus affirmeth him the son of Phoroneus, and brother of Niobe. and therefore the Sicyonian King is more likely to be the Aegyptian Apis, builder of Memphis: for the other (saith mmScal.in Eus.he) died in Peloponnesus, which of him was called Apia. The markes nnViu. in Aug. de Ciu Dei. lib. 13.cap.5.of the next Apis were these; All his body was blacke, with a white starre in his forehead, after Herodotus, or in his right side, saith Pliny, like vntounto a horned Moone. For he was sacred to the Moone, saith Marcellinus. On his back he had the shape of an Eagle, a knot on his tongue like a Beetle. If such an one, might seeme to some impossible to be found, as no doubt it was rare, and therefore costly; Augustine ooVbi supra.attributeth it to the diuels working, presenting to the Cow in her conception such a fantasticall apparition, the power of which imagination appeareth ppGen.30.39.Gen 30:39in Iacobs example.

But what a beastly stirre hauehave we heere (me thinkes I heare some whining Reader say) about beasts qqVarijsq, coloribus Apis. Ouid. Met 9.and Bulls. I answere that it deserueth the more ful relation, both for the multitude of Authors, which mention something of this History, for the antiquitie, and especially for the practise of the same superstition, rrBulling. Orig. Error.in Aarons & Ieroboams Calues, after their returne from Aegypt, the schoole of this Idolatrie. Besides this Apis of Memphis, they in other places obserued others, as Mucuis a blacke Bull, consecrated to the Sunne, as Apis was to the Moone: with his haires growing forward, worshipped at Heliopolis. Bacis ssMacrob.another that was fained to change colour eueryevery houre, at Hermunthus besides Onuphis, and Menuphis other where. Thus by sinne beastes became gods, men became beasts, if this be not a baser degree of basenesse to worship beasts, and in them diuels: to content themselues with meane houses, and neuer to be contented with the magnificence and sumptuousnes of their Temples to beasts. ttOrig.cont. Cel. sum. lib.3.Splendida fana cum lucis, & templa cum vestibulis & porticibus admirandis: introgressus autem videbis ador ari felem, &c. That is, They hauehave glorious Chappels, with Groues: and stately Temples, with goodly gate-wayes and porches: but when you are within once, ye shal see nothing but a Cat (or some such Carrion) worshipped, &c.

We are further to know, that although Aegypt worshipped beasts, yet not all, the same: These uuStrabo lib.17. Stuckius de sacris sacrificijs que Gentilium, de his fusion.only were vniuersally receiued: three beasts, a Dog, a Cat, a Bull: two fowles; the Hauke & the Ibis: two fishes; Lepidotus and Oxyrinchus. Other beasts hauehave their sects of worshippers; as a Sheepe among the Thebans and Saits; the fish called Latus among the Latopolitans: a Cynocephalus at Hermopolis (which is a kind of great p. 477Ape or Monkie naturally circumcised, and abhorring from fish) a Wolfe at Lycopolis. The Babylonians neere to Memphis, worshipped a beast called Cepus, resembling in the face a Satyre, in other parts, partly a Dog, partly a Beare: likewise other Cities, other beasts, which caused great distention, whereof xxIuuen. Sat.15.Iuuenal.

Ardet adhue Ombos & Tentyra, summus vtrin que

Iude furor vnlgo quod numina vicinorum

Odit vt or que locus—

Ombos and Tentyra doe both yet burne

With mutuall hate, because they both doe spurne

At one anothers gods, &c.

Strabo saw, in the nomus or shire of Arsinoe, diuino honot giuen to a Crocodile, kept tame in a certaine lake by the Priests, and named Suchus, nourished with bread, wine, and flesh, which the Pilgrimes that came to visite him offered. Now the Tentyrites, and those of Elephantina killed Crocodiles. And in the Citie of Hercules they worshipped an Ichneumon, a beast that destroyeth Crocodiles and Aspes, and therefore euen at this day of much estimation, as Bellonius yyP. Bell. ob.obserueth, where you may see his description. These imagined that Typhon was transformed into a Crocodile. At Hermopolis they worshipped a Goat: and Goats had carnall mixture with women. zzVolat.The Ombites (more beastly) esteemed themselues fauoured of their Crocodile god, if he filled his paunch with the flesh and bloud of their dearest children. King Menas built a Citie called Crocodile, and dedicated the neighbour-fenne to their food. They were as scrupulous in the vse of meates: some aaDiodor.Sic. lib.1.abstained from Cheese, some from Beanes, some from Onions, or others after their owne fancie. This multiplicitie of sects is ascribed to the policie of their ancient Kings, according to that rule, Diuide and Rule. For it was not likely they would ioyne in conspiracie, whom Religion (the most mortall make-bate) had disioyned.

They held Serpents in so sacred account, bbL. Pig.mens. Isiac.exp.that Osiris is neuer painted without them: and Iosophus ccIos.cont.Ap.lib.2.saith, That it was reckoned a happines (which I thinke few would enuy them) to be bitten of Aspes, as also to be deuoured of Crocodiles. Venemous was that old Serpent, which both heere, and in other Nations, then, and at this day, hath procured diuine honor to this first instrument of Hell: As if he wòuld thus exalt this trophee of his ancient conquest, in despite both of GOD and Man, in that Creature whereby man perished, and which GOD had cursed: except we will rather attribute it to a diuellish malice, or apish imitation of that brasen Serpent set vp by MOSES ddIohn 3.14.John 3:14in the wildernesse, the figure of CHRIST crucified, who brake this Serpents head. Ieremy the Prophet was stoned (some eeVines in August.say) at Tanis in Egypt, and was after worshipped of the Inhabitants there (such was their difference of Sects) for his present remedying the Stings of Serpents.

I thinke by this time, either my relation, or their superstition is tedious: and yet I hauehave not mentioned other their gods, both stincking and monstrous. Loath am I to search the waters for their deified Frogges, and Hippopotami, or play the scauenger, to present you with their Beetle-gods out of their priuies: yea their priuies ffOrtel. ex Clement. & Min. Foelice.and farts had their vnsauoury canonization, and went for Egyptian Deities; lettice sutable to such lippes. Lesse brutish, though not lesse Idolatrous, was it in Ptolomaeus Philopator, ggAel. Var.lib.13.cap.22.to erect a Temple to Homer, in which his Image was placed, comely sitting enuironed with those Cities which challenged him for theirs.

Their sacrifices were so diuersified in their kinds, that Peucer hhPeuc. de Diuinat.saith, They had six hundred three score and six seuerall sorts of them: some they had peculiar to speciall gods, iiSard.lib.3.15.as to the Sunne, a Cocke, a Swanne, a Bull; to Venus, a Doue; to the celestiall signes, such things as held correspondent similitude. Besides their sacrifices of red men to Osiris. Busiris kkTristes que Busiridis ara…is said to hauehave offered Thrasius (first author of that counsell, worst to the counseller) thereby to appease angry Nilus, that in nine yeares had not ouerflowed. They offered eueryevery day three men at Heliopolis, instead of which bloudie Rites Amasis after substituted so many waxen Images.

Thus were their gods beastly, their sacrifices inhumane, or humane rather too much: p. 478Other things they obserued of their owne inuention, framing to themselues deformed and compounded shapes, whose Images they adored. Such were their Canopi, swadled as it were in clouts (so resembling Orus) with heads of Dogges or other creatures. Osiris llTab. Isiaca Bembi.is sometime seene with the head of a Hauke, Isis with the head of a Lion, Annbis alway with the head of a Dogge, and contrariwise beasts pictured with the heads of Osiris and Isis: monstrous mishapen figures, of mishapen monstrous mysteries.

They borrowed of the Iewes abstinence from Swines-flesh and circumcision of their males, to which they added excision of their females, still obserued of the Christians in those parts. They so abhorre Swine, mmHerod.lib.2.that if one by the way touch them, he presently washeth himselfe and his garments. Neither may a Swineheard hauehave accesse into their temples or marry with their daughters. Yet doe they offer wine to the Moone and Bacchus (Isis and Osiris) when the Moone is at full. In this sacrifice they burne the taile, milt and leafe: and (which on another day would be piacular) on that day of the full they eat the rest. The Egyptians nnDrus.de 3. sectis lib.2.sware by the head of their King, which oath, whosoeuer violated, lost his life for the same, without any redemption.

Their Priests in old time renowned for their learning, in Straboes time were ignorant & vnlearned. No woman ooIo. Bocm.lib.1.cap.5.might beare Priestly function. These Priests might not eat egges, milke, or oile (except with sallads) they might not salute mariners, nor looke vponupon their children or kinsfolks. They ppSard.l.3.c.18. Herod lib.2.washed themselues in the day-time thrice, & in the night twice: they were shauen, ware linnen garments alwayes new washed, were daily allowed sacred meats. qqDu Bartas Colonies.Of their ancient Priests, thus Du Bartas singeth in Sylusters tune; The Memphian Priests were deepe Philosophers,

And curious gazers on the sacred Stars;

Searchers of Nature, and great Mathematickes,

Ere any letter knew the ancient'st Attickes.

When they sacrificed, they made choice of their Beastes by certaine religious markes: (a Cow they might not sacrifice, as consecrated vntounto Isis:) they kindled a fire, and sprinkling water ouer the sacrifice, with inuocation of their God killed it, cut off the head, which either they sold to the Graecians, if they would buy it, or cast into the Riuer, with imprecation, That whatsoeuer euill was imminent to them or their countrey, might be turned vponupon that head. This ceremonie rrGremmay. Asseemeth to hauehave come to them with many other from the Iewes. And they hauehave been as liberall of their rites since to the Catholikes (for so they will be called) as appeareth both by this relation, and by the testimony, not only of Moresinus ssMoresin Dep. rel.a Protestant, but Maginus, ttMagini. Ptol. Pol de inuento.ribus. Beroal. in Apuleiums.Polidorus, Boemus and Beroaldus, Popish writers, although daubed ouer with new mysticall significations, as in Bellarmine and other the purest Catholikes is seene. Their Priests uuDraudius in Solinum.were their Iudges, the eldest of which was chiefe in pronouncing sentence. He ware xxAelian. Var.hist.lib.13.about his necke a Saphire-iewel, with the Image of TRVTH therein ingrauen. The Priests yyAlex.ab Alex. Gen dier.l.2.c.8.of Isis, besides their shauings and linnen garments, had paper-shooes; on their heads, Anubis; in their hands, a Timbrell, or a branch of seaworme wood, or a Pine-apple. They had one chiefe Priest, or Primate of Egypt, as appeareth zzIos. cont. Ap. lib.t.is qui super Aegyptiaca sacra erat constitutus. Hel. hist. Aeth. lib.7. Herod lib.2. saith that they had …41. Priests and as many Kings before his time.by Ios…p…us and Heliodorus, who maketh Thyamis to succeed his father Calasyris in this high Priesthood at Memphis. Manetho also enioyed this Pontificall Hierarchy, as appeareth by his Epistle to Ptolomaeus, which after shall follow. Philostratus aaPhilost. dev't. Apoll. lib.6.c.3.speaketh of Gymnosophists, which some ascribe to India; Heliodorus to Aethiopia; he to Aethiopia & Egypt. These, saith he, dwelt abroad without house, on a hil a little off the banks of Nilus, where grew a Groue, in which they held their general Aslemblies, to consult of publike affaires, hauing otherwise their studies & sacrifices apart, each by himself. Thespesion was the chief of this monkish Colledge, when Apollonius after his visitatiō of the Babylonian Mag…, and Indian Brachmanes. bbDomitiano imperatore.came thither. These held the immortality of the soule, and accounted Nilus for a god. If a man at Memphis had by chance-medly killed a man, he was exiled till those Gymnosophists absolued him.

Hercules Temple at Canopus was priuiledged with Sanctuary, to giuegive immunity to fugitiues, and malefactors: thus elswhere Osiris; Apollo, in Syria; Diana, at Ephesus; eueryevery Cardinals house (saith ccPius 2 Asia.a Pope) in Rome; Saint Peter, ddPol. Vir.l.3.at Westminster; and other Popish Oratories, priuiledged dennes of theeues.

p. 479Their Feasts were many: of which, eeHerod. lib.2.Herodotus reckoneth one at Bubastis, in honour of Diana. To this place the men and women, at this festiuall solemnitie, sayled in great multitudes, with Minstrelsie and shoutings; and as they came to any Citie on the waters side, they went on shore, and the women, some daunced, some played, some made a brawle with the women of the place: and thus resorting to Bubastis, they there offered great sacrifices, spending in this Feast more Wine then in all the yeare besides. Hither resorted of men and women, besides children, seuen hundred thousand. In Busiris was solemnized the Feast of Isis, in which, after the sacrifice, many thousands beat themselues: but with what they did beat themselues, was not lawfull to relate. The Carians that inhabited Egypt did also cut their forheads with swords, signifying thereby, that they were foreiners. This Citie was in the middest of the Egyptian Delta, and in it, a very great Temple of Isis. A third Feast was at Sai, in honour of Minerua, where assembling, by night they lighted candles full of Salt & Oyle, & therewith went about the walls of the Citie: This solemnitie was called ff…Light-burning, or if you will, Candlemasse. This night they which came not hither, yet obserued the setting vp of lights throughout Egypt. A fourth was at Heliopolis, in honor of the Sunne. A fist at Butus, of Latona, wherein only sacrificing was vsed. At Papremus was obserued the solemnitie of Mars, with sacrifices, but till Sunne-set, only a few Priests were busied about the Image: a greater number of thē stood before the dores of the Temple with woodden clubbes, & ouer-against them aboue a thousand men that payd their vowes, each with clubbes in their hands, who the day before caried the Image out of a gilded Chappell of Timber into another sacred roome; those few which were chosen for the Idoll-seruice, drawing a Wagon with 4. wheeles, on which the Chappell & Image were carried. Those that stood at the Porch, forbad these to enter; but the Votaries, to helpe their God, beat & draue them backe. Here began a great clubbe-fray, in which many were wounded, & many (although the Egyptians concealed it) died of the woūds. The cause (forsooth) was because here was shrined the mother of Mars to whō her sonne, at ripe age, resorted to hauehave lyen with, but was repelled by her seruants: whereupon, he procuring helpe elsewhere, was reuenged of them. Hence grew that solemnitie.

On the 7. day of the monethmonth Tybi ggHospin. de F. st. c. 7.(which answereth to our Ianuarie & December) was solemnised the cōming of Isis out of Phenscia; in which many things were done in despight of Typhon. The Captites then hurled downe and Asse frō a steepe place, & abused ruddie men for this cause. They had hhPlut. …also, in their Bacchanall-solemnities, most filthie Rites, in which being drunken, they carried Images of a cubit length, with the pnuie member of a monstrous size, with Musicke, accópanied with the elder Matrons. This yard, which they called Phallus, was vsually made of Figge-tree. Herodotus, l.2. saith, That besides their Swine-Feast they obserued another to Bacchus, without Swine, in like sort as the Grecians: in which, they had cubitall Images made of sinews, or, as Coelius iiCoel. Rhod l.…. 16.readeth it, made to be drawne to and fro with sinewes or strings, carried by women. In the monethmonth Thoth (which most-what agreeth to September) the 19. day kkPlut. ibid.was holy to Mercurie, in which they did eate Honey and Figges, saying withall, Truth is sweet. On the 9. day of this monethmonth they obserued another Feast, wherein eueryevery man before his dore did eate rosted Fish: the Priests did not eate, but burne the same. Before was mentioned the seeking of Osiris, alway sought (sayth Lactantius) and alwaies found. This was an Egyptian Feast obserued in the monethmonth Athyr (which answereth some what to Nouember) from the seuenteenth day (in which they imagined that Osyris perished) foure dayes were spent in mourning: the causes were foure; Nilus slaking, the Windes then blowing, the Dayes shortening, the Winter approaching. Here is the mysterie vnfolded. On the nineteenth day they went by night to the Sea, and brought forth a sacred Chest, in which was a golden Boxe, into which they poured water, and made a shout, That Osyris was found. Then they mingled the Earth with Water, adding Spices and costly Perfumes, and made an Image of the Moone, applying these mysticall Rites to the nature of the Earth and Water. About the Winter Solstice they carried a Cow seuen times about the Temple llHosp. c.27., in remembrance of the Sunnes circuit, which in the 7. month would be in the Summer Solstice.

p. 480The originall of Isis seeking Osiris, is before shewed. Some make Typhon the husband of Isis, which slew Osiris her sonne, or brother (as diuers diuersly esteeme him) for Incest committed with her, and cut him in pieces. Anubis her Huntsman, by helpe of his dogges, found out the pieces againe. This (saith Minutius mmM. F.octav. Arnob. contra gentles, l.2.Felix) is resembled eueryevery yeare, Nec desinunt annis omnibus vel perdere quod inneniunt vel innenire quod pordunt. Hac Aeptia quondā nunc & sacra Romana sunt. Truly the Playes of CHRIST his Crucifying and Resurrection, which is obserued in all Churches of the Romant Religion yearely, might seeme to hauehave had this Egyptian originall. Once, Index expurgatorius hath cut out Viues Tongue, where he speaketh against them, in annot. Aug. de Crv. Dei, cap.vlt. This Feast is also mentioned by Iulius Firmius and others.

They had another Feast called Pamylia, of Pamyle the nurse of Osiris, who going to fetch water, heard a voice, bidding her proclaime, That a great King and Benefactor, was borne. On this holiday was carried in Procession an Image with three stones, or (as Plutarch nnde Osir.sayth) with a three-fold yard, in which beastly Rite he findeth a foolish mysterie, not worth the telling. But I thinke this Feast of Feasts hath glutted eueryevery man.

The Egyptians had many Oracles of Hercules, Apollo, Minerua, Diana, Mars, Iupiter, and others. The Oracle of Latona at Butys ooPeucer de Diuinat.told Cambyses, That he should die at Ecbatana, whereby he secured himselfe for Syria, and yet there died, in an obscure village of that name, whereas he had interpreted it of the great Citie in Media. Their Apis and Serapis were also esteemed Oracles. Annibal was deceiued by the Oracle of Serapis, telling him of his death, which he construed of Libya, and fell out in a place of the same name in Bithynia. At Memphis a Cow, at Heliopolis the Bull Mneus, at Arsinoe the Crocodiles were their Oracles. But it were too tedious to relate the rest.

Somewhat of the Egyptian inuentions. Husbandrie ppLaur. coru.by some is ascribed to them, but falsely, Adam, Cain, Noah, and others were in this before them. Astronomie also is not their inuention, but qqIos.Ant.l.…8.taught them by Abraham. rrDom. Neg. Aph. Com. 3. Cic.de div. l. I. A. Thevel. de mundo nono, c.4.Geometrie is more like to be theirs, driuen to seeke out this Art by Nilus ouerflowing. Idolatrie to the Starres was first here practised (sayth Lactantius:) for lying on the roofes of their houses (as yet they doe) without any other Canopie then the Azure Skie, first they beheld, then studied, lastly adored them. Magicke is also ascribed to them; of whose timely professors Iannes and Iambres are an instance. Physicke is fetched also from hence; and Writing, both after the vulgar sort, as also that of the Priests, Hieroglyphicall, where of Horopallo an Egyptian, Pierius, Goropius, besides Mercerus and Hoeschelius, with others, hauehave written. Aelianus ssL.14. 34.accounteth Mercurie the first inuenter of their Lawes. The women in Egypt did performe the offices which belonged to the men, buying, selling, and other businesse abroad; the men spinning and performing household-taske. This Elogie or commendation is giuen them by Martial:

Niliacis primum puer hic nascatur in oris,

Nequitias tellus scit dare nulla magis:

From Egypt (sure) the boyes birth may proceede,

For no Land else such knauerie can breede.

And Propertius: Noxia Alexandria dolis aptissima tellus,

The place where Alexandria doth stand,

Is noysome, and a Conny-catching Land.

We may here adde out of Flauius Vopiscus ttFlav. Vopisc. Saturninus. Trebellius Pollio testifieth the like in his Triginta Tyranis.a testimonie of the qualities of the Egyptians. They are (saith he) inconstant, furious, braggarts, iniurious; also vaine, licentious, desirous of nouelties, euen vntounto common Songs and Ballads, Versifiers, Epigrammatists, Mathematicians, Wisards, Physicians both for Christians and Samaritans; and alway things present, with an vnbridled libertie, are distastfull to them. He bringeth also, for witnesse of this assertion, Aelius Adrianus, who in an Epistle to Servianus, affirmeth thus.

p. 481I hauehave learned all Egypt to be light, wauering, and turning with eueryevery blast of fame. They which worship Serapis, are Christians, and euen they which call themselues Bishops of CHRIST, are deuoted to Serapis.

No Ruler is there of the Iewish Synagogue, no Samaritan, no Christian Priest, which is not a Mathematician, a Wizard, a Chirurgion (or annointer of Champions.) This kinde of men is most seditious, most vaine, most iniurious: The Citie (Alexandria) rich, wealthie, fruitfull, in which none liues idle. Goutie men hauehave somewhat to doe, blinde men hauehave somewhat to doe, or hauehave somewhat which they may make; nor are the goutie-fingered idle. They hauehave one GOD; him doe the Christians, him doe the Iewes, him doe they all worship. I wish them nothing else, but that they may be fedde with their owne Pullen, which how they make fruitfull, I am ashamed to tell. Thus much Adrinaus.

The Pullen he speaketh of, it seemeth, are such, as euen to this day they vse to hatch (not vnderunder the Henne, but) in furnaces of dung and ashes, wherein thousands of Egges are layed for that purpose. That which hee speaketh of the Christians, is either of some Heretikes, or luke-warme Time-seruers to be vnderstood: or else remember, that it was Adrian, an Ethnicke, whose intelligence was from such as himselfe, in those times hating the Christians; of whome, through blinde zeale of their Idolatrie, what did they? What did they not faine and deuile? Euen more odious then here is expressed, as Ecclesiasticall Histories shew. The Iewes had giuen Adrian cause, by their Treasons, to hate them, and flatterers opportunitie to belye them. Let him that loues me, tell my tale.

But a man would maruell to heare Adrian blame the Egyptians so much for that, for which himselfe in Authors is so much blamed; namely, Superstition and Sorcerie. For hee made Images of Antmous, which hee erected almost in all the World, sayth uuDionis Nicai Adr.Dion. This Antinous was in high estimation with him (some thinke, his minion:) He died in Egypt, either drowned in Nilus, as Adrian writeth, or (which is the truth) was sacrificed. For whereas Adrian was exceeding curious, and addicted to Diuinations and Magicall Arts of all kindes (in the hellish Rites whereof was required the Soule of such a one as would die voluntarily) Antinous refused it not, and therefore was thus honoured, and had a Citie in Egypt newly repaired from the ruines, and dedicated in his name. Yea, xxAelius Spa…tianus in Adriano.hee reported hee saw a new Starre, which (forsooth) was the Soule of this Antinous. The Greekes made a God of him, and a giuer of Oracles.

Ammianus Marcellinus yyAm. Marc. l.22.ascribeth to the Egyptians a contentious numour, addicted to lawing and quarrells, assuetudine perplexous litigands semper laetissimum.

Their vanitie and superstition may further appeare by that which Diophantes zzDiophantes Lacedem. apud Stuckium de saecris.recordeth of one Syrophanes, a rich Egyptian; who doting on his sonne yet liuing, dedicated an Image in his house vntounto him, to which the seruants at any time, when they had displeased their Master, betooke themselues, adorning the same with Flowers and Garlands, so recouering their Masters fauour. Some aaCoelius Rhodig. Lectionum antiq. l.16.3.make the Egyptians first inuenters of Wine (which, they say, was first made in the Egyptian Citie Plinthis) and of Beere, to which end they first made Mault of Barley, for such places as wanted Grapes.

When a man proued more in shew then in substance (as hypoctites, whome the Truth it selfe calleth Whited Tombes) the Prouerbe tearmed him an Egyptian Temple, because those buildings were sumptuous and magnificent for matter and forme to the view, but the Deitie therein worshipped, was a Cat, Dogge, or such other contemptible creature.

The naturall furie bbPolyb. Hist.l.15.c.31. Exod.1. …Exod 1and crueltie vsed amongst the Egyptians, hath also made them infamous among Authors, both Prophane and Diuine. But least I also should impose too cruell a taske on my more willing Readers, I will proceede to other obseruations. I hauehave here, in this Egyptian Relation of their Rites, Manners, and Mysteries, beene the larger, both because Authors are herein plentifull, p. 482and especially because Aegypt hath beene an old storer and treasurer of these mysticall Rites for that later vpstart, the Mysticall Babylon, in the West; which, as she is spiritually called Sodome and Aegypt, so like that strumpet mentioned by ccPro.7.10.Prov 7:10Salomon, hath not a little decked her bed with the Ornaments, Carpets, and Laces of Aegypt. Wiser were the Romans ddDion.Cass.l.54of old, which made diuerse Lawes to expell the Aegyptian Rites out of their Citie, which the later Popes entertaine.