The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
For the building of their houses, they sende not ouer sea for stone, thei
burne no Calion to make lime to tempre their mortre, thei bake no brickes,
nor digge no sande. But either make them caues in the earthe, or take suche
as they finde ready made in the sides of mounteines and hilles. Ther dwel
thei without feare of rage or ruine, of weather or of winde. He thincketh
him self saeflier fenced from showres with his caue, then with a fewe
tiles: and yet hath by it a double commoditie. A house while he liueth, and
a graue ready made when he dyeth. Ther is no glittering apparell, no
rattelinge in sylkes, no sylkes, no rusteling in veluettes, but a litle
brieche of brawded russhes, or rather a couering of honeste
shamefacednesse.
The women are not sette oute to allure, ne pinched in to please, ne
garnisshed to gase at. No heare died, no lockes outelaied, no face painted,
no skinne sliicked, no countrefeicte countenaunce, nor mynsing of passe. No
poticary practise, no ynckhorne termes, nor pithlesse pratling. Finally no
colours of hipocrisie, no meanes to set out more beautie then nature hathe
giuen them. They ioyne not in engendrure for likerous luste, but for the
loue of yssewe and succession. Thei kepe no warres, but mainteine peace:
not with force, but with peaceable behauour and maners. The father and the
mother folowe not the child to the bewrialle. Thei builde no toumbes for
the deade: more like vnto chirches then graues. They bewry not vp their
asshes in pottes dasshed full of pearle and precious stone. For why they
estieme in these, neither the honour of the quicke, ne the pleasure of the
deade: but raither the trouble and paine of bothe. Pestilence or other
diseases (as I haue sayd) the Abrahmanes are not annoyed with, for they
enfecte not the ayer with any filthe doinges. But nature alwaye with them,
keapeth accorde with the season: and euery elemente his tourne with oute
stoppe or barre. Their Phisicque is abstinence, which is able not only to
cure the maladie already crepte in: but also to holde oute suche as
otherwise mighte entre. Thei couette no sightes, nor shewes of misrule: no
disguisinges nor entreludes. But when thei be disposed to haue the pleasure
of the stage, thei entre into the regestre of their stories, and what thei
finde theremoste fit to belaughed at, that do thei lamente and bewaile.
They delight not as many do, to heare olde wiues tales, and fantasies of
Robin Hoode: but in studious consideracion of the wondreful workemanship of
the worlde, and the disposinge of thinges in suche ordre of course and
degree. Thei crosse no sease for merchaundise, ne learne no colours of
Rethoricque. Thei haue one kinde of plaine eloquence commune to them all:
tongue, and harte agreinge in truthe. Thei haue neither moote halles, ne
vniuersities, whose disagreable doctrine more leaning to apisshe arte, then
natural reason and experience, neuer bringeth anye staye, or certeinte of
thinges.
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